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This article goes into a much more involved study of how consciousness interacts with world-lines in the MWI.
In so doing, we have to deconstruct some of the simpler conventions that we have used in the past, and layout a better foundation of how the MWI actually interacts with the consciousness.
In earlier posts, I have gone into details on how the MWI actually manifests in our reality. In those presentations, I intentionally simplified things for easy understanding.
It's sort of like how you teach a person to swim by holding them and letting them kick their legs in the water. You use "supports". These supports aren't really the "real thing", but they help you along the road to eventually master the real thing.
In this post, we will assume that you the reader have mastered a basic understanding of those previous points.
Consciousness moves in and out of world-lines.
This movement appears as “time”.
Our thoughts direct which world-lines that we enter.
Introduction
In this article, we will now elaborate upon the world-line construction. We will look at what it actually is and how it actually works. Not everyone needs to know or understand this. But for those that do, this will help obtain a better understanding of it.
This is an illustration of what time actually is. Time does not exist. It is a perception that our consciousness has as it moves and weaves in and out of different world-lines. Here we use an old-fashioned movie reel projector to help illustrate this understanding.
It will appear really strange, but I do hope that I can help add some insight into everything.
Now, this article is for advanced students and are advanced studies.
Most of the people who have already mastered World-Line-Travel 101, you won’t need to read this. For the handful of people that understand world-line-travel-101, you don’t really need to understand much more than that.
But for those of you that need more, then here it is.
Of course, it’s long due. But all this COVID-19 nonsense has pretty much hijacked my postings and articles.
Quick Review
The universe is nothing like people think it is.
Instead of all of us sharing the same physical universe, we exist as consciousness within our very own personal reality. It only appears that we share it with others.
There is a near infinite number of these realities. They are known as individual world-lines.
We travel through these different world-lines at a rate of around 4 Hz. The selection of the world-line we exist within momentarily is manifested by our thoughts. This is a rather speedy switching in and out of world-lines.
Roughly, our consciousness pops in and out of four different world-lines every second.
Each world-line is nearly identical to the one before it.
The differences are determined by your thoughts, conscious and unconscious.
If you want to review what all this is about, I would suggest you check out these following posts first:
So please keep in mind that while everything posted previously is quite accurate, it is actually simplified for understanding.
Now, we get into a deeper perception of how things actually work. And in the process better understand all that PSI and “twilight zone” stuff that appears from time-to-time.
Once you understand these new elements of consciousness fundamentals and world-line interaction, you can understand how people are able to do many "tricks" with PSI, and other strange things...
Clarification #1 – Consciousness cycles in and out of world-lines in a sinusoidal manner.
This should be obvious to the astute reader, but it needs to be stated.
The consciousness moves in and out of world-lines naturally. It moves in a sinusoidal manner. It moves in and out. In and out. Over and over.
The rate of travel varies from person to person, but typically averages around 4 Hz.
Standard sinusoidal waveform.
During this time it changes “shape properties”. Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth.
At “the top” of the cycle it takes on wave behavior.
At the “bottom” of the cycle, it takes on particle behavior.
Consciousness movement in and out of different world-lines.
When it takes on wave behavior it moves from one world-line to another directed by thought. It exists “in the spirit world”.
Movement of consciousness.
When it takes on particle behavior, it occupies a world-line and inhabits a physical body.
Our consciousness cycles in and out of different world-lines. Between each trip it exists within “heaven”.
With this understood, we can define the amount of time that the transition from world-line to world-line takes, as well as the duration a consciousness spends inside each world-line.
If there are 4 cycles per second, then, each trip back and forth from the "Heavenly realms" to a world-line is 1/4 a second.
And thus, (roughly) each moment at a given world-line is half of that. Or, 1/8 of a second.
Some “take aways”;
Humans, via our consciousness, is continuously in touch with the “Heavenly realms”. Every moment we touch heaven, and enter our latest world-line.
When in the wave form, we can perform all sorts of activities and have all sorts of “abilities” not tied to any world-line. There are no physical limitations. Humans spend approximately 50% of their time “connected” to the “Heavenly realms”.
For us to maintain (retain) our memories from world-line to world-line, the memories are deposited outside the brain. It exists within the “Heavenly realms” not within the physical brain.
Key Correction #1 – Consciousness moves about the MWI when attached to a human body.
In my previous simplifications, I have referred to, and drawn the consciousness as a red blob; a point of light. I have stated that “Soul” can generate multiple Consciousnesses that it places on “journeys”. These “Journeys for experience” is a life-experience for a soul.
Simplified diagram of how consciousness moves in and out of the MWI and gives us the illusion of time. This is what one second of life looks like for the average person. He / she enters and leaves four different world lines each second. This “movement” appears as time.
The Consciousness normally travels in and out of world-lines all a person’s life.
Once a consciousness uses up a body as it travels in and out of world-lines, it dies. The consciousness stays in the wave-form and “rests” within the “Heavenly realms”.
A decision is thus made by the soul, the consciousness, and their associations with other spirits, angels, and heavenly denizens on what to do next.
Often, it involves being injected on another “journey” in another life. This is often referred to as reincarnation.
This graphic shows how the the “passage of time” is viewed in the big-scale of things. MWI movement occurs during a human “lifespan”. You can only experience world-line travel within a given life. (There’s exceptions to this, but let’s stay focused.)
Key Correction #2 – Consciousness is not a point-source.
Consciousness is actually quite complex and complicated.
It is not a blob, a dot, a “something”.
It’s a collection of “stuff” that operates in such a way that the soul, the consciousness, the MWI and the thoughts generate memories and navigate the life-path to create experiences that the soul can learn from.
Soul creates a “consciousness” that it uses to travel the MWI.
It inserts it into a given world-line, and allows it to move unencumbered and subject to it’s own thoughts. Each world-line is a “physical reality” that the consciousness occupies.
The soul, which resides in the “Heavenly realms” creates a consciousness from which to experience things and events. Thus learns and grows. Consciousness is the passageway or “tunnel” that connects the physical reality to the soul.
Now, in all of this, I drew consciousness (literately, and artistically) as a point. I drew it as a red circular blob. Like in the two earlier drawings.
As in the above drawing showing the consciousness as a red blob in front of a long tunnel to the soul.
Movement of consciousness into a world-line as depicted as a point source.
However, the true reality is a bit different.
Get ready to have your mind blown.
The consciousness actually occupies multiple World-line-realities at any given moment simultaneously. It is actually not a “red blob”. It’s a lot of “red blobs”. Each one occupying a different world-line… simultaneously.
It is a “shared potential”. Some of the consciousness occupies one world-line at any given moment, while other aspects of it’s consciousness occupies other world-lines.
Sort of like this…
Consciousness occupies multiple world-lines at any given moment. The sum total of what our consciousness experiences is what we view as “our” present world-line. It appears to be but one singular world-line, but it is actually a aggregate composite of all the world-lines that our consciousness occupies at any given moment. 1 / (30/4+40/4+20/4+10/4) = Momentary reality.
Then, they move on to the next group of world lines. Then again. Then again. Then again. Over and over.
It’s not a red blob moving in and out.
Consciousness occupies multiple world-lines at any given moment. The sum total of what our consciousness experiences is what we view as “our” present world-line. They all change in the same cycle as governed by the consciousness.
Instead, consciousness occupies numerous world-lines at any given moment. Each world-line is different, but similar. The Consciousness interprets the differences as a singular world-line.
Key Correction #2 – World-Lines are not point-sources either.
We have a tendency to think of a “world” as a fixed and solid place. And the way that I have described the movement of time, has been the consciousness moving in and out from these fixed world-line realities.
A "world-line" is the resultant combined perception of a moment "frozen in time" that combines multiple world-lines into a singular apparent place.
What we think a world-line is is not a fixed singular place.
It is the sum total average of all the experiences that a conscientiousness is exposed to at any singular moment in time.
By fracturing a consciousness and occupying many similar world-lines simultaneously, the resultant consciousness would end up with a richer “experience”. It can also help to direct the travel and migrate to “better” world-lines per it’s directives.
It is the exact opposite of “living within an echo chamber“. It enables the consciousness to experience different experiences instead of simply reinforcing existing ones that the consciousness has been accustomed to over the years.
Key Correction #3 – World-Lines are not entirely empty of other consciousnesses.
To best understand how you can move in and out of multiple world-lines, it makes sense to think of things simply. Your consciousness is a point or sphere. The world-lines are empty and only occupied by “shadow consciousnesses”. But that’s really a simplistic picture.
It’s a simple narrative.
Imagine that you are only consciousness. And that you can move in and out of different world-lines freely. They seem to be occupied by all kinds of other people, but that is just an illusion. Most world-lines are just empty. And all those other people are just “quantum shadows” of others.
Now, this simplistic narrative needs to be revised to reflect the reality.
Instead of 100% of a consciousness entering a world-line where all the “quantum shadows” only have 0% occupancy within that reality…
…we now look at the reality…
Your consciousness might devote (say) 23% occupation within a given world-line, and all those “quantum-shadows” are actually occupied by other consciousnesses. Only they are a much smaller percentage. Often varying from 0.0002% to 0.1%.
Thus, in truth, all world-lines are not truly empty. They are occupied to some extent. And all of the other consciousnesses react to the way your consciousness behaves within any given particular world line.
Conclusion
And this, boys and girls, is the more advanced understanding of how the universe actually works. It’s simple, but complex.
It’s “rich” and “colorful”.
It also helps to understand how PSI and other psychic behaviors manifest within our reality.
And no, you are not going to find this anywhere else on the internet or in the halls of the universities. But this is what I have been tasked to understand (or at least part of it, anyways) as part of my MAJestic role.
I have much more, but it starts to really get complicated.
In it, I explain how the physical materials can be manipulated by thought and how one can travel through “apparent time”, and all sorts of curious other things. But, I am not ready to release all these other things out to the public at this time. It’s not the time.
I do not want to anger the PTB (Powers That Be) at this time.
I hope that you enjoyed this post. If you want to see more along these lines, please go to my MAJestic Index, here…
You’ll not find any big banners or popups here talking about cookies and privacy notices. There are no ads on this site (aside from the hosting ads – a necessary evil). Functionally and fundamentally, I just don’t make money off of this blog. It is NOT monetized. Finally, I don’t track you because I just don’t care to.
Please kindly help me out in this effort. There is a lot of effort that goes into this disclosure. I could use all the financial support that anyone could provide. Thank you very much.
I have related how I was retired from the ONI; MAJ branch, and what happened. I have told the story about how I got ready, and then took a plane and arrived in China… the very first opportunity I had.
But…
What I didn’t relate was the “bait and switch” that I endured for the first two weeks in China. And that story, I will relate now.
…
While I was in the ‘States, I was getting everything ready. Not just my identification, my clothing, and taking care of things, but also making arrangements inside of China. I contacted my ex-girlfriend (now my wife), and I made arrangements with her, and I found work.
I contacted a schoolmaster in Shenzhen who would take me on as a English teacher. And at that, I could start when the semester started, and low and behold, I made it happen.
I got my flight. Lost my bags. Was stranded in Newark New Jersey due to a storm, and then endured the 33 hour long flight to China.
So I arrived at Shenzhen.
…
Ah…
But… No one met me at the airport. Not my girlfriend. Not my new employer. Not any one else that I had contacted.
That sucks.
It has happened before, and I specifically tell everyone NEVER, EVER force an international traveler to arrive alone.
…
Ok.
Well… it’s all good right? I’m out of the Hell that the United States became for me. I’m out of their range, off their radar screen, and gone. Good bye!!!!
No problem.
So alone…
I wandered in the dark streets of Shenzhen until I found a hostel (I had to use a local app, that I had to install and all that hassle) and went to it. Given the late hour, they had me pay full price, seeing that it was 3am in the morning.
I entered the room.
Crashed!
Konk!
…
The very next day, I took a bus to the school and met the headmaster. First thing I did was ask him why he didn’t have anyone meet me like he promised.
No good answer. Hem. Haw. Bullshit.
Then, he proceeded to tell me that I couldn’t work there…
…he had another school “just down the street” that I would work at.
…and…
Oh, by the way, the salary would be much less. But it would still be free room and board, and all the rest.
…
WTF?
Yeah. What the fuck?
…
So I tried to call my girlfriend… no answer.
No options at that time.
Sigh, so I went along. Got in the car, and he drove down the road.
It’s just “down the road a spell”.
…
FOUR FUCKING HOURS LATER…
Yeah. Just “down the road a spell”.
Another fucking city.
…
He hand me over to this private training center and given my “handler”. You see Danguang was “too dangerous” for foreigners. So I was to have this person besides me at all times, and that I couldn’t go out or leave.
Nice girl. Cute.
Oh, and…
The doors to the house complex were locked tight at 9pm, and that was it. I had to stay inside, and be watched 24-7.
But…
I got my own room in a shared dorm, with a broken television, and it looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in a decade, and taught for one week…
…
When I finally got a hold of my girlfriend, she was furious!
I endured all that I went though in Arkansas, to arrive within blocks of my girlfriend, only to be whisked away to some decrepit town in the middle of nowhere. She was enraged.
Can you imagine?
She was really hot. I’ll tell you what.
So we hatched a plan.
Friday night, after the gate was locked I snuck out of my locked bed room…
… made it outside…
… then scaled the cement wall.
Went over the broken glass…
…the rusty barbed wire top, and jumped down….
… and then walked the two kilometers or so to the nearest inter-city bus.
Got one to Shenzhen and took the ride to my girlfriend.
There…
She got me an interview in the center of the city, and I got the job. Then she arranged for a hotel for me to stay at while we went house hunting. Yeah.
But…
No. It wasn’t so easy.
I had to endure being “Shanghaied” in Shenzhen. And now you all know the rest of the story.
They already are working together economically and militarily:
Russia is moving more of its foreign currrency reserves from US$ → Chinese yuan and;
They are holding military exercises, and in 2017, 3,000 Chinese troops with tanks entered Russia to participate in war games. They jointly hold anti-terrorism exercises on a regular basis.
Both countries are founding members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which is the leading security organization for central Asia.
To sum up, it is changing, but it is not given much coverage in the western press.
I wonder why?
Southern Jugged Soup
vegetable beef soup fb 2
Ingredients
6 potatoes, sliced
1 onion, sliced
6 tomatoes or 2 cups canned tomatoes
1 turnip, diced
1 can peas
1 grated carrot
1/4 cup rice
3 quarts water
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 pinch allspice
Instructions
Arrange vegetables, rice and seasonings in alternate layers in the bottom of a stone crock with a cover.
Boil any carcasses of cold chicken, bones of waste meat or steak with trimmings, in three quarts of water, until liquid is reduced to two quarts.
Strain, cool and remove.
Pour the broth over the vegetables.
Put on the cover and seal, using tape or muslin, to keep in the steam.
Set crock in a pan of hot water.
Place in oven and cook from four to six hours.
Recipe published in 1935 Southern Cook Book of Fine Old Dixie Recipes
Ukrainians living in Ireland have begun receiving notices from the Ireland Department of Justice, informing them they are being Extradited to Ukraine to fulfill military Draft. Recipients are warned they can be imprisoned if they ignore the notice.
The letter contradicts itself. It points out “The Death Penalty does not apply to the offense” but death is most certainly what each Draftee will get when they come face to face with the Russian Army.
In a nutshell, what this is goes like this: Ukrainians anywhere in the world have been sent letters from the Ukraine government telling them they must come home to be Drafted and go fight in the war. They failed to come home and failed to respond, so Ukraine has issued criminal warrants for them.
Countries these people are in MUST extradite someone for a criminal warrant because Extradition is agreed to by Treaty.
THAT is how desperate Ukraine has become to draft more people to die against Russia.
Oliver Anthony- Rich Men North of Richmond (Remix Mashup ft. Black Pegasus & Chris Webby)
This is the rumbling under the ground of the United States. Great mashup.
I have spent the better part of a decade in the Middle East in a country that is just becoming modernized. It was considered a “hardship” assignment when I got there because everything would be more difficult than in the United States. Healthcare, telephone, internet, shopping. It was all a nightmare, but I managed to eventually get set up and I developed healthy habits, like exercising and not smoking and making healthy food. I read a lot, took classes online, and did fulfilling things. I was creative and I had time and money. I couldn’t go to movies, or get certain products, and I couldn’t even drive, but I could obtain these products and DVDs and I had a driver, so I lived a fulfilling life and was happy.
Now that I’m back in the United States, it is a bigger mess than it ever was there. I could get healthcare a lot easier over there. I thought it was terrible, because I faced a few Islamic rules and sometimes doctors lack credentials and made mistakes. However, the fact is that here there is a catastrophic amount of chronic illness befalling everyone at catastrophic rates. We all have cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and inflammatory conditions – we are all on pills with many side effects that only make the condition worse, or whatever they are selling now, including marijuana, to keep people sick with their lifelong, chronic diseases. Cures for disease are the only area of technology that hasn’t advanced since 1959. Everyone is struggling to afford medical care, mandated ny our governmenr, that is totally corrupt.
Stupid robots handle everything from answering phones to work schedules to banking. Yes, automated systems are just that: robots that are stupid; limited, thwarting and or cheating us left and right. If that is not broken I don’t know what is.
One has to leave here and find out how things are in the third world, and come back to really grasp how scary it has become.
Our movies and music are cheap and horrible now. They propagate numbness and annihilation of the mind. Lyrics are autotuned syllables repeating over and over again. It sounds garbled, like plastcized voices using mouthwash. Movies are not even worth seeing.
The fashion of today is unkempt with plastic hair color. Women with a spare tire hanging out of their icky jeans. Ratty hair. It’s no wonder no one overseas assumed I was an American.
Everyone shops at Walmart and everyone is fat.
Everyone is chronically depressed. Tired. Overwhelmed.
There is no middle class anymore.
Everyone is facing money problems.
Those that have money are driving ugly cars and wearing ugly black metal wedding bands and are still living in the same misery as everyone else.
People do not eat real food anymore.
Even pets are ill. My own pet got sudden onset diabetes and heart failure and died. I bought the best of food. But it was United States food. It probably killed him.
People have no pride in how they speak or write anymore. They text. Others text and drive. Everyone has their face in their device. It’s horrible. I’ve seen people at work holding a pencil with their fist. Yes, people plural.
The device is nothing but an RFID chip. It is tracking you. It knows your every move. It knows especially your health status. What pills you might be on next! What your last blood test was, the status of your health insurance. They want to find the next thing wrong with you. The only strategy to deal with overpopulation and flagging capitalism now is to sell everyone what they need to get sick and die. Bad food. Medical insurance. Obesity. Chronic disease.
For other industries, capitalism has toppled ethics and given rise to a mentality of “nothing matters except how much profits are” – and short term, not long-term gain is emphasized, at that.
Pollution and plastic garbage pervades.
Wildlife and natural beauty is dying.
Selling hunting tags, killing wolves – a cascade species that protects all living environments.
Internet should be cheap and free but it is outrageously priced.
Information on the internet is now “sold” so that searches do not turn out what you really want to know. Instead what comes up is related to what you could buy, based on your other searches. Instagram and Facebook is what constitutes relationships which ee now call “social networking”.
The President tweets and is unaware of and not addressing many real problems.
Young people can’t afford college.
They say now college is a scam.
Young people live at home. They can’t find jobs.
Jobs now are often a scam.
This place is horrible! I wish I never came back.
Those of you who haven’t been out of here don’t realize how messed up things are here. It’s not “going downhill” or “getting bad”.
It’s absolutely an atrocious, horrible, toxic nightmare.
Crime and guns are rampant. Someone close to me got a gun and threatened my life since I came home.
Old people are losing their social security.
Iran really sucked I thought. I couldn’t deal with it for two weeks. It was hard to plug anything in even. They were protesting there and trying to overthrow the government, to an extent utterly unknown to anyone here. They wanted to be free like us.
In America we are not free to do things and buy things. We can’t get to anything, because we are busy trying to get money, and things cost too much and they are no good.
We are all different species of rats running in different kinds of mazes that we have created for ourselves. All sick and dying and spending everything we have to pay for it.
This is the truth and it may hurt but it’s time to wake up.
Sopranos-Paulie does the gardeners
Paulie stopped a guy from smoking, help another guy from a tree, and negotiated a business deal all within 5 mins. A true role model for America’s youth.
Show me someone who says you can reliably, quickly, and humanely (as in outside of a very lucky shot) take down a boar with a .22 and I will show you someone who knows not a thing about hunting or wild boars. So let a humble country boy from Texas edumacate you.
This is a feral hog (North America). It is a hybrid of domestic European pigs that got loose over the course of literal centuries (the Spanish first introduced them to the New World in the 1500s) and later wild European boars in the early 1900s.
The average male weighs around 400 pounds (180 kilograms) and stand at or just about at 1 meter tall at the shoulder. Standing beside the average human adult male, they come up to about the hip. They are almost immune to poison, venom (rattlesnakes and copperheads are part of their regular diet), and diseases. They can sprint up to 30 miles per hour – they can conceivably run down Usain Bolt. Adults have very sharp, very dangerous tusks averaging 7 inches (17 cm) long. They are omnivores that eat anything, including aforementioned snakes, carrion, and even newborn deer.
We’re talking about a beast that has hide up to two inches (5 cm thick) backed by a layer of fat that sort of self-closes when punctured, and runs around in sounders of a dozen individuals or more and carries the average London chav’s shiv around in their mouths. And the majority of their DNA is derived from wild European boars – so they’re also quite aggressive. The reason you hunt feral hogs from a tree stand is because you’ll likely end up in the tree anyway…
Point being: we ain’t talking about Wilbur or Babe here.
I have seen these animals shrug off multiple .223 Remington* rounds – that’s a bullet that isn’t much bigger around than a .22 LR, but has a greater mass and travels much faster. Most feral hog hunters use something much more robust; personally I used my venerable SKS in 7.62x39mm Russian (until Putin’s special military operation drove prices sky high). It takes at least that much of an oomph to make an adult feral hog feel it – and often, it takes more than one shot no matter where you hit them because they’re absolute tanks.
So imagine what it takes to hunt a bear, or moose, or even a less aggressive but equally stout ungulate like a mule deer.
Contrary to what you believe, a .22 LR is perfectly fine for rabbits, squirrels, and other small, delicate critters** – but it will only piss a feral hog off. If they even feel it. And if they do feel it, you absolutely need to have multiple backup shots on deck because the chances they’ll charge you are about the same as the chances they’ll run away.
* by the way, that is roughly identical to the 5.56mm NATO round that, well, is called 5.56mm NATO for a reason.
** and yes, you can definitely kill a human being with a .22 round. But that’s not because a .22 round is powerful – it’s because human beings are pretty soft and squishy as far as the animal kingdom goes.
Family Guy- Stewie & Brian run a Brothel
Stewie and Brian start a BnB which later turns into a Brothel.
I hired my neighbor a contractor to replace my patio as it was needing to be done for years. He did a super job. the price included a table and 2 chairs for me to enjoy it. I was going to use some old chairs for the rest of the seating. He brought over two more matching chairs when I asked him to replace the old ones onto the patio. I asked how much the extra two matching chairs would be. He said it was a gift. I cried, as I never had been treated so kindly in my 83 years.
Back during the pandemic, I took my cat, Caesar, to the vet. He was a 15 year old, orange, short haired cat. Because of COVID, the vet’s office had implemented a policy of people not being allowed to go back to the exam rooms with their pet. I wasn’t really comfortable with that but my little guy had a sore front paw so I had to get him seen by the vet. A staff member came out to my car, got Caesar (in his carrier) and took him inside to be examined by the vet while I waited in my car. After a few minutes, the vet called my cell phone and we discussed the problem with Caesar’s front paw. An x-ray was done and it was determined that the problem was with one of his claws. Apparently it was a problem that is fairly common in older cats and easily treatable. Over the phone, the vet and I agreed upon the treatment for the problem. A short time later, the staff member brought Caesar back out to my car and presented me with the bill. As I quickly scanned the bill before giving the staff member my credit card, I saw a $40 charge for a ‘ therapeutic shave’ on the bill. I didn’t understand so I asked about the charge. Found out that while they had Caesar in the exam room, someone shaved his back end for no apparent reason. I said to the staff member “ So you needlessly shaved my cat’s ass and want to charge me $40 for it? I think that you guys should owe him $40 for doing that to him! “
The charge was removed from my bill. Caesar got extra treats and a new toy that day too.
She DIED & Discovered We Live In A Simulation | NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE
Near-death experience guest 907 is Virginia Drake. During her NDE experience she encountered the Council of 12.
China is Eclipsing the US (and Japan) to Become the World’s Animation Powerhouse
A Review of Deep Sea (2023) by Tian Xiaopeng
In the new Chinese animated film Deep Sea, a girl on a cruise with her dad, step-mom, and step-siblings gets thrown overboard during a storm. As she clings to a life preserver, awaiting rescue and barely alive, her imagination transports her to an underwater world of anthropomorphic walruses and squid-like demons, plus many other bizarre creatures, who help her process her mother’s absence. It’s Spirited Away (directed by Japanese animation titan Hayao Miyazaki) meets Life of Pi, and it’s one of the best animated films in years. The cutting edge animation technology cost tens of millions of dollars, and I’m glad someone threw that kind of money toward something so risky, unattached to any existing intellectual property or popular brand.
I’m convinced director Tian Xiaopeng will go down as one of the animation greats, alongside the likes of Walt Disney, Tex Avery, and of course Miyazaki. Starting from the launchpad of Pixar’s innovations, Deep Sea skyrockets into galaxies Pixar’s team couldn’t even dream of. Through dazzling sequences of fluid color that wash across the screen, the film translates traditional Chinese ink drawing into breathtaking CGI animation. The end product is a style that is both innovative and distinctly Chinese.
I can understand arguments asserting that Tian’s maximalist style can get overwhelming. I could sympathize with anyone who claims Deep Sea is a bit too long. Tian really does let his entire arsenal loose on this film, like he wants to show off anything and everything he’s capable of. But I prefer this bombastic style to muted or irony-poisoned restraint. The latter approach has trapped a lot of younger artists in the US who could be great if they would only drop their pretense to nihilism. As mentioned in the title of this essay, China is surpassing us on the artistic front, and we should humble ourselves and learn from their advances.
And on that note, what a shame it is that this gorgeous film is getting near zero exposure in the US. In China it played on IMAX; here I had to watch it on my laptop via some obscure streaming site. Its foreignness, specifically its Asianness, is no excuse for the lack of any kind of marketing push stateside. See, for example, the massive success of Japanese anime here and in other parts of the West. I’m currently reading up on the history of the importation of anime to the United States, and I’ll be writing more of my reflections on that process and how it might potentially be applied to importing Chinese animation and other recent popular culture.
U.S. To Assassinate Niger Coup Leaders? Putin’s Intel Drops A Bombshell
U.S. To Assassinate Niger Coup Leaders? Putin’s Intel Drops A Bombshell – Nations like the United States and France have unequivocally expressed their positions regarding the recent coup d’états occurring in certain African countries. However, aside from imposing sanctions, there has been no indication of these major powers actively intervening in these coup situations.
However, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has reported that the U.S. government is deliberating the possibility of taking action against the leaders of the newly established military administration in Niger Republic, which assumed power in late July.
According to the SVR statement the United States is contemplating the potential of taking direct action against the leaders of Niger’s National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, the group responsible for orchestrating the military coup against Niger President Mohamed Bazoum.
As per intelligence received by the SVR, the United States is evidently dissatisfied with the unfolding events in Niger, where an interim government led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani recently assumed control following a military coup.
Washington is actively exploring strategies not only to curb the rise of Africa as a significant center of influence in the multipolar world—a development seen as potentially perilous for Western interests—but also to assert its influence in the strategically vital Sahel region, effectively taking over the role previously held by France, stated the SVR press office.
When it comes to the paranormal, I’ve had a few odd experiences, some really creepy, others rather comforting but through it all I believe the power of the mind is pretty amazing and believe all possibilities need to be acknowledged.
When it comes to the Ouijia board, I admit I’ve been pretty spooked but not say its totally dangerous..
My first experience with a Ouija was after Christmas 1993 a friend I knew had one she recieved for Christmas, brand new, unopened we decided to play in her basement.
I don’t remember the context but it seemed normal, than something sinister came through it kept repeating “Ozozozozozozo” we thought it was “Ozoz”…. It spooked us out as it kept getting more violent. So we said “Good bye” and put it away…I don’t remember us ever playing again.
It wasn’t until I got online many years later and found out there was a common spirit named “Zozo” that comes through Ouija boards, I’m not sure if she knew this or not…we were a couple of 9 year olds with no Internet, and no library to research it within 5 miles. We also came away thinking its name was Ozoz… but whatever this is lots of people experienced it.
Another time we played for fun and my ex husbands friend was a non believer, suddenly his mom came through he was watching three of us play, but not participating.
His mother died 5 years before my ex husband met as teens, so he knew things about her life I wouldn’t, his other friends son, or my husband wouldn’t know.
He asked “only I know what your favorite drink is, what is it?” It spelled out “grape soda” he looked shocked.
Then he asked the Ouija “what did I put in your coffin when you died?“ it said “picture”. Lastly…. He said “what was on the picture?“ the Ouija replied a picture of “a heart names”. It was a heart with their names folded up and put with her body, none of us could know that.
Sounds beautiful and comforting, well that was it. It started getting violent saying things like “die, rape” repeatedly…horrible things!
No harm came to anyone one, but this certainly wasn’t the manifestation of our thoughts or behavior as we were very happy to see him tear up over the experience thinking it was genuine until the other bit happened.
When we did this, the other friends son was making fun of it, taunting it, scratches appeared on his neck we wanted to see what caused it, and we don’t know his hands were in front of him on the board the whole time.
Putin Hasn’t Even STARTED Yet ft Col Macgregor
Maybe Kamala just confused the word Russia with Ukraine… then it makes sense…
Over the last few months I’ve made friends in the Romanichal and Traveller communities online, since many of us are distant cousins rekindling our roots through DNA.
One of my friends who always calls me “cuz” still travels with her husband and family. They travel in Caravans and set up in local areas, maybe open fields, parks, a few of her family became settled, many have settled now days.
However I see them every so often down by the sea front, they live in RV’s or at least travel in them…not the US double wide or anything.
She lives full time in one, some people may have something like a base, maybe the home or property of a settled relative, some keep moving.
One man I met said his grandfather family pitched in and acquired property and put there caravans on it. The property always stays within the family.
I imagine there has to be some fixed address somewhere in all this, I haven’t figured that one out.
The Japanese and chinese media has completely disassembled the Huawei Mate60 mobile phone and found that 90% of the parts of this mobile phone are produced in China.
The only components provided by South Korean suppliers are memory chips from Hynix.
But this kind of memory chip is a general-purpose product sold publicly and used in many digital devices, and does not need to be provided secretly.
Since the technology required for this kind of chip is not that cutting-edge, there are domestic suppliers in China that can replace Hynix.
“They are HIDING this about China, and it’s about to get worse”
We are being treated a barrage of anti-China headlines today. The Wall Street Journal reports that Chinese spies are infiltrating U.S. military bases by asking for a Burger King…That’s weird. China is said to be ready to conduct military exercises with Russia and North Korea in response to the U.S. conducting military exercises with South Korea. Huawei released a new smartphone that has the U.S. wondering how they did that. This is a lot of China worry. What is behind it? Carl Zha joins us to discuss this and break this down between the lines.
I can’t blame you for being scared of dying. It feels like a huge step to take, and all we know here is life!!
But I can tell you that I have been out of my physical body too many times to count, in full aware consciousness, and we do not need a physical body to be “our selves” in a true sense. (Well, of course we do to get through physical life while we live here, but what I am saying is you can live, be aware, be free, without a physical body.)
Okay, well, besides that I have had such strong and beautiful contacts with loved ones passed. They are obviously still living in another dimension which can connect with this one from time to time. So try not to be so afraid. When your time comes to cross, you will accept your transition happily, I bet , and see and feel the beauties in what lies beyond this limited physical form we have got so used to living in! We will see a much wider spectrum of reality. I feel it is something to actually look forward to.
BLOCKADE FAILED! Huawei 5G chip mass production | Holland Hopes to Return To Chinese Market
Whoever listens to the US eventually ends up kicking their own ass.
