This is going to be a year of excitement. 2023 will the worst of times, and it will be the best of times. It’s going to be all over the place. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.

Note that many MM practitioners of affirmation campaigns are telling me that they have moved into new homes, and experiencing various changes in their lives. Most are seeing this after about a three year period after performing 3/3 campaigns. For your information.

If things are a happening yet, do not fear. They will…

Have a great new year!

There’s An Online Community About Stapling Bread To Trees

Turns out there’s an online community on Reddit with almost 68,000 active members that spend their days stapling bread to trees and sharing their experience online. We truly live in an amazing time!

To put things in perspective, America’s “Pivot to Asia” – the American military and diplomatic “pivot” toward Asia was articulated by Hillary Clinton in President’s Obama first Presidential term – a very long time ago.

Since that time, the United States had:

• withdrew from the Trans Pacific Agreement;
• withdrew in the dead of the night from Afghanistan
• watched from afar when the Chinese military essentially blockaded Taiwan after Nancy Peloci’s visit the island

During that same time:

• China’s Belt and Road initiative had gained much traction with much infrastructures build NOT only in Asia but also across the Eurasian continent and into Africa. Many countries – Iraq, Syria, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Malaysia – are now an integral part of that world;
• China reached the largest Regional free trade agreement with Pacific nations – The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership;
• China reached a 25 year Sino-Iranian agreement. This was followed by the recently completed Saudi Arabia-China summit and a Gulf State-China summit which essentially make those countries an integral part of the BRI world;
• Economically, China continued to grow at an exponential rate and is now the biggest trading partner of almost ALL countries of the world replacing the United States. This is a time when the United States grew to become the largest debtor nation on earth
• Militarily, China’s military continued to grow in lethality with the introduction of new advanced weaponries at a pace that the United States is unable to keep up to.

The TOTALITY of it is that the United States’ Pivot to Asia is just another failed initiative by the United States with no or minimal effect. The Americans keep repeating that same old mantra in the belief that something will change for the better by repeating it. At the same time, they continue to do the complete opposite and have done much to withdrew from Asia. The Americans continued to implode at an increasingly fast pace at a time when China’s rapid rise continued unabated.

Best of Larry, Darryl, and Darryl (part 1)

Skyline Chili Dip

“A Cincinnati favorite. My roommates and I served this at every party we had…it would be gone in seconds.”

Ingredients

Units: US

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 (13 ounce) package frozen chili or (15 ounce) can skyline chili
• 1 (8 ounce) package shredded cheddar cheese
• ¹⁄₄ cup onion, diced (optional)

Directions

• Spread cream cheese on bottom of casserole dish.
• Sprinkle diced onions (optional).
• Pour Skyline chili over onions (opt.) and cream cheese.
• Cover with cheddar cheese.
• Conventional oven: Heat at 350 degrees until cheese is bubbling but not brown, about 10 minutes.
• Microwave oven: Heat on high for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.
• Serve warm with Corn chips or Fritos corn chips.

Animals In Suits: Very Well Dressed Animal Portraits By Ryan Berkley

Ryan Berkley creates comic-book inspired art and prints for your walls or family photo albums using mainly markers and colored pencils. Perhaps best known for his “Animals in Suits” series, Ryan likes to tackle surreal subject matter in a very friendly way.

He and his wife Lucy run Berkley Illustration together from Portland, Oregon.

Jeremy Markeith Thompson

I am a Black American. I lived in Beijing, China teaching English. I never had any negative interactions with Chinese people. My Chinese co-workers enjoyed working with me. We laughed and played, but still kept our focus on providing an excellent product for our adult students. After work, I enjoyed hanging out with my co-workers.

At my place of work, I taught adult students. Some of them asked me about racism and prejudice toward minorities in the USA. They were very concerned about visiting or moving to a country where they would encounter racism and prejudice. None of my students ever said one negative word about Black people.

In the streets of Beijing, I spent plenty of time walking, taking taxis, riding subways and buses, hanging out at markets and going shopping. I always received excellent treatment from everyone that I interacted with in public. I never felt fear or threatened. I would be outside late at night to go eat. I always felt like another Chinese citizen.

