Happy Black Friday
Bullet Points:
** China’s domestic high-speed rail is drowning in debt. Trillions of yuan. Empty stations. Faked numbers. State guarantees hold the entire system together. Beijing exports the fantasy abroad (see Indonesia) — to keep its state-owned rail giants alive and its geopolitical leverage intact. There is a lesson in this. Never trust Red China, ever, not with anything. Keep them behind the bamboo curtain, and you’ll be happier and healthier.
** Left – your black friday message from VM.
** I will never forget the expression on the cashier’s face when she scanned the bag of bird seed, and I asked her how long she thought it would take me to grow them.
** One more last ride? Another hard-earned $20.00. Then they put a Chinese guy on a bull for a spin. How did you think that worked out for him? ¡El video sugiere que son paramédicos, pero ya sabes que simplemente lo subieron a la parte trasera de una camioneta y lo llevaron a una farmacia, como lo hacen en el interior de México! Matt Walsh, of all people, weighs in on the matter.
** As more countries voice concern about stability in the Taiwan Strait and the risks of coercive pressure, China faces what it perceives as a “domino effect”: As Japan, the U.S., Australia, and regional actors increasingly speak with one voice about Taiwan’s security, it undermines China’s long-standing narrative and elevates Taiwan from a cross-Strait issue to a global strategic concern. This is precisely what worries Beijing. Because the more international the Taiwan question becomes, the harder it is for China to frame it as an “internal affair”, and the more political cost any aggressive action carries.
** Ben navigates TSA – again.
** Beware of Black Friday scams. I ordered my wife expensive jewelry, and, SURPRISINGLY, a new rifle and six boxes of ammunition were delivered instead. What is afoot here?
** How to order a dirty soda in Utah.
** How to make profit margins rise by firing people (Peterson).
** If/When China flexes its muscles in the First Island Chain (think Philippines too), should Japanese troops also be present on the tripwire next to their American allies? The US military has access to nine Philippine military bases through the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). These include five bases that were previously part of the agreement and four new locations designated in 2023, located in areas like Palawan and Cagayan.
** Bitcoin has been very volatile. “Volatility is Satoshi’s gift to the faithful,” Saylor said this week, referring to the pseudonymous creator of bitcoin. (h/t Claudio) Computer tokens have never appealed to me, and it has nothing to do with the security of blockchain. Call me a dinosaur if you will.
Another Thanksgiving is in the Books
Eastern Congo – Debt Diplomacy
The ball of yarn is unrolling. (h/t Claudio) The warning issued by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on November 23, 2025, ordering the immediate evacuation of its citizens from the volatile Eastern Congo, brutally tears apart Beijing’s official rhetoric. The propaganda of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) portrays China as a “developing country,” an heir to the suffering of the “century of humiliation,” and a bringer of “mutual prosperity” to the Global South.
The harsh reality on the ground, conversely, is the image of a rapacious Imperialism 3.0.
In places like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the massive and often illegal Chinese presence in the mining sector is not “cooperation,” but systematic plunder. The target is the immense wealth of the eastern region, particularly in the provinces of North and South Kivu, Ituri, and Haut-Uélé (Upper Uele). It is here, in sites like Rubaya (coltan) and in the areas of Walungu, Mwenga, Numbi, Lumbishi, and Shanje (gold, tourmaline, cassiterite), that the exploitation is concentrated. Dozens of Chinese companies operate in violation of local laws, fueling corruption and environmental degradation, and replicating the worst colonial schemes.
China is not seen as a partner, but as a “thief” that exploits instability to secure raw materials at the expense of the local population.
This perception has direct and dangerous consequences. Beijing’s inability to guarantee the safety of its nationals is the most evident proof. Unlike former colonial powers, China lacks the political capacity or local consent to manage complex crises. From Pakistan—where CPEC projects are targets of attacks because they are perceived as a theft of sovereignty and resources—to the DRC, aggressions against Chinese citizens are a violent reaction against the perception of a predatory exploiter.
The “debt diplomacy” and the control of supply chains reveal the Dragon’s true face: an economic predator that, leveraging its power, disregards human rights and sustainability to fuel its own growth. The security alert of 11/23/2025 is not just a diplomatic note: it is the declaration of failure of a hypocritical narrative of friendship and development.
DOJ Second Amendment Rights Section
(link here) WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 26, 2025) — Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) today welcomed reports that the Trump Administration will establish a dedicated Second Amendment rights section within the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice—an action that directly reflects FPC’s top executive-branch recommendation and a priority first proposed by FPC during the previous Trump Administration. The new office is expected to ramp up officially in early December.