First of all, a “normal family” is NOT the same thing as an “average family”.
Here, I will describe what a “normal family” living in the United States looks like. This description was the “textbook” descriptor used throughout the United States up until the late 1980’s. Today, of course it has been totally revamped and has become a bastardized Frankenstein monster.
So, here we will use the per-bastardized official United States description of what a “normal” American family looks like…
It has two people that define a “family unit”. One is male and the other is female.
The male will work. The female will take care of domestic responsibilities. (Due to the catastrophic economic situation in the Untied States, today, most families have both people working.)
These two people will typically have children. But not always.
The number of children varies considerably from family to family. Some have only one child, while others might have many, many. The reasons have to do with economic stratification, and religion. With heritage, and geographical location playing a major role.
Most families will cook their own meals, and eat in restaurants once or twice a week. (This varies from the 1960’s which was once or twice a month.)
Most families will have a car. Many will own multiple vehicles.
Most families will own televisions, computers, and cell phones.
Most families will be in debt. (Today, the family debt tends to be enormous,)
Most families will be educated. (Today, the quality of education tends to be substandard compared to the rest of the world.)
There is a stratification in home ownership. Some people of social-economic background will own homes while others of different backgrounds will not.
Most families will have family members taking medicines.
Of course, this is not an exhaustive answer. It is a general answer and is useful ONLY if you wish to compare your life and family against an “American normal”.
I advise everyone NEVER to compare yourself to others. You are unique. Whether you are LGBTQ+ or something else, whether you are rich, or poor, or an immigrant or a “blue blood”, makes no difference. You are precious. It is your responsibility to define YOUR LIFE on YOUR TERMS.
And whatever you decide; I support your decisions. Because I believe that you are smart enough to plan and execute your own precious lifestyle.
40 something aluminum siding salesman Jacob Rodney Cohen tried to break into standup comedy comparatively late in life. Nobody wanted to hear what an aging wannabe had to say, and he was having trouble getting bookings. He fell deeply into debt and depression as a result. The only place that would book him (jokingly referred to as Denunzio’s in his act) only did so if he did it for free. He was basically playing to a crowd that was more concerned with what dinner fork to use, than listening to him. He knew he needed to come up with a gimmick, a persona that would differentiate himself from the myriad of other amateur comedians trying to break in.
Denunzio’s was frequented by older, low level mobsters. One night while waiting to go on, he overheard one of these individuals lament that the new guys coming up showed him no respect. No respect at all. He latched onto it, ran with it, and nailed it. Yep, using that catchphrase, and style of self-deprecating humor, Rodney Dangerfield was born that night as the lovable schlub and ne’er-do-well who couldn’t do anything right.
Gina Raimondo visits China. Bringing the “Carrot and Stick” in the most boring, American way.
In this episode of China Currents: Gina Raimondo visits China. China puts on new economic policies to stimulate economy. China finally puts an end to the COVID testing policy.
China has no plan of invading the U.S. but they do very much want to win the chip war which would mean decimating the U.S. chip companies and directly affect how the U.S. military can sustain our combat readiness.
It’s amazing how Huawei was able to keep its development so much completely under wrap until their launch. Considering that it needed the entire village to build the ecosystem for Huawei, so too was it not just Apple but its entire ecosystem of supply chain contractors that took the hit in the market.
This is not an overnight thing and not just about one company. trump banned Huawei on May 2019 and set China on the course of having to build its own chip industry. And as projected then, this is just on track that within 10 years that China should be able to have its own self contained industry to produce its own chips. It is estimated that it would take about 5 years before they can make it’s own lithography machine.
China is the existential threat to the U.S. hegemony.
After the announcement, Apple shares dropped by about 8%. It has recovered slightly since then. It is possible that the share prices will drop further when China sales figures are known.
I expect iPhone sales to drop significantly even among the public in China, firstly because of Xi’s directive and secondly because of the announcement of the new Huawei phones.
It is a fitting Chinese response to Apple after moving manufacturing to India (only to regret it later).
I don’t think that they take it too personally when their country is criticised. But they do take it personally, when that criticism contains lies and falsehoods.
In that way, the Chinese are very different from, let’s say, the Americans. You can see this clearly from Quora itself. Every so often, there will be Americans on Quora posting grandioise questions such as “Why is the USA the greatest country in the world?”.
When I point out objective facts to show why this is untrue
(eg I note that the USA is plagued by horriific levels of gun violence; their literacy level is very low for a developed country; they have the world’s highest rate of dryg overdose deaths; their state of democracy is shameful as evidenced by, for example, the Capitol Hill riots; their public infrastructure is crumbling, as certified by their own engineers; their police brutality is systemic; their income inequality is huge; they practise slavery in the form of prison labour – see the exception to their 14th amendment which allows for slavery),
well, the Americans get upset and angry.
And yet I am just speaking the facts and truth. Oh well.
Price Hike
This guy, he knows how to put what we’re all thinking into words! You the man!
He is a treasure.
Is the communist party getting ready to retire Xi Jin PingPong for his incompetence in handling China’s challenges? https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/China-up-close/Analysis-Xi-reprimanded-by-elders-at-Beidaihe-over-direction-of-nation
West and Japanese fools better stop dreaming. Xi is super popular with the Chinese people.
My two most favourite Chinese dishes are and have always been sweet and sour pork, and lemon Chicken, and my wife makes both to perfection, but then I can’t think of a single Chinese dish that I don’t like, and yes, when ever my wife makes them I have a smile on my face.
Fitch downgrading US credit rating is a warning to all, not just China. The rising interest rate to counter inflation is not working. Instead, it only increased government interest expense, while national debt keeps climbing, creating a vicious cycle that guarantees the US will never get out of its debt. Going forward, the US can only increase its reliance on bullying tactics to maintain its hegemony to sustain its domestic economy. The writing is on the wall.
Many US politicians have openly demanded defaulting on the US treasury bonds held by China. That is not music to China’s ear. In fact, many countries and their civilians have assets in the US arrogated for no fault of theirs. The US just decides to rob them such as what it did to Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and many other countries who are too weak to defend themselves against such robbery. The most recent victim of such robbery is Russia after putting up a fight to defend its national security against NATO encroachment after years of protest had been ignored. Even the SWIFT was weaponized against Russia.
The US has been trying to pick a fight with China. Part of the motivation is to erase its debt to China. It’s obvious that China is forced to take preventive measures by freeing itself from a hostage situation.
Southern Peanut Butter Soup with Pepper Jelly
2023 09 16 16 29
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons grated onion
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup light cream
2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
1/2 cup hot pepper jelly
Instructions
Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat; add onion and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes.
Add flour and mix until well blended.
Stir in chicken broth and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes.
Remove from heat, strain broth.
Stir the peanut butter, salt and cream into the strained broth until well mixed.
Serve hot.
Garnish each serving with a teaspoon of chopped peanuts and a dollop of jelly.
Xi Jingping and China are very formidable adversaries
They can rattle global markets in seconds if they decide to do so
A Simple apple iphone ban for Government Officials has caused a $ 216 Billion share value depreciation for Apple
Putin is not frightened of Xi
Putin knows Xi is firmly on his camp
He knows Russia and China have tied their fates together as has Iran
Either all the three nations will make peace with the West or all the three will form their own BLOC
INDIA?
Modi has his feet in both camps
If Putin makes an enemy of China, Putin loses the Yuan Buttress, the Investments, the Huge Supply Chain for Russias Industries and the Huge Chinese Imports that keep the consumer economy going
Not to mention a very strong Geopolitical player with a very strong army with a huge military industry that can outproduce NATO easily
India?
If Putin makes an enemy of India, he loses sales of Oil to India but frankly he won’t care much because the payment is still very cumbersome
India loses Discounted oil and will pay $ 95 a barrel and maybe even $ 100 a barrel and risk inflation
India has zero geopolitical influence outside Bhutan , is a nation that knelt before Qatar and kowtowed to their demands in a mere 24 hours (Against China who openly forbade the name. Mohammad and Abu in Xinjiang, demolished mosques and Qatar did zilch)
India has no military industry to assist Russia in a major war, it’s production capacity a mere 17% of Russias and 8% of Chinas
India has little by way of investment potential against the vast $ 42 Billion invested by China in Russia in the last 3 years
Plus Modi can easily jump to the US Camp tomorrow and leave Putin hanging
Plus if Modi dies or resigns, the next PM can jump to the US Camp whereas the CPC is the CPC even after Xi and likely so is Russia
So dont be stupid
Putin will always choose Xi over Modi because Russia needs China a hundred times more today than India
Putin wants to be friends with India too and has kept his relations firm
He hasn’t accepted Xis Map
He just hasn’t commented on it
Neither has Modi right?
Modi too hasn’t justified Russias SMO so far while China has justified the SMO as a legitimate action needed
How will Modi handle Xi Jingping?
Modi should just do his job and mind his own business
Xi Jingping is intent on forming his own BLOC today
His focus is on other players – Oil rich players, Food rich players
He may offer India a nice border solution soon which could include full recognition of all lands disputed in exchange for a road through kashmir to xinjiang connecting Gwadar and existing water rights to the Brahmaputra region
Plus closer friendship in the BRICS
India would do well to take it as it is a win, win for us
I believe Xi is ready to extend this offer today but Modi wants an unconditional recognition of Ladakh and Arunachal to make it look like a victory for him
It’s maybe why Xi released that Map in the first place
One of the things that I was involved in; a hobby really, was the design of numerous wooden sail boats. This occurred when I was in land-locked Indiana. It was hot, boring, corn as far as the eye can see, and I worked in a “real life” Office Space environment. My only escape was hope.
I well remember the day trip that I, as a young AOC at NAS, NASC Pensacola, Florida and my class 21-83, enjoyed. It was on a 53 foot (as I recall) ketch, and we spent the afternoon sailing in Pensacola bay.
I well remember the sun, the breeze and how all my troubles melted away as we enjoyed the day. We learned basic seamanship, watched dolphins sail along side. We practiced overboard drills, and watched our sails go luffing.
But Indiana was harsh, cold and barron. I worked as a drone in a cubicle mill for the mega-company General Motors in one of their divisions; Delco Electronics.
And in those days, the hope was to sail away to an interesting place at the other side of the world. Here we will touch on some of the beauty of wooden sail craft. I had met numerous people who were building their own sailboats, mostly out of steel, and then hauling them to the great lakes and living their dream of freedom and escape. It appealed to me at that time, and I bought every book that I could get, and read them all voraciously.
I subscribed to magazines about sailing and adventure. I also equipped my home with a fine tool shop of wood and metal working tools, and bought the plans to construct a 53-foot ketch. I was that “into” the dream. There is really so much to cover in this venue, that I am just going to bounce around from here to there and let the pictures tell the story.
Sailboat Hull Types
Sailboats ride on different hulls, which differ in the total number of hulls and their shape. It’s really simple, actually.
Alden schooner plans.
The basic three hull types include:
Monohulls (one hull)
Catamarans (two hulls)
Trimarans (three hulls)
Monohulls Monohulls have one hull but that doesn’t make them all the same. Traditional monohulls may have full keels (heavy encapsulated ballast that runs along the bottom of the hull), cutaway keels (similar to full but the forefoot is cutaway allowing the boat greater maneuverability in tight quarters) or bolted on fin keels that may have a bulb at the bottom for extra ballast to keep the vessel stable.
Monohull.
Monohulls can also have a swing keel, daggerboard or centerboard that retracts up into an appendage in the hull itself.
With the keel or board up, the boat can enter shallow water and can travel faster downwind. With the keel down, the vessel tracks better upwind. Small monohulls like sailing dinghies, may also have shallow planing hulls that can surf off a wave.
Finally, monohulls can also foil on appendages (usually made of carbon fiber) with the actual hull out of the water when a minimum speed is reached.
Catamarans Catamarans (often nicknamed “cats”) have two hulls with a deck or trampoline in between. Large cats (35 feet and over) have become popular in charter use because they offer more interior and deck space and an easier motion to induce less seasickness. Small catamarans usually have just a trampoline in between the hulls and make fun daysailers.
Catamaran.
Because catamarans don’t have deep and heavy keels, they tend to sail faster off the wind.
Foiling catamarans were made popular by the America’s Cup races and are proliferating into general cruising use.
Trimarans Trimarans have three hulls: a main hull and two amas (side hulls used for stability). On some trimarans, the arms that hold the amas can fold inward, making the trimaran narrower and in some cases trailerable. Large cruising trimaranas are gaining popularity because they are stable and fast sailers.
Sailboat Rig Types
Sailboat rigging includes:
the mast(s);
boom(s);
and the shrouds or stays that hold up the mast.
A sailboat with one mast is usually a sloop with one mainsail and one headsail. A cutter rig usually has one mast but two or more headsails. This rig “cuts” the foretriangle between the head (forward) stay and the main mast. Multiple headsails allow for flexible sail combinations in variable wind conditions.
1897 William Fife Gaff Cutter.A 40 foot gaff-rigged cutter.
Ketches and yawls have a secondary mast behind the main one. The ketch configuration places that mizzenmast behind the mainmast but ahead of the rudderpost while the yawl places it behind the post.
The second mast is shorter than the main mast. Both of these designs (split rigs) provide more sail area that isn’t reliant solely on the height of the mainmast and therefore can be easier to manage when sailing shorthanded.
A gaff-rigged ketch.An Alden 56 Yawl.
Schooners also have multiple masts—two or more. However, the foremost mast is shorter than the main mast. Tall ship rigging is in its own category and can get quite complex.
Gaff rigged schooner.
Most Rigs are Marconi Rigs
Most of the rigs are known as Marconi rigs. Meaning that it’s just one sail to catch the wind. But my love is for the Gaff rigs. Here is there is a sail above it to catch the littlest wisps of air that lie above. It’s rarely seen today because it’s really a lot of work.
The top triangular sail is the top-sail on a gaff rig.
Sailboat Types by Primary Use
You can do many of the same things on all sailboats, but some types are more specialized.
Sailing dinghies: Small boats usually sailed by one or two people, sailing dinghies are often used to teach new sailors. That said, experts on high tech sailing dinghies compete in athletic racing up to Olympic level.
Day cruisers: Although any sailboat can be cruised for a day, day cruisers are often boats shorter than 30 feet that are designed to be sailed for an afternoon. They’re usually more Spartan in their outfitting and may or may not have a cabin with amenities.
Sailing cruisers: These sailboats can be monohulls or multihulls and are designed to cruise for weekends or longer. They usually have a berth (bed), a head (toilet) and a galley (kitchen). They can be sloop, cutter, ketch, yawl or schooner-rigged and vary in length (from 25-85 feet). Larger sailboats tend to fall into the crewed superyacht category.
Racing sailboats: Most offshore racers are larger boats crewed by multiple individuals while smaller racers can be single or double-handed. Racing boats are usually built lighter, have fin keels and laminate performance sails.
Racer/cruisers: These designs try to straddle the two above. They’re usually more lightly built cruisers with full amenities so they can be weekended. Some people will argue that these boats are a compromise for owners who want to primarily cruise but also race.
Bluewater cruising sailboats: These boats are designed to cross oceans or sail “blue waters.” They’re typically heavier in build with a stout rig and are fully equipped for extended offshore use.
Motorsailers: This term has fallen out of favor since it’s often pejorative. These sailboats may rely on the engine to sail in light wind conditions, especially due to their excessive weight.
Antique/classic sailboats: These are usually older restored vessels. They may be built of wood and have classic yawl rigs. These sailboats are often showcased in special events.
Sailboats occupy multiple segments and experienced sailors learn the finer points of design and use. Then, they never see two sailboats the same way again.
Just some pictures of beauty
We start with…
The 39m Schooner-rigged yacht VAGRANT from 1913.
And this…
Not a sailboat, but a wooden lovely never the less.
My love for these works of art has never diminished.
I love the lines, the craftsmanship and the quality.
And…
Nice weathered teak decking.
And…
A gaff-rigged catboat.
And…
Sailing day boat in a yawl configuration.
Some interiors
Let’s take a look what’s inside…
This is what you see when you step inside.
And…
Many sailboats have a pilot house inside so that you don’t need to get wet sailing in the rain. This is what it looks like.
And…
This is the interior of a motor-sailer. It has a sail, but relies on a motor to get from point A to point B.
And…
The pilot house in the aforementioned motor-sailer.
I was laid off. I wasn’t given any notice. I was just told to hand in my badge and never come back.
For the remaining five months I laboriously tried to find work elsewhere, and then when I did, I had to sell off most of my tools, books, and abandon the framework of my dream sailboat.
It’s called life.
You would think that my manager and his manager, and his boss, and the boss above them would have the compassion to give someone who worked for them for five years the consideration of a month’s notice, or some severance pay. But they didn’t.
I was only an engineer, and a disposable one at that.
So I left Indiana, and moved on with my life. And two years later, my life was substantially better, nicer, and in every way a great improvement.
So don’t get all caught up in the negative aspects of the twisty and turny thing called life.
You adapt to the changes as they are and not pine away for what you wish them to be.
I still have and possess my love of sail, water, the ocean, boats and all the rest.
Years passed.
I obtained work in the South Pacific in American Samoia.
However, after living in Pago Pago and actually meeting the people who wrote those articles praising the lifestyle, I (and my wife) decided that we really didn’t want to have any part of it. Pago Pago was beautiful. It was lovely. But the sailing LIFESTYLE was not.
Not at all. It’s a life of hardship and not as glamorous as it was made out to be in all those magazines and books that I read.
Yet, here I am.
I am living a life of adventure and delicious food.
So when one dream collapses another materializes to take it’s place. That too is called life.
Master Index . You’ll not find any big banners or popups here talking about cookies and privacy notices. There are no ads on this site (aside from the hosting ads – a necessary evil). Functionally and fundamentally, I just don’t make money off of this blog. It is NOT monetized. Finally, I don’t track you because I just don’t care to.
Doesn’t it seem that every single thing that the United States accuses China of, it manifests inside America? It’s almost like this big; enormous wish-machine was turned on it’s head and starts attacking it’s creator. Yeah. It’s like the science fiction movie where a mad scientist creates a robot, and then the robot turns on it’s creator.
Today I saw the horrific images of an African-American Rapper who drove an SUV at high speed through a children’s parade killing and maiming scores of children. He’s a “rapper” who spouts hate and disgust from his urban enclave. It’s all very disturbing. My God! He was out on bail for running over another woman with his SUV. Insanity. Pure insanity.
Why is this happening in America? What is going on?
The answer is simple
America has collapsed. It is dead, it’s just that the people don’t really realize it yet.
When there is no longer a “rule of law”, and “justice” becomes a tiered game of money laundering, society is over. It’s all a simple matter of the rats scurrying from ship mast, to ship mast, and trying to jump on some pieces of wood floating in the water. It’s just the middle of a long, drawn out scramble of survival.
The ship of America has sunk.
Over.
Dead.
Throw some dirt on top of the grave and move on.
Oh sure, the bow of the ship is riding high. Lights are still blazing in the portholes. The band is still playing on the deck, and the Captain is still at the helm. But the ship is no longer seaworthy.
Some realize this. That is why you see mass looting of stores all over the cites in America, those shootings in the suburbs and on the highways, and the crazy behavior of the American leadership. They are all Jack-shit crazy and the world is falling apart all around them.
Here in this article I am going to prove my point by presenting short videos of the freefall collapse of the United States.
Please keep in mind that what you see on the “news” and social media is only a small percentage of what is actually going on. It is actually far worse than what is being depicted.
The real bad things are not being reported on.
China
Keep in mind that while the shit-show known as the United States “democracy” collapses, China moves on. It is a merit driven society that teaches military discipline to everyone from first grade onward.
Here’s a first grade class reporting for military training. Video 5MB
And a nation that is merit driven, unified, and run by STEM (science, technology, engineering and manufacturing) educated people who volunteer for that role is naturally going to overwhelm the fucking clown-show that the “blue blood” oligarchy operates. Fucking FIRE (Fiance, Insurance, Real Estate) folk haven’t a clue how to run a nation.
Here’s a locally produced, 100% all Chinese design and manufactured, Chinese fighter aircraft. video. 5MB
The Chinese do not play. They are a serious, serious nation. And they take their roles seriously. Here is a video of a Corruption Police raid on a kidnapping operation. I like how they rescued the little girl at the end.
You do not mess with China.
But since the USA is in a state of collapse, those in the West cannot see the shit show that they are living inside of. They need to start comparing their world to the rest of the world outside.
Here’s a funny video of a hysterical American screaming that America is not China.
It’s funny because China is so very much better than America in every way imaginable, but the dumbed down poverty serfs have no clue about how impoverished they actually are.
So, anyways, this video has been circulating all over China, and getting a ton load of snickers and giggles.
The guy probably hasn’t a clue as to why all the Chinese are laughing at him. video. 4MB
Clueless. Stupid. manipulated. Ignorant serf that services the billionaire class. Yeah, your fucking silly world is collapsing all around you, and you want to blame China.
Blame China? How about blaming yourself.
China has endured horrors that you have no fucking about. Thousands of years of fighting, and then Japans takeover and horrors followed by massive poverty, and abuse.
China will not forget what they had to endue. Do not push them. video 6MB
China is not a pushover.
China will retaliate if you all threaten them, and the United States is in no state to attack anyone. Hell, it can’t even build a simple fence on it’s borders.
It’s a helpless big lazy blob. So put everything in context. Understand what is going on and what the stakes are. video. 4MB
Videos of the United States in collapse
They are everywhere. Here’s looting and damage in a McDonald’s in the suburbs. video. 2MB
American nighttime roadblock.
Full militarized armored cars, full automatic assault rifles, sidearms, flack vests, and other military paraphernalia show that this is a domestic military road block and not a police action.
Shootings, riots, mobs, organized crime and daring store break-ins are now common throughout the Untied States today.
This is not a lonely, singular, isolated event.
It is common throughout most of the major cities inside of America today. video. 2MB
Shoplifter at Walmart.
And so the guy drives off and the security guard shoots at him. Just another normal day inside of America. But now people are starting to die…
Police said the suspect - dressed in all black with a black mask - attempted to steal unspecified merchandise and, when confronted by the store worker in the parking lot, pulled out a firearm.
The loss prevention officer, who has a concealed carry permit, then shot the armed suspect two or three times at close range, he told police.
The suspect fled the scene and was later detained at a home near 5th and Olympia in Kennewick without incident.
-Ferguson Walmart Shooting
People! This is not an image of a healthy society. video
And while hard crime rages… Guns are being purchased, and used.
People are dying, the government enacts draconian laws, rules and clamps down on the Police State, well-meaning folk try to change things for the better.
But they are not going after the serious issues. They are addressing the trivial. Video. 7MB
Meanwhile in China…
China has face recognition technology, and a completely wired nation that tracks your movements, and permits law abiding people free reign, while snagging the evil, the selfish, the dangerous and those CIA inspired (NED) “bad actors”.
While the American wealthy is trying to steal everything on paper, and the serf citizenry are trying to haul away everything not nailed down, China is building, growing, developing.
China is, and stands, in stark contrast to the cluster fuck that America is today. video 8MB
What is China like?
China is a merit driven nation and it strives to be the best home for it’s people.
It spent time working on the basics. It spent time developing things, and it took time to do so. And the Chinese philosophy is summed up in this little video here. video. 2MB
Back to the American meltdown
Crime is rampant all over the United States.
It’s a consequence of multiple failures on multiple levels and the situation is getting worse, much worse. the society has broken down. There is rampant lawlessness throughout the urban areas. video 5MB
And another robbery inside of America. These are so common these days. Honest citizens hide inside their homes and peer through drawn curtains. they hope that everything will go away and change.
It’s a complete breakdown of society and it’s every man for himself, with zero protections under the law, and zero policing. video. 7MB
This is what it looks like when society collapses. It’s every man for himself.
Mobs rule. Gangs rule. Society fractures, and the wealthy scurry to their enclaves for safety.
What America resembles today is what happened during the Fall of Saigon. video. 43MB
People are out and just being really brazen in their crimes.
They don’t care.
Nothing matters these days inside of America. Here is a guy that hijacked a complete tractor trailer rig and it’s cargo and is in a high speed chase down the highway. Jeeze! video. 28MB
America as it really exists
Consider the reality. Why must the current mess that the United States is, be allowed or permitted to exist. It does not serve it’s people. It’s a war empire that causes destruction all over the world, it rapes and pillages, and is run but a small handful of evil greedy oligarchs. Why?
Why is it important that the world become like America? VIDEO
Video of City life inside of America.
Here’s some roadside rage. It’s about to get really ugly, really soon. video 6MB
Still not convinced, well lets go to a DIFFERENT city… VIDEO
Video
Still not convinced, it is EVERYWHERE in America. Ok, well lets go to a third DIFFERENT city… VIDEO
Video
Hey! Do you want to know why there are NO homeless in China?
Let this Chinese girl living in America explain it to you. For all of my Chinese friends, they are just flabbergasted at the lack of care and concern the US government has for it’s people.
The world will breathe a sigh of relief when the United States is finally broken up
Yes. The rest of the world will.
Look, if you are not aware of the collapse of America then you are delusional. The fact is pretty clear America is collapsing and it is up to the rest of the world to manage how their own individual nations handle that event. Most will be just fine.
It’s not that I want it to happen, in so much as I want the scales of justice to balance.
For far too long the crimes and the injustices have been propagated for far too long. It is a time of reckoning, and if you are smart you will align yourself with justice, truth and freedom . If you are a fool, then you will align yourself with the United States. It’s your choice.
I however, advise running away and hiding. Go to somewhere safer, and better. Like Uganda…video 7MB
Look at all the very beautiful women in the audience. Jeeze!
What am I doing wasting my time in China? video 1MB
Well, there’s only one of me, and so many interesting and beautiful and smiling people everywhere. So much food to eat. So many interesting people to meet and chat with. So many nice restaurants to eat in. So many great things to do. Sigh.
I love it when a woman cooks food. It just really drives me absolutely crazy! And Chinese food is so very delicious!!!!
Oh, and you know, I do love to go out girl watching. There’s something great about women shopping in the malls, looking great in their outfits, nice makeup and just bouncing about. In America they all rush off to their cars, and then speed away. Not enough time for me to watch their poetry as they walk. video 5MB
Out of the ruins of America new societies will develop. The key is to create societies where everyone has the choice to participate, but only ONLY those that participate, and make the society a good place to live can have any say in government.
It’s a Rufus philosophy. And it is crucial to good governance.
Be the Rufus. Only allow other Rufus’s to control the government. They do it for others, not themselves. video. 16MB
Do you want more?
You can find more articles related to this in my latest index; A New Beginning. And in it are elements of the old, some elements regarding the transition, and some elements that look towards the future.
Again, yet again, MM here addresses the things that no one ever talks about. And in this case we are taking up the real whale; the massive, titanic-sized “elephant in the room”. While just virtually all of the American media press is gung-ho for a war against China (and assumes that China will be alone), no one is talking about the consequences of such a war.
Nothing surprises me, the more successful China becomes the greater the lies.
-Roger
As the clueless media and their readership assumes that the United States will win any war that it starts in Asia. (Or actually, that it will be a long decades long war, and life would go on without any impact on their own lives.) No one talks about the rightful consequences of a war effort gone terribly wrong…
But we will.
The United States will lose.
And it will lose BIGLY.
And, it’s not just me saying this. It’s RAND, Heritage Foundation, the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies and every single one of the military war games (for the last 18 years), the military think tanks, and the “big buck” experts in Washington DC. As well as all of the generals in charge of the American military.
America would lose.
I have discussed over and over, and over again, why the United States would lose. Don’t want to hear this, do you? Well, tough cookies. Here, we talk about things as they actually are, not as we want them to be. If you are a new comer to MM, you might want to take a refresher course in actual current affairs here…
According to US analysts, by 2025 the USA won’t be able to win a war against China.
Frankly, I think that this ship has already sailed a long, long, LONG time ago.
However, that semi-admission is a desperate attempt to create the political climate to circle the wagons before China officially becomes the second nation the USA cannot defeat.
The first one being, obviously, Russia (I would even include Iran and the DPRK is that list).
Hence all the current Anglo posturing in the Black Sea (which is even far more dangerous for US/NATO ships than the China Seas) is just that: posturing.
The main risk here is that I am not at all convinced by the notion that “Biden” can rein in the Brits or the Poles, especially since the latter are both NATO members who would sincerely expect NATO to protect them (they should ask Erdogan about that).
But, of course, there really is no such thing as “NATO”: all there is the US and its vassal states in Europe.
Should the two wannabe empires trigger a real, shooting war, all it would take is a single Russian conventional missile strike somewhere deep inside the continental USA (even in a desert location) to convince the White House, the Pentagon or the CIA “get with the program” and seek a negotiated solution, leaving the Brits and the Poles utterly disgusted and looking foolish.
I don’t think anything else can bring those two countries back to a sense of reality.
-Andrei
Why concentrate on hybrid/unlimited war instead of an outright nuclear or conventional military conflict between the US and China and/or Russia?
That is because both conventional and nuclear military conflict between any of these three nations is an insane, suicidal choice, while those in charge of defining military strategy are specifically not selected for their suicidal tendencies.
Neither Russia nor China are known for their wars of aggression, and while the US is extremely well known for its homicidal, violent tendencies (having carried out 32 bombing campaigns on 24 countries since World War II), it is fundamentally a bully, only picking on weak countries that pose no threat.
And… it (because of the non-stop demonetization of China) thinks that China is weak enough to pick on.
Based on publicly available information, both Russia and China are now quite far ahead of the US in weapons development, to a point where any possible direct US attack on either of them would be [1] self-disarming at best and [2] suicidal at worst.
Its like when the schoolyard bully realizes he can't bully you anymore, so now he just throws slurs and insults instead of punches. After a while he loses all credibility and starts being ignored. A couple of decades later you go to a school reunion and he is the loser that no one wants to talk to. That reunion was sweet ....
Posted by: Roger | Nov 19 2021 17:20 utc | 16
[1] In the best case scenario, the US launches an attack which is successfully repelled: bombers and rockets shot down, ships sunk, US military bases and port facilities destroyed, possibly US command and control centers also destroyed, as quite pointedly promised by Putin.
The US then lays prostrate and at the mercy of its opponents.
If its cooperation still leaves something to be desired, some combination of deplorables, despicables, imponderables and indecipherables will be organized just enough to make a bloody mess of what’s left of US government structures and power elites, which will then be replaced with an international peacekeeping force (as an optimistic case) or just left to persist in durable disorder, misery and international isolation.
[2] The worst case scenario is the tired old mutual assured destruction, nuclear winter and end of life on Earth, but it is unlikely for a number of reasons.
First, of the US nuclear deterrent triad only the submarine component remains viable, and even it is quite tired.
Aside from a single Minuteman missile launch test most hasn’t been tested in decades, and these are ballistic missiles which, once the boost phase is over, follow a perfectly predictable inertial trajectory.
This makes them easy targets for Russia’s and China’s new air defense systems.
Of the Minutemen that manage to get out of their silos and launch in the general direction of Russia or China, it is unknown how many of their nuclear payloads would actually detonate since these are all quite old and haven’t been tested in a long time either.
The US no longer has the ability to make new nuclear charges, having lost the recipe for making the high explosive needed to make them detonate. But that may be a moot point, since at this point no ICBM is likely to be able to penetrate Russian air defenses. Both Russia and China have state of the art formidable anti-ICBM systems. video
As far as Chinese air defenses, it is notable that Russia and China have integrated their early warning systems and China now has four divisions of Russian S-400 Triumph air defense systems and is planning to add more. video
Turning to the airborne part of the US nuclear triad, its mainstay is still the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, the youngest of which is almost 60 years old. It cruises at 260 knots at an altitude of 34000 feet and is the opposite of stealthy, making it easy to shoot down at a stand-off distance of several hundred kilometers. Since this makes it perfectly useless for dropping bombs, all that remains is cruise missiles, which fly at a positively poky 0.65 Mach, again making them easy targets for modern air defenses.
There are also some newer stealth bombers—very few and, it has turned out, not too stealthy, putting them essentially in the same category as the Stratofortress, and the cruise missiles they can launch are also those same old subsonic ones.