I remember fracturing my toe. I needed to get to the hospital. A Chinese friend of mine was a driver. He saw me in pain trying to get to public transportation. He quickly came over and offered to take me in his car. My Chinese is broken, but at the hospital my friend gave me his number and told me to contact him after I finished. I called him after I received treatment at the hospital. He had another friend come pick me up.

I had to wear a removable cast on my foot for a few weeks. Everywhere I went, Chinese people would ask me if I were okay. In fact, older women would come up to me, rub me on my back and tell me that everything would be fine. I never had so much concern shown for me at any earlier point in my life.

I asked one of my Chinese women friends why people were so concerned about me. She told me it was because they cared about me. Later on, at home alone, I broke down in tears over the love shown for me.

Karen Says the “Owner” GAVE HER a V.I.P. Table… but I OWN THE RESTAURANT

Is it possible for China to ever catch up to developed Western countries?

Is it possible for China to catch up to developed Western countries?

Yes, it is not only possible for China to catch up to developed Western countries but also certain for China to even take the leading position in the technlogical development because ranking in the Global Innovation Index rose from 34th to 11th in the past ten years.

The GDP of China has doubled since 2012, and the average contribution rate to world economic growth has exceeded 30%. The balance, coordination, and sustainability of development have been significantly enhanced for China to achieve a higher-quality, more efficient, fairer, and more sustainable, safer path to development.

The resilience of the economy in China has been further highlighted. Its potential and vitality have been continuously released, and various advantages and conditions have built strong support.

The fundamentals of long-term improvement will not change. China’s economy has shifted from a stage of high-speed growth to a stage of high-quality development.

From January to November 2022, the production and sales of new energy vehicles in China increased year-on-year, and the domestic market share of new energy vehicles continued to climb to 25%. There are more than 4,000 “5G+Industrial Internet” projects under construction across the country. The digital economy is accelerating fission on the main battlefield of continuously empowering the real economy and creating a high-quality life.

The continuous efforts of the Chinese in promoting the development of industrial technology and manufacturing are becoming the magic power that drives the economy. China has shifted toward making better, more valuable products. Education, science and technology, and talents are the basic and strategic support for building a modern socialist China in an all-round way.

To solve the problem of social fairness and justice in the shared development, China in the new era is showing vitality in the vivid development practice.

The construction of the Pioneering Demonstration Zone of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in Shenzhen, the Leading Zone of Socialist Modernization Construction in Pudong, Shanghai, and the Free Trade Port in Hainan Island with Chinese Characteristics and so on are accelerated.

The Chinese government puts the focus of economic development on the real economy, promotes new industrialization, and strives to build a manufacturing, quality, aerospace, transportation, and network power, and a digital China. They have accelerated the construction of a modern industrial system in China.

The CIIE has come as scheduled every year, and merchants gather every year since 2018. Only by standing on their own and giving full play to the advantages of the domestic ultra-large-scale market can the Chinese shape the new advantages of China in participating in international cooperation and competition.

The EMU passed the border between the two countries in the China-Laos Friendship Tunnel on October 15, 2021.

The China-Laos Railway has ushered in the opening and operation for one year, handing over the “transcript” of passenger and cargo prosperity: a total of 8.5 million passengers and 11.2 million tons of goods have been dispatched.

150 countries and 32 international organizations have signed more than 200 cooperation documents with China in the Belt and Road Initiative joint business venture programs and projects. The Belt and Road Initiative is creating a road to common prosperity opportunity for all the countries. 29 national import trade promotion and innovation demonstration zones across China have been added. The Chinese government also released a new catalog of industries encouraging foreign investors to further expand the scope of their investment, accelerated the construction of the new land-sea channel in the west to expand international cooperation space and ensure the security of food, energy resources, and supply chains of important industrial chains.

211.5 billion yuan is going to spend on ten major grain and livestock and poultry breeding research projects to make every effort in the supply and demand of key materials such as energy and food, and resolutely ensure safe and smooth transportation with the construction of the fourth line of the West-East Gas Pipeline Project, the first UHV AC project in Southwest China State Grid Sichuan-Chongqing 1000 kV UHV AC project. The exploration of CNOOC discovered the first deep-water gas field of China.

The per capita disposable income of residents has increased from 16,500 yuan to 35,100 yuan.

With effective diagnosis and treatment technologies and drugs, medical treatment, pathogen detection, epidemiological investigation and other capabilities being continued to improve, positive progress has been made in vaccine research and development and vaccination, the complete vaccination rate of the whole population exceeds 90%, and the public’s health awareness and health literacy are obvious promoted.

The level of equalization of basic public services and the channels for residents’ income growth have been improved and expanded. The action plan of expanding middle-income groups has been implemented for common prosperity.

The bright prospect of Chinese-style modernization is exciting.

Ex US NSA John Bolton Co-authored Paper On Creating Bioweapons, Claims Russian MoD

From HERE

Russian RCBP Troops chief Igor Kirillov has claimed that ex-US NSA John Bolton co-authored a strategy on bioweapons to ensure US’ global leadership in the domain, as per a report from Sputnik news.

It is unclear on what basis Igor Kirillov is claiming this and Russia has not provided any strong evidence to back its claim. As of now, the only evidence Russia is offering is a paper titled ‘Rebuilding America’s Defenses’, co-authored by the ex-US NSA John Bolton. The paper was published back in 2000.

According to Igor Kirillov claims, the paper spoke about creating biological weapons to ensure the US is able to maintain its military superiority. “The paper noted that to achieve a position of world leadership, the United States must maintain its military superiority, and one of the ways to do so was the creation of biological weapons,” he said, as per the information published by Sputnik news. “At the same time, the paper indicated that advanced forms of biological weapons capable of targeting certain genotypes could change the role of this type of weapon – from a deterrent into a beneficial policy tool,” he added.

Russia’s claims and the genuine risk of gain of function research

Igor Kirillov says that Washington DC blocked the UN body’s verification mechanism and blocked proposals of checking bio-weapons storage cities, by arguing that such measures pose a threat to the US’ national security interests. The Russian RCBP Troops chief then pointed out the US’ National Biodefense Strategy and Implementation Plan which was published by the White House in October. The paper talks about “countering biological threats, enhancing pandemic preparedness, and achieving global health security,” as per the Sputnik report, by somehow on the basis of this report, Kirillov claimed that the US is up to something nefarious.

It should be noted that the US does conduct gain-of-function research and there are legitimate concerns about the risk-to-reward ratio of such research. US President Barack Obama stopped funding for gain-of-function research during his tenure. Donald Trump reinstituted funding for gain-of-function research. Gain of function research is dangerous because it entails altering an organism in such a way that its transmissibility can be altered. Gain-of-function research can also alter a pathogen’s host range.

First Published: 26th November, 2022 19:42 IST

 

The Andy Griffith Show – “He Hit Me With a Tomato!” (1964)

https://youtu.be/lkOGiMNL_Kc

Lack Of Good Analyses Contributes To The Decline Of The ‘West’

What really hit me last year was the dearth of correct analyses in main stream media and in politics with regards to the war in Ukraine. Little if anything is based on facts. More than 90% of the published output is propaganda.

The ‘western’ plan was to draw Russia into Ukraine to then ‘kill’ it by economic sanctions. As Biden said when he announced those:

We have purposefully designed these sanctions to maximize the long-term impact on Russia and to minimize the impact on the United States and our Allies. 

And I want to be clear: The United States is not doing this alone. For months, we’ve been building a coalition of partners representing well more than half of the global economy.

Twenty-seven members of the European Union, including France, Germany, Italy — as well as the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and many others — to amplify the joint impact of our response.

I just spoke with the G7 leaders this morning, and we are in full and total agreement. We will limit Russia’s ability to do business in Dollars, Euros, Pounds, and Yen to be part of the global economy. We will limit their ability to do that. We are going to stunt the ability to finance and grow Rus- — the Russian military.

We’re going to impose major — and we’re going to impair their ability to compete in a high-tech 21st century economy.

We’ve already seen the impact of our actions on Russia’s currency, the Ruble, which early today hit its weakest level ever — ever in history. And the Russian stock market plunged today. The Russian government’s borrowing rate spiked by over 15 percent.

The assumptions behind these sanctions about the state of the Russian economy were completely wrong. Russia no longer had a low level economy. Yes, its GDP in dollar terms was much lower than those of most European states. But its GDP per capita measured at purchase power of the ruble was quite high. Russia’s GDP also includes a much higher percentage of real production and a lower percentage of dubious ‘services’. Its health care sector is 5.6% of its GDP. In the U.S. it is 16.7%, without creating a much better outcome. If one looks at Russia’s production of steel, concrete and electricity per capita, things of real value, one can see that it is as much developed as other major middle income countries in Europe.