Lastly, there are the strategic nuclear submarines, which are the only part of the US nuclear triad that is still viable. They remain effective as a deterrent, and they do have the ability to get up close to launch a sneak attack with a good chance that at least a few of the missiles will get through the air defenses, but they can’t possibly hope to get around the inevitability of retaliation which will cause unacceptable, fatal damage to the continental US. This makes them useless as an offensive weapon.
The uncloaking, and damage to the USS Connecticut, is worth a good study in this regard. HERE.
Add to this Russia’s updated nuclear doctrine, according to which any attack against Russian sovereign territory or Russian sovereign interests, whether conventional or nuclear, would open the door to a nuclear retaliation, launched upon warning, and Putin’s solemn promise to counterattack not just against the locations from which a strike is launched but against the centers of decision-making.
Considering that Russian missiles are hypersonic and will reach their targets before those of the US reach theirs, and that Russia has the means to shoot down US missiles while the US is unable to shoot down Russian ones, if the US were to launch an attack, those who launched it would be dead before they could find out whether their attack succeeded in causing any damage at all or whether they had just suicided themselves for nothing.
The “Punch Line”
All of this adds up to an inevitable conclusion: under no circumstances will the US attack either Russia or China, using either conventional or nuclear weapons. To do so would result in nuclear annihilation. And for a weakened nation such as the United States is today, it’s wouldn’t take too much to throw it into absolute chaos.
Only an idiot would consider such an action.
However, there are experts who are of the opinion that a world war could spontaneously erupt at any moment without anyone wishing it to do so, just as the world slid into World War I due to a confluence of unhappy accidents. But there is a big difference: the military and civilian leaderships of the warring sides in World War I did not have hypersonic missiles pointed directly at their heads.
They thought that the war would be fought far away from their palaces, headquarters and stately mansions. They were, in some cases, quite wrong, but that was their thought originally: why not test our industrial prowess while sacrificing the lives of several million useless peasants?
Now the situation is quite different: any substantial provocation is an automatic self-destruct trigger and all sides know this.
Especially against Asia.
Pilger is bouncing a few examples of Western anti-China drivel off a Chinese historian. The historian gets a bit impatient and says (words to the effect):
"Look, China doesn't want to take over the world or tell other countries how to behave. In fact we built the Great Wall to keep the barbarians OUT!"
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Nov 19 2021 18:24 utc | 23
Of course, there will be minor provocations such as the US Navy steaming around in the Taiwan Strait or the Black Sea close to the shores of Crimea, but then they do have to earn their keep somehow.
In turn, the Russians and the Chinese will periodically up the ante a little bit by shooing them away with a harshly worded radio message or a few shots fired across their bows. But both sides know just how careful they have to be because any serious error will require immediate deescalation and may entail major loss of face.
And that, as the saying goes, would be worse than a crime: it would be a vast mistake.
The USA Leadership are idiots
And at that, we can see that no matter how much we can parse the issues; no matter how many times we can study the calculus; no matter how many times we can say “nah, no one would be that stupid to risk a war”, we see the United States doing just that.
All part of the required reverberations for the "drum beat of war".
Making the public recognize and demonize an enemy is a requirement! Step by step, little by little.
Don't think there is a war on the way? Just look around at the chaos, misinformation and pursuit of control.
Don't think others hear the drum beat? Read here: https://thesaker.is/russian-options-in-a-world-headed-for-war/
Posted by: James Cook | Nov 19 2021 17:04 utc | 5
The provocations against China are getting more and more outrageous, outlandish and dangerous. This is intentional, and it is not going to end up well.
The calculus so far assumes reasonable people would be in charge of the Leadership of the West. But that variable is “thrown out the window”, the United States and their proxy nations are all run by imbeciles and they are dancing on top of nuclear armageddon.
The Chinese military is dangerous
Here’s a training exercise. Hey! Do you see any cheap AK-47 / SKS clones here? Do you see uneducated peasants? Do you see any starving people that was all that delicious freedom and democracy out of America? VIDEO
And they start training in first grade. Military discipline is part of their lives.
Here’s some third grade students showing first grade students how to assemble and handle rifles, and weapons. VIDEO. It’s a long video at 83MB, but WELL worth the watch. I recorded it while watching my little girls, so sorry about the chit-chat in the background.
Please pay attention to what is going on. Third grade students doing this. 9 years old. We see them teaching the first and second graders in basic squad movement and behaviors. VIDEO.
Video
We will discuss the consequences of the loss of the United States to Asia
In this article we will assume the following…
The United States is successful in triggering a war with China. After all, it has been non-stop provocations for years now. It’s not like China has an aircraft carrier off Boston harbor. Sooner or later there WILL be a response. And it won’t be a subtle hint like the USS Connecticut affair, either.
And, what is omitted from American media (and Conservative) articles and discussions on this subject…
Russia and China work together to fight the USA as they said they would.
Nuclear weapons would be used as they said they would.
The “war” would be short and devastating. Per war game results.
The “war” would be on Asian terms, not defined by America. Per war game results.
First use of nuclear weapons occurs. Per Russian military doctrine.
We will also ignore the ruin and destruction in the rest of the world. This article is not about Israel, Europe, the Ukraine, China, or Japan. This article is about what would happen to the United States once it lost a war.
It would be a first.
And, it would be painful.
Some history…
To understand this article you have to understand history.
America has never lost in a war. The closest to losing a war is what the Confederate States experienced when the South lost the American Civil War. And using that as a template, as well as the pain and anguish that both Russia and China has experienced over the last ten centuries or so, we can compile up a pretty comprehensive picture of what to expect.
So don’t yell at me.
You all should have read a history book or two while you were in school. None of this should be new. The only difference here is that I am providing a reminder that YOU are right now, living in a historical moment. And that moment can have enormous consequences.
We are teetering on the very sharp edge of a very thin line, with a deep abyss on both side.
And using this history, we can compile a listing of potential things to expect to occur once America loses World War III.
Brace yourself…
New borders
Every losing nation ends up having it’s geographical boarders redrawn. For a large nation such as the United States, we would see the entire nation carved up into separate “Protectorates.”
Hawaii would be it’s own Protectorate.
Alaska might be returned to Russia.
Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands will become a Protectorate.
Texas would be carved up. Part would go to Mexico. The other half would be a Protectorate.
California would be carved up. Part would go to Mexico. The remaining sections carved up into protectorates.
The remaining states on the continental United States would be reshaped into ten to 25 individual protectorates.
No existing State would be permitted to retain it’s borders.
Think about what happened to Poland after World War I, and then again after World War II. Think about what happened to Africa when the British colonial power left it. Thank about what happened when the “White Settlers” colonized North America.
The State of Louisiana cut up into regions by cultural and social lines. This could very well be the fate of the entirety of America.
Protectorate laws
As a “Protectorate” the region would function under the rules and laws of the conquering nation. This would vary from protectorate to protectorate. But some things will be constant.
A protectorate can ONLY trade with it’s physical neighbor.
A protectorate cannot have a standing army, navy, air force, space forces.
A protectorate must pay tribute to the conquering nation. This historically consists of a lump sum, plus a very high annual tax born by the inhabitants.
A protectorate would do anything the conquering nation demands.
New Government
The federal United States government would be crushed, destroyed, and any mention of any former leaders retaining power would be harshly suppressed.
A small taste of what is to come.
For a new world out of the old, all old and former government influences are to be extinguished. Buildings would be destroyed, historical monuments raised, and all history rewritten. This is not just on the Federal level, but on the state and local levels as well. Everything would be raised and then altered beyond recognition, and a new command and control government structure rebuilt upon the ashes of the former.
Each protectorate will be told (by the conquering nation) what government it shall have. Some will become theocracies. Such as the “Bible Belt States”. Others will become quaizi-republics. Still others will be dictatorships, and others will simply be socialist based government structures.
All will use the police forces to enforce their new laws, rules and regulations.
The new rulers will use what ever systems are in place to enforce complete obedience.
New laws
There will be new laws. All of the old laws will be discarded. This will be everything from divorce law to business law, to patent law and criminal law. The laws specified by the protectorate will be determined by the conquering nation. You can expect a very harsh social credit scoring system, and the harshest penalties for non-compliance.
Sentenced to being stoned to death for admitting to being raped.
They can be arbitrary, vindictive, and capricious.
Loss of a leg for drinking alcohol.
Beheading for jay-walking.
Death for showing disrespect.
Penis removal for wearing shoes on Sunday.
Non-compliance is often death.
The process of stoning a person to death.
Ownership will change drastically
You may suddenly discover that the home you live in has been seized for “public housing”, a “museum”, or a barracks. That your factory where you work is now under new management and everything is being disassembled and shipped elsewhere, or that the apartment complex that you rent out of is now being turned into hospital.
What’s more, you might be granted 24 hours to gather your belongings and leave… if you are lucky.
Ownership takes on a new meaning when the world is turned upside down, and you are on the losing side. And now you will have to obey your new masters. Imagine that these people were now YOUR local government authority…
It is people like these that will be pressed into an anti-white frenzy and will hurt, attack, and torture you before they rape and kill you. These people will become pawns of the new conquering nation.
Quality of life will plunge
Sure, you might have three cars, two motorcycles and live in a McMansion. But all that means nothing when you have a social credit score so low that you are not authorized to drive, purchase gasoline, or use electricity.
What are you going to do? Hide in your house for months?
Many people will find themselves plunged from “Middle Class” into the world of the sub-slave. Today, the United States is a stratified, balkanized society with nine social classes. After conquest, many will find themselves at the lower “bottom feeder” social classes.
And let’s not even talk about the lifestyle changes for those who expect running water, electricity, access to a cell phone and radio. All these things can, and probably will, be subject to the whims of the new protectorate government.
The USD will collapse and be replaced
One of the first casualties of any war will be the total and complete collapse of the “house of cards” known as the United States Dollar. It’s kept alive on vapor, dreams, hope and frantic, fanatical spending. During a war, and afterwards, these pieces of paper will have zero value.
And unless you have something tangible, and not other vapor-currency like bit-coin, you will suddenly become penniless. Then what are you going to use for trade and commerce when your stomach is growling, and you need heat, water, electricity and a meal in your gut?
The USD is going to become absolutely worthless.
What are you going to barter with?
An x-box when there is no electricity? A car when there’s no access to gasoline? Your collection of Pokemon cards?
More than likely it will be a service that you, or your family can provide to others. Do they have the necessary training? Or will they need to receive on-the-job training to meet the needs of others during a SHTF scenario?
Think sex, manual labor, or other undesirable activities.
Rights become zero
Forget about the “Bill of Rights”.
You will be a slave. Slaves have no Rights. It’s a historical norm.
Cambodian soldier who turned in weapons as directed by his commander when the Marxists took power. Once disarmed, he was tied up and bound. Still in his army uniform. Photographed before being killed. This is the price you pay for not qualifying to live in a Marxist paradise. He was demonized for his “privilege”, attacked for his social irresponsibility, and tortured, well… because it was fun. He was then photographed and killed. .
Sure it is pretty much meaningless today, but in this scenario, it not only doesn’t exist, but it would be ignored BY LAW. If you think that you have the right to think, speak, dream or practice your religion… then think again.
It will be OVER. And non-compliance would mean death. It’s a historical norm.
Conquered people do not have Rights. They are slaves, servants, or chattel.
Deal with this historical fact.
In the Ukraine, the woman were forced to strip in the fields while the drunken soldiers, political squads, and other progressives raped them. Then, when they were finished, they simply lined them up and killed them all.
Places will be renamed
The water-filled crater formerly known as New York City will be renamed “Commode”. Washington DC will become “Fresh Vomit”, and San Francisco will become “Fagland”.
This means different things to different people. But with the renaming of places will come with an entire different understanding of geography. Maps will all be different, and along with it will be the associated perceptions.
Places will be renamed by the victors.
Restrictions become many
There will be all sorts of restrictions on everything. The inhabitants of the conquered territories will need to ask permission to do anything and everything. Failure to get the correct permissions, permits, or pay the necessary fees will result in the harshest measures possible.
Once disarmed, the people will be collected in the cities. They will be segregated into groups. Then they will all be killed, if not used for slaves. This is a historical norm. This is what always happens. .
Driving a car. Traveling. Ownership of a bicycle, access to a bridge. Crossing a border will all be illegal.
And that’s just for movement.
Think about food, clothing and shelter. All will be restricted access. You will be told where to live, what to eat, how to behave, how to dress, what to do, and whether or not you are paid for your labors.
History will be rewritten
Typically all history books and records are burned, destroyed and eliminated. The teachers killed, and a new history constructed to fit the needs of the new ruler class.
Think about the reeducation camps for the teachers and intellectuals in South Vietnam when the North Vietnam took over Saigon (now, Ho Chi Men city.) Think about what happened in Cambodia with the “killing fields”. Think about what happened to the Polish in the Katyn Forest massacre.
TheKatyn massacre, also knownasthe zbrodnia katyńska ('Katyń crime'), was a massexecutionofPolishPOWofficersand citizens ordered by the Soviet authoritiesin 1940. The most widely accepted estimate of the number of dead is about 22,000. Thevictims were murdered in the Katyn forest, Kalinin ( Tver) and Kharkiv prisons, andelsewhere.
-Katyń
Prison camps / rape camps / mass torture complexes
There will be segregation of people into locations. Then new jobs, activities, and tasks will be assigned to them depending on their utility.
Here is a truck parading captured, and “handed over” females to be either given to the soldiers, or sold off in the public square as slaves. This is from Syria, and the girls were most likely handed over to the “police” to spare their lives. The “police” then processed them and set them off to the market for their future roles within the community; sex slaves. .
Men typically are used either for fertilizer (killed outright in mass graves) or as slaves.It is very rare for a male to survive within a conquered land. They are viewed as a viable threat vector and eliminated in mass. Though, exceptions can occur based on their skills or knowledge.
Women are almost always earmarked as sex toys. Historically the women that manage to survive in this role age from 12/14 to up to 30. Older than that, then they are killed.
All of the women will be dehumanized, raped and sent off to “collection centers”. There they will be provided dehumanizing clothing and attire, and raped until they are of no further use.
German Nationalist Socialists (Nazi’s) collected Jewish women. Stripped them, and provided them a roughly hewn sackcloth to wear, and a scarf to cover their head with. An uncovered woman is considered to be a threat. And used them as they felt necessary. .
Everyone, and every moment will be documented to excess. It doesn’t matter if it was the Nazi’s with the Jews, the Soviets with other Soviets, the Khmer Rouge with their fellow citizens, or Americans against Americans. Each person will be interviewed, indexed, photographed, sheared, and categorized prior to execution.
Know your history.
Children are typically killed. Older people are also typically killed. Pets tend to be eaten.
Children rounded up in Syria by the occupation forces. The parents gave them up because the new government promised to protect them and keep them out of harm’s way while the war raged. As a result they were sold and abused. many died.
Schools will change
Historically schools are eliminated, and then when they do reappear, access is severely curtailed and limited. The subjects and information taught in the schools also change as well.
As the schools change, so will the people.
Know your history.
It’s not all boring you know.
Assimilation.
Important cities will be erased
If a city manages to survive the war, and the attacks, it will not be spared when the occupation forces arrive.
The Japanese “rape of Nanjing” in China is one such example.
Nanjing was “occupied” by the Japanese when Japan conquered the region. Then then decided to torture and kill every single person in that entire city.
The entire city was rounded up, tortured and killed by the Japanese occupation forces. Many such examples of this occur throughout history.
Have you ever wondered what happened to the American Indians that lived in such places as Kittanning, PA, or Oswego, NY? All erased from history. Their cities plowed under and now exist as State Game Lands, farm land or parking lots.
The Japanese attack China with the “rape of Nanjing”
Cultural landmarks will be destroyed
Expect such landmarks as Mount Rushmore to be dynamited, The statue of liberty to be torn down and used as scrap metal, the San Francisco bridge to be destroyed, and the iconic White House to be leveled into dust.
Landmarks will be destroyed.
A new “privileged class” will arise
Those “bottom feeders” in society, who have obtained power and control over groups of people, such as urban ghetto enclaves will often be granted special powers and abilities. They will use these powers to control people, places and things in the new protectorates.
Urban groups will seize control of the cities.
Urban groups will seize control of the cities.
Drug gangs will seize entire geographical areas.
Drug gangs will seize entire geographical areas.
Restrictions on movement, attire, and activity
Seemingly random restrictions will appear and will be mandatory. Such as not being allowed to wear camouflaged clothing, shoes, use a cell phone or use a cigarette lighter. Certain areas may forbid the use of automobiles, and the access of grains, apples, seeds, or corn could mean a death sentence.
American police today. It would not be difficult to turn them into an occupation force.
Conclusion
Pretty terrible, huh?
Well then, WHY THE FUCK IS THE UNITED STATES TRYING TO PROVOKE A WAR with both China and Russia simultaneously? Are they out of their minds? Because sooner or later, when you poke a lion it will snap back.
Sooner…
…or, later.
So here is what you all have to look forward to unless things change. You cannot continue to act like a bully when you walk into a gang of Hell’s Angels (hard core bikers). They will not be nice.
The United States had best stop acting like a bully, or else some very mean people are going to take care of the issue.
Summary
Once a war starts, it will only be a matter of time before the United States collapses and is occupied by the rest of the world. During that time, the nation will be broken up, tortured, abused, redefined, purged, and the lives of Americans will be worth nothing.
That’s what you get when your government is corrupt and your leaders are dysfunctional.
The ONLY way to prevent this nightmare scenario is for America to stop trying to provoke a war with Asia, and start trying to reform itself. Though to expect that to actually happen is very, very unlikely.
Do you want more?
You can find more articles related to this in my latest index; A New Beginning. And in it are elements of the old, some elements regarding the transition, and some elements that look towards the future.
This is the full reprint of the book titled “Domain Expeditionary Force Rescue Mission”. There is an interesting story behind this book. It is considered a science fiction story, while the first book “Alien Interview” is not. I do not know what to think. However, it is really easy to discount the idea that there is a follow up book whenever the first book became popular. There is that “for profit motive” don’t you know.
Thus we have this write up;
A Science Fiction story based on the best selling book ALIEN INTERVIEW.
"There are several obvious reasons that The Domain, and other space civilizations do not land on Earth or make their presence known. It takes a very brave IS-BE to come down through the atmosphere and land on Earth, because it is a prison planet, with a very uncontrolled, psychotic population. And, no IS-BE is entirely proof against the risk of entrapment, as with the members of The Domain Expeditionary Force who were captured in the Himalayas 8,200 years ago."
-- excerpt from the book ALIEN INTERVIEW, edited by Lawrence R. Spencer
MM comments
I parsed the book “Alien Interview” and found it valid, real and actual. I then parsed it in great detail, and in so doing, found many answers that “clicked” or aligned with prior events, knowledge, and experiences that I have had. There is no question that the first book “Alien Interview” is valid.
I do not know about the second book.
When I read the opinions of others, I find myself questioning everything. Such as this book review here…
Fiction or Valid Disclosure?
Good book but lacked the authenticity and clarity the author claims it is which the first book “Alien Interview” had.
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The only reason I say this is that although the cover says, “by Lawrence R. Spencer”, the author claims he is not the original author. But in his first book, “Alien Interview” he credits himself as the editor only.
This is true. The first book; "Alien Interview" is the narrative of the transcribing nurse that was involved in the interview of the acquired Commander of a downed extraterrestrial spacecraft. It includes her narrative, and the full transcript of the interview. According tot he first book, she is dead. So, what is the source information for the second book?
-MM
In this book, Spencer puts his name on the cover as “by Lawrence R. Spencer” which leaves it open to suspect. There is an email address inside the book that Mr. Spencer claims the documents have come from. I wrote to this email address in the book on several occasions and received no reply. I did not receive an undelivered email notification so I assume someone got it. I am sure I am not the only person to write to the mysterious email address shown in the book. .
This opens the book up to great controversy and it has been put down by various reviewers on the internet, claiming that the author, Lawrence Spencer, wrote this book and its prequel “Alien Interview” as a kind of religious agenda, or rather, “anti-religious” agenda.
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However, there are many many people out there who have had amazing testimonies of ET contact and their stories are even more outlandish and unbelievable than the written material of these books. So to judge this book as some kind of writing that has a religious or ideological motivation is incorrect.
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I believe many people have had many ET experiences and this book coincides with the many thousands of people who have had their eyes opened to the revelations and perspectives that have changed them forever. This book and “Alien Interview” are not the authors or inventors of such concepts but rather reinforce what has already been revealed by thousands of other abductees, witnesses, and Experiencers. .
Mr. Spencer does indicate the the book is “by” him.
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However, he claims that he is not the original author.
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He claims that it came to him via email from someone claiming to be Matilda MacElroy…
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…or a Being or person that is coordinated with the late Mrs. MacElroy. .
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There is no evidence that Mrs. MacElroy actually died although she stated in “Alien Interview” that she was going to die and be put to rest in a place of her choosing. .
The book is written in the same style as the previous book which was supposed to be by Mrs. MacElroy.
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Since Mrs. MacElroy had a career military background, this book fits hand and glove to the first writings. There are some typographical errors that are claimed to be part of the original way the book was presented to Mr. Spencer.
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This book appears to be strung together as a collection of notes that barely hold together as a manual.
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Since the author cannot claim it was actually written by Matilda as it came to him via email, it has some mystery to it. There are some grammar errors and spelling issues here and there, certainly not the kind of quality of a professional writer. So perhaps these are the foot prints of the real writer. .
Never the less, it is a very good book and I found it very interesting, written with the same matter-o-fact style as the first book.
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However, instead of the transcription style of the first book, this book comes together as a take-a-long manual for someone in the process of trying to get their pre-earth memory back. .
I was met with some very violent reactions from certain people when I tried to talk about this book and the original book, “Alien Interview”. It appears that the material appears so far fetched that it strikes anything from fear to ridicule in others who do not have any courage to stretch beyond their own belief system and self imposed science or religious paradigms. .
For anyone who wants to stretch their consciousness outside the limited box-thinking paradigm of our present reality, and for anyone who has had some kind of ET experience, whether it be abduction, observation, or for anyone who is wanting to learn something amazing of a possible pre-earth existence, this is a great eye opening book. .
I suggest the “Alien Interview” book be read first in order to keep this book in its rightful context.
The files
A MM contributor took the time to photograph the entire contents of the book and send it for me to read. These photos are below for your enjoyment.
I have read the total book in this format, and here are my impressions…
MM Comments after reading the book
Let me repeat what the book says…
This book is in no way factual. Nor is it intended to represent any factual information. This book is a contrivance of the imagination of the author. This book is a work of fiction only. It is not to be interpreted otherwise by the reader.
MM readership take note. This is a fiction. Nothing more.
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Do you want more?
I have more articles in my Index titled “The Domain” here…
You’ll not find any big banners or popups here talking about cookies and privacy notices. There are no ads on this site (aside from the hosting ads – a necessary evil). Functionally and fundamentally, I just don’t make money off of this blog. It is NOT monetized. Finally, I don’t track you because I just don’t care to.
Earth is a Prison Planet. There are systems within systems, within systems to control the inmates. It’s a big subject and I have covered it elsewhere. If you want to learn all the details, then you can browse around here on MM. But for now, I want to discuss one of the control mechanisms.
It’s the “forgive and forget” control mechanism.
I can tell you that criminals inside the United States use this method all the time to reduce their sentences, get away with crimes, and conduct “damage control” to lessen the impacts of their crimes to others.
I’ve explained this many, many times over.
If you can convince your victim to forgive you, then there is a great chance that they will not press charges or file a report on you. And thus you, as a criminal, can continue repeating your crimes over and over. All you need to do is follow the simple formula;
Hurt a person.
Have someone else convince them to “forgive you” and then “forget about the event”.
Repeat. And hurt a different person.
That is precisely why the police routinely look at first time offenders with an eye towards how many prior crimes they committed, but were not caught in.
It’s not just felony activity. It’s about everything. Thoughts, feelings and behaviors are all connected.
It’s a nice trite saying that is used to control you.
Learn this fact; children learn from their mistakes. A child that falls off a chair, then a ladder, then a table will stop accidentally falling down because it HURTS. But what if you mind-wipe the memories, and forget what it was like when you fell down? Well, the child would repeat again, and again, and again over and over.
If you are in a bad relationship, after a long string of bad relationships, you need to stop “forgiving and forgetting”; bone up. Grow a spine and learn from your mistakes.
And for the really brainwashed out there in internet land…
Do you want more?
I have more posts like this in my happiness index here…
Well, this book has quite a bit of controversy associated with it, but most of it stems from reviewers that believe all people are good inside and unicorns deliver their vegan low fat cappuccino with cream.
Well, most people aren’t kind, and this book prepared you for reality.
It doesn’t teach one to be self absorbed or evil or a heretic.
It teaches one to stand your ground and to protect yourself from taking unnecessary burden, unfair treatment, and manipulation from corrupt people.
LAW 2
NEVER PUT TOO MUCH TRUST IN FRIENDS, LEARN HOW TO USE ENEMIES
JUDGMENT
Be wary of friends—they will betray you more quickly, for they are easily aroused to envy. They also become spoiled and tyrannical. But hire a former enemy and he will be more loyal than a friend, because he has more to prove. In fact, you have more to fear from friends than from enemies. If you have no enemies, find a way to make them.
TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW
In the mid-ninth century A.D., a young man named Michael III assumed the throne of the Byzantine Empire.
His mother, the Empress Theodora, had been banished to a nunnery, and her lover, Theoctistus, had been murdered ; at the head of the conspiracy to depose Theodora and enthrone Michael had been Michael’s uncle, Bardas, a man of intelligence and ambition.
Michael was now a young, inexperienced ruler, surrounded by in triguers, murderers, and profligates. In this time of peril he needed someone he could trust as his councilor, and his thoughts turned to Basilius, his best friend.
Basilius had no experience whatsoever in government and politics—in fact, he was the head of the royal stables—but he had proven his love and gratitude time and again.
To have a good enemy, choose a friend: He knows where to strike.
-DIANF DE POITIERS. 1499-1566. MISTRESS OF HENRI II OF FRANCE
They had met a few years before, when Michael had been visiting the stables just as a wild horse got loose.
Basilius, a young groom from peasant Macedonian stock, had saved Michael’s life.
The groom’s strength and courage had impressed Michael, who immediately raised Basilius from the obscurity of being a horse trainer to the position of head of the stables.
He loaded his friend with gifts and favors and they became inseparable.
Basilius was sent to the finest school in Byzantium, and the crude peasant became a cultured and sophisticated courtier.
Every time I bestow a vacant office I make a hundred discontented persons and one ingrate.
Louis XIV, 1638-1715
Now Michael was emperor, and in need of someone loyal.
Who could he better trust with the post of chamberlain and chief councilor than a young man who owed him everything?
Basilius could be trained for the job and Michael loved him like a brother.
Ignoring the advice of those who recommended the much more qualified Bardas, Michael chose his friend.
Thus for my own part l have more than once been deceived by the person I loved most and of whose love, above everyone else’s, I have been most confident. So that I believe that u may be right to love and serve one person above all others. according to merit and worth, but never to trust so much in this tempting trap of friendship as to have cause to repent of it later on.
BALDASSARE CASTIGLIONE, 1478-1529
Basilius learned well and was soon advising the emperor on all matters of state.
The only problem seemed to be money—Basiiius never had enough.
Exposure to the splendor of Byzantine court life made him avaricious for the perks of power.
Michael doubled, then tripled his salary, ennobled him, and married him off to his own mistress, Eudoxia Ingerina.
Keeping such a trusted friend and adviser satisfied was worth any price.
But more trouble was to come.
Bardas was now head of the army, and Basilius convinced Michael that the man was hopelessly ambitious.
Under the illusion that he could control his nephew, Bardas had conspired to put him on the throne, and he could conspire again, this time to get rid of Michael and assume the crown himself.
Basilius poured poison into Michael’s ear until the emperor agreed to have his uncle murdered.
During a great horse race, Basilius closed in on Bardas in the crowd and stabbed him to death.
Soon after, Basilius asked that he replace Bardas as head of the army, where he could keep control of the realm and quell rebellion.
This was granted.
Now Basilius’s power and wealth only grew, and a few years later Michael, in financial straits from his own extravagance, asked him to pay back some of the money he had borrowed over the years.
To Michael’s shock and astonishment, Basilius refused, with a look of such impudence that the emperor suddenly realized his predicament: The former stable boy had more money, more allies in the army and senate, and in the end more power than the emperor himself.
A few weeks later, after a night of heavy drinking,
Michael awoke to find himself surrounded by soldiers.
Basilius watched as they stabbed the emperor to death.
Then, after proclaiming himself emperor, he rode his horse through the streets of Byzantium, brandishing the head of his former benefactor and best friend at the end of a long pike.
THE SNAKE. THE FARMER. AND THE HERON
A snake chased by hunters asked a farmer to save its life.
To hide it from its pursuers, the farmer squatted and let the snake crawl into his belly.
But when the danger had passed and the farmer asked the snake to come out, the snake refused.
It was warm and safe inside.
On his way home, the man saw a heron and went up to him and whispered what had happened.
The heron told him to squat and strain to eject the snake.
When the snake snuck its head out, the heron caught it, pulled it out, and killed it.
The farmer was worried that the snake’s poison might still be inside him, and the heron told him that the cure for snake poison was to cook and eat six white fowl.
“You’re a white fowl,” said the farmer. “You’ll do for a start.”
He grabbed the heron, put it in a bag, and carried it home, where he hung it up while he told his wife what had happened.
“I’m surprised at you, ” said the wife. “The bird does you a kindness, rids you of the evil in your belly, saves your life in fact, yet you catch it and talk of killing it."
She immediately released the heron, and it flew away. But on its way, it gouged out her eyes.
Moral: When you see water flowing uphill, it means that someone is repaying a kindness.
AFRICAN FOLK TALE
Interpretation
Michael III staked his future on the sense of gratitude he thought Basilius must feel for him.
Surely Basilius would serve him best; he owed the emperor his wealth, his education, and his position.
Then, once Basilius was in power, anything he needed it was best to give to him, strengthening the bonds between the two men.
It was only on the fateful day when the emperor saw that impudent smile on Basilius’s face that he realized his deadly mistake.
He had created a monster.
He had allowed a man to see power up close— a man who then wanted more, who asked for anything and got it, who felt encumbered by the charity he had received and simply did what many people do in such a situation: They forget the favors they have received and imagine they have earned their success by their own merits.
At Michael’s moment of realization, he could still have saved his own life, but friendship and love blind every man to their interests. Nobody believes a friend can betray.
And Michael went on disbelieving until the day his head ended up on a pike.
Lord, protect me from my friends; I can take care of my enemies.
Voltaire, 1694-1778
OBSERVANCE OF THE LAW
For several centuries after the fall of the Han Dynasty (A.D. 222), Chinese history followed the same pattern of violent and bloody coups, one after the other.
Army men would plot to kill a weak emperor, then would replace him on the Dragon Throne with a strong general.
The general would start a new dynasty and crown himself emperor; to ensure his own survival he would kill off his fellow generals.
A few years later, however, the pattern would resume: New generals would rise up and assassinate him or his sons in their turn. To be emperor of China was to be alone, surrounded by a pack of enemies—it was the least powerful, least secure position in the realm.
In A.D. 959, General Chao K’uang-yin became Emperor Sung.
He knew the odds, the probability that within a year or two he would be murdered ; how could he break the pattern?
Soon after becoming emperor, Sung ordered a banquet to celebrate the new dynasty, and invited the most powerful commanders in the army.
After they had drunk much wine, he dismissed the guards and everybody else except the generals, who now feared he would murder them in one fell swoop.
Instead, he addressed them:
“The whole day is spent in fear, and I am unhappy both at the table and in my bed. For which one of you does not dream of ascending the throne? I do not doubt your allegiance, but if by some chance your subordinates, seeking wealth and position, were to force the emperor’s yellow robe upon you in turn, how could you refuse it?”
Drunk and fearing for their lives, the generals proclaimed their innocence and their loyalty.
But Sung had other ideas:
“The best way to pass one’s days is in peaceful enjoyment of riches and honor.
If you are willing to give up your commands, I am ready to provide you with fine estates and beautiful dwellings where you may take your pleasure with singers and girls as your companions.”