The sanctions not only failed but hit back at those who issued them. Just look at Europe’s energy crisis. Due to the sanctions issued in 2014, when Russia reintegrated Crimea, it knew what was coming and had prepared for it. Within weeks the rubel went so high that the central bank intervened to lower it. ‘western’ companies in Russia were quickly taken over or replaced by Russian ones. Trade with China and other non-western countries grew immensely. Russia’s total GDP decline in 2022 will be 2.5-2.9%, not the 20+% some western ‘experts’ had predicted. Some of the European countries that issued the sanctions will have a much sharper decline.

Russia was and is rich. It produces lots of food and has all the natural resources it could wish for. Its economy is mostly self sufficient. Its population is well educated. It has the military means to defend itself. How anyone thought that Russia could be brought to its knees by sanctions is beyond me.

Them came the war. In April the attempt to make peace with Kiev failed after the U.S. prevented Kiev from signing a deal. In consequence the Russia forces pulled back from Kiev. It never had had enough troops there to conquer the city. (One needs 1 soldier per ~40 inhabitants to occupy a city. Russia had only half of the needed force near Kiev.) The ‘experts’ called that a ‘defeat’ when in reality Russia had switched to a different plan that required a different disposition of force. It next took the Luhansk Oblast from Ukraine and switched to defensive tactics. The new aim was to bleed the Ukrainian forces while incurring few Russian losses.

Then came the Ukrainian attempt to take Kherson. That failed. A parallel Ukrainian attempt in the Kharkiv region was more successful as Russia had already removed most of its forces from that area. But take a map and look at the Kharkiv area that Russia ‘lost’. It has little industry and no important natural resources. What is its actual value for Russia? The southern land corridor from Russia to Crimea was way more important and that is where the troops had gone.

The Kherson region west of the Dnieper turned out to be difficult to supply. The new military command wanted the 30,000 troops holding it to move elsewhere. The Russian troops moved to the east side of the Dnieper without any losses. The Ukrainian military command in that area acknowledges that it failed in its main mission:

[Maj. Gen. Andriy Kovalchuk, who was tasked with leading the Kherson counteroffensive] set out to bisect the Russian-occupied area on the west side of the Dnieper and trap the Russian forces. “My task was not only to liberate the territory,” he said. “My task from the start was to occlude and destroy the force. That is, to not let them leave or exist.”

The first task was fulfilled by Kovalchuk’s successor only after the Russian forces had withdrawn from the area. The second part of the task was, despite high Ukrainian losses, left unfulfilled.

Like with the Russian pullback from Kiev the ‘experts’ claimed that the move east of Kharkiv as well as into the Kherson region were Ukrainian victories. From a military perspective neither qualifies as such.

Now you have BBC ‘experts’ predicting ways the conflict could go in 2023. There analyses of the real situation are so bad that you wonder what disinformation they are based on.

Michael Clarke, associate director of the Strategic Studies Institute, Exeter, UK 
...
Both sides need a pause but the Ukrainians are better equipped and motivated to keep going, and we can expect them to maintain the pressure, at least in the Donbas.

Around Kreminna and Svatove they are very close to a big breakthrough that would throw Russian forces 40 miles back to the next natural defensive line, close to where their invasion effectively began in February. 
...
Andrei Piontkovsky, scientist and analyst based in Washington DC

Ukraine will win by restoring completely its territorial integrity by spring 2023 at the latest. Two factors are shaping this conclusion.

One is the motivation, determination and courage of the Ukrainian military and Ukrainian nation as a whole, which is unprecedented in modern war history.

The other is the fact that, after years of appeasement of a Russian dictator, the West has finally grown up to realise the magnitude of historical challenge it faces. 
...
Barbara Zanchetta, Department of War Studies, King's College London 
...
The costs of the war, both material and human, might break the level of commitment of the Russian political elite. The key will be inside Russia.

Past wars in which miscalculation was a crucial element, such as Vietnam for United States, or Afghanistan for the Soviet Union, only ended in this way. Domestic political conditions shifted in the country that had miscalculated, making exit - either "honourable" or not - the only viable option. 
...
Sadly, this will continue to be a long-protracted political, economic and military battle of resolve. And by the end of 2023 it will most probably still be ongoing. 
...
Ben Hodges, former commanding general, United States Army Europe 
...
By January, Ukraine could be in a position to begin the final phase of the campaign which is the liberation of Crimea.

We know from history that war is a test of will and a test of logistics. When I see the determination of the Ukrainian people and soldiers, and the rapidly improving logistical situation for Ukraine, I see no other outcome but a Russian defeat. 
...
David Gendelman, military expert based in Israel 
...
The occupation of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions will continue but a major Russian breakthrough like a drive from the south to Pavlograd to encircle the Ukrainian forces in the Donbas is less likely.

More probable is a continuation of current tactics - a slow grinding of Ukrainian forces on narrow directions and a slow advance, like in Bakhmut and Avdiivka areas, with possible same tactics in Svatove-Kreminna area.

I can confidently say that, except for a small likelihood for the very last prediction to be true for some time, all others conclusions above are delusional nonsense. They are not based on facts and numbers but on wishful thinking. They are in themselves mere propaganda. (Watch Webb Union and History Legends having fun with them.)

The delusion about the military state of the war is even worse when it comes to the political side.

Putin, unaccustomed to losing, is increasingly isolated as war falters
A new gulf is emerging between the president and much of the country’s elite

The above headline is from today’s Washington Post. The unfounded basic assumption of the piece is that Russia is failing in its war. Its conclusions rest on some Carnegie ‘expert’ and anonymous sources in Russia. It is contradicted by the reality of the war and the results of current polls in Russia which show strong support for Putin and the government. It also ignores the fact that Russia has good relation with most of the rest of the world and that it also has powerful allies:

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping vowed Friday to deepen their bilateral cooperation against the backdrop of Moscow’s 10-month war in Ukraine, which weathered another night of drone and rocket attacks following a massive missile bombardment. 
...
Putin, during his call with Xi, noted that military cooperation has a “special place” in the relationship between their countries. He said the Kremlin aimed to “strengthen the cooperation between the armed forces of Russia and China.”

Xi, in turn, said through a translator that “in the face of a difficult and far from straightforward international situation,” Beijing was ready “to increase strategic cooperation with Russia, provide each other with development opportunities, be global partners for the benefit of the peoples of our countries and in the interests of stability around the world.”

Ties between Moscow and Beijing have grown stronger since Putin sent his troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24. Just last week, Moscow and Beijing held joint naval drills in the East China Sea.

China, which has promised a “no limits” friendship with Russia, has pointedly refused to criticize Moscow’s actions in Ukraine, blaming the U.S. and NATO for provoking the Kremlin, and has blasted the punishing sanctions imposed on Russia.

Russia, in turn, has strongly backed China amid the tensions with the U.S. over Taiwan.

‘Increasingly isolated’ seems to mean something different to the Washington Post writer than to the rest of the world.

The delusion and lack of good analyses about military and political issues is accompanied by a delusion about the economic future of the ‘west’.

Here is a bit of reality:

Credit Suisse contributor Zoltan Pozsar has continued his ongoing series about Bretton Woods III where commodities will dictate the new world order. For his last dispatch of the year, he described how the world is now shifting to a multipolar order “being built not by G7 heads of state but by the ‘G7 of the East’ (the BRICS heads of state).” 
...
“My sense is that the market is starting to realize that the world is going from unipolar to multipolar politically, but the market has yet to make the leap that in the emerging multipolar world order, cross-currency bases will be smaller, commodity bases will be greater, and inflation rates in the West will be higher,” the author explained.

I could go on about these issues for some time.

My feel this year was that political, economical and military issues discussed in the main stream media have parted from the objective reality more than they have done at any previous time in my life. I sometimes look into a mirror and think ‘well, maybe its just you.’ But it is not just me. Other analysts have come to similar conclusion. But, like me, neither of them gets quoted in main stream media and neither is paid in a traditional sense to publish on these issues.

Which, thinking of it, may well be the root of this theme.