The astonished generals realized that instead of a life of anxiety and struggle Sung was offering them riches and security.
The next day, all of the generals tendered their resignations, and they retired as nobles to the estates that Sung bestowed on them.
There are manv who think therefore that a wise prince ought, when he has the chance, to foment astutely some enmity, so that by suppressing It he will augment his greatness. Princes, and especially new ones, have found more faith and more usefulness in those men, whom at the beginning of their power they regarded with suspicion, than in those they at first confided in. Pandolfo Petrucci, prince of Siena, governed his state more bv those whom he suspected than by others.
Niccoi o MACHIAVELLI, 1469-1527
In one stroke, Sung turned a pack of “friendly” wolves, who would likely have betrayed him, into a group of docile lambs, far from all power.
Over the next few years Sung continued his campaign to secure his rule.
In A.D. 971, King Liu of the Southern Han finally surrendered to him after years of rebellion.
To Liu’s astonishment, Sung gave him a rank in the imperial court and invited him to the palace to seal their newfound friendship with wine.
As King Liu took the glass that Sung offered him, he hesitated, fearing it contained poison.
“Your subject’s crimes certainly merit death,” he cried out, “but I beg Your Majesty to spare your subject’s life. Indeed I dare not drink this wine.”
Emperor Sung laughed, took the glass from Liu, and swallowed it himself. There was no poison. From then on Liu became his most trusted and loyal friend.
At the time, China had splintered into many smaller kingdoms.
When Ch‘ien Shu, the king of one of these, was defeated, Sung’s ministers advised the emperor to lock this rebel up.
They presented documents proving that he was still conspiring to kill Sung.
When Ch’ien Shu came to visit the emperor, however, instead of locking him up, Sung honored him.
He also gave him a package, which he told the former king to open when he was halfway home.
Ch’ien Shu opened the bundle on his return journey and saw that it contained all the papers documenting his conspiracy.
He realized that Sung knew of his murderous plans, yet had spared him nonetheless.
This generosity won him over, and he too became one of Sung’s most loyal vassals.
A brahman, a great expert in Veda who has become a great archer as well, offers his services to his good friend, who is now the king.
The brahman cries out when he sees the king, “Recognize me, your friend!”
The king answers him with contempt and then explains: “Yes, we were friends before, but our friendship was based on what power we had.... I was friends with you, good brahman, because it served my purpose. No pauper is friend to the rich, no fool to the wise, no coward to the brave. An old friend—who needs him? It is two men of equal wealth and equal birth who contract friendship and marriage, not a rich man and a pauper.... An old friend— who needs him?
THE MAHABHARATA, C. THIRD CENTURY B.C.
Interpretation
A Chinese proverb compares friends to the jaws and teeth of a dangerous animal: If you are not careful, you will find them chewing you up.
Emperor Sung knew the jaws he was passing between when he assumed the throne:
His “friends” in the army would chew him up like meat, and if he somehow survived, his “friends” in the government would have him for supper.
Emperor Sung would have no truck with “friends”—he bribed his fellow generals with splendid estates and kept them far away.
This was a much better way to emasculate them than killing them, which would only have led other generals to seek vengeance.
And Sung would have nothing to do with “friendly” ministers.
More often than not, they would end up drinking his famous cup of poisoned wine.
Instead of relying on friends, Sung used his enemies, one after the other, transforming them into far more reliable subjects.
While a friend expects more and more favors, and seethes with jealousy, these former enemies expected nothing and got everything.
A man suddenly spared the guillotine is a grateful man indeed, and will go to the ends of the earth for the man who has pardoned him.
In time, these former enemies became Sung’s most trusted friends.
Pick up a bee from kindness, and learn the limitations of kindness.
SUFI PROVERB
And Sung was finally able to break the pattern of coups, violence, and civil war—the Sung Dynasty ruled China for more than three hundred years.
In a speech Abraham Lincoln delivered at the height of the Civil War, he referred to the Southerners as fellow human beings who were in error. An elderly lady chastised him for not calling them irreconcilable enemies who must be destroyed. “Why, madam,” Lincoln replied,
“do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?”
KEYS TO POWER
It is natural to want to employ your friends when you find yourself in times of need. The world is a harsh place, and your friends soften the harshness. Besides, you know them. Why depend on a stranger when you have a friend at hand?
Men are more ready to repay an injury than a benefit, because gratitude is a burden and revenge a pleasure.
TACITUS, c. A.D. 55-120
The problem is that you often do not know your friends as well as you imagine.
Friends often agree on things in order to avoid an argument.
They cover up their unpleasant qualities so as to not offend each other.
They laugh extra hard at each other’s jokes.
Since honesty rarely strengthens friendship, you may never know how a friend truly feels.
Friends will say that they love your poetry, adore your music, envy your taste in clothes— maybe they mean it, often they do not.
When you decide to hire a friend, you gradually discover the qualities he or she has kept hidden.
Strangely enough, it is your act of kindness that unbalances everything.
People want to feel they deserve their good fortune.
The receipt of a favor can become oppressive: It means you have been chosen because you are a friend, not necessarily because you are deserving.
There is almost a touch of condescension in the act of hiring friends that secretly afflicts them.
The injury will come out slowly: A little more honesty, flashes of resentment and envy here and there, and before you know it your friendship fades.
The more favors and gifts you supply to revive the friendship, the less gratitude you receive.
Ingratitude has a long and deep history.
It has demonstrated its powers for so many centuries, that it is truly amazing that people continue to underestimate them.
Better to be wary.
If you never expect gratitude from a friend, you will be pleasantly surprised when they do prove grateful.
The problem with using or hiring friends is that it will inevitably limit your power.
The friend is rarely the one who is most able to help you; and in the end, skill and competence are far more important than friendly feelings. (Michael III had a man right under his nose who would have steered him right and kept him alive: That man was Bardas.)
PLUTARCH
King Hiero chanced upon a time, speaking with one of his enemies, to be told in a reproachful manner that he had stinking breath.
Whereupon the good king, being somewhat dismayed in himself, as soon as he returned home chided his wife, “How does it happen that you never told me of this problem?”
The woman, being a simple, chaste. and harmless dame, said, “Sir, l had thought all men breath had smelled so.”
Thus it is plain that faults that are evident to the senses, gross and corporal, or otherwise notorious to the world, we know by our enemies sooner than by our friends and familiars.
PLUTARCH, C. A.D. 46-120
All working situations require a kind of distance between people.
You are trying to work, not make friends; friendliness (real or false) only obscures that fact.
The key to power, then, is the ability to judge who is best able to further your interests in all situations.
Keep friends for friendship, but work with the skilled and competent.
Your enemies, on the other hand, are an untapped gold mine that you must learn to exploit.
When Talleyrand, Napoleon’s foreign minister, decided in 1807 that his boss was leading France to ruin, and the time had come to turn against him, he understood the dangers of conspiring against the emperor; he needed a partner, a confederate—what friend could he trust in such a project?
He chose Joseph Fouché, head of the secret police, his most hated enemy, a man who had even tried to have him assassinated.
He knew that their former hatred would create an opportunity for an emotional reconciliation.
He knew that Fouché would expect nothing from him, and in fact would work to prove that he was worthy of Talleyrand’s choice; a person who has something to prove will move mountains for you.
Finally, he knew that his relationship with Fouché would be based on mutual self- interest, and would not be contaminated by personal feeling.
The selection proved perfect; although the conspirators did not succeed in toppling Napoleon, the union of such powerful but unlikely partners generated much interest in the cause; opposition to the emperor slowly began to spread.
And from then on, Talleyrand and Fouché had a fruitful working relationship.
Whenever you can, bury the hatchet with an enemy, and make a point of putting him in your service.
As Lincoln said, you destroy an enemy when you make a friend of him.
In 1971, during the Vietnam War, Henry Kissinger was the target of an unsuccessful kidnapping attempt, a conspiracy involving, among others, the renowned antiwar activist priests the Berrigan brothers, four more Catholic priests, and four nuns.
In private, without informing the Secret Service or the Justice Department, Kissinger arranged a Saturday-morning meeting with three of the alleged kidnappers.
Explaining to his guests that he would have most American soldiers out of Vietnam by mid-1972, he completely charmed them.
They gave him some “Kidnap Kissinger” buttons and one of them remained a friend of his for years, visiting him on several occasions.
This was not just a onetime ploy: Kissinger made a policy of working with those who disagreed with him.
Colleagues commented that he seemed to get along better with his enemies than with his friends.
Without enemies around us, we grow lazy.
An enemy at our heels sharpens our wits, keeping us focused and alert.
It is sometimes better, then, to use enemies as enemies rather than transforming them into friends or allies.
Mao Tse-tung saw conflict as key in his approach to power.
In 1937 the Japanese invaded China, interrupting the civil war between Mao’s Communists and their enemy, the Nationalists.
Fearing that the Japanese would wipe them out, some Communist leaders advocated leaving the Nationalists to fight the Japanese, and using the time to recuperate.
Mao disagreed: The Japanese could not possibly defeat and occupy a vast country like China for long.
Once they left, the Communists would have grown rusty if they had been out of combat for several years, and would be ill prepared to reopen their struggle with the Nationalists.
To fight a formidable foe like the Japanese, in fact, would be the perfect training for the Communists’ ragtag army.
Mao’s plan was adopted, and it worked: By the time the Japanese finally retreated, the Communists had gained the fighting experience that helped them defeat the Nationalists.
Years later, a Japanese visitor tried to apologize to Mao for his country’s invasion of China.
Mao interrupted, “Should I not thank you instead?” Without a worthy opponent, he explained, a man or group cannot grow stronger.
Mao’s strategy of constant conflict has several key components.
First, be certain that in the long run you will emerge victorious. Never pick a fight with someone you are not sure you can defeat, as Mao knew the Japanese would be defeated in time.
Second, if you have no apparent enemies, you must sometimes set up a convenient target, even turning a friend into an enemy. Mao used this tactic time and again in politics.
Third, use such enemies to define your cause more clearly to the public, even framing it as a struggle of good against evil. Mao actually encouraged China’s disagreements with the Soviet Union and the United States; without clear- cut enemies, he believed, his people would lose any sense of what Chinese Communism meant. A sharply defined enemy is a far stronger argument for your side than all the words you could possibly put together.
Never let the presence of enemies upset or distress you—you are far better off with a declared opponent or two than not knowing where your real enemies lie.
The man of power welcomes conflict, using enemies to enhance his reputation as a surefooted fighter who can be relied upon in times of uncertainty.
Image: The Jaws of Ingratitude. Knowing what would happen if you put a finger in the mouth of a lion, you would stay clear of it. With friends you will have no such caution, and if you hire them, they will eat you alive with ingratitude.
Authority:
Know how to use enemies for your own profit. You must learn to grab a sword not by its blade, which would cut you, but by the handle, which allows you to defend yourself. The wise man profits more from his enemies, than a fool from his friends.
(Baltasar Gracián, 1601-1658)
REVERSAL
Although it is generally best not to mix work with friendship, there are times when a friend can be used to greater effect than an enemy.
A man of power, for example, often has dirty work that has to be done, but for the sake of appearances it is generally preferable to have other people do it for him; friends often do this the best, since their affection for him makes them willing to take chances.
Also, if your plans go awry for some reason, you can use a friend as a convenient scapegoat.
This “fall of the favorite” was a trick often used by kings and sovereigns: They would let their closest friend at court take the fall for a mistake, since the public would not believe that they would deliberately sacrifice a friend for such a purpose.
Of course, after you play that card, you have lost your friend forever.
It is best, then, to reserve the scapegoat role for someone who is close to you but not too close.
Finally, the problem about working with friends is that it confuses the boundaries and distances that working requires.
But if both partners in the arrangement understand the dangers involved, a friend often can be employed to great effect.
You must never let your guard down in such a venture, however; always be on the lookout for any signs of emotional disturbance such as envy and ingratitude.
Nothing is stable in the realm of power, and even the closest of friends can be transformed into the worst of enemies.
Conclusion
I know that I have been pumping out China and 48 Laws of Power posts all week long, but I have a backlog that has accumulated with all the historical events of the last few months. Never the less, all these laws are great reading. Perhaps if you read a law here, and a law there, you can absorb the teachings in a slow and leisurely pace and generate benefit from them at your own speed, and on your own terms.
Do you want more?
I have more posts in my “48 Laws of Power” Index here…
You’ll not find any big banners or popups here talking about cookies and privacy notices. There are no ads on this site (aside from the hosting ads – a necessary evil). Functionally and fundamentally, I just don’t make money off of this blog. It is NOT monetized. Finally, I don’t track you because I just don’t care to.
I do not advocate following this law, but you all should be made well aware of it. When you are outside of your friends and family you enter a zone of questionable trust. You do need to be somewhat guarded in your public dealings as not everyone is a friend. No matter what they say. The world is filled with all kinds of people, all involved with all kinds of agendas.
Please take note that there are others that prefer to use this technique. Be wary.
LAW 12
USE SELECTIVE HONESTY AND GENEROSITY TO DISARM YOUR VICTIM
JUDGMENT
One sincere and honest move will cover over dozens of dishonest ones. Open-hearted gestures of honesty and generosity bring down the guard of even the most suspicious people. Once your selective honesty opens a hole in their armor, you can deceive and manipulate them at will. A timely gift— a Trojan horse—will serve the same purpose.
OBSERVANCE OF THE LAW
Sometime in 1926, a tall, dapperly dressed man paid a visit to Al Capone, the most feared gangster of his time.
Speaking with an elegant Continental accent, the man introduced himself as Count Victor Lustig.
He promised that if Capone gave him $50,000 he could double it.
Capone had more than enough funds to cover the “investment,” but he wasn’t in the habit of entrusting large sums to total strangers.
He looked the count over: Something about the man was different—his classy style, his manner—and so Capone decided to play along.
He counted out the bills personally and handed them to Lustig. “Okay, Count,” said Capone. “Double it in sixty days like you said.”
Lustig left with the money, put it in a safe-deposit box in Chicago, then headed to New York, where he had several other money- making schemes in progress.
The $50,000 remained in the bank box untouched.
Lustig made no effort to double it.
Two months later he returned to Chicago, took the money from the box, and paid Capone another visit.
He looked at the gangster’s stony- faced bodyguards, smiled apologetically, and said,
“Please accept my profound regrets, Mr. Capone. I’m sorry to report that the plan failed... I failed.”
Capone slowly stood up.
He glowered at Lustig, debating which part of the river to throw him in.
But the count reached into his coat pocket, withdrew the $50,000, and placed it on the desk.
“Here, sir, is your money, to the penny. Again, my sincere apologies. This is most embarrassing. Things didn’t work out the way I thought they would. I would have loved to have doubled your money for you and for myself—Lord knows I need it— but the plan just didn’t materialize.”
Capone sagged back into his chair, confused. “I know you’re a con man, Count,” said Capone.
“I knew it the moment you walked in here. I expected either one hundred thousand dollars or nothing. But this... getting my money back ... well.”
“Again my apologies, Mr. Capone,” said Lustig, as he picked up his hat and began to leave. “
My God! You’re honest!” yelled Capone.
“If you’re on the spot, here’s five to help you along.”
He counted out five one-thousand-dollar bills out of the $50,000. The count seemed stunned, bowed deeply, mumbled his thanks, and left, taking the money.
The $5,000 was what Lustig had been after all along.
FRANCESCO BORRI. COURTIER CHARLATAN
Francesco Giuseppe Borri of Milan, whose death in 1695 fell just within the seventeenth century ... was a forerunner of that special type of charlatanical adventurer, the courtier or “cavalier” impostor....
His real period of glory began after he moved to Amsterdam.
There he assumed the title of Medico Universale, maintained a great retinue, and drove about in a coach with six horses.... Patients streamed to him, and some invalids had themselves carried in sedan chairs all the way from Paris to his place in Amsterdam.
Borri took no payment for his consultations: He distributed great sums among the poor and was never known to receive any money through the post or bills of exchange.
As he continued to live with such splendor, nevertheless, it was presumed that he possessed the philosophers’ stone.
Suddenly this benefactor disappeared from Amsterdam. Then it was discovered that he had taken with him money and diamonds that had been placed in his charge.
THE POWER OF THE CHARLATAN, GRETE DE FRANCESCO, 1939
Interpretation
Count Victor Lustig, a man who spoke several languages and prided himself on his refinement and culture, was one of the great con artists of modem times.
He was known for his audacity, his fearlessness, and, most important, his knowledge of human psychology.
He could size up a man in minutes, discovering his weaknesses, and he had radar for suckers.
Lustig knew that most men build up defenses against crooks and other troublemakers.
The con artist’s job is to bring those defenses down.
One sure way to do this is through an act of apparent sincerity and honesty.
Who will distrust a person literally caught in the act of being honest?
Lustig used selective honesty many times, but with Capone he went a step further.
No normal con man would have dared such a con; he would have chosen his suckers for their meekness, for that look about them that says they will take their medicine without complaint.
Con Capone and you would spend the rest of your life (whatever remained of it) afraid.
But Lustig understood that a man like Capone spends his life mistrusting others.
No one around him is honest or generous, and being so much in the company of wolves is exhausting, even depressing.
A man like Capone yearns to be the recipient of an honest or generous gesture, to feel that not everyone has an angle or is out to rob him.
Lustig’s act of selective honesty disarmed Capone because it was so unexpected.
A con artist loves conflicting emotions like these, since the person caught up in them is so easily distracted and deceived.
Do not shy away from practicing this law on the Capones of the world.
With a well-timed gesture of honesty or generosity, you will have the most brutal and cynical beast in the kingdom eating out of your hand.
Everything turns gray when I don’t have at least one mark on the horizon. Life then seems empty and depressing. I cannot understand honest men. They lead desperate lives, full of boredom.
Count Victor Lustig, 1890-1947
KEYS TO POWER
The essence of deception is distraction.
Distracting the people you want to deceive gives you the time and space to do something they won’t notice.
An act of kindness, generosity, or honesty is often the most powerful form of distraction because it disarms other people’s suspicions.
It turns them into children, eagerly lapping up any kind of affectionate gesture.
In ancient China this was called “giving before you take”—the giving makes it hard for the other person to notice the taking.
It is a device with infinite practical uses.
Brazenly taking something from someone is dangerous, even for the powerful.
The victim will plot revenge.
It is also dangerous simply to ask for what you need, no matter how politely:
Unless the other person sees some gain for themselves, they may come to resent your neediness.
Learn to give before you take.
It softens the ground, takes the bite out of a future request, or simply creates a distraction.
And the giving can take many forms: an actual gift, a generous act, a kind favor, an “honest” admission—whatever it takes.
Selective honesty is best employed on your first encounter with someone.
We are all creatures of habit, and our first impressions last a long time.
If someone believes you are honest at the start of your relationship it takes a lot to convince them otherwise.
This gives you room to maneuver.
…
Jay Gould, like Al Capone, was a man who distrusted everyone.
By the time he was thirty-three he was already a multimillionaire, mostly through deception and strong-arming.
In the late 1860s, Gould invested heavily in the Erie Railroad, then discovered that the market had been flooded with a vast amount of phony stock certificates for the company.
He stood to lose a fortune and to suffer a lot of embarrassment.
In the midst of this crisis, a man named Lord John Gordon-Gordon offered to help.
Gordon-Gordon, a Scottish lord, had apparently made a small fortune investing in railroads.
By hiring some handwriting experts Gordon-Gordon was able to prove to Gould that the culprits for the phony stock certificates were actually several top executives with the Erie Railroad itself.
Gould was grateful.
Gordon- Gordon then proposed that he and Gould join forces to buy up a controlling interest in Erie.
Gould agreed.
For a while the venture appeared to prosper.
The two men were now good friends, and every time Gordon-Gordon came to Gould asking for money to buy more stock, Gould gave it to him.
In 1873, however, Gordon-Gordon suddenly dumped all of his stock, making a fortune but drastically lowering the value of Gould’s own holdings.
Then he disappeared from sight.
Upon investigation, Gould found out that Gordon-Gordon’s real name was John Crowningsfield, and that he was the bastard son of a merchant seaman and a London barmaid.
There had been many clues before then that Gordon-Gordon was a con man, but his initial act of honesty and support had so blinded Gould that it took the loss of millions for him to see through the scheme.
A single act of honesty is often not enough.
What is required is a reputation for honesty, built on a series of acts—but these can be quite inconsequential.
Once this reputation is established, as with first impressions, it is hard to shake.
…
In ancient China, Duke Wu of Chêng decided it was time to take over the increasingly powerful kingdom of Hu.
Telling no one of his plan, he married his daughter to Hu’s ruler.
He then called a council and asked his ministers,
“I am considering a military campaign. Which country should we invade?”
As he had expected, one of his ministers replied, “Hu should be invaded.”
The duke seemed angry, and said,
“Hu is a sister state now. Why do you suggest invading her?”
He had the minister executed for his impolitic remark.
The ruler of Hu heard about this, and considering other tokens of Wu’s honesty and the marriage with his daughter, he took no precautions to defend himself from Cheng.
A few weeks later, Chêng forces swept through Hu and took the country, never to relinquish it.
…
Honesty is one of the best ways to disarm the wary, but it is not the only one.
Any kind of noble, apparently selfless act will serve.
Perhaps the best such act, though, is one of generosity.
Few people can resist a gift, even from the most hardened enemy, which is why it is often the perfect way to disarm people.
A gift brings out the child in us, instantly lowering our defenses.
Although we often view other people’s actions in the most cynical light, we rarely see the Machiavellian element of a gift, which quite often hides ulterior motives.
A gift is the perfect object in which to hide a deceptive move.
…
Over three thousand years ago the ancient Greeks traveled across the sea to recapture the beautiful Helen, stolen away from them by Paris, and to destroy Paris’s city, Troy.
The siege lasted ten years, many heroes died, yet neither side had come close to victory.
One day, the prophet Calchas assembled the Greeks.
Image: The Trojan Horse. Your guile is hidden inside a magnificent gift that proves irresistible to your opponent. The walls open. Once inside, wreak havoc.
“Stop battering away at these walls!” he told them. “You must find some other way, some ruse. We cannot take Troy by force alone. We must find some cunning stratagem.”
The cunning Greek leader Odysseus then came up with the idea of building a giant wooden horse, hiding soldiers inside it, then offering it to the Trojans as a gift.
Neoptolemus, son of Achilles, was disgusted with this idea; it was unmanly.
Better for thousands to die on the battlefield than to gain victory so deceitfully.
But the soldiers, faced with a choice between another ten years of manliness, honor, and death, on the one hand and a quick victory on the other, chose the horse, which was promptly built.
The trick was successful and Troy fell.
One gift did more for the Greek cause than ten years of fighting.
…
Selective kindness should also be part of your arsenal of deception.
For years the ancient Romans had besieged the city of the Faliscans, always unsuccessfully.
One day, however, when the Roman general Camillus was encamped outside the city, he suddenly saw a man leading some children toward him.
The man was a Faliscan teacher, and the children, it turned out, were the sons and daughters of the noblest and wealthiest citizens of the town.
On the pretense of taking these children out for a walk, he had led them straight to the Romans, offering them as hostages in hopes of ingratiating himself with Camillus, the city’s enemy.
Camillus did not take the children hostage.
He stripped the teacher, tied his hands behind his back, gave each child a rod, and let them whip him all the way back to the city.
The gesture had an immediate effect on the Faliscans.
Had Camillus used the children as hostages, some in the city would have voted to surrender.
And even if the Faliscans had gone on fighting, their resistance would have been halfhearted.
Camillus’s refusal to take advantage of the situation broke down the Faliscans’ resistance, and they surrendered.
The general had calculated correctly.
And in any case he had had nothing to lose: He knew that the hostage ploy would not have ended the war, at least not right away.
By turning the situation around, he earned his enemy’s trust and respect, disarming them.
Selective kindness will often break down even the most stubborn foe: Aiming right for the heart, it corrodes the will to fight back.
Remember: By playing on people’s emotions, calculated acts of kindness can turn a Capone into a gullible child. As with any emotional approach, the tactic must be practiced with caution: If people see through it, their disappointed feelings of gratitude and warmth will become the most violent hatred and distrust. Unless you can make the gesture seem sincere and heartfelt, do not play with fire.
Authority:
When Duke Hsien of Chin was about to raid Yü, he presented to them a jade and a team of horses. When Earl Chih was about to raid Ch’ou- yu, he presented to them grand chariots. Hence the saying: “When you are about to take, you should give.”
(Han-fei-tzu, Chinese philosopher, third century B.C.)
REVERSAL
When you have a history of deceit behind you, no amount of honesty, generosity, or kindness will fool people.
In fact it will only call attention to itself.
Once people have come to see you as deceitful, to act honest all of a sudden is simply suspicious.
In these cases it is better to play the rogue.
…
Count Lustig, pulling the biggest con of his career, was about to sell the Eiffel Tower to an unsuspecting industrialist who believed the government was auctioning it off for scrap metal.
The industrialist was prepared to hand over a huge sum of money to Lustig, who had successfully impersonated a government official.
At the last minute, however, the mark was suspicious.
Something about Lustig bothered him.
At the meeting in which he was to hand over the money, Lustig sensed his sudden distrust.
Leaning over to the industrialist, Lustig explained, in a low whisper, how low his salary was, how difficult his finances were, on and on.
After a few minutes of this, the industrialist realized that Lustig was asking for a bribe.
For the first time he relaxed.
Now he knew he could trust Lustig: Since all government officials were dishonest, Lustig had to be real.
The man forked over the money.
By acting dishonest, Lustig seemed the real McCoy.
In this case selective honesty would have had the opposite effect.
…
As the French diplomat Talleyrand grew older, his reputation as a master liar and deceiver spread.
At the Congress of Vienna (1814-1815), he would spin fabulous stories and make impossible remarks to people who knew he had to be lying.
His dishonesty had no purpose except to cloak the moments when he really was deceiving them.
One day, for example, among friends, Talleyrand said with apparent sincerity, “In business one ought to show one’s hand.”
No one who heard him could believe their ears: A man who never once in his life had shown his cards was telling other people to show theirs.
Tactics like this made it impossible to distinguish Talleyrand’s real deceptions from his fake ones.
By embracing his reputation for dishonesty, he preserved his ability to deceive.
Nothing in the realm of power is set in stone.
Overt deceptiveness will sometimes cover your tracks, even making you admired for the honesty of your dishonesty.
Do you want more?
I have more posts in my “48 Laws of Power” Index here…
You’ll not find any big banners or popups here talking about cookies and privacy notices. There are no ads on this site (aside from the hosting ads – a necessary evil). Functionally and fundamentally, I just don’t make money off of this blog. It is NOT monetized. Finally, I don’t track you because I just don’t care to.
The photo above reminds me so very much of the old Doc Savage paperbacks that I used to read when I was in Middle School. This is a promo image of Dwayne Johnson in one of his Jumanji movies.
Dwayne is an interesting person, but the thing is that few people hate him. He’s a kind soul, or at least tries to portray that image. And without that image, he’s just another smuck that went from weight-lifting to movies.
It’s difficult to keep your reputation. Certainly no one knows that better than myself who now has the ugly reputation of being a nasty filthy child predator now living inside the filthy evil communist Hell-hole.
And that’s the way it works, you know.
To destroy a person completely, you need only destroy his reputation so that no one wants to associate with him, employ him, listen to him, or be friends with him. Then alone, shunned, starving, and destitute he can die inside the hole you made for him to crawl into.
This is a great chapter by Robert Greene. Read it and learn from it.
LAW 5
SO MUCH DEPENDS ON REPUTATION—GUARD IT WITH YOUR LIFE
JUDGMENT
Reputation is the cornerstone of power. Through reputation alone you can intimidate and win; once it slips, however, you are vulnerable, and will be attacked on all sides. Make your reputation unassailable. Always be alert to potential attacks and thwart them before they happen. Meanwhile, learn to destroy your enemies by opening holes in their own reputations. Then stand aside and let public opinion hang them.
OBSERVANCE OF THE LAW I
During China’s War of the Three Kingdoms (A.D. 207-265), the great general Chuko Liang, leading the forces of the Shu Kingdom, dispatched his vast army to a distant camp while he rested in a small town with a handful of soldiers.
Suddenly sentinels hurried in with the alarming news that an enemy force of over 150,000 troops under Sima Yi was approaching.
With only a hundred men to defend him, Chuko Liang’s situation was hopeless.
The enemy would finally capture this renowned leader.
Without lamenting his fate, or wasting time trying to figure out how he had been caught, Liang ordered his troops to take down their flags, throw open the city gates, and hide.
He himself then took a seat on the most visible part of the city’s wall, wearing a Taoist robe.
He lit some incense, strummed his lute, and began to chant.
Minutes later he could see the vast enemy army approaching, an endless phalanx of soldiers.
Pretending not to notice them, he continued to sing and play the lute.
Soon the army stood at the town gates.
At its head was Sima Yi, who instantly recognized the man on the wall.
Even so, as his soldiers itched to enter the unguarded town through its open gates, Sima Yi hesitated, held them back, and studied Liang on the wall.
Then, he ordered an immediate and speedy retreat.
THE ANIMALS STRICKEN WITH THE PLAGUE
A frightful epidemic sent To earth by Heaven intent to vent Its fury on a sinful world, to call It by its rightful name, the pestilence, That Acheron- filling vial of virulence Had fallen on every animal.
Not all were dead, but all lay near to dying, And none was any longer trying To find new fuel to feed life’s flickering fires.
No foods excited their desires; No more did wolves and foxes rove In search of harmless, helpless prey; And dove would not consort with dove, For love and joy had flown away.
The Lion assumed the chair to say: “Dear friends, I doubt not it’s for heaven’s high ends That on us sinners woe must fall. Let him of us who’s sinned the most Fall victim to the avenging heavenly host, And may he win salvation for us all; For history teaches us that in these crises We must make sacrifices. Undeceived and stern-eyed, let’s inspect Our conscience. As I recollect, To put my greedy appetite to sleep, I’ve banqueted on many a sheep Who’d injured me in no respect, And even in my time been known to try Shepherd pie. If need be, then. I’ll die. Yet I suspect That others also ought to own their sins. It’s only fair that all should do their best To single out the guiltiest.”
“Sire, you’re too good a king,“the Fox begins; ”Such scruples are too delicate. My word, To eat sheep, that profane and vulgar herd. That’s sin? Nay. Sire, enough for such a crew To be devoured by such as you; While of the shepherds we may say That they deserved the worst they got. Theirs being the lot that over us beasts plot A flimsy dream-begotten sway.”
Thus spake the Fox, and toady cheers rose high, While none dared cast too cold an eye On Tiger‘s, Bear’s, and other eminences Most unpardonable offences.
Each, of never mind what currish breed, Was really a saint, they all agreed.
Then came the Ass, to say: ”I do recall How once I crossed an abbey-mead Where hunger, grass in plenty, and withal, I have no doubt, some imp of greed. Assailed me, and I shaved a tongue’s-breadth wide Where frankly I’d no right to any grass.”
All forthwith fell full cry upon the Ass: A Wolf of some book-learning testified That that curst beast must suffer their despite, That gallskinned author of their piteous plight.
They judged him fit for nought but gallows-bait: How vile, another’s grass to sequestrate! His death alone could expiate A crime so heinous, as full well he learns. The court, as you’re of great or poor estate, Will paint you either white or black by turns.
THE BEST FABLES OF LA FONTAINE, JEAN DE LA FONTAINE, 1621- 1695
Interpretation
Chuko Liang was commonly known as the “Sleeping Dragon.”
His exploits in the War of the Three Kingdoms were legendary.
Once a man claiming to be a disaffected enemy lieutenant came to his camp, offering help and information. Liang instantly recognized the situation as a setup; this man was a false deserter, and should be beheaded.
At the last minute, though, as the ax was about to fall, Liang stopped the execution and offered to spare the man’s life if he agreed to become a double agent.
Grateful and terrified, the man agreed, and began supplying false information to the enemy. Liang won battle after battle.
On another occasion Liang stole a military seal and created false documents dispatching his enemy’s troops to distant locations.
Once the troops had dispersed, he was able to capture three cities, so that he controlled an entire corridor of the enemy’s kingdom.
He also once tricked the enemy into believing one of its best generals was a traitor, forcing the man to escape and join forces with Liang.
The Sleeping Dragon carefully cultivated his reputation of being the cleverest man in China, one who always had a trick up his sleeve.
As powerful as any weapon, this reputation struck fear into his enemy.
Sima Yi had fought against Chuko Liang dozens of times and knew him well.
When he came on the empty city, with Liang praying on the wall, he was stunned.
The Taoist robes, the chanting, the incense—this had to be a game of intimidation.
The man was obviously taunting him, daring him to walk into a trap.
The game was so obvious that for one moment it crossed Yi’s mind that Liang actually was alone, and desperate.
But so great was his fear of Liang that he dared not risk finding out.
Such is the power of reputation.
It can put a vast army on the defensive, even force them into retreat, without a single arrow being fired.
For, as Cicero says, even those who argue against fame still want the books they write against it to bear their name in the title and hope to become famous for despising it. Everything else is subject to barter: we will let our friends have our goods and our lives if need be; but a case of sharing our fame and making someone else the gift of our reputation is hardly to be found.
Montaigne, 1533-1592
OBSERVANCE OF THE LAW II
In 1841 the young P. T. Barnum, trying to establish his reputation as America’s premier showman, decided to purchase the American Museum in Manhattan and turn it into a collection of curiosities that would secure his fame.
The problem was that he had no money.
The museum’s asking price was $15,000, but Barnum was able to put together a proposal that appealed to the institution’s owners even though it replaced cash up front with dozens of guarantees and references.
The owners came to a verbal agreement with Barnum, but at the last minute, the principal partner changed his mind, and the museum and its collection were sold to the directors of Peale’s Museum.
Barnum was infuriated, but the partner explained that business was business —the museum had been sold to Peale’s because Peale’s had a reputation and Barnum had none.
Barnum immediately decided that if he had no reputation to bank on, his only recourse was to ruin the reputation of Peale’s.
Accordingly he launched a letter-writing campaign in the newspapers, calling the owners a bunch of “broken-down bank directors” who had no idea how to run a museum or entertain people.
He warned the public against buying Peale’s stock, since the business’s purchase of another museum would invariably spread its resources thin.
The campaign was effective, the stock plummeted, and with no more confidence in Peale’s track record and reputation, the owners of the American Museum reneged on their deal and sold the whole thing to Barnum.
It took years for Peale’s to recover, and they never forgot what Barnum had done.
Mr. Peale himself decided to attack Barnum by building a reputation for “high-brow entertainment,” promoting his museum’s programs as more scientific than those of his vulgar competitor.
Mesmerism (hypnotism) was one of Peale’s “scientific” attractions, and for a while it drew big crowds and was quite successful. To fight back, Barnum decided to attack Peale’s reputation yet again.
Barnum organized a rival mesmeric performance in which he himself apparently put a little girl into a trance.
Once she seemed to have fallen deeply under, he tried to hypnotize members of the audience—but no matter how hard he tried, none of the spectators fell under his spell, and many of them began to laugh.
A frustrated Barnum finally announced that to prove the little girl’s trance was real, he would cut off one of her fingers without her noticing.
But as he sharpened the knife, the little girl’s eyes popped open and she ran away, to the audience’s delight.
He repeated this and other parodies for several weeks.
Soon no one could take Peale’s show seriously, and attendance went way down.
Within a few weeks, the show closed.
Over the next few years Barnum established a reputation for audacity and consummate showmanship that lasted his whole life.
Peale’s reputation, on the other hand, never recovered.
Interpretation
Barnum used two different tactics to ruin Peale’s reputation.
The first was simple: He sowed doubts about the museum’s stability and solvency. Doubt is a powerful weapon: Once you let it out of the bag with insidious rumors, your opponents are in a horrible dilemma. On the one hand they can deny the rumors, even prove that you have slandered them. But a layer of suspicion will remain: Why are they defending themselves so desperately?
Maybe the rumor has some truth to it? If, on the other hand, they take the high road and ignore you, the doubts, unrefuted, will be even stronger. If done correctly, the sowing of rumors can so infuriate and unsettle your rivals that in defending themselves they will make numerous mistakes. This is the perfect weapon for those who have no reputation of their own to work from.
Once Barnum did have a reputation of his own, he used the second, gentler tactic, the fake hypnotism demonstration: He ridiculed his rivals’ reputation.
This too was extremely successful.
Once you have a solid base of respect, ridiculing your opponent both puts him on the defensive and draws more attention to you, enhancing your own reputation.
Outright slander and insult are too strong at this point; they are ugly, and may hurt you more than help you.
But gentle barbs and mockery suggest that you have a strong enough sense of your own worth to enjoy a good laugh at your rival’s expense.
A humorous front can make you out as a harmless entertainer while poking holes in the reputation of your rival.
It is easier to cope with a bad conscience than with a bad reputation.
Friedrich Nietzsche, 1844-1900
KEYS TO POWER
The people around us, even our closest friends, will always to some extent remain mysterious and unfathomable.
Their characters have secret recesses that they never reveal.
The unknowableness of other people could prove disturbing if we thought about it long enough, since it would make it impossible for us really to judge other people.
So we prefer to ignore this fact, and to judge people on their appearances, on what is most visible to our eyes—clothes, gestures, words, actions. In the social realm, appearances are the barometer of almost all of our judgments, and you must never be mis led into believing otherwise.
One false slip, one awkward or sudden change in your appearance, can prove disastrous.
This is the reason for the supreme importance of making and maintaining a reputation that is of your own creation.
That reputation will protect you in the dangerous game of appearances, distracting the probing eyes of others from knowing what you are really like, and giving you a degree of control over how the world judges you—a powerful position to be in.
Reputation has a power like magic: With one stroke of its wand, it can double your strength.
It can also send people scurrying away from you.
Whether the exact same deeds appear brilliant or dreadful can depend entirely on the reputation of the doer.
In the ancient Chinese court of the Wei kingdom there was a man named Mi Tzu-hsia who had a reputation for supreme civility and graciousness.
He became the ruler’s favorite.
It was a law in Wei that “whoever rides secretly in the ruler’s coach shall have his feet cut off,” but when Mi Tzu-hsia’s mother fell ill, he used the royal coach to visit her, pretending that the ruler had given him permission.
When the ruler found out, he said, “How dutiful is Mi Tzu-hsia!
For his mother’s sake he even forgot that he was committing a crime making him liable to lose his feet!”
Another time the two of them took a stroll in an orchard.
Mi Tzu-hsia began eating a peach that he could not finish, and he gave the ruler the other half to eat.
The ruler remarked, “You love me so much that you would even forget your own saliva taste and let me eat the rest of the peach!”
Later, however, envious fellow courtiers, spreading word that Mi Tzu- hsia was actually devious and arrogant, succeeded in damaging his reputation; the ruler came to see his actions in a new light.
“This fellow once rode in my coach under pretense of my order,” he told the courtiers angrily, “and another time he gave me a half-eaten peach.”
For the same actions that had charmed the ruler when he was the favorite, Mi Tzu-hsia now had to suffer the penalties.
The fate of his feet depended solely on the strength of his reputation.
In the beginning, you must work to establish a reputation for one outstanding quality, whether generosity or honesty or cunning.
This quality sets you apart and gets other people to talk about you.
You then make your reputation known to as many people as possible (subtly, though; take care to build slowly, and with a firm foundation), and watch as it spreads like wildfire.
A solid reputation increases your presence and exaggerates your strengths without your having to spend much energy.
It can also create an aura around you that will instill respect, even fear. In the fighting in the North African desert during World War II, the German general Erwin Rommel had a reputation for cunning and for deceptive maneuvering that struck terror into everyone who faced him.
Even when his forces were depleted, and when British tanks outnumbered his by five to one, entire cities would be evacuated at the news of his approach.
As they say, your reputation inevitably precedes you, and if it inspires respect, a lot of your work is done for you before you arrive on the scene, or utter a single word.
Your success seems destined by your past triumphs.
Much of the success of Henry Kissinger’s shuttle diplomacy rested on his reputation for ironing out differences; no one wanted to be seen as so unreasonable that Kissinger could not sway him.
A peace treaty seemed a fait accompli as soon as Kissinger’s name became involved in the negotiations.
Make your reputation simple and base it on one sterling quality.
This single quality—efficiency, say, or seductiveness—becomes a kind of calling card that announces your presence and places others under a spell.
A reputation for honesty will allow you to practice all manner of deception.
Casanova used his reputation as a great seducer to pave the way for his future conquests; women who had heard of his powers became immensely curious, and wanted to discover for themselves what had made him so romantically successful.
Perhaps you have already stained your reputation, so that you are prevented from establishing a new one.
In such cases it is wise to associate with someone whose image counteracts your own, using their good name to whitewash and elevate yours.
It is hard, for example, to erase a reputation for dishonesty by yourself; but a paragon of honesty can help. When P. T. Barnum wanted to clean up a reputation for promoting vulgar entertainment, he brought the singer Jenny Lind over from Europe.
She had a stellar, high-class reputation, and the American tour Barnum sponsored for her greatly enhanced his own image.
Similarly the great robber barons of nineteenth-century America were long unable to rid themselves of a reputation for cruelty and mean-spiritedness.
Only when they began collecting art, so that the names of Morgan and Frick became permanently associated with those of da Vinci and Rembrandt, were they able to soften their unpleasant image.
Reputation is a treasure to be carefully collected and hoarded.
Especially when you are first establishing it, you must protect it strictly, anticipating all attacks on it.
Once it is solid, do not let yourself get angry or defensive at the slanderous comments of your enemies—that reveals insecurity, not confidence in your reputation.
Take the high road instead, and never appear desperate in your self-defense.
On the other hand, an attack on another man’s reputation is a potent weapon, particularly when you have less power than he does.
He has much more to lose in such a battle, and your own thus- far-small reputation gives him a small target when he tries to return your fire.
Barnum used such campaigns to great effect in his early career. But this tactic must be practiced with skill; you must not seem to engage in petty vengeance.
If you do not break your enemy’s reputation cleverly, you will inadvertently ruin your own.
Thomas Edison, considered the inventor who harnessed electricity, believed that a workable system would have to be based on direct current (DC).
When the Serbian scientist Nikola Tesla appeared to have succeeded in creating a system based on alternating current (AC), Edison was furious.
He determined to ruin Tesla’s reputation, by making the public believe that the AC system was inherently unsafe, and Tesla irresponsible in promoting it.
To this end he captured all kinds of household pets and electrocuted them to death with an AC current.
When this wasn’t enough, in 1890 he got New York State prison authorities to organize the world’s first execution by electrocution, using an AC current.
But Edison’s electrocution experiments had all been with small creatures; the charge was too weak, and the man was only half killed.
In perhaps the country’s cruelest state-authorized execution, the procedure had to be repeated. It was an awful spectacle.
Although, in the long run, it is Edison’s name that has survived, at the time his campaign damaged his own reputation more than Tesla’s.
He backed off.
The lesson is simple—never go too far in attacks like these, for that will draw more attention to your own vengefulness than to the person you are slandering.
When your own reputation is solid, use subtler tactics, such as satire and ridicule, to weaken your opponent while making you out as a charming rogue.
The mighty lion toys with the mouse that crosses his path—any other reaction would mar his fearsome reputation.
Image:
A Mine Full of Diamonds and Rubies.
You dug for it, you found it, and your wealth is now assured.
Guard it with your life. Robbers and thieves will appear from all sides. Never take your wealth
for granted, and constantly renew it—time will diminish the jewels’ luster,
and bury them from sight.
Authority:
Therefore I should wish our courtier to bolster up his inherent worth with skill and cunning, and ensure that whenever he has to go where he is a stranger, he is preceded by a good reputation.... For the fame which appears to rest on the opinions of many fosters a certain unshakable belief in a man’s worth which is then easily strengthened in minds already thus disposed and prepared.
(Baldassare Castiglione, 1478-1529)
REVERSAL
There is no possible Reversal.
Reputation is critical; there are no exceptions to this law.
Perhaps, not caring what others think of you, you gain a reputation for insolence and arrogance, but that can be a valuable image in itself—Oscar Wilde used it to great advantage.
Since we must live in society and must depend on the opinions of others, there is nothing to be gained by neglecting your reputation.
By not caring how you are perceived, you let others decide this for you.
Be the master of your fate, and also of your reputation.
You’ll not find any big banners or popups here talking about cookies and privacy notices. There are no ads on this site (aside from the hosting ads – a necessary evil). Functionally and fundamentally, I just don’t make money off of this blog. It is NOT monetized. Finally, I don’t track you because I just don’t care to.
I just cannot help but see this as the primary driver behind the Donald Trump Presidency from 2017 through 2020. Indeed, I think that (aside from his hard-core, die-hard, followers) most people want a (much desired) break from the endless series of unpredictable tweets, policy directions, and just general leadership pronouncements. It doesn’t matter if it is banning cat videos on Tiktok, or firing the National Defense council, Donald Trump has been a one-man wrecking-ball. Just look at the shambles of international global trade in his wake.
Indeed. You can see this technique in use all the time, but typically by the truly crafty and truly evil.
First, to understand the 48 laws of power, you must know two key ideas
1. you CAN NOT escape the power game. thinking you can "not participate" is as foolish as thinking that you could somehow escape gravity or make the sun stand still. Robert Greene explains why in the intro with some excellent examples
2. the 48 laws of power are neither good nor evil; they are just LAWS. If someone pushed a man off a cliff would you blame gravity for for his demise? This is the mindset you must adopt in order to learn a lot from this book.
Things I Liked
-NEW PARADIGM
after reading the 48 laws, you will never see the world the same way again. once you understand some of these laws you will see many underlying currents and motives you did not see before.
-INCREASES POWER
one of the main reasons to buy the book. you wil become exponentially more powerful by knowing and understanding these laws
-CRYSTAL CLEAR
every law is clearly outlined with "transgression" of the law, "observance" of the law, keys to power, and a "reversal"
-GREAT STORIES
the 48 laws are packed with mind-blowing and sometimes humorous stories of people in history practicing these laws. this is helpful as some of the concepts are quite abstract.
What I didn't like
-RISKY
an old proverb says " A man who plays with snakes will eventually be bitten". If you begin to use the 48 Laws improperly, you could get yourself in some dangerous situations, lose friends, piss off a lot a people, and destroy relationships
-REQUIRES DISCERNMENT
if you you are looking for a highly concrete book that the says "do xyz and you will accomplish vyx" look elsewhere. the Laws require good judgement and and and prospecting nature to practice and apply
-NOT FOR EVERYONE
If you are aghast at the idea of manipulation and deceit then read with caution.
OVERALL: If you want to have more power or a better understanding of why different situations turn out the the way they do, you should definitely read the 48 laws of power by Robert Greene. If you want to be naive, easily manipulated, weak, you should ignore this book and go watch some netfilx.
-J.S. Bach
LAW 17
KEEP OTHERS IN SUSPENDED TERROR: CULTIVATE AN AIR OF UNPREDICTABILITY
JUDGMENT
Humans are creatures of habit with an insatiable need to see familiarity in other people’s actions. Your predictability gives them a sense of control. Turn the tables: Be deliberately unpredictable. Behavior that seems to have no consistency or purpose will keep them off-balance, and they will wear themselves out trying to explain your moves. Taken to an extreme, this strategy can intimidate and terrorize.
OBSERVANCE OF THE LAW
In May of 1972, chess champion Boris Spassky anxiously awaited his rival Bobby Fischer in Reykjavik, Iceland. The two men had been scheduled to meet for the World Championship of Chess, but Fischer had not arrived on time and the match was on hold. Fischer had problems with the size of the prize money, problems with the way the money was to be distributed, problems with the logistics of holding the match in Iceland. He might back out at any moment.
Spassky tried to be patient. His Russian bosses felt that Fischer was humiliating him and told him to walk away, but Spassky wanted this match. He knew he could destroy Fischer, and nothing was going to spoil the greatest victory of his career. “So it seems that all our work may come to nothing,” Spassky told a comrade. “But what can we do? It is Bobby’s move. If he comes, we play. If he does not come, we do not play. A man who is willing to commit suicide has the initiative.”
Fischer finally arrived in Reykjavik, but the problems, and the threat of cancellation, continued. He disliked the hall where the match was to be fought, he criticized the lighting, he complained about the noise of the cameras, he even hated the chairs in which he and Spassky were to sit. Now the Soviet Union took the initiative and threatened to withdraw their man.
The bluff apparently worked: After all the weeks of waiting, the endless and infuriating negotiations, Fischer agreed to play. Everyone was relieved, no one more than Spassky. But on the day of the official introductions, Fischer arrived very late, and on the day when the “Match of the Century” was to begin, he was late again. This time, however, the consequences would be dire: If he showed up too late he would forfeit the first game. What was going on? Was he playing some sort of mind game? Or was Bobby Fischer perhaps afraid of Boris Spassky? It seemed to the assembled grand masters, and to Spassky, that this young kid from Brooklyn had a terrible case of the jitters. At 5:09 Fischer showed up, exactly one minute before the match was to be canceled.
The first game of a chess tournament is critical, since it sets the tone for the months to come. It is often a slow and quiet struggle, with the two players preparing themselves for the war and trying to read each other’s strategies. This game was different. Fischer made a terrible move early on, perhaps the worst of his career, and when Spassky had him on the ropes, he seemed to give up. Yet Spassky knew that Fischer never gave up. Even when facing checkmate, he fought to the bitter end, wearing the opponent down. This time, though, he seemed resigned. Then suddenly he broke out a bold move that put the room in a buzz. The move shocked Spassky, but he recovered and managed to win the game. But no one could figure out what Fischer was up to. Had he lost deliberately? Or was he rattled? Unsettled? Even, as some thought, insane?
After his defeat in the first game, Fischer complained all the more loudly about the room, the cameras, and everything else. He also failed to show up on time for the second game. This time the organizers had had enough: He was given a forfeit. Now he was down two games to none, a position from which no one had ever come back to win a chess championship. Fischer was clearly unhinged. Yet in the third game, as all those who witnessed it remember, he had a ferocious look in his eye, a look that clearly bothered Spassky. And despite the hole he had dug for himself, he seemed supremely confident. He did make what appeared to be another blunder, as he had in the first game—but his cocky air made Spassky smell a trap. Yet despite the Russian’s suspicions, he could not figure out the trap, and before he knew it Fischer had checkmated him. In fact Fischer’s unorthodox tactics had completely unnerved his opponent. At the end of the game, Fischer leaped up and rushed out, yelling to his confederates as he smashed a fist into his palm, “I’m crushing him with brute force!”
In the next games Fischer pulled moves that no one had seen from him before, moves that were not his style. Now Spassky started to make blunders. After losing the sixth game, he started to cry. One grand master said, “After this, Spassky’s got to ask himself if it’s safe to go back to Russia.” After the eighth game Spassky decided he knew what was happening: Bobby Fischer was hypnotizing him. He decided not to look Fischer in the eye; he lost anyway.
After the fourteenth game he called a staff conference and announced, “An attempt is being made to control my mind.” He wondered whether the orange juice they drank at the chess table could have been drugged. Maybe chemicals were being blown into the air. Finally Spassky went public, accusing the Fischer team of putting something in the chairs that was altering Spassky’s mind. The KGB went on alert: Boris Spassky was embarrassing the Soviet Union!
The chairs were taken apart and X-rayed. A chemist found nothing unusual in them. The only things anyone found anywhere, in fact, were two dead flies in a lighting fixture. Spassky began to complain of hallucinations. He tried to keep playing, but his mind was unraveling. He could not go on. On September 2, he resigned. Although still relatively young, he never recovered from this defeat.
Interpretation
In previous games between Fischer and Spassky, Fischer had not fared well. Spassky had an uncanny ability to read his opponent’s strategy and use it against him. Adaptable and patient, he would build attacks that would defeat not in seven moves but in seventy. He defeated Fischer every time they played because he saw much further ahead, and because he was a brilliant psychologist who never lost control. One master said, “He doesn’t just look for the best move. He looks for the move that will disturb the man he is playing.”
Fischer, however, finally understood that this was one of the keys to Spassky’s success: He played on your predictability, defeated you at your own game. Everything Fischer did for the championship match was an attempt to put the initiative on his side and to keep Spassky off-balance. Clearly the endless waiting had an effect on Spassky’s psyche. Most powerful of all, though, were Fischer’s deliberate blunders and his appearance of having no clear strategy. In fact, he was doing everything he could to scramble his old patterns, even if it meant losing the first match and forfeiting the second.
Spassky was known for his sangfroid and levelheadedness, but for the first time in his life he could not figure out his opponent. He slowly melted down, until at the end he was the one who seemed insane.
Chess contains the concentrated essence of life: First, because to win you have to be supremely patient and farseeing; and second, because the game
is built on patterns, whole sequences of moves that have been played before and will be played again, with slight alterations, in any one match. Your opponent analyzes the patterns you are playing and uses them to try to foresee your moves. Allowing him nothing predictable to base his strategy on gives you a big advantage. In chess as in life, when people cannot figure out what you are doing, they are kept in a state of terror—waiting, uncertain, confused.
Life at court is a serious, melancholy game of chess, which requires us to drawup our pieces and batteries, form a plan, pursue it, parry that of our adversary. Sometimes, however, it is better to take risksand play the most capricious, unpredictable move.
-Jean de La Bruyère, 1645-1696
KEYS TO POWER
Nothing is more terrifying than the sudden and unpredictable. That is why we are so frightened by earthquakes and tornadoes: We do not know when they will strike. After one has occurred, we wait in terror for the next one. To a lesser degree, this is the effect that unpredictable human behavior has on us.
Animals behave in set patterns, which is why we are able to hunt and kill them. Only man has the capacity to consciously alter his behavior, to improvise and overcome the weight of routine and habit. Yet most men do not realize this power. They prefer the comforts of routine, of giving in to the animal nature that has them repeating the same compulsive actions time and time again.
They do this because it requires no effort, and because they mistakenly believé that if they do not unsettle others, they will be left alone.
Understand: A person of power instills a kind of fear by deliberately unsettling those around him to keep the initiative on his side. You sometimes need to strike without warning, to make others tremble when they least expect it. It is a device that the powerful have used for centuries.
Filippo Maria, the last of the Visconti dukes of Milan in fifteenth-century Italy, consciously did the opposite of what everyone expected of him. For instance, he might suddenly shower a courtier with attention, and then, once the man had come to expect a promotion to higher office, would suddenly start treating him with the utmost disdain. Confused, the man might leave the court, when the duke would suddenly recall him and start treating him well again. Doubly confused, the courtier would wonder whether his assumption that he would be promoted had become obvious, and offensive, to the duke, and would start to behave as if he no longer expected such honor. The duke would rebuke him for his lack of ambition and would send him away.
The secret of dealing with Filippo was simple: Do not presume to know what he wants. Do not try to guess what will please him. Never inject your will; just surrender to his will. Then wait to see what happens. Amidst the confusion and uncertainty he created, the duke ruled supreme, unchallenged and at peace.
Unpredictability is most often the tactic of the master, but the underdog too can use it to great effect. If you find yourself outnumbered or cornered, throw in a series of unpredictable moves. Your enemies will be so confused that they will pull back or make a tactical blunder.
In the spring of 1862, during the American Civil War, General Stonewall Jackson and a force of 4,600 Confederate soldiers were tormenting the larger Union forces in the Shenandoah Valley. Meanwhile, not far away, General George Brinton McClellan, heading a force of 90,000 Union soldiers, was marching south from Washington, D.C., to lay siege to Richmond, Virginia, the Confederate capital. As the weeks of the campaign went by, Jackson repeatedly led his soldiers out of the Shenandoah Valley, then back to it.
His movements made no sense. Was he preparing to help defend Richmond? Was he marching on Washington, now that McClellan’s absence had left it unprotected? Was he heading north to wreak havoc up there? Why was his small force moving in circles?
Jackson’s inexplicable moves made the Union generals delay the march on Richmond as they waited to figure out what he was up to. Meanwhile, the South was able to pour reinforcements into the town. A battle that could have crushed the Confederacy turned into a stalemate. Jackson used this tactic time and again when facing numerically superior forces. “Always mystify, mislead, and surprise the enemy, if possible,” he said, “… such tactics will win every time and a small army may thus destroy a large one.”
This law applies not only to war but to everyday situations. People are always trying to read the motives behind your actions and to use your predictability against you. Throw in a completely inexplicable move and you put them on the defensive. Because they do not understand you, they are unnerved, and in such a state you can easily intimidate them.
Pablo Picasso once remarked,
“The best calculation is the absence of calculation. Once you have attained a certain level of recognition, others generally figure that when you do something, it’s for an intelligent reason. So it’s really foolish to plot out your movements too carefully in advance. You’re better off acting capriciously.”
For a while, Picasso worked with the art dealer Paul Rosenberg. At first he allowed him a fair amount of latitude in handling his paintings, then one day, for no apparent reason, he told the man he would no longer give him any work to sell. As Picasso explained, “Rosenberg would spend the next forty-eight hours trying to figure out why. Was I reserving things for some other dealer? I’d go on working and sleeping and Rosenberg would spend his time figuring. In two days he’d come back, nerves jangled, anxious, saying, ‘After all, dear friend, you wouldn’t turn me down if I offered you this much [naming a substantially higher figure] for those paintings rather than the price I’ve been accustomed to paying you, would you?”’
Unpredictability is not only a weapon of terror: Scrambling your patterns on a day-to-day basis will cause a stir around you and stimulate interest. People will talk about you, ascribe motives and explanations that have nothing to do with the truth, but that keep you constantly in their minds. In the end, the more capricious you appear, the more respect you will garner. Only the terminally subordinate act in a predictable manner.
Image: The Cyclone. A wind that cannot be fore seen. Sudden shifts in the barometer, in explicable changes in direction and velocity. There is no defense: A cyclone sows terror and confusion.
Authority: The enlightened ruler is so mysterious that he seems to dwell nowhere, so inexplicable that no one can seek him. He reposes in nonaction above, and his ministers tremble below. (Han-fei-tzu, Chinese philosopher, third century B.C.)
REVERSAL
Sometimes predictability can work in your favor: By creating a pattern for people to be familiar and comfortable with, you can lull them to sleep. They have prepared everything according to their preconceived notions about you. You can use this in several ways:
First, it sets up a smoke screen, a comfortable front behind which you can carry on deceptive actions.
Second, it allows you on rare occasions to do something completely against the pattern, unsettling your opponent so deeply he will fall to the ground without being pushed.
In 1974 Muhammad Ali and George Foreman were scheduled to fight for the world heavyweight boxing championship. Everyone knew what would happen: Big George Foreman would try to land a knockout punch while Ali would dance around him, wearing him out. That was Ali’s way of fighting, his pattern, and he had not changed it in more than ten years.
But in this case it seemed to give Foreman the advantage: He had a devastating punch, and if he waited, sooner or later Ali would have to come to him. Ali, the master strategist, had other plans: In press conferences before the big fight, he said he was going to change his style and punch it out with Foreman.
No one, least of all Foreman, believed this for a second. That plan would be suicide on Ali’s part; he was playing the comedian, as usual. Then, before the fight, Ali’s trainer loosened the ropes around the ring, something a trainer would do if his boxer were intending to slug it out. But no one believed this ploy; it had to be a setup.
To everyone’s amazement, Ali did exactly what he had said he would do. As Foreman waited for him to dance around, Ali went right up to him and slugged it out. He completely upset his opponent’s strategy. At a loss, Foreman ended up wearing himself out, not by chasing Ali but by throwing punches wildly, and taking more and more counterpunches. Finally, Ali landed a dramatic right cross that knocked out Foreman.
The habit of assuming that a person’s behavior will fit its previous patterns is so strong that not even Ali’s announcement of a strategy change was enough to upset it. Foreman walked into a trap—the trap he had been told to expect.
A warning: Unpredictability can work against you sometimes, especially if you are in a subordinate position. There are times when it is better to let people feel comfortable and settled around you than to disturb them. Too much unpredictability will be seen as a sign of indecisiveness, or even of some more serious psychic problem. Patterns are powerful, and you can terrify people by disrupting them. Such power should only be used judiciously.
Conclusion
I can offer all kinds of examples on the unpredictability of President Trump. Is this strategic or the actions of a mad man. Only you can decide.
You’ll not find any big banners or popups here talking about cookies and privacy notices. There are no ads on this site (aside from the hosting ads – a necessary evil). Functionally and fundamentally, I just don’t make money off of this blog. It is NOT monetized. Finally, I don’t track you because I just don’t care to.
Please kindly help me out in this effort. There is a lot of effort that goes into this disclosure. I could use all the financial support that anyone could provide. Thank you very much.
Here, in this post, we will cover some passages that I pulled out of my Affirmation Campaign notebook. Yeah. I’ll bet you all never realized that I have an affirmation “handbook”, well I do. I have a ton load of notebooks and notes all lying around everywhere. Being “old school”, I don’t rely on the computer alone.
One computer crash and you lose everything. One raid by religious fundamentalists in Arkansas and you’ll never see your notes ever again. One lost password, and you will be forever locked out of your writings.
OK.
Well, anyways, this post is a collection of my notes and thoughts on affirmation campaigns. I am including techniques and thoughts that I actually use within my very own personal campaigns. I like to think that others might find these techniques to be of use.
The first technique that I will cover is “font shading”.
Font Shading
I like to use “font shading” to keep track of the weighed importance of a given affirmation.
An example of “font shading” in an affirmation campaign list.
Font shading is very useful in keeping the size of a prayer / affirmation campaign down to a practical size. If you have a large affirmation list, like I do, you will find that it is very time consuming to read the list out loud. Most people keep lists that they can read in under ten minutes. While mine tend to be very lengthy.
In general, if your list is over fifteen minutes long when you read your affirmations, you need to either cut it down or conduct your campaign using the “font shading” technique.
The use of this technique is very simple. As follows…
Text in black color – read out loud.
Text in light grey color – just read silently with your eyes.
It enables the same results in a fraction of the time when conducting an affirmation prayer campaign. Just make sure that the “highlighted” text in black are the most significant important elements of your campaign.
Pacing Techniques
Pacing refers to the system that you use for on / off affirmation campaigns. I have discussed this subject in other posts. Essentially, with each and every affirmation campaign are three elements. Which are…
Reading / reciting your affirmations for a set period of time.
A complete stop with zero affirmation reading for a set period of time.
The start of the follow-up affirmation campaign.
And as I had stated earlier, it is critically important that all prayer / affirmation campaigns follow the same template. You define a set period of time where you read out your affirmations, and then stop. The period that you stop should be approximately the same length as the time devoted to the affirmations. Then once the period of time is complete, you repeat only with revised affirmations.
Here, we are going to look at some of the many variations of this process.
And they are;
Trot
Stroll
Mosey
Gallop
The pacing of this process depends on you and what you intend to get out of the process. It depends on your personality. It depends on your situation. It depends on you.
How you want your life to turn out is wholly dependent on how your conduct your affirmation campaigns.
Now…
Let’s look at the different kinds of ways to pace your affirmation campaigns.
The Trot – (2 month 1 on / 1 off cycle)
The Trot is exactly like it is presented. It is a steady, but relentless sequence and series of campaigns all separated by equal duration breaks. After a while in experimenting with different systems, I (myself) have settled on this pace for me personally. I run a relentless one month on, then one month off, then repeat. For me, it has been working out splendidly, as it permits me to actively adjust thought navigation quickly and get near immediate feedback on the relative success of the campaigns.
The Stroll – (6 month 3 on / 3 off cycle)
This is a more leisurely pace, and a pace that I recommend for newbies to prayer affirmation campaigns. The length of a campaign is one season. It is three months long. Followed by three months off. What is great about this pace is that you can get the best mixture of observed results and learned skills, while at the same time avoiding over all fatigue and depression that things seem to be taking too long to manifest.
The Mosey – (1 year 6 on / 6 off cycle)
This is a much longer affirmation effort. You typically run the affirmation campaign for around six months, and then stop for six months. Because the campaign runs for so long, you need to make sure that your affirmations are at an easy to recite size. Too long, and you will tend to give up quickly. This system is perhaps one of the best systems, and the nice long pause really gives you time to reflect, think and enjoy life. But one of the problems with this is that the pause is so long (six months) that you might forget to start a new affirmation follow-up campaign afterwards.