Posted by b on December 30, 2022 at 17:50 UTC | Permalink

The Most Chilling 911 Call Ever Recorded

Jesus H. Christ.

https://youtu.be/n-abxgFv1bU

Martyanov’s post today refers to this post by b. on MoA.

b should realize that the reason the analysis in the West is so bad is precisely what Martyanov has been ranting about since forever. A recent example:

As I already stated many times--the last one being yesterday--average US "journo" from establishment media in the US is semi-literate moron. Some of those morons have Ph.Ds in "journalism" and "communications", others--in political pseudo-science. In other words, using Dunning-Kruger model--it is impossible to explain to most people who graduated all kinds of such "programs", and those who teach those, from the average Western university, that they are ignorant because they are ignorant. They do not know real history, especially of the 20th century, neither do most professors who teach it, they do not understand real economy and how it operates, they have zero clue about real warfare. As the result, despite my, and others, warning since 2013-14 about the US not understanding what it is getting itself into with Ukraine, most military-political-media and business top brass in the US wanted... to kill Russians and destroy Russia.

Now, as I am also on record--no American servicemen ever fought real large, including modern combined arms, war against very serious, sometimes superior, enemy in defense of his (her) home, period. Russians do it for 1000+ years. Because of that, even when you are well-educated and experienced American soldier, it is still very difficult, not impossible, though, to grasp the intricacies of real war economy, especially when you have been taught "economics" as is taught in the West. Get any top RAND honcho (probably former general) talk to Russian counterpart and you can easily observe how this RAND guy will melt away when faced with substantive issues of arsenals for serious war. Emphasis on "serious". And this is just one example. In other words, American military experiences do not apply to Russia in general. Hence, even when having proper information, many in the US analytical orgs, let alone such toilet paper as NYT fail to grasp basic facts. They do not have skills.

White Queso Dip

“Have you ever been to a mexican restaurant or burrito joint and tried that tasty white cheese dip? After much experimentation, I finally have a recipe that is on par with the cheese dip you can get there, and you’re sure to love it too. This beats anything you can buy prepackaged in a store! If you do not have a double boiler, you can improvise by using a metal mixing bowl over a saucepan.”

Ingredients

Units: US

• 1 lb white American cheese (from deli, get a good brand)
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 2 tablespoons diced jalapenos
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon cumin
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon black pepper
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon red pepper
• 1 dash chili powder

Directions

• In a double boiler on low heat (enough to keep a gentle boil), add the cheese and some of the half and half.
• Stir mixture until cheese begins to evenly melt, adding half and half to result in the consistency you desire. (It should be thin enough to flow well, but thick enough to stay on a chip).
• Add diced jalapenos to mixture, according to your preference. If they are from a jar, add a teaspoon or two of the juice as well.
• Begin to add the spices. Start with the cumin and black pepper. Add red pepper gradually, tasting along the way. A little goes a long way, so be sure you don’t make it too hot. I use a bit more than 1/4 tsp, you may use more or less.
• Add a pinch of chili powder, and serve hot with tortillas or chips.
• Leftovers can be microwaved (add more half and half or water to keep consistency). Don’t worry about yellowing from day to day (due to spices/cheese), it will be good for 4-5 days.

Cat Cafe

It all began in 2004, when the first cat cafe opened its doors in Osaka. Since then, the petting zoo/coffee house hybrids have invaded Tokyo, and business is booming. After removing your shoes and washing your hands, you can relax or play with the cats and kittens while you have your drink. Prices are reasonable, and the rules are simple: no flash photos, no grabbing tails or waking sleeping kitties.

Best of Larry, Darryl, and Darryl (part 2)

Rocket Scientists Of NASA Before Powerpoint In 1961

Ever heard the saying “It’s not rocket science!”? It’s often used by smart-asses who know nothing about rocket science. But then again, who does? It is, after all, super difficult. Well, NASA does, obviously, and back in the early 60s rocket science was even more complicated than it is now.

These days you can probably figure out how much fuel you need to get to the moon and back on a smartphone app, and if you want to know the weight of Neptune then you can simply search it on Google. But back in the 1961, scientists at NASA were still doing things with a piece of chalk and a giant blackboard. And believe it or not, they put the first US astronaut into space that very same year, a feat made all the more impressive when you remember that the electronic calculator hadn’t even been invented yet.

.