The Gallop – Sawtooth effort.
This is a rather different technique for pacing your prayer campaigns. It requires some planning. In this technique you use different prayer affirmation lists and then rotate the lists through the campaign.
You have two affirmation lists. (You can call them “A” and “B”, or “Red” and “Blue”, if you want to.) One week you read your “red” affirmations. Then the next week you stop. Then on the third week, you read your “blue” affirmations. Then you stop for a whole week. Then you repeat this cycle. You do this for a minimum of two months.
“Sawtooth” Affirmation campaign.
This system has advantages.
It enables you to cut down the size of your affirmations to something more manageable. The drawback however should be obvious. If the “red” objectives differ substantially from the “blue” objectives, you will end up zig-zagging back and forth in the general directions of your objectives, but have a difficult time arriving there. However, if your objectives are complementary, or mutually exclusive, you will be able to enjoy the objective realization in a shorter amount of time.
Our expectations are influenced by the media, not reality.
Many people put goals and desires in their affirmations based upon their impressions made by the media. This is a danger. It might have you investing in a $75,000 car instead of spending the year cavorting with pretty girls on the beach. It might have you spending thousands of dollars on the latest outfits instead of having your house paid off. It might misdirect your desires to what you SHOULD own, instead of what your heart needs.
Don’t let your decisions be influenced by appearance.
.
Hollywood and media provide dangerous illusions.
The truth is that everyone is different.
People tend to evaluate the same situation differently depending on the environment. This was proven by an experiment where people were asked to evaluate products that were located in 2 areas, one with laminate flooring and another with carpet. Respondents walking on the carpet gave the same products better feedback.
I remember a study that was comparing restaurants. The food was identical, the environment was identical, but one restaurant had heavy plates and massive silverware. The other had cheap plates and light flatware. Obviously the customers preferred the more robust eating environment.
For instance, when choosing a job, you might accept one with a nice office, while rejecting another opportunity with better career growth. So to make decisions that will lead you to financial success, try to make sure that visual attributes don’t affect you.
And this means, don’t let the idea “this is a great job” or everyone knows that you will be happier if you XXXXXXX. It’s all a lie.
Search your heart about what matters to you. Define what it is, and navigate to that objective.
Introductory Transition Mechanisms
If your goal is really “far out”, complex or distant, you might want to break it down into bite sized steps. For instance, if you want to become the President of the Untied States, you might want to start with affirmations closer to your current situation. Then move forward thinking of a series of battles and campaigns to get you where you want to be. Like this, perhaps…
Dog catcher.
Local Sheriff.
State Representative.
Federal Representative.
Federal Senator.
VP of the USA.
President of the USA.
In a like way, you need to be able to map our your most cherished and distant desires so that your objectives are manifested.
What do I mean?
I mean something like this…
2020 through 2026 – local government.
2026 through 2034 – State government.
2034 through 2045 – Federal government.
Plan things out in detail, and have a long term vision that matches your long term plans.
Affirm the NOW
I suppose that everyone has heard the (tired old) saying “live in the now“. But, gosh and golly, is it ever so important when conducting a prayer affirmation campaign.
Mindfulness, or living in the now, is making the choice to focus on our present and live in our experiences. It sounds like something that should be easy, but it takes effort and practice. If you are struggling to live in the now, it might be because of one of these seven things.
-7 Things That Keep You From Living In the Now | Power of Positivity
In the movie “Wayne’s World” there is even a parody of this saying. Where the main character tells his “side kick” Garth to “live in the now!”. It’s actually pretty darn funny.
But…
The point of this should not be lost on anyone.
The "NOW" is a very specific point in your travels on the MWI and world-lines. It is a description of the world-line that you are inside at the moment that you made the affirmation statement.
When you conduct your prayer affirmation campaign you must specifically define the time for the affirmations to take place. You can do this a number of ways, and the way that I recommend is this…
Do NOT state a date, or a time for it to manifest.
Of course, it is pretty much a given that the affirmation will manifest. But it will do so in accordance with the balance (the rest of) your other affirmations, and what ever your current life situation actually is.
If your affirmation campaign has prayers; A, B, C, D and E in it, then the entire campaign will not distinguish the priority of the implementation of any of those prayers. Rather, instead, they will manifest in the greatest likelihood of manifestation given your current navigational vector.
The only way to control this is to say something like. A will happen first, then B, then C, then D, and finally E.
But, all this being stated, there are things that you MUST NOT do.
You should NOT use any of the following terms regarding when the affirmation will manifest…
General dates like “soon”, “near”, “going to happen”, “one of these days”, “eventually”, “after a while”, “later”, and other terms that point to a general time somewhere in the future.
Don’t say an affirmation anything like this…
Eventually, some day, my dream of having a little raise in salary might come true.
Because what you want is things to start NOW. Maybe not manifest NOW, but to start to move things in place NOW.
You see, the moment you verbalize a word, you are generating a thought AT THAT MOMENT. How that thought will materialize in your physical reality is a direct function of the sentence structure.
If you say something like…
Really soon, I will get a big salary increase.
You can guarantee that you set your “world-line navigation system” destination coordinates towards “a big salary increase”. It’s input into your navigation console, and you are already on the path towards that goal.
Thumbs up!
But…
Wait!
What will actually happen?
Well, look at it plotted or charted out, and see.
Pretty soon my dreams will come true.
You stated “really soon”. This modifier is “soft”. Meaning that it is not precise and well defined. In terms of glaciers, really soon could mean 500 years. In terms of an old many, it could mean five years. In terms of an infant, it could mean five minutes.
What you want to do is avoid “soft” affirmations.
You want everything to be immediately encoded (which is automatic), but implemented within a reasonable amount of time. In fact, you want the implementation to be within a reasonable amount of time IN ALIGNMENT with the rest of the prayers during your current prayer campaign.
So I would recommend something along these lines, instead…
I am given a big salary increase.
It’s straight forward, simple, defined and is not modified by any aspect of time.
Now, of course, you can just as well say something along these lines…
Now, my reality is strongly conducive for a big salary increase.
But, isn’t that a bit complex? I would argue that simpler is better. And let the navigation engine move your consciousness to those world-lines properly.
My salary has been increased by a large amount.
This doesn’t place your reality somewhere in the future. Instead, it places you past that event. Which is what you actually want.
All your affirmation is your prayer campaign should describe a point where as your reality is well past the time when the goal or event occurred.
So I must advise to plot your navigation for each specific affirmation such that you are in a reality where that event has already happened in the past. Knowing, full well, that while it has not yet happened, the systems are happening now to bring you to the point.
And…
Well, this is pretty much how all your affirmations should read. Your campaign should describe what your life is like AFTER the affirmations manifest.
If it does not, then you are not doing things efficiently.
There are exceptions, of course. You can describe how the affirmations implement in real time, For example.
Incorporate all the characteristics of success in your campaign
It doesn’t really matter what your affirmation campaign consists of or what details you have within it. The basic elements of a successful life should have some part or role in your affirmation campaign.
Of course, you can go ahead to any website on the internet and you will see such things listed as [1] creativity, [2] resourcefulness, [3] persistence, and so on. And while all those things are certainly important, they are also part of your personality. Something that was formed in your early childhood by the age of three.
I am not talking about that.
Though, go ahead and add these elements to your campaign if you want to. Here’s some links to get you started…
So, if you want to be and have a success, you might want to go ahead and use the affirmation campaign to alter your personality to incorporate these characteristics.
But…
That is NOT what I am talking about here.
I am talking about incorporating those elements that your personality, your experience, your friendships, your knowledge, and your skills have no control over…
Luck
Being in the right place at the right time.
Having the right set of skills and connections when you need them.
A favorable environment.
Awareness.
And, if there is one thing that I know. It’s this. Those business owners, for the most part, just so happened to be at the right place at the right time and they pounced on the opportunity. For you to have the life that you desire it will require a combination of numerous aspects and changes in your life. It will require your resourcefulness, your ability to know that an opportunity has arrived. It will require you to use your skills, and to have the knowledge on how to use the tools at your disposal. And…
It will also include some “luck”.
And “luck” is actually the positioning of a desirable world-line within close proximity.
So, what this aspect of your affirmation campaign is to specify, specifically that the “pivot point” (that will make your affirmations occur) will exist and happen in one of your immediate world-lines.
Luck is always part of my life.
I am always in the right place at the right time.
I have the right set of skills, and connections whenever I need them.
My affirmations have found a fertile and favorable environment from which to grow and manifest.
Ah, but this isn’t just “opportunity”…
Opportunities
You need to be diabolically precise when stating that “opportunities” will manifest for you. You would be surprised at the kinds of “opportunities” used to come my way until I reigned them in and forced them to conform to my desires.
In my affirmations I said that that “opportunities” would come into my life. Yet, I failed to associate those opportunities with my goals. So what happened?
Yeah. You guessed it.
All sorts of “out of the blue” things were presented to me. All were opportunities, but nothing that was of interest to me specifically.
Like…
Given a chance to gather companies to sponsor European Soccer (football) teams. You know, wear their logos on their clothing. A lot of work. But an opportunity.
Given a chance to sell Generic Viagra in Iran. No problem, except that I am an American passport holder. This could get me in a full shit-load of trouble.
Being on a Judge Committee for English language students to debate the differences between ancient Chinese and Japanese history in English.
Create an on-line marketplace (B2B) to sell caskets to funeral homes around the world.
Run a crew of people that would decontaminate public places, hotels, and vehicles from those who had COVID and other infectious diseases.
And many more.
Unless you specify that you want the “opportunities” to be germane to your other affirmation goals, you will end up getting a ton load of useless opportunistic ventures. Sure, eventually with some hard-work and “elbow grease” you can make things happen. But unless they are part of your over-riding goals, you will just ignore these opportunities as worthless.
So, be careful on what you desire as “opportunities”. Connect them with specific results.
I have an opportunity that will make me a large fortune.
I am provided an opportunity to meet the woman of my dreams.
I have an opportunity to buy my dream house at a dirt cheap price.
Always specify specifically what your opportunity will provide for you.
Visualization of your target life.
Oh, it’s not just enough to say the affirmations. You need to visualize you enjoying your target goals.
You need to have a reminder at the end of your affirmation list, to visualize your goals. Visualization will speed up the implementation. Maybe something like this…
.
Visualize you living in the situation that you affirm during your prayer campaign. Doing so will accelerate the manifestation of that situation.
Don’t allow counter productive bad habits.
So, you are spending every day doing your affirmations. You say them out load and you visualize. But when people talk you normally, at home, in the bar, or on the street, you become self-depreciating. They ask you how you are doing and you say “oh, so-so”, or your friends ask you if you have plans or what you are going to do, and you “oh, I don’t know. I’ll just do nothing”.
If you have nothing good to say… then say nothing.
From now on every thing out of your mouth must be an extension of your vocalization. Do not allow anything bad out of your mouth. Do not vocalize anything negative. Do not be gloated into negativity.
Each negative statement erases one affirmation campaign session.
Stifle your depreciating natures, and for good golly sakes STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM NEGATIVE PEOPLE.
Conclusion
I have become VERY GOOD at manifesting my desires. I think that I am doing “something” right. And I like to help others duplicate my success. Thus this series in Prayer and Intention Manifestation.
Never the less…
Every now and then I check out what is going on in the rest of the internet on thoughts regarding things that I am focused on. This includes China, MAJ, American culture, and Intention.
What a big disappointment!
China…. hate, hate, hate, lies, distortions and more hate.
MAJ… nothing. Zero. Na-da.
American culture… cluster fuck going down the commode.
Intention… they all haven’t a fucking clue.
I figured that it was high time to continue my writings on this subject after I read a particularly erroneous piece. I mean, their hearts are in the right place, but boy oh boy, is their advice wrong.
Seriously you need to be careful and not “rubber stamp” other’s mistakes. Here’s an example of one of the “better” websites out there. Here a partial list of the suggestions for affirmations.
I am worthy of love.
I carry strength and resilience with me.
My every step is one of courage.
I have the ability to overcome any challenge life gives me. (Find out how compassion can improve your life: Overcome...
Abundance and love flow from me.
I am pure beauty.
I am a radiant and joyous person.
I am cocooned in the loving energy of the Universe.
I am successful.
I am enough.
-50 Self-Loving Affirmations – Uncover Your Joy
All in all, it’s not really a BAD group of affirmations. It’s just that they are primarily focused on changing the persons attitude about life, emotions and themselves. Not about world-line navigation. This is a pretty common problem that I can see is duplicated all over the internet.
Here’s another example.
This website suggests that you perform these affirmations every evening. I am sure that you will be a very trusting person afterwards…
Ah.
For certain, you will be a more trusting person. But will it buy you an ice cream cone the day after?
As I have said, it seems to me that many of these prayer / affirmation suggestions are not associated with world-line navigation or any sort of defined campaign. Rather they are just nice sayings to make you feel better about yourself.
List of 37 Abundance Affirmations
1. Whatever I can conceive, I believe.
2. If I see it in my mind, I am going to hold it in my hand.
3. I open myself to receiving abundance of the Universe.
4. The Universe provides me with all that I will ever need.
5. I am richly blessed.
6. I am love.
7. I am One with Spirit.
8. My higher self rules over my ego.
9. My spirit dances in step with joy in my heart.
10. I am whole and in perfect health
11. Every cell in my body vibrates with health and positive energy.
12. Beauty is the breath of my soul.
13. I see beauty everywhere I go.
14. I am financially wealthy!
15. Checks arrive in my inbox every single day.
16. My wealth grows in ever increasing amounts.
17. I love my car!
18. I live in the house of my dreams; in tranquil surroundings filled with love, a blessed family and happy kids!!
19. I attract love everywhere.
20. My relationships are harmonious!
21. I work as and when I want to, anywhere I want to.
22. My business is a resounding success!
23. I enjoy absolute freedom!
24. I experience the world in all its glory.
25. I have a wealth of fond memories.
26. My life is one big adventure.
27. I serve the community with love.
28. I help those in need.
29. My teachers inspire me to live in the now!
30. My inner home is a peaceful retreat, a storehouse of practical wisdom.
31. I celebrate life.
32. Inspiration flows easily to me.
33. Opportunities arrive at the right time in the right place
34. I am divinely guided in all that I do.
35. Miracles manifest everyday in wondrous ways!
36. My prayers are always answered, in support of my dreams!
37. Love and gratitude…Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Hey! You long term MM readers and affirmation students, can you pick out the mistakes in the list? There’s a bunch, don’t you know, but some are ok.
Maybe I should take a “whack” at it, eh?
I have a wealth of fond memories.
Um. Really? That's what you want in your intention campaign. I mean different strokes for different folks and all that. But, doesn't it imply that you will be living in your past?
Or…
I love my car!
Pretty general. Easy to obtain, but you will have an obsession with a material possession. I cannot see that as being good.
I see a lot of these affirmations as pleasant distractions. They will take you places, and many will have your going around and around in circles. But still, many of those creating these affirmations have their heart in the right place. The results of the manifestations will improve that particular person in some way. Most seem to relate to feelings and emotions that the person has.
Certainly getting a hold of out-of-control emotions is a good thing.
So, you all need not be as critical as I am.
Just be mindful of what you affirm. As this article stated, “opportunities” can be wildly off target. And if you follow these pre-packaged affirmations you might end up going to places that you might not to be. Be careful.
33. Opportunities arrive at the right time in the right place
Be careful.
I hope that in some way that I can improve the dreams and lives of those that this MM venue touches.
Do you want more?
I have more posts along these lines in my prayer / affirmation campaign index, here…
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This is the full text of law #9 from “The 48 Laws of Power” written by Robert Greene. This specific law is titled “Win through your actions, never through argument.” I personally believe that this most basic of laws should be taught in elementary school. Once you master it, you realize that your life is in your hands and under your control. For only with you doing things, and taking action, can you win any argument. This law is not for the passive. This law is not for the sheep. This law is for the self actuated that live among us within society.
This law is something that I have learned and appreciated over time. Don’t explain. Demonstrate.
And if people “don’t get it”, well then… it’s not your problem.
And while I am at it…
Alpha Males never explain or justify their actions. They are never on the defensive. They never try to convince any one of any thing. The weaker beta-males do.
Be yourself. Anything less is below you.
LAW 9
WIN THROUGH YOUR ACTIONS, NEVER THROUGH ARGUMENT
JUDGMENT
Any momentary triumph you think you have gained through argument is really a Pyrrhic victory: The resentment and ill will you stir up is stronger and lasts longer than any momentary change of opinion. It is much more powerful to get others to agree with you through your actions, without saying a word. Demonstrate, do not explicate.
TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW
In 131 B.C., the Roman consul Publius Crassus Dives Mucianus, laying siege to the Greek town of Pergamus, found himself in need of a battering ram to force through the town’s walls. He had seen a couple of hefty ship’s masts in a shipyard in Athens a few days before, and he ordered that the larger of these be sent to him immediately. The military engineer in Athens who received the order felt certain that the consul really wanted the smaller of the masts. He argued endlessly with the soldiers who delivered the request: The smaller mast, he told them, was much better suited to the task. And indeed it would be easier to transport.
The soldiers warned the engineer that their master was not a man to argue with, but he insisted that the smaller mast would be the only one that would work with a machine that he was constructing to go with it. He drew diagram after diagram, and went so far as to say that he was the expert and they had no clue what they were talking about. The soldiers knew their leader and at last convinced the engineer that it would be better to swallow his expertise and obey.
After they left, though, the engineer thought about it some more. What was the point, he asked himself, in obeying an order that would lead to failure? And so he sent the smaller mast, confident that the consul would see how much more effective it was and reward him justly.
When the smaller mast arrived, Mucianus asked his soldiers for an explanation. They described to him how the engineer had argued endlessly for the smaller mast, but had finally promised to send the larger one. Mucianus went into a rage. He could not concentrate on the siege, or consider the importance of breaching the walls before the town received reinforcements. All he could think about was the impudent engineer, whom he ordered to be brought to him immediately.
Arriving a few days later, the engineer gladly explained to the consul, one more time, the reasons for the smaller mast. He went on and on, using the same arguments he had made with the soldiers. He said it was wise to listen to experts in these matters, and if the attack was only tried with the battering ram he had sent, the consul would not regret it. Mucianus let him finish, then had him stripped naked before the soldiers and flogged and scourged with rods until he died.
THE SULTAN AND THE VIZIER
A vizier had served his master for some thirty years and was known and admired for his loyalty, truthfulness, and devotion to God. His honesty, however, had made him many enemies in the court, who spread stories of
his duplicity and perfidy. They worked on the sultan day in and day out until he too came to distrust the innocent vizier and finally ordered the man who had served him so well to be put to death. In this realm, those condemned to death were tied up and thrown into the pen where the sultan kept his fiercest hunting dogs. The dogs would promptly tear the victim to pieces. Before being thrown to the dogs, however, the vizier asked for one last request. “I would like ten days’ respite,” he said, “so that I can pay my debts, collect any money due to me, return items that people have put in my care, and share out my goods among the members of my family and my children and appoint a guardian for them.” After receiving a guarantee that the vizier
would not try to escape, the sultan granted this request. The vizier hurried home, collected one hundred gold pieces, then paid a visit to the huntsman who looked after the sultan’s dogs. He offered this man the one hundred gold pieces and said, “Let me look after the dogs for ten days.” The huntsman agreed, and for the next ten days the vizier cared for the beasts with great attention, grooming them well and feeding them handsomely. By the end of the ten days they were eating out of his hand.
On the eleventh day the vizier was called before the sultan, the charges were repeated, and the sultan watched as the vizier was tied up and thrown to the dogs. Yet when the beasts saw him, they ran up to him with wagging tails. They nibbled affectionately at his shoulders and began playing with him. The sultan and the other witnesses were amazed, and the sultan asked the vizier why the dogs had spared his life. The vizier replied, “I have looked after these dogs for ten days. The sultan has seen the result for
himself. I have looked after you for thirty years, and what is the result? I am condemned to death on the strength of accusations brought by my enemies. ”The sultan blushed with shame. He not only pardoned the vizier but gave him a fine set of clothes and handed over to him the men who had slandered his reputation. The noble vizier set them free and continued to treat them with kindness.
-THE SUBTLE RUSE: THE BOOK OF ARABIC WISDOM AND GUILE, THIRTEENTH CENTURY
Interpretation
The engineer, whose name has not been recorded by history, had spent his life designing masts and pillars, and was respected as the finest engineer in a city that had excelled in the science. He knew that he was right. A smaller ram would allow more speed and carry more force. Larger is not necessarily better. Of course the consul would see his logic, and would eventually understand that science is neutral and reason superior. How could the consul possibly persist in his ignorance if the engineer showed him detailed diagrams and explained the theories behind his advice?
The military engineer was the quintessence of the Arguer, a type found everywhere among us. The Arguer does not understand that words are never neutral, and that by arguing with a superior he impugns the intelligence of one more powerful than he. He also has no awareness of the person he is dealing with. Since each man believes that he is right, and words will rarely convince him otherwise, the arguer’s reasoning falls on deaf ears. When cornered, he only argues more, digging his own grave. Once he has made the other person feel insecure and inferior in his beliefs, the eloquence of Socrates could not save the situation.
It is not simply a question of avoiding an argument with those who stand above you. We all believe we are masters in the realm of opinions and reasoning. You must be careful, then: Learn to demonstrate the correctness of your ideas indirectly.
OBSERVANCE OF THE LAW
In 1502, in Florence, Italy, an enormous block of marble stood in the works department of the church of Santa Maria del Fiore. It had once been a magnificent piece of raw stone, but an unskillful sculptor had mistakenly bored a hole through it where there should have been a figure’s legs, generally mutilating it. Piero Soderini, Florence’s mayor, had contemplated trying to save the block by commissioning Leonardo da Vinci to work on it, or some other master, but had given up, since everyone agreed that the stone had been ruined. So, despite the money that had been wasted on it, it gathered dust in the dark halls of the church.
This was where things stood until some Florentine friends of the great Michelangelo decided to write to the artist, then living in Rome. He alone, they said, could do something with the marble, which was still magnificent raw material. Michelangelo traveled to Florence, examined the stone, and came to the conclusion that he could in fact carve a fine figure from it, by adapting the pose to the way the rock had been mutilated. Soderini argued that this was a waste of time—nobody could salvage such a disaster—but he finally agreed to let the artist work on it. Michelangelo decided he would depict a young David, sling in hand.
Weeks later, as Michelangelo was putting the final touches on the statue, Soderini entered the studio. Fancying himself a bit of a connoisseur, he studied the huge work, and told Michelangelo that while he thought it was magnificent, the nose, he judged, was too big. Michelangelo realized that Soderini was standing in a place right under the giant figure and did not have the proper perspective. Without a word, he gestured for Soderini to follow him up the scaffolding. Reaching the nose, he picked up his chisel, as well as a bit of marble dust that lay on the planks. With Soderini just a few feet below him on the scaffolding, Michelangelo started to tap lightly with the chisel, letting the bits of dust he had gathered in his hand to fall little by little. He actually did nothing to change the nose, but gave every appearance of working on it. After a few minutes of this charade he stood aside: “Look at it now.” “I like it better,” replied Soderini, “you’ve made it come alive.”
Interpretation
Michelangelo knew that by changing the shape of the nose he might ruin the entire sculpture. Yet Soderini was a patron who prided himself on his aesthetic judgment. To offend such a man by arguing would not only gain Michelangelo nothing, it would put future commissions in jeopardy. Michelangelo was too clever to argue. His solution was to change Soderini’s perspective (literally bringing him closer to the nose) without making him realize that this was the cause of his misperception.
Fortunately for posterity, Michelangelo found a way to keep the perfection of the statue intact while at the same time making Soderini believe he had improved it. Such is the double power of winning through actions rather than argument: No one is offended, and your point is proven.
THE WORKS OF AMASIS
When Apries had been deposed in the way I have described, Amasis came to the throne. He belonged to the district of Sais and was a native of the town called Siuph. At first the Egyptians were inclined to be contemptuous,and did not think much of him because of his humble and undistinguished origin; but later on he cleverly brought them to heel, without having recourse to harsh measures. Amongst his innumerable treasures, he had a gold footbath, which he and his guests used on occasion to wash their feet in. This he broke up, and with the material had a statue made to one of the gods, which he then set up in what he thought the most suitable spot in the city. The Egyptians constantly coming upon the statue, treated it with profound reverence, and as soon as Amasis heard of the effect it had upon them, he called a meeting and revealed the fact that the deeply revered statue was once a footbath, which they washed their feet and pissed and vomited in. He went on to say that his own case was much the same, in that once he had been only an ordinary person and was now their king; so that just as they had come to revere the transformed footbath, so they had better pay honor and respect to him, too. In this way the Egyptians were persuaded to accept him as their master.
-THE HISTORIES. HERODOTUS. FIFTH CENTURY B.C.
KEYS TO POWER
In the realm of power you must learn to judge your moves by their long- term effects on other people. The problem in trying to prove a point or gain a victory through argument is that in the end you can never be certain how it affects the people you’re arguing with: They may appear to agree with you politely, but inside they may resent you. Or perhaps something you said inadvertently even offended them—words have that insidious ability to be interpreted according to the other person’s mood and insecurities. Even the best argument has no solid foundation, for we have all come to distrust the slippery nature of words. And days after agreeing with someone, we often revert to our old opinion out of sheer habit.
Understand this: Words are a dime a dozen. Everyone knows that in the heat of an argument, we will all say anything to support our cause. We will quote the Bible, refer to unverifiable statistics. Who can be persuaded by bags of air like that? Action and demonstration are much more powerful and meaningful. They are there, before our eyes, for us to see—“Yes, now the statue’s nose does look just right.” There are no offensive words, no possibility of misinterpretation. No one can argue with a demonstrated proof. As Baltasar Gracián remarks, “The truth is generally seen, rarely heard.”
Sir Christopher Wren was England’s version of the Renaissance man. He had mastered the sciences of mathematics, astronomy, physics, and physiology. Yet during his extremely long career as England’s most celebrated architect he was often told by his patrons to make impractical changes in his designs. Never once did he argue or offend. He had other ways of proving his point.
In 1688 Wren designed a magnificent town hall for the city of Westminster. The mayor, however, was not satisfied; in fact he was nervous. He told Wren he was afraid the second floor was not secure, and that it could all come crashing down on his office on the first floor. He demanded that Wren add two stone columns for extra support. Wren, the consummate engineer, knew that these columns would serve no purpose, and that the mayor’s fears were baseless. But build them he did, and the mayor was grateful. It was only years later that workmen on a high scaffold saw that the columns stopped just short of the ceiling.
They were dummies. But both men got what they wanted: The mayor could relax, and Wren knew posterity would understand that his original design worked and the columns were unnecessary.
The power of demonstrating your idea is that your opponents do not get defensive, and are therefore more open to persuasion. Making them literally and physically feel your meaning is infinitely more powerful than argument.
A heckler once interrupted Nikita Khrushchev in the middle of a speech in which he was denouncing the crimes of Stalin. “You were a colleague of Stalin’s,” the heckler yelled, “why didn’t you stop him then?” Khrushschev apparently could not see the heckler and barked out, “Who said that?” No hand went up. No one moved a muscle. After a few seconds of tense silence, Khrushchev finally said in a quiet voice, “Now you know why I didn’t stop him.” Instead of just arguing that anyone facing Stalin was afraid, knowing that the slightest sign of rebellion would mean certain death, he had made them feel what it was like to face Stalin—had made them feel the paranoia, the fear of speaking up, the terror of confronting the leader, in this case Khrushchev. The demonstration was visceral and no more argument was necessary.
The most powerful persuasion goes beyond action into symbol. The power of a symbol—a flag, a mythic story, a monument to some emotional event—is that everyone understands you without anything being said. In 1975, when Henry Kissinger was engaged in some frustrating negotiations with the Israelis over the return of part of the Sinai desert that they had seized in the 1967 war, he suddenly broke off a tense meeting and decided to do some sight-seeing. He paid a visit to the ruins of the ancient fortress of Masada, known to all Israelis as the place where seven hundred Jewish warriors committed mass suicide in A.D. 73 rather than give in to the Roman troops besieging them. The Israelis instantly understood the message of Kissinger’s visit: He was indirectly accusing them of courting mass suicide. Although the visit did not by itself change their minds, it made them think far more seriously than any direct warning would have. Symbols like this one carry great emotional significance.
When aiming for power, or trying to conserve it, always look for the indirect route. And also choose your battles carefully. If it does not matter in the long run whether the other person agrees with you—or if time and their own experience will make them understand what you mean—then it is best not even to bother with a demonstration. Save your energy and walk away.
GOD AND ABRAUIM
The Most High God had promised that He would not take Abraham’s soul unless the man wanted to die and asked Him to do so. When Abraham’s life was drawing to a close, and God determined to seize him, He sent an angel in the guise of a decrepit old man who was almost entirely incapacitated. The old man stopped outside Abraham door and said to him, “Oh Abraham, I would like something to eat.” Abraham was amazed to hear him say this. “Die, exclaimed Abraham.”It would be better for you than to go on living in that condition.”
Abraham always kept food ready at his home for passing guests. So he gave the old man a bowl containing broth and meat with bread crumbs. The old man sat down to eat. He swallowed laboriously, with great effort, and once when he took some food it dropped from his hand, scattering on the ground. “Oh Abraham, ” he said, “help me to eat.” Abraham took the food in his hand and lifted it to the old man’s lips. But it slid down his beard and over his chest. “What is your age, old man?” asked Abraham. The old man mentioned a number of years slightly greater than Abraham’s old age. Then Abraham exclaimed: “Oh Lord Our God, take me unto You before I reach this man’s age and sink into the same condition as he is in now. ” No sooner had Abraham spoken those words than God took possession of his soul.
-THE SUBTLE RUSE: THE BOOK OF ARABIC WISDOM AND GUILE, THIRTEENTH CENTURY
Image: The Seesaw. Up and down and up and down go the arguers, getting nowhere fast. Get off the seesaw and show them your meaning without kick ing or pushing. Leave them at the top and let gravity bring them gently to the ground.
Authority: Never argue. In society nothing must be discussed; give only results. (Benjamin Disraeli, 1804-1881)
REVERSAL
Verbal argument has one vital use in the realm of power: To distract and cover your tracks when you are practicing deception or are caught in a lie.
In such cases it is to your advantage to argue with all the conviction you can muster. Draw the other person into an argument to distract them from your deceptive move. When caught in a lie, the more emotional and certain you appear, the less likely it seems that you are lying.
This technique has saved the hide of many a con artist. Once Count Victor Lustig, swindler par excellence, had sold dozens of suckers around the country a phony box with which he claimed to be able to copy money. Discovering their mistake, the suckers generally chose not to go the police, rather than risk the embarrassment of publicity. But one Sheriff Richards, of Remsen County, Oklahoma, was not the kind of man to accept being conned out of $10,000, and one morning he tracked Lustig down to a hotel in Chicago.
Lustig heard a knock on the door. When he opened it he was looking down the barrel of a gun. “What seems to be the problem?” he calmly asked. “You son of a bitch,” yelled the sheriff, “I’m going to kill you. You conned me with that damn box of yours!” Lustig feigned confusion. “You mean it’s not working?” he asked. “You know it’s not working,” replied the sheriff. “But that’s impossible,” said Lustig. “There’s no way it couldn’t be working. Did you operate it properly?” “I did exactly what you told me to do,” said the sheriff. “No, you must have done something wrong,” said Lustig. The argument went in circles. The barrel of the gun was gently lowered.
Lustig next went to phase two in the argument tactic: He poured out a whole bunch of technical gobbledygook about the box’s operation, completely beguiling the sheriff, who now appeared less sure of himself and argued less forcefully. “Look,” said Lustig, “I’ll give you your money back right now. I’ll also give you written instructions on how to work the machine and I’ll come out to Oklahoma to make sure it’s working properly. There’s no way you can lose on that.” The sheriff reluctantly agreed. To satisfy him totally, Lustig took out a hundred one-hundred-dollar bills and gave them to him, telling him to relax and have a fun weekend in Chicago. Calmer and a little confused, the sheriff finally left. Over the next few days Lustig checked the paper every morning. He finally found what he was looking for: A short article reporting Sheriff Richards’s arrest, trial, and conviction for passing counterfeit notes. Lustig had won the argument; the sheriff never bothered him again.
Conclusion
Why do you argue?
Is it because you want to show someone your point of view? Is that why?
But they don’t see it because they have different experiences and a different mindset. So don’t bother wasting your time. Your time is too valuable.
Act and live your life on your terms and forget about everyone else.
…
Story time…
I well remember the last time when I gave a fuck what people thought.
I was in a KTV, in China (of course).
Chinese business KTV, a pretty standard practice.
I had two girls with me (bought for me, don’t ya know). One was on my left thigh feeding me (those green sweet) grapes and the other was singing some sobby love ballad (in Chinese, that I had no clue about) on my right. I was enjoying the moment, chewing on some grapes and drinking Johnny Walker Red with Green Tea (long story, not too popular these days) and checking my social media.
It was a long day where I had ate this fantastic meal of lord only know what, and signed some contracts and made some agreements. Now it was time to relax and celebrate.
What was I doing?
Dumb-ass me was checking my social media. Back then, I was still addicted to it.
At that time, I was commenting on a website called “Free Republic” (I have since been kicked off of it, too bad – their loss) and some jackass was riding on all my comments. He just went on and on about on how filthy, stinky and polluted China was. He said he knew because he visited it back in 1998, and he knew what he was talking about. He had spent four long days in “that filthy cesspool” and couldn’t wait to leave.
And you know what?
I didn’t respond.
But, I did stop eating the grapes and slid my right hand on the chick to the left of me’s dress and cupped her soft breast. She smiled (as they all do when I do that) and I started to nibble on her neck. (KTV’s are all “hands on” and all the time. It’s pretty much a normal, not a lecherous thing, to do.) That got the singing gal to come over and start massaging my back. Oh … yeah. things got really fun after that.
Soon afterwards, I was up there singing “Better than I used to be“, and while everyone was clapping and cheering me on, I’m sure that no one knew what I was singing about. But my aide did know English, and she couldn’t get over the lyrics to “MacArthur Park”. LOL. Heh. he. (She kept on saying… “do you know what you are singing? Do you know what the song is about?”)
“Someone left the cake out in the rain, and it took so long to make it, and took so long to bake it, and I’ll never have that recipe again! Oh no!”
And you know, that’s a part of what my life is. Don’t you know. It’s fun. It’s spending time with interesting people, and playing with them. It’s about eating delicious food, and just being who you are and not giving a rat’s ass if you are politically correct or not.
Anyways. That was one of the last times I commented on that site.
Because I was the one having fun, and the rest of the people on social media, well, there were all just full of horse shit. To them, everything outside their house was gray, dark and dirty. When they turned on the movies, it’s all war, war, war, or FBI investigates serial murders, or child abductions by pedio’s or magic superheros who got bit by radioactive spiders…
It’s nonsense.
And when they try to communicate to me; the person outside their box, they cannot possibly imagine what it is like. Because they have been PROGRAMMED to fear everything outside.
So, fuck him.
What he right or wrong? Was I good or bad? I don’t know. What I do know is that I was having fun, and he was probably at home alone typing in the dark trying to convince me that I was wrong to enjoy China like I do. And, well, he would never, ever believe what happened later on that night, and up until six am when they both turned into pumpkins…
Actions.
Always remember that your life becomes [1] what you think about, and [2] what you do. And in that calculus, lies no one else. And if someone doesn’t like your behaviors, well, fuck them. You owe nothing to strangers. Just go forth and have a great time. And let it be well understood that that is what I am actually doing.
Life is too short not to enjoy life.
Go forth. Make new friends. Have new adventures, experience all the wonderful things that life has available for you. That means good food, great drink, fun companions, and “memory makers”. Ah. Memory Makers like this fine young lass here…
Do you want more?
I have more posts along these lines in my Happiness Index here…
You’ll not find any big banners or popups here talking about cookies and privacy notices. There are no ads on this site (aside from the hosting ads – a necessary evil). Functionally and fundamentally, I just don’t make money off of this blog. It is NOT monetized. Finally, I don’t track you because I just don’t care to.
Please kindly help me out in this effort. There is a lot of effort that goes into this disclosure. I could use all the financial support that anyone could provide. Thank you very much.
I love history. It can tell us so much. While others in my school were falling asleep during class, I was getting in and diving deep. I spent my time learning, and researching and enjoying everything that history could tell us. I just loved it.
Alas, it’s not a great way to “put food on the table”. So I migrated to other classes and other studies. Yet, still, history remains a great love of mine.
In particular, the history of “empires before the fall” is of great interest.
I love to read about peoples who blindly “walked” into their very own destruction. Sometimes it was a cocky group of 20,000 knights in state-of-the-art shiny metal armor riding horses to meet 750,000 battle-trained, aggressive Mongol warriors. (Hint: It was a slaughter.) While at other times, it was the corrupt elites living high and well, inside their palaces while unease murmured in the poorer strata of society. (Hint: it did involve death and torture.)
Here we look at ancient Syria.
In a “blink of an eye” the major cities of Syria went from highly developed and prosperous communities, with art and literature, and sustained profitable commerce…
… to a land without written language, epic buildings, or any levels of prosperity. It went feral. The society turned to fallow.
What happened?
This is a reprint of an article titled “The Elites Were Living High. Then Came the Fall.” written on May 11, 2020 in dunyu News, Opinion . Annalee Newitz (@annaleen), a science journalist and contributing opinion writer, is the author of the forthcoming “Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age.” This article was edited to fit this venue, and all credit to the original authors.
About 3,190 years ago, a merchant in Emar, a trading outpost in what is now northern Syria, sent a desperate letter to his boss, Urtenu, who lived in the rich metropolis of Ugarit, a city-state on the coast of Syria. “There is famine,” he wrote. “If you do not quickly arrive here, we ourselves will die of hunger.”
The city Ugarit is shown with a yellow arrow pointing to it. It the city on the blue territory of the Hittite Empire, on the coast. It was one of the major cities of the time. All indicated by yellow arrows. (Troy, in Greece. Ur, in Babylon, and Mari.)
A long drought had left the hinterlands around Ugarit in a state of famine, wars were brewing, and there were likely plagues as well. Urtenu may not have realized it, but he was living through the last years of two wealthy cities, Ugarit and Mycenae, that dominated the eastern Mediterranean Sea during what historians call the Bronze Age, from roughly 3000 to 1200 B.C.E.
More than a thousand years before the Greeks invented democracy and the Romans undermined it with imperialism, these city-states of the Bronze Age laid the foundations for what is often called Western civilization. Homer recorded the myths of the Bronze Age in “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey,” and carved stone inscriptions of the pharaohs Hatshepsut and Thutmose III record the machinations of the Bronze Age elites. Although the rulers of the Bronze Age sometimes went to war, the true source of their power, like that of today’s biggest cities, was economic power secured through trade. The final decades of Ugarit and Mycenae tell us a lot about why cities fail — and who survives amid the ashes.
The “Bronze Age” lasted from around 3000 BC to around 1200 BC. Those cities that profited during this period experienced a long series of wars, upsets and famines at this time.
Ugarit and the Greek city-state of Mycenae were two of the most prosperous kingdoms in a thriving international economy that grew along coastal trade routes linking today’s Greece, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt. Their markets sold everything from imported olive oil to local grain, while artisans crafted sculptures and weapons from the metal alloy that gave this period its name. Made with tin from Afghanistan and copper from Crete, bronze was the ultimate achievement of long-distance trade as well as technical know-how.
Temple of Baal in Ugarit.
But the Bronze Age was also a time of extreme inequality.
Cities were ruled by wealthy urban aristocrats who controlled trade, relied on various kinds of forced labor, and placed heavy tax burdens on their client states and agricultural villages. When times got hard, the commoners in Ugarit and Mycenae felt the squeeze.
Historians and archaeologists don’t know all the reasons these cities collapsed. But there is evidence that both burned to the ground in the 1100s B.C.E., their sumptuous palaces toppled and abandoned. (There are signs of earthquakes, too.)
For centuries after these events, there are almost no written records. It was as if literacy and culture evaporated along with the kingdoms themselves.
The Spearmen of the Hittite Army.
Until recently, historians blamed this collapse on marauders known as the Sea People. Supposedly these Sea People sacked the cities, leaving the once-great kingdoms of the Mediterranean to be menaced by pirates or worse.
New research has challenged this whole story.
Eric Cline, a classicist at George Washington University and author of “1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed,” explained that there’s no evidence of invaders coming from the outside at Mycenae, so violence must have come from within.
If revolution came from within the cities, then we can well expect the military and the police to round up dissidents and provide hefty fees and punishments.
Given what’s known about these societies, he concludes that the city’s lower classes may have gotten fed up and just burned it all down.
Josephine Quinn, an archaeologist at University of Oxford, agrees. “The whole Bronze Age system produces a lot of discontent,” she told me.
Mr. Cline and Ms. Quinn’s work puts the achievements of the Bronze Age in a new light. The kings of Mycenae and Ugarit worked hand-in-hand with the wealthiest merchants to get rich. They consolidated economic and political power, to stamp out competition from smaller city-states or independent merchants.
Mr. Cline described a letter from an Ugarit merchant named Sinaranu, who reported that he didn’t have to pay any import tax when his boats returned from Crete loaded up with grain, beer and olive oil. Apparently, tax breaks for the rich are one of the oldest tricks ever invented by the ruling class.
We know what went on in the region by the written records left behind prior to the fall of the empire.
When their cities were swallowed by fire, the Bronze Age ruling classes lost everything, including the subjects they once controlled.
Greece’s population dropped by roughly 50 percent during this time, probably because of a combination of war, drought and migration, according to Sarah Murray, a classics professor at the University of Toronto and author of “The Collapse of the Mycenaean Economy.” Mr. Cline believes that plagues may have driven people into the hinterlands, too.
Still, it’s unlikely that many of these people missed the old ways. “Were they ever concerned about whether the king was adequately supplied with fancy jewelry and ostrich eggs from Egypt?” Ms. Murray asked. “I’d bet that they were not. If anything, the demise of the palaces could have made life easier for them.”
After the uprisings, the Mediterranean was no longer dominated by cities like Ugarit and Mycenae.
Things were different during the Bronze Age. The earth was greener, the air purer, and people lived a pleasant pastoral life.
Smaller cities such as Tyre and Sidon, which still stand in Lebanon today, emerged from the Bronze Age unscathed and became centers of culture in the region. It was as if the fall of New York and San Francisco left room for Philadelphia and Oakland to take up the slack.
The merchants of Tyre and Sidon thrived in this new world. They were local business owners with no formal affiliations or political ties. With the collapse of the old kingdoms, they had the freedom to sail unknown seas. Tyre’s traders ventured much further than the representatives of Ugarit ever had, and settled in the territory that became Spain, Morocco and Tunisia.
During the Bronze Age, cities grew. People became prosperous. Rich people emerged and they became powerful. They eventually used their power and wealth to control others.
In other words, the demise of Bronze Age civilization was not an all-out collapse. More accurately, it transformed the nature of political power in cities. Instead of a rigid, international power structure that controlled the whole eastern Mediterranean, there were local governments for each city-state.
One of the reasons historians call this transition period a “collapse” is that writing all but disappeared.
Ms. Quinn said that may have been another sign of the anti-state protests. The kings of Ugarit and Mycenae kept a tight leash on their client states by using written records to track their wealth and levy taxes. Farmers and merchants, she said, might have stopped writing things down to evade the kings’ control.
Writing was important for commerce. How could you conduct trade or commerce over multiple borders? The collapse of all writing implies a collapse of cities, as well as education, and of course, commerce.
Writing returned to the region a few centuries after the fall of Ugarit, thanks to traders from Tyre and other independent cities. They used a form of writing that was phonetic, based on sounds rather than logographs like Egyptian hieroglyphs. This script, dubbed Phoenician, was easy to learn, easy to adapt to local languages, and became the basis for the modern Roman alphabet we use today.
As we live through what could be the first big cataclysm of the third millennium, the people of the late Bronze Age have something to teach us.
“Invest in the local community, because no matter who is in charge at the top, local business are likely to survive,” said Ms. Quinn.
Of course, she added, the ultrarich companies will survive, too.
The biggest traders of Ugarit didn’t disappear, because they had political connections in the surviving cities like Tyre. Their fancy homes may have burned down, but they could afford to buy new ones.
Typical Bronze Age farming community in the region.
Will we face a violent uprising in the wake of economic collapse?
Perhaps, but today’s 1 percent might not suffer the way Bronze Age kings did. For one thing, local trade networks are no longer as robust as the ones that existed in 1000 B.C.E., when merchants from Tyre traded with nearby villages, who then traded with other neighboring towns.
“We really have demolished local manufacturing and supply systems,” Ms. Murray said. “It is a bit sad to reflect on the contrast between the Bronze Age case, in which a few elites bore the brunt of the suffering.”
During the collapse of the Bronze Age, those with strong local connections and relationships survived. It is those that made things, or provided a tangible service that survived the complete collapse of civilization during the Bronze Age.
These days, local traders and small towns depend on international supply chains as much as the kings of Ugarit did. One thing remains certain. Our survival still depends on sustainable local networks, and not tax breaks granted by kings.
Conclusion
The collapse of the Bronze Age was a significant collapse of society. It had many contributors. Much of which was apparently instigated by the wealthiest and most powerful of the day. The end result was a collapse of society on all levels.
This included a collapse of commerce, city and urban life, writing and education. What followed was a quiet time that was not recorded. Whether this was a dangerous and barbaric time, or something more peaceful, we do not know.
These kinds of events happen throughout history. We owe it to ourselves to strengthen our local regional relationships, and become skilled in practical physical construction, farming or services. Just because societal collapse is an infrequent event, does not mean that it does not happen. It does.
Be alert and know your neighbors.
Do you want more?
I have more, similar articles, along this line in my SHTF Index, here…
You’ll not find any big banners or popups here talking about cookies and privacy notices. There are no ads on this site (aside from the hosting ads – a necessary evil). Functionally and fundamentally, I just don’t make money off of this blog. It is NOT monetized. Finally, I don’t track you because I just don’t care to.
Please kindly help me out in this effort. There is a lot of effort that goes into this disclosure. I could use all the financial support that anyone could provide. Thank you very much.
This article goes into a much more involved study of how consciousness interacts with world-lines in the MWI.
In so doing, we have to deconstruct some of the simpler conventions that we have used in the past, and layout a better foundation of how the MWI actually interacts with the consciousness.
In earlier posts, I have gone into details on how the MWI actually manifests in our reality. In those presentations, I intentionally simplified things for easy understanding.
It's sort of like how you teach a person to swim by holding them and letting them kick their legs in the water. You use "supports". These supports aren't really the "real thing", but they help you along the road to eventually master the real thing.
In this post, we will assume that you the reader have mastered a basic understanding of those previous points.
Consciousness moves in and out of world-lines.
This movement appears as “time”.
Our thoughts direct which world-lines that we enter.
Introduction
In this article, we will now elaborate upon the world-line construction. We will look at what it actually is and how it actually works. Not everyone needs to know or understand this. But for those that do, this will help obtain a better understanding of it.
This
is an illustration of what time actually is. Time does not exist. It is
a perception that our consciousness has as it moves and weaves in and
out of different world-lines. Here we use an old-fashioned movie reel
projector to help illustrate this understanding.
It will appear really strange, but I do hope that I can help add some insight into everything.
Now, this article is for advanced students and are advanced studies.
Most of the people who have already mastered World-Line-Travel 101, you won’t need to read this. For the handful of people that understand world-line-travel-101, you don’t really need to understand much more than that.
But for those of you that need more, then here it is.
Of course, it’s long due. But all this COVID-19 nonsense has pretty much hijacked my postings and articles.
Quick Review
The universe is nothing like people think it is.
Instead of all of us sharing the same physical universe, we exist as consciousness within our very own personal reality. It only appears that we share it with others.
There is a near infinite number of these realities. They are known as individual world-lines.
We travel through these different world-lines at a rate of around 4 Hz. The selection of the world-line we exist within momentarily is manifested by our thoughts. This is a rather speedy switching in and out of world-lines.
Roughly, our consciousness pops in and out of four different world-lines every second.
Each world-line is nearly identical to the one before it.
The differences are determined by your thoughts, conscious and unconscious.
If you want to review what all this is about, I would suggest you check out these following posts first:
So please keep in mind that while everything posted previously is quite accurate, it is actually simplified for understanding.
Now, we get into a deeper perception of how things actually work. And in the process better understand all that PSI and “twilight zone” stuff that appears from time-to-time.
Once you understand these new elements of consciousness fundamentals and world-line interaction, you can understand how people are able to do many "tricks" with PSI, and other strange things...
Clarification #1 – Consciousness cycles in and out of world-lines in a sinusoidal manner.
This should be obvious to the astute reader, but it needs to be stated.
The consciousness moves in and out of world-lines naturally. It moves in a sinusoidal manner. It moves in and out. In and out. Over and over.
The rate of travel varies from person to person, but typically averages around 4 Hz.
Standard sinusoidal waveform.
During this time it changes “shape properties”. Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth.
At “the top” of the cycle it takes on wave behavior.
At the “bottom” of the cycle, it takes on particle behavior.
Consciousness movement in and out of different world-lines.
When it takes on wave behavior it moves from one world-line to another directed by thought. It exists “in the spirit world”.
Movement of consciousness.
When it takes on particle behavior, it occupies a world-line and inhabits a physical body.
Our consciousness cycles in and out of different world-lines. Between each trip it exists within “heaven”.
With this understood, we can define the amount of time that the transition from world-line to world-line takes, as well as the duration a consciousness spends inside each world-line.
If there are 4 cycles per second, then, each trip back and forth from the "Heavenly realms" to a world-line is 1/4 a second.
And thus, (roughly) each moment at a given world-line is half of that. Or, 1/8 of a second.
Some “take aways”;
Humans, via our consciousness, is continuously in touch with the “Heavenly realms”. Every moment we touch heaven, and enter our latest world-line.
When in the wave form, we can perform all sorts of activities and have all sorts of “abilities” not tied to any world-line. There are no physical limitations. Humans spend approximately 50% of their time “connected” to the “Heavenly realms”.
For us to maintain (retain) our memories from world-line to world-line, the memories are deposited outside the brain. It exists within the “Heavenly realms” not within the physical brain.
Key Correction #1 – Consciousness moves about the MWI when attached to a human body.
In my previous simplifications, I have referred to, and drawn the consciousness as a red blob; a point of light. I have stated that “Soul” can generate multiple Consciousnesses that it places on “journeys”. These “Journeys for experience” is a life-experience for a soul.
Simplified diagram of how consciousness moves in and out of the MWI and gives us the illusion of time. This is what one second of life looks like for the average person. He / she enters and leaves four different world lines each second. This “movement” appears as time.
The Consciousness normally travels in and out of world-lines all a person’s life.
Once a consciousness uses up a body as it travels in and out of world-lines, it dies. The consciousness stays in the wave-form and “rests” within the “Heavenly realms”.
A decision is thus made by the soul, the consciousness, and their associations with other spirits, angels, and heavenly denizens on what to do next.
Often, it involves being injected on another “journey” in another life. This is often referred to as reincarnation.
This graphic shows how the the “passage of time” is viewed in the big-scale of things. MWI movement occurs during a human “lifespan”. You can only experience world-line travel within a given life. (There’s exceptions to this, but let’s stay focused.)
Key Correction #2 – Consciousness is not a point-source.
Consciousness is actually quite complex and complicated.
It is not a blob, a dot, a “something”.
It’s a collection of “stuff” that operates in such a way that the soul, the consciousness, the MWI and the thoughts generate memories and navigate the life-path to create experiences that the soul can learn from.
Soul creates a “consciousness” that it uses to travel the MWI.
It inserts it into a given world-line, and allows it to move unencumbered and subject to it’s own thoughts. Each world-line is a “physical reality” that the consciousness occupies.
The soul, which resides in the “Heavenly realms” creates a consciousness from which to experience things and events. Thus learns and grows. Consciousness is the passageway or “tunnel” that connects the physical reality to the soul.
Now, in all of this, I drew consciousness (literately, and artistically) as a point. I drew it as a red circular blob. Like in the two earlier drawings.
As in the above drawing showing the consciousness as a red blob in front of a long tunnel to the soul.
Movement of consciousness into a world-line as depicted as a point source.
However, the true reality is a bit different.
Get ready to have your mind blown.
The consciousness actually occupies multiple World-line-realities at any given moment simultaneously. It is actually not a “red blob”. It’s a lot of “red blobs”. Each one occupying a different world-line… simultaneously.
It is a “shared potential”. Some of the consciousness occupies one world-line at any given moment, while other aspects of it’s consciousness occupies other world-lines.
Sort of like this…
Consciousness occupies multiple world-lines at any given moment. The sum total of what our consciousness experiences is what we view as “our” present world-line. It appears to be but one singular world-line, but it is actually a aggregate composite of all the world-lines that our consciousness occupies at any given moment. 1 / (30/4+40/4+20/4+10/4) = Momentary reality.
Then, they move on to the next group of world lines. Then again. Then again. Then again. Over and over.
It’s not a red blob moving in and out.
Consciousness occupies multiple world-lines at any given moment. The sum total of what our consciousness experiences is what we view as “our” present world-line. They all change in the same cycle as governed by the consciousness.
Instead, consciousness occupies numerous world-lines at any given moment. Each world-line is different, but similar. The Consciousness interprets the differences as a singular world-line.
Key Correction #2 – World-Lines are not point-sources either.
We have a tendency to think of a “world” as a fixed and solid place. And the way that I have described the movement of time, has been the consciousness moving in and out from these fixed world-line realities.
A "world-line" is the resultant combined perception of a moment "frozen in time" that combines multiple world-lines into a singular apparent place.
What we think a world-line is is not a fixed singular place.
It is the sum total average of all the experiences that a conscientiousness is exposed to at any singular moment in time.
By fracturing a consciousness and occupying many similar world-lines simultaneously, the resultant consciousness would end up with a richer “experience”. It can also help to direct the travel and migrate to “better” world-lines per it’s directives.
It is the exact opposite of “living within an echo chamber“. It enables the consciousness to experience different experiences instead of simply reinforcing existing ones that the consciousness has been accustomed to over the years.
Key Correction #3 – World-Lines are not entirely empty of other consciousnesses.
To best understand how you can move in and out of multiple world-lines, it makes sense to think of things simply. Your consciousness is a point or sphere. The world-lines are empty and only occupied by “shadow consciousnesses”. But that’s really a simplistic picture.
It’s a simple narrative.
Imagine that you are only consciousness. And that you can move in and out of different world-lines freely. They seem to be occupied by all kinds of other people, but that is just an illusion. Most world-lines are just empty. And all those other people are just “quantum shadows” of others.
Now, this simplistic narrative needs to be revised to reflect the reality.
Instead of 100% of a consciousness entering a world-line where all the “quantum shadows” only have 0% occupancy within that reality…
…we now look at the reality…
Your consciousness might devote (say) 23% occupation within a given world-line, and all those “quantum-shadows” are actually occupied by other consciousnesses. Only they are a much smaller percentage. Often varying from 0.0002% to 0.1%.
Thus, in truth, all world-lines are not truly empty. They are occupied to some extent. And all of the other consciousnesses react to the way your consciousness behaves within any given particular world line.
Conclusion
And this, boys and girls, is the more advanced understanding of how the universe actually works. It’s simple, but complex.
It’s “rich” and “colorful”.
It also helps to understand how PSI and other psychic behaviors manifest within our reality.
And no, you are not going to find this anywhere else on the internet or in the halls of the universities. But this is what I have been tasked to understand (or at least part of it, anyways) as part of my MAJestic role.
I have much more, but it starts to really get complicated.
In it, I explain how the physical materials can be manipulated by thought and how one can travel through “apparent time”, and all sorts of curious other things. But, I am not ready to release all these other things out to the public at this time. It’s not the time.
I do not want to anger the PTB (Powers That Be) at this time.
I hope that you enjoyed this post. If you want to see more along these lines, please go to my MAJestic Index, here…
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How can movies stand the test of time? I really don’t know. But in my mind, this 007 James Bond flick seems to get better with age. There are so many things that I love about this movie. It’s just stunning.
This movie fits the public narrative perfectly. Men watch the movie as escapist entertainment where they can envision themselves in the same role. Shooting bad guys, seducing women, and looking good while going on exciting adventures all over the world, and riding in nice sports cars.
And, it’s true, too. Women feel the same way in the roles that portray the women as well.
Thunderball - this film's undersea battle is still rated among the top ones of all time - but I liked the "moments"- remembering how everyone on campus had a mink glove or access to one, after this film - fun memory.
And how many of the "gimmicks" were brand new at the time - the amazing jet pack flying suit is still a topic of conversation and excitement for those who now chase the hoverboard; and then neat "discipline" gimmick for the embezzling Spectre agent #9
- and Domino's brother's lookalike surgery, and the bombs and their robbery, and the famous " Do you mind if my partner rests here for a moment
- she'd "Just DEAD" when the villainess is shot by her own men aiming for Bond
- and then Domino's " I killed him - I'm glad I killed him" line when she gets Largo .
A perfectly perfect take from " you killed him - I'm glad you killed him" quoted from Melanie in Gone with the Wind , to Scarlett, when she shoots the home invading soldier as he tries to harm her - "right between the eyes" as her paw would have taught her.
- Elle Shopper Lady
The pre-title credits sequence was set in Paris, France at the funeral of JB (SPECTRE operative No. 6, French Colonel Jacques Bouvar (or Boitier)), who had murdered two agents, Bond’s colleagues.
Bouvar had faked his own death (reportedly passing away in his sleep) and dressed up as his own widow (Rose Alba/Bob Simmons).
After the funeral and aware of the ruse/disguise, James Bond (Sean Connery) hurriedly followed her/him to his French chateau, where he fought and then strangled and broke Bouvar’s neck with a fire-poker (# 1 death, #1 Bond kill).
From the roof, Bond escaped by using his jet-pack rocket belt to fly him to his parked Aston Martin DB5 vehicle nearby, accompanied by French agent Madame La Porte (uncredited Mitsouko). He avoided pursuit by activating his car’s rear armored shield and rear-firing water sprayers.
Thunderball has something for everyone. What woman would not be able to see themselves in this role? Thunderball is a classic James Bond 007 movies. It is a movie that has something for everyone, and ages well. It gets better with time.
The high-ranking SPECTRE No. 2 villain, white-haired, black eye-patch-wearing Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi), was introduced in Paris, entering the building of the philanthropic International Brotherhood for the Assistance of Stateless Persons.
In a large, secret inner chamber, he met for a debriefing with unseen, ruthless Persian cat-petting SPECTRE No. 1 Ernst Stavro Blofeld (uncredited Anthony Dawson) and other SPECTRE agents – “a dedicated fraternity” of international terrorists.
While I liked "Goldfinger" a little better, "Thunderball" is certainly a solid, entertaining and worthy part of the James Bond franchise. This is especially impressive considering this movie was made over 50 years ago. In "Thunderball", it feels as though the elements of what makes a Bond film a Bond film begin to emerge. While some things strain credulity (by this film, the paradox of James Bond's renown as a secret agent is becoming apparent), "Thunderball" does a nice job of capturing the style of James Bond without completely abandoning a sense of realism. And of course, the Bond women (eg, Domino), exotic locations and cool cars don't hurt when it comes to coaxing an audience into willfully suspending disbelief.
- Norman Oro UCLA 93
One of the agents, suspected of embezzlement, was promptly eliminated by electrocution in his chair (# 2 death) and disposed of into a hole in the floor beneath him.
No. 2, in charge of SPECTRE’s “most ambitious” NATO project, reported that his blackmail plan was a ransom demanded from NATO of $280 million/£100 million pounds – his assistant Count Lippe (Guy Doleman) was in the South of England making preparations, at a health clinic named Shrublands, near the NATO air base.
Getting your top secret orders. Yikes! Thunderball is a classic James Bond 007 movies. It is a movie that has something for everyone, and ages well. It gets better with time.
Bond was also at the Shrublands for a rest-cure, receiving a massage from pretty blonde physiotherapist Patricia Fearing (Molly Peters), where he met Lippe and noticed a small, suspicious red tattoo on his left arm (a possible Tong sign – the Red Dragon from Macao).
Bond snuck into Lippe’s room where he found nothing, but was spotted by face-bandaged neighbor Angelo Palazzi (Paul Stassino), reportedly recuperating from a car crash.
During another appointment with Patricia, Bond forced an unappreciated kiss on her.
The title says it all! I've been a James Bond fan for many years, mostly for the Roger Moore films but I do like the Sean Connery films, as well and "THUNDERBALL" is one of them. I love the film for the beautiful scenery since a lot of the movie is filmed in the Bahamas. I also love the beautiful actresses that play in the film, especially Claudine Auger, who plays Domino, the main Bond girl. Boy, is she beautiful, especially when she's in a bikini, underwater, snorkeling or scuba diving.
Those scenes made me resume swimming, completely submerged underwater, now with a mask & snorkel. I also like the wonderful acting job of Sean Connery in his 4th film as James Bond as well as the supporting cast. Also, praise goes to the crew on the fantastic job they did in making this film, especially Terence Young in his 3rd & final time directing. Lastly, I love the fantastic underwater battles. To sum it up, this is a terrific movie & I recommend it to every James Bond fan out there because, believe me, you'll enjoy it!
- Rob Holly
She strapped him to a motorized traction table (“the rack”) to stretch his spine (she joked: “First time I’ve felt really safe all day”).
After she left, Count Lippe entered and turned the controls to the red danger zone to kill him.
Patricia saved Bond after he passed out. She asked for him to keep silent about the incident – his price for cooperation was her seduction in the Turkish steam bath room (# 1 tryst).
To retaliate, Bond sabotaged Lippe’s steam-bath cabinet and trapped him inside. In his room, Bond rubbed a soft black mink glove over the naked back of now sexually-liberated Patricia (# 2 tryst).
In this movie we have all the elements of adventure. Weapons, romance, unique and unusual places, and a scheming evil genus. Thunderball is a classic James Bond 007 movies. It is a movie that has something for everyone, and ages well. It gets better with time.
Meanwhile, NATO’s French pilot Major Francois Derval (Paul Stassino) was being seduced by voluptuous, red-haired ‘black widow’ mistress – a SPECTRE agent named Fiona Volpe (Luciana Paluzzi).
When he was leaving for the airbase, a look-alike Major Derval was outside his door, and sprayed him with lethal gamma gas (# 3 death).
The look-alike was SPECTRE agent Angelo, who had undergone plastic surgeries over two years to face-replicate and impersonate Derval.
He had also studied films, reports, and taken voice lessons.
He greedily demanded (or extorted) $250,000 rather than $100,000 to complete the task.
He appropriated Derval’s watch, ID disk, and bag, and departed for a training sortie at the NATO air base.
This is my favorite Sean Connery Bond film. Thunderball is loaded with style, slick action, great stunts, beautiful scenery, beautiful women, and Sean Connery.
This film continued the practice of great opening action sequence, a 'larger-than-life' villain in Largo/ AKA No. 2 (Adolfo Celi), a collection of vicious henchmen and woman - Count Lippe, Fiona, Vargas and Janni (played by Guy Doleman, Luciana Paluzzi, Philip Locke and Michael Brennan), an elaborate plot and a beautiful leading lady (Claudine Auger who plays Domino) Bob Simmons, the main Bond stuntman opens the film as the villainous aCol.
Jacques Bouvar AKA SPECTRE No. 6 who is dispatched by Bond.
The scape by jetpack sets the stage for the great action film that follows. Largo and SPECTRE have downed a UN Vulcan fighter and stolen two nuclear warheads and hidden them in the Caribbean.
Bond must intervene before the UN pays a ransom to SPECTRE. Along the way, Bond romances, fights on land and underwater, and finally squares off on a hydrofoil.
The one change here is that the villain is not killed by Bond - someone else (Domino)does that that favor.
The cast of British actors (Bernard Lee, Desmond Llewelyn and Lois Maxwell) return as the MI-6 crew with Rik Van Nutter playing Felix Leiter in this film.
The hi-lights of this film include the incredible underwater photography and action sequences, the villainous and voluptuous Fiona, the Vulcan crash and cover-up, and the incredible fight on the hydro-foil, the Disco Volante.
There are two quintessential Bond scenes: SPECTRE's HQ and MI-6' briefing room which are a treat for all Bond fans.
This loud, action-filled and very entertaining Bond film raised the level that future Bond films would have to meet. This one is great!
- Jaime Contreras
“Derval” commanded a routine NATO flight of a Vulcan jet bomber at 45,000 feet, armed with two atomic bombs (MOS type).
As the noisy plane took off, Bond was still seducing Patricia with the mink glove, although they were interrupted when Bond left to snoop on Count Lippe – who was supervising the return of Derval’s corpse (face-bandaged to look like Angelo) in an ambulance back to Shrublands (it was later claimed that “Angelo” died of a heart-attack).
Bond unwrapped the corpse’s facial bandages, and then avoided a second attempt on his life by one of Lippe’s henchmen.
James Bond interacting with the office staff. He always has such a way with the girls. You can tell, eh? Thunderball is a classic James Bond 007 movies. It is a movie that has something for everyone, and ages well. It gets better with time.
During the NATO flight, “Derval” took the co-pilot’s seat, gassed five other crew members with the lethal gamma gas canister (while wearing a separate oxygen supply/mask) (# 4-8 deaths), and deliberately crash-landed the plane near the Bahamas in the Caribbean.
Nearby, on his luxury hydrofoil yacht the Disco Volante (Flying Saucer), Emilio Largo ordered underwater lights switched on to guide the plane to its proper landing strip location, where it gently sank to the bottom.
Wearing scuba gear, Largo swam to the submerged plane, and cut “Derval’s” air-supply hose to drown him (# 9 death) (punishing him for his extortion demand), when he was trapped in his seat-belt.
From an underwater hatch, three of Largo’s henchmen took a submersible craft to the NATO jet to unload and transport the two massive thermonuclear weapons back to the yacht, and then covered the jet with a camouflage net to hide it.
We just recently decided to delve into the Sean Connery James Bond films.
We went into Thunderball appreciating that it was a landmark film in terms of cinematography for the time; it's the only film I've seen that outdoes 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in terms of underwater choreography.
We also knew that Thunderball wasn't on any top ten Bond films lists so we didn't expect too much from it, aside from entertainment.
It certainly delivered in that department and we were swept away in an undersea adventure that was tastefully and masterfully executed.
I particularly enjoyed that Domino had a bit more complexity than the standard Bond girl.
It's not one of the best of the Connery era but it's certainly a great entry and far, far better than the campy nightmares that the Roger Moore films became.
Even though many people site Goldfinger as the best Bond film of all time, I actually enjoyed this one a bit more.
- ashbwell
As the yacht returned to its base in the Bahamas, SPECTRE No. 1 ordered the execution of Count Lippe.
Bond was summoned away (to London), and bid goodbye to Patricia, promising to reunite with her “another time, another place.”
As he drove off, he was followed by Lippe – SPECTRE assassin Fiona also rode behind them on a rocket-firing BSA Lightning motorcycle. She fired two deadly missiles at Lippe’s car, which exploded and crashed, killing him (# 10 death), and then submerged her bike in a nearby lake.
James Bond negotiating with a pretty evil chick who does not have his best interests at heart. Thunderball is a classic James Bond 007 movies. It is a movie that has something for everyone, and ages well. It gets better with time.
In the British Secret Service conference room in an important briefing held by “M” (Bernard Lee), with nine 00- agents in attendance (including Bond), the group was told about recent troubling developments regarding SPECTRE’s possession of two NATO bombs.
A ransom of £100 million pounds sterling was demanded of the British government within seven days – otherwise, SPECTRE threatened to destroy an unspecified major city in either England or the United States (later revealed to be Miami).
To signal their cooperation with the ransom, the Big Ben clock was to strike 7 times at 6 pm the following day.
The problem was that there was no indication about where the Vulcan jet had crashed or landed.
There is only one 007, and that is the Scottish actor, Sean Connery. Seeing this one again over the summer was wild and wooly. Yes, they made movies a bit differently in the early 60's, but that's ok. With 'Thunderball' you get what you paid for.
Relentless action, supercool locations(Bermuda/Virgin Islands) and ultra sexy 'Bond Girls'. Alot of the action scenes toward the end are all underwater. Connery has fun with this installment, as the series was still new at the time. Who can forget the 'shark scene'? This is first class entertainment, and far from 'politically correct.'
Everyone who is cool in the film smokes and drinks, as well.
Connery appeared in a total of 7 Bond movies. This one was so good, they re-made it in 1983 and called it "Never Say Never Again"! True Bond fans will rank this one high on their list. So sit back, crack open a cold one and watch the remastered version on your flatscreen. You will not be disapointed!
- metalhead Ted
The mission, code-named “Thunderball,” was to work with NATO, the CIA, and all allied intelligence units.
In the briefing packet was a picture of Derval with his sister Dominique in Nassau, Bahamas. Bond was specifically assigned to Station C (Canada), although he requested that his assignment be changed to Nassau.
Bond claimed that he saw the dead pilot Derval at Shrublands (although the situation was confused because Derval was also seen boarding the Vulcan), and he wanted to interrogate Derval’s sister Dominique, presently in Nassau.
With only four days to complete his mission, Bond quickly flew there.
Everyone has to report and defend their actions to the higher ups. James Bond is no exception. Thunderball is a classic James Bond 007 movies. It is a movie that has something for everyone, and ages well. It gets better with time.
While free-diving near Dominique “Domino” Derval (former Miss France Claudine Auger), Bond saved her from drowning when her flipper was caught in coral.
Bond and his own local dive assistant, bikinied native Bahamian Paula Caplan (Martine Beswick), faked a conked-out motor and Bond asked Domino for a lift to Coral Harbor, where he invited her for lunch by the pool.
The film is different from the recent Bond films, but they are from a different era and cannot be compared. Sean Connery is absolutely charming and charismatic. Daniel Craig is equally perfect for the modern 007 roles.
I love 60's cinema, the 70's less so, and the 80's just kinda stunk. It's film's like this that make me love the 60's. There are certain special effects that are available for modern film that weren't around then. There is a scene where Bond is escaping with a rocket backpack and you can actually see the supporting cables. This does not take away from the movie.
I won't give away any plot points, but Sean Connery is what really makes this movie special. I admit to Daniel Craig being my favorite 007 agent, but Connery comes in as a close second. If you can tear yourself away from modern effects and try to appreciate this film (and the others) for what they are, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
- J.AllenTop Contributor: Poker
He learned that she was the bored, love-starved mistress/kept woman (“niece”) of a possessive “guardian” (Emilio Largo) who owned a yacht and an opulent estate on the island.
He knew her nickname was “Domino” – observed on a bracelet on her ankle.
At a party that evening in a casino, attended by Bond, Domino, and Largo, Bond challenged the villain to a game of cards (with raised stakes to 500 pounds) and won, then briefly shared a drink and dance with Domino, before Largo interrupted and invited Bond to dinner at Sunday noon at his private beachside villa-estate in Palmyra.
James Bond always has so much fun, now don’t you think? Thunderball is a classic James Bond 007 movies. It is a movie that has something for everyone, and ages well. It gets better with time.
The next day, Bond was returning to his hotel room (#304), but avoided directly entering, and came through Paula’s adjoining room (#306) instead.
He listened to a tape recording, hidden in a hollowed-out Nassau Directory.
It had recorded someone’s entry into his room.
With a silencer in his hand, he answered a knock on the door from CIA agent Felix Leiter (Rik Van Nutter), punched him in the stomach to quiet him before he said 007, and also roughly dealt with Largo’s henchman Quist (Bill Cummings) – scalding him in his bathroom shower before sending the disarmed assassin back to his superior.
I fondly remember this movie when seeing all the James Bond -Sean Connery movies for free with my brothers up in the above theater balcony with special seating as my father held a second job during that decade (1960's and early parts of the 70's) as the Motion Picture Machine Operator.I was pretty young though at the time (just 7 years of age).Dad was also a Commander too in the long past before I was born just like James Bond.
I especially liked the C.I.A. Fulton equipped B-17 Flying Fortress 44-85531 in the movie and pointed that out to father after watching it on cable television with him a few years before he passed away in 2004 as he was an Aircraft Commander/Pilot of the B-17's during World War II.Sean Connery as James Bond was a character that my father and I too adored.
To me Sean Connery is James Bond and no other actor replaces him as that for me.
Seeing this again brings me back to happier times.
The DVD was shipped quickly and it plays well.
- x9078ljk4+
At Palmyra, a disgusted Largo ordered Quist – after his failed mission – to be thrown into a swimming pool containing sharks (# 11 death).
Bond met with local MI6 ally-contact Pinder (Earl Cameron) and was taken to a base of operations behind a marketplace, where “Q” (Desmond Llewelyn) provided him with the latest multi-purpose gadgets, many for underwater use.
In approximately 55 hours, the British government was planning to drop the “blood money” ransom (off the coast of Burma) in the form of blue-white diamonds worth £100 million pounds.
This is an old movie and the technologies are dated. However that in no way detracts from the movies. Instead, it only adds to it’s charms. Thunderball is a classic James Bond 007 movies. It is a movie that has something for everyone, and ages well. It gets better with time.
At night, Bond donned scuba gear and swam under Largo’s yacht — where one of Largo’s sentry-frogmen discovered him and fired a spear-gun.
Largo watched Bond struggle underwater, after turning on lights and activating closed-circuit video cameras, and saw that Bond cut the man’s air-hose.
Largo ordered hand-grenades dropped on him as Bond was taking photos of the hull of the boat (with his infra-red camera).
Bond was stunned, but escaped unharmed, and evaded a search-boat – letting them think he had been killed by its propeller.
After he came ashore, he hitchhiked and was picked up by Fiona Volpe (wearing a ring with an Octopus symbol, similar to the one worn by Largo) in a light blue Mustang and speedily driven at 100 mph back to his Nassau hotel.
The photos were developed at Pinder’s base, revealing an underwater hatch beneath Largo’s yacht.
Bond guessed that Largo’s entire operation was concealed underwater, and that the Vulcan plane was submerged.
Another excellent James Bond film looking at men of international crime. A very realistic villain emerges here in this fourth James Bond film.
Bond's crime nemesis Emilio Largo has a seaside home in Nassau out of which he runs a nuclear weapons theft operation. His small crew are able to conceal the warheads easily, and almost escaped detection if it weren't for Bond's excellent tracking instinct and bravery.
True to the 007 film franchise formula, this movie has all the gizmos and equipment that 1950's and 60's Westerners were convinced would be in high demand such as hydrofoils and jetpacks and that sort of thing. Unfortunately the jetpack has fallen into disfavor as a mainstream idea. Though a lot of the tech in Thunderball has fallen into disfavor, still it was very cool nonetheless to journey back through the era before I was born and see how people embraced the future.
In summary, this 007 movie follows on the heels of other excellent ones that set the bar very high. Also, the underwater photography and ensuing action sequences are really excellent, which adds immensely to the enjoyment of the move.
I would consider watching this again after a short time just for the shocking diving action sequences the end of the film alone. However, there are other aspects of this movie that kept my attention as well, such as the feeling that Ian Fleming's work inspires us not to underestimate the deviousness and creativity of criminal minds.
Though we sent a man to the moon, and are optimists by nature, the plot stays grounded in the reality that Bond almost doesn't prevail at several junctures against a nuclear madman.
To Fleming, Broccoli, and Saltzman's credit, they seem to convey an important subtlety well: though the MI6 team thought failure was unimaginable, it also doesn't mean mission accomplishment was guaranteed, or failure is impossible.
- Aye Aye Captain!
The next day (Sunday), a search by helicopter for the missing plane near Nassau was unfruitful.
While shooting skeets at Largo’s oceanside villa of Palmyra, Fiona vowed to assassinate Bond when the time was right: “I shall kill him.”
Later that day as a guest at Largo’s villa for lunch, Bond was shown around and also shot skeets.
Largo bragged about his pool with Golden Grotto sharks (“the most savage, the most dangerous”). Because he was busy, Largo also invited Domino to accompany Bond to the Junkanoo, the “local Mardi Gras” that evening, to keep him occupied.
A sex scene done properly. You do not need to show pornographic activities to titillate. Thunderball is a classic James Bond 007 movies. It is a movie that has something for everyone, and ages well. It gets better with time.
Meanwhile, in her hotel room waiting for Bond, Paula was chloroformed and abducted by Largo’s goons (and Fiona).
The assassinatrix noticed Bond’s photos of the yacht’s hull. During the Junkanoo celebration that night, after learning that Paula had disappeared, Bond snuck away (Leiter kept Domino occupied) and infiltrated Palmyra, at the same time that Pinder had requested a power blackout to cut the electricity.
He located Paula being questioned by Largo’s silent, sadistic black-dressed henchman Vargas (Philip Locke) in an underground room.
Thunderball is one of the best of the James Bond movies. Although it was filmed in the 1965, the technology and action scenes still look good 50 years later (I bought the DVD in 2017). In this film James Bond is played by Sean Connery, who I think did the best portrayal of Bond. The plot revolves around the stealing of nuclear bombs by Spectre, the nefarious group that opposes Bond in several other of the films.
The underwater fight sequences are spectacular – even recent films have trouble topping them.
The Bond girl in this movie is played by actress Claudine Auger; excellent casting. A classic Bond film throughout; much better than many of the other Bond films. I think Thunderball and Goldfinger are among the best two Bond films made.
- Lee Gimenez
When Bond attempted to rescue her, he was too late – she had already heroically committed suicide by self-administering a cyanide capsule (# 12 death).
As Bond fled, he shot one of Largo’s men (# 13 death, # 2 Bond kill) to get the group to shoot at each other, and engaged in a fist-fight with one of the men.
The two fell into a second swimming pool (Largo deployed the metal pool cover, and then opened a tunnel hatch to the other shark pool).
Bond stabbed his opponent in the gut (his bloody wound soon attracted the hungry sharks and he was consumed) (# 14 death), and then swam through the tunnel to narrowly escape.
I can see me doing this. Can’t you? (Actually, I’ve done it many times, don’t ya know.) Thunderball is a classic James Bond 007 movies. It is a movie that has something for everyone, and ages well. It gets better with time.
After contacting Pinder and being driven back to his hotel, Bond found Fiona naked in the bathtub of Paula’s vacated room.
After making love with the “wild” woman (“You should be locked up in a cage”) (# 3 tryst), the two dressed up and planned to return to the all-night Junkanoo celebration.
However, Fiona (revealing her true identity as Largo’s assassin) betrayed Bond and held a gun on him, to escort him to Largo’s presence with support from other thugs.
After the first three attempts, they finally got all the right ingredients to making a great bond film.
A Nato Vulcan bomber carrying two atomic bombs has crashed in the caribbean, SPECTRE has informed the British Government that they hijacked the plane's cargo, unless a ransom of 100 million is paid in seven days a major city in england or the U.S will be destroyed.
So MI6 calls in all it's agents, but only one will have the lead. 007, and awaiting Bond in the Bahamas is Fiona Volpe.
A SPECTRE executioner, she's the one who orchestrated the Vulcan hijack, as a matter of fact, as she and Bond are dancing in a street cafe.
One of her men is about to shoot Bond, but he swings her around, and Volpe gets shot in the back instead of Bond, a very deadly and sexy assassin.
Paula Caplain, she is another MI6 agent. But sadly Fiona Caplain and Largo's men kidnapped her from her hotel room, and Bond was too late to rescue her. Emilio Largo, SPECTRE number 2.
Owner of a luxurious yacht, a niiiiice house. And owner of the two missing bombs, and last but certainly not least is Domino Derval. The sister of NATO pilot Major Derval, she is also Largo's girfriend.
But grows tired of his overbearing ways, and soon becomes attracted to Bond. As a matter of fact, she ends up being the one who kills Largo.
This movie has it all, the pre-title sequence. Where bond kills another SPECTRE agent, at a funeral, then gets away via a jetpack. Bond also has his way with the ladies, but is also decisive when need be, a cold blooded killer.
This movie doesn't focus on gadgets, but it does use them. Me personally, i think this is arguably the better of the early Bond films.
- Ben Milton
But Bond escaped from their car when they were held up in festival traffic, although wounded in the lower right leg as he ran into the crowd.
He was chased through a carnival parade by five henchmen, and Fiona caught up with him at the open-air Kiss Kiss Club where patrons were being entertained by a female fire-dancer, and a bongo-band played.
As Fiona danced with Bond and asked him to surrender, while steering him closer to an assassin, she was shot in the back and killed by her own bodyguard (with a bullet meant for him) (# 15 death).
The Bad guy with the pretty seductress. Thunderball is a classic James Bond 007 movies. It is a movie that has something for everyone, and ages well. It gets better with time.
With only about 15 hours until the drop of the ransom, Bond took another helicopter search with Felix Leiter for the submerged plane, spotting something at a shark-infested location called the Golden Grotto.
One shark was shot to distract the other sharks, as Bond dove down with one scuba tank to investigate.
Inside the downed plane, he found the bodies of the dead crew members, including “Derval” (Angelo, the counterfeit NATO pilot).
Bond engaged in a second dive with Domino, an opportunity to become more intimate with her underwater (# 4 tryst) although discreetly hidden when they ducked behind some coral and bubbles exploded to the surface.
Later he commented: “I hope we didn’t frighten the fish” before kissing her.
She stepped on poisonous sea egg spines as they came ashore, and after treating her, he delivered the news of her dead brother Francois, and offered his dog-tag and watch: “It’s a long story and it involves your friend, Largo…Largo had your brother murdered, or it was on his orders.”
Of the first four Bond films this one is a powerhouse from the get-go. Even the pre-credit section gets you going with the music, the art, the visuals. Thunderball really put it all together for this franchise. It was, and still is, literally a thunderball of a production. Everyone is included in this and everyone shows up and delivers. There is a real serial moving story here from beginning to middle to end. From the Bell Rocket Belt, to more of the Aston Martin, to the gadgets and sheer style. Who can forget "Huit pour la banque. Pass the shoe." Bond has been his best in the casinos. It is a real education.
This franchise has always been big on Fords, too, and used the hot car(s) of the time such as the Mustang. Part of the "special relationship" we have had with our British cousins.
I did not see any AMPAS marks on the jewel box, but there is no way this should not have won an OSCAR in some category -- especially a whiz-bang technical category.
This surpasses the third very impressive installment, "Goldfinger," and is probably one of the best ever of the Bond Franchise.
- lidz
As Bond asked for her help and trust, he explained how hundreds of thousands of people might die.
He admitted he didn’t know when the bombs would be loaded on the Disco Volante, and wanted her to detect them with his geiger counter gadget.
Bond turned and shot Vargas (pointing a gun-silencer his direction) in the stomach with a harpoon gun, impaling him to a palm tree (# 16 death, # 3 Bond kill) (“I think he got the point”).
You might be cool, but you will never be as cool as James Bond. Thunderball is a classic James Bond 007 movies. It is a movie that has something for everyone, and ages well. It gets better with time.
As she was leaving, Domino told Bond about a canal, a bridge, and a flight of steps that led into the ocean, on the far side of Palmyra – a perfect entry-point that Bond soon swam to.
He noticed SPECTRE diving gear stashed there, swallowed a homing device, and awaited darkness.
When Largo’s army of frogmen arrived, Bond knocked one of them out, stole his scuba gear, and swam with the group out to the yacht, where Largo ordered: “Once we pick up the merchandise, head for our target area, Miami.”
Their plan was to retrieve the bombs from a hidden undersea cave compartment with the submersible, and then threaten to detonate one of the bombs at a wreck near Miami.
During the retrieval process, Bond’s cover was blown (he was recognized by Largo), and he was forced to kill one frogman (# 17 death, # 4 Bond kill).
Trapped and stranded inside the underwater cave, Bond looked for an exit and emerged deep in an island cavern.
While many rank GOLDFINGER as the best Bond ever, THUNDERBALL has always been my favorite. To me it had all the Bond ingredients (gadgets, lots of sharks, the Aston Martin, scuba diving, gorgeous babes & plenty of action) as well as a cohesive plot. Spectre remains one of the most formidable villains in Bond history, even after all these years.
The underwater brawl between the Spectre divers and the Navy(?) divers remains a classic climactic scene in all of the Bond movies. I'm just guessing that they were Navy (SEALS?) as usually Army guys are not trained in scuba operations.
Connery's final Bond movie, NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN, was more-or-less a remake of THUNDERBALL. There were a few variations here & there, but the basic plotline & many of the elements remained the same. This goes to show just how enduring THUNDERBALL was to the Connery Bond movies.
-D. Roberts
Back onboard the yacht, Largo caught Domino using the geiger counter “toy” given to her by Bond and threatened: “There is no escape for you.”
He menaced her with torture unless she revealed the extent of Bond’s knowledge, but was called away to activate the bombs.
Onboard a Coast Guard search helicopter, Leiter used Bond’s homing device signal to locate him.
Bond also indicated his exact whereabouts with a red flare gun. A cable was lowered to him for rescue.
Bond warned that Largo’s target was Miami, and that one bomb was being transferred from the yacht to a wreck off Fowley Point.
Bond. James Bond. You might be cool, but you will never be as cool as James Bond. Thunderball is a classic James Bond 007 movies. It is a movie that has something for everyone, and ages well. It gets better with time.
With support from the CIA and the US Coast Guard aqua-divers in red (parachuting from planes into the waters around Miami), an intensely fierce underwater battle was fought near the wreck against Largo’s frogmen-henchmen (in black) (unknown number of deaths).
Bond joined the Coast Guard divers, wearing an underwater jet pack propulsion unit (with high-velocity exploding spear-heads) strapped to his oxygen tanks.
During the bloody struggle, he cut the air-hoses of a few frogmen and also speared one of them (# 18 death, # 5 Bond kill).
Yes, that's what Bond says to the just bedded villianess
once he's captured. You gotta admire the style of it.
Though a little slow at times expecially in the underwater
scenes this fourth Bond adventure is pushed forward
by the music, the cast, and great locations.
Bond gets off
lots of good lines and the girl is especially beautiful.
The villian, Largo,is one off the top five baddies in the
series.
The title sequence is one of the best with Tom Jones
Giving his all and falling unconscious in the
recording booth after holding the last note of the hit
title song. Way to go Tom!
- Paul Kyriazi
Bond then removed his tanks, used his re-breather device, and detonated an explosive canister to kill three more pursuing henchmen within the wreck (# 19-21 deaths, # 6-8 Bond kills), and then helped to turn the tide in the battle.
Blood in the water attracted sharks to the scene, as Largo’s men were routed and then surrendered.
When Largo swam away with two of his remaining men, Bond killed one of them with a harpoon-gun (# 22 death, # 9 Bond kill), and pursued an escaping Largo to his yacht.
Underwater, Bond held on as the Disco Volante weighed anchor (with one stolen disarmed atomic bomb still onboard), but was under attack by cannon-fire from the US Navy.
Largo created a smoke screen and jettisoned his yacht’s rear cocoon to increase the speed of the separate hydrofoil. The cocoon section of the yacht, with a machine gun and deck cannon, exploded and killed all onboard (many deaths, number unknown).
Bond being the quintessential man. Bond. James Bond. Thunderball is a classic James Bond 007 movies. It is a movie that has something for everyone, and ages well. It gets better with time.
During a life-and-death hand-to-hand struggle between Bond, three crew-members, and Largo in the hydrofoil’s cabin, Bond threw one crew-member overboard, and knocked the other two unconscious.
He was saved from being shot by Largo, when Domino (who had changed allegiances), was freed in her cabin by Kutze (who had disarmed the bombs), appeared from below deck, and harpooned him in the back with a spear (# 23 death).
Can you imagine a film getting any better whether it is the women,the villains,the locations or even the plot this one has got it all.One might think it is outdated now but then look again this film is the stepping stone to any action movie that is to be made in the coming years.
Sean Connery stamps his signature yet again as James Bond 007 in the fourth installment of the Bond franchise.Director Terence Young makes it more tongue and cheek than any other Bond movie.There is no raw filth or even gore but the story is so perfect that it makes you forget about its tiny if at all faults.
There are some memorable moments in this film like the opening jet pack sequence,gunfight at Largo's house during a blackout and the final underwater battle.Simply breathtaking and proof of quality film making which today is seriously considered by Jerry Bruckhiemer/Joel Silver and Steven Speilberg.
Adding to the movie's good points is also John Barry's superb score which to this day haunts me as it is quite memorable.I also took a great liking to the leading ladies because they can not get any sexier to me.
The plot revolves around Blofeld's organization hijacking nuclear warheads and demanding a ransom.The beautiful location of the Bahamas a used extensively where Bond tries to unravel the doomsday plot.
- Anisha Dharmadasa
(Domino: “I’m glad I killed him.” Bond (relieved): “You’re glad?”).
With Largo death-locked to the jammed steering, they jumped overboard to escape from the yacht’s explosion when it ran aground and struck a reef (# 24-25 deaths, # 10-11 Bond kills).
Kutze was left at sea with a life preserver, while in a yellow raft, Bond inflated a red balloon tied to a rope that was snagged by a US Navy Boeing B-17 plane with a skyhook, and the two held onto each other during their rescue.
Rescuing the girl. All in a day’s work for James Bond. Thunderball is a classic James Bond 007 movies. It is a movie that has something for everyone, and ages well. It gets better with time.
Film Notables (Awards, Facts, etc.)
The fourth film in the series. This was
director Terence Young’s third and final direction of a Bond film. (He
did not direct the third film, Goldfinger (1964).)
The code name for the MI6 mission, Thunderball, was also the film’s title.
This was originally intended to be the first Bond film but a series of legal disputes delayed its release.
This was the first James Bond film shot in wide-screen Panavision.
The film’s remake was Never Say Never Again (1983), one of the unofficial James Bond films. However, Sean Connery portrayed Bond in the film it was his seventh and final appearance on the screen as the character. He claimed it was his favorite 007 performance.
Lighting up a cigarette while the secret agent beside you has a gun trained on him. This is a scene you won’t see today. It’s usually the police pointing guns at you, and usually because you are smoking cigarettes. That devil stick!
This was the only Bond film in which all nine 00- agents appeared together in London, England, where M summoned them to a briefing about SPECTRE’s plot.
Molly Peters (as Patricia Fearing) was the
first Bond girl to appear nude (in silhouette) – in the steambath scene.
And Martine Beswick, as Paula Caplan was the first Bond girl to appear
in two Bond girls as different characters (she was fighting gypsy girl Zora in From Russia With Love (1963)).
With an Academy Award win, the second (and last win, to date) for Best Special Visual Effects.
With a production budget of $9 million, and gross revenue of $63.6 million (domestic) and $141 million (worldwide).
Thunderball had the highest domestic box-office earnings of the Bond films (to date) – when adjusted for inflation. Its domestic unadjusted gross of $63.6 million was $600 million when adjusted. Goldfinger (1964) was a distant second with $51 million (and $531.7 million adjusted).
I wanted to watch the original early films of Bond, beginning with Dr. No. It's great to see Sean Connery evolve from film to film to become, I feel, the best Bond there ever was.
I'm progressing in order from Dr. No, to From Russia with love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You only live twice, Diamonds are forever, and the later semi-Bond "Never say Never again".
I know many fans of Bond dislike the last film Connery did, but perhaps they were expecting too much from a then, pretty weathered, franchise.
I still have to watch the final two Connery films and am not expecting too much from "Diamonds" and even less from "Never".
But that doesn't take away from the talent and artistry of Sean Connery and I'm more into those last films to simply watch how he slowly bows out of the James Bond role forever.
It's sad film history to watch sometimes, but I'd rather watch these first Bond films again and again than to tolerate the works of Roger Moore and the others.
Daniel Craig is a fresh approach to the role, but he lacks the warmth and humor that Connery brought to the role.
I'd love to see one final film where Sean Connery has taken over the position of "M" and guides newer agents along, making them the best they could be. Sort of like an episode of "NCIS", I know, but it would be entertaining to see, none-the-less.
- Richard Behmer
What’s a James Bond movie without action and excitement? Thunderball is a classic James Bond 007 movies. It is a movie that has something for everyone, and ages well. It gets better with time.
Bond Villains:
Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi)
Count Lippe (Guy Doleman)
Angelo Palazzi (Paul Stassino)
Fiona Volpe (Luciana Paluzzi)
Ladislav Kutze (George Pravda)
Quist (Bill Cummings)
Vargas (Philip Locke)
Bond Girls:
Patricia Fearing (Molly Peters)
Dominique (“Domino”)
Derval (Claudine Auger)
Paula Caplan (Martine Beswick)
Thunderball is one of the better James Bond movies in the set of Bond. I have heard the rumours about the underwater fight scene being edited but in my personal viewpoint still an amazing fight scene and very well filmed for the movie.
The movie plotline was actual very believeable about stealing a weapon and holding it for a money trade off in exchange for where the weapon is located.
I also would like to add that I thought Sean Connery was in one of his best phsyical shapes as James Bond base on the fight scenes and action stunts unless they used a stunt man.
I thought every actor did a great job with what they had to work with and the added benifit of the dance scene and all that music going on very impressive turn out.
I look forward to many more James Bond movies and writing up much more reviews of them to come as I watch them. So watch this one with an open mind and make up your own mind weither you enjoy it as much as me or not.
- Jack D. Lowry Top Contributor: James Bond
After killing the bad guys, it’s time to relax and enjoy the fruits of your efforts. Don’t you think? Thunderball is a classic James Bond 007 movies. It is a movie that has something for everyone, and ages well. It gets better with time.
Number of Love-Making Encounters:
There were four love-making encounters.
Film Locales:
Paris, France
Shrublands Health Farm/Clinic
(and the) nearby NATO airbase in south of England
London, England
Nassau
The Bahamas and other surrounding islands
Miami, Florida
The bad guy with the beautiful chick. A James Bond standard. Thunderball is a classic James Bond 007 movies. It is a movie that has something for everyone, and ages well. It gets better with time.
Gadgets:
A Bell Textron jet pack rocket belt.
Devices in Bond’s Aston Martin.
Angelo’s/”Derval’s” separate oxygen supply and gamma gas canister.
Largo’s Disco Volante (with an underwater hatch, hidden video cameras) and his yellow submersible submarine.
A modified waterproof (underwater) Rolex watch with geiger counter.
An underwater infra-red camera for nighttime photos.
A miniature pistol that fired distress signal flares (bright red).
A miniature (pocket-sized) underwater re-breather device good for four minutes.
A harmless radio-active homing device in the shape of a pill.
An underwater jet pack propulsion unit with exploding, high-velocity spearheads.
A sky-hook.
Bad guys look great with patches, or monocles. Having a pretty chick in a nice slinky dress helps as does piles of money at a casino table. Thunderball is a classic James Bond 007 movies. It is a movie that has something for everyone, and ages well. It gets better with time.
Vehicles:
A silver Aston Martin DB5 (with rear armor shield, and rear-firing, high-pressure water cannon-sprayer).
Vulcan jet.
Hydrofoil Disco Volante.
A gold BSA Lightning Motorcycle (with missiles).
Domino’s Boehler Turbocraft dive boat.
Volpe’s light blue Mustang.
A Bell helicopter.
A US Coast Guard helicopter.
A US Navy Boeing B-17 plane.
Number of Deaths (Bond Kills):
There were a total of 25+ deaths in the movie, of which James Bond killed 11.
Conclusion
This is a great movie, and fantastic escapist entertainment for men and women alike. Childish millenials need not watch it, as they are far too easily offended by normal adult interactions.
“When arrows meet”.
Not to worry, a transgender, role-reversal Bond flick is in the works. They will continue their narrative that White Males are the scourage of the universe, dumb, stupid and a bane on society.
Don’t waste your money on this new progressive propiganda. Enjoy these older flicks before they are banned from distribution. Because, if history is any indicator, they WILL be banned.
The New “modern, progressive” 007…
You can tell why liberal Hollywood selected her. If you morphed Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama together, this is what the result would look like…
The new “face” of 007. She’s modern, she’s progressive, and she’s LGBT friendly. She is the new woman that will lead America towards the social utopia as promised by the “great ones”.
If you enjoyed this post, please check out some of my other posts in my Movie Index…
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