Makarevich
Before the recent U.S. military buildup, Colonel General Oleg Makarevich—one of Moscow’s most ruthless operational commanders—arrived in Caracas with a 120-man advisory unit and immediately dispersed his personnel across key Venezuelan chokepoints, from Caracas and Maracaibo to La Guaira and the distant outpost of Aves Island. His insertion was not a ceremonial gesture. It was the arrival of a man whose professional identity had been shaped by a long record of civilian devastation, coercive counterinsurgency, and politically advantageous brutality.
Makarevich is a Russian military fixer. Ukrainian intelligence directly attributes to him the operation that destroyed the Kakhovka dam—an explosion that unleashed torrents across the Dnieper basin, erased villages, claimed lives, and triggered one of Europe’s worst ecological disasters since Chernobyl. The Russians have never concerned themselves with environmental disasters.
Today, Makarevich is advising Nicolás Maduro’s security forces. His team is training Venezuelan units in infantry operations, UAV employment, special-forces techniques, and signals intelligence—skills tailored not for ceremonial deterrence but for surviving a high-pressure confrontation. And they arrived before the United States began massing power offshore.
Which is why Washington’s current military posture—12,700 personnel, F-35s, Harriers, attack helicopters, and the USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest carrier afloat—has raised eyebrows across the region. The official justification of counter-narcotics convinces no one. Not Venezuela. Not Cuba. Not Russia. Makarevich’s deployment predates the American buildup, and his presence signals Moscow’s expectation of a crisis, not a training mission.
Ukrainian intel chief Kyrylo Budanov captured the dynamic in a single line: “They will not leave if the U.S. attacks. It’s a game.” A game in which Russia positions itself to become “accidentally” entangled should Washington authorize a strike. Should the presence of Russian operators keep our hand from being raised? When has it ever? And there is the flip side. If we have a clean shot at Makarevich, should we take it?
Arctic LNG
h/t Claudio – On November 12, the UK government announced it would ban British companies from providing any maritime services to vessels carrying Russian liquefied natural gas. The decision, unveiled by Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper at a G7 meeting in Canada, extends far beyond a simple import restriction. It targets the entire ecosystem of shipping, insurance, and maintenance that enables Russian LNG exports.
For one company in particular, the announcement landed like a depth charge. Seapeak Maritime (Glasgow) Ltd., a UK-registered arm of the broader Seapeak group, controls six of the fifteen specialised carriers that serve Russia’s Yamal LNG project on the Arctic coast. Last year alone, those six ships are reported to have transported 7.56 million tonnes of liquified gas from the frozen north, worth almost $4 billion and generating enough tax revenue for Moscow to purchase 2,700 attack drones or 45 ballistic missiles.
Now, under the new regulations being phased in throughout 2026, all of that comes to an end. A UK government spokesperson explicitly confirmed to industry observers that Seapeak is included within the scope of the sanctions, with no exceptions. The company will no longer be permitted to provide shipping, insurance, or any other maritime-related services for Russian LNG cargoes once the ban takes full effect.
Critically, UK officials emphasised that the measure contains no carve-outs for Arctic operations or ice-class vessels. Despite their specialised capabilities and the extreme operating conditions they must overcome, icebreaking LNG carriers are treated identically to conventional tankers when they transport Russian-origin cargo, even though they rely on UK-linked services. This unambiguous stance places enormous operational pressure on Seapeak’s Glasgow-linked fleet, which has historically depended on UK-based management, insurance, and technical support for its highly specialized Arctic operations.
“This is about choking off the revenue streams that fund Putin’s war machine,” a UK government spokesperson told industry observers. “And it’s about doing so in coordination with our European partners.”
The UK already banned direct imports of Russian LNG in January 2023, but that measure only prevented gas from entering British ports. Russian exports to Asia and other markets continued to flow freely, often facilitated by London-based insurers and service providers who dominate global maritime trade. This new ban closes that loophole entirely.
What makes the policy particularly consequential is its focus on Arctic operations. The Yamal LNG facility, located on Russia’s remote Yamal Peninsula, depends absolutely on its fleet of ice-breaking carriers. During winter months, when temperatures plunge to minus 50 degrees Celsius, and the Kara Sea freezes solid, only specially designed Arc7 tankers can navigate the route.
These vessels are engineering marvels—double-hulled, with reinforced bows and robust propulsion systems that allow them to operate year-round in conditions that would trap conventional ships. South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding built them specifically for the Yamal project under long-term charter agreements running through 2045.
But here’s the catch: four of Seapeak’s six Arctic carriers are insured through UK-based protection and indemnity mutuals like Charles Taylor & Co. Without that insurance coverage, the ships cannot legally operate in international waters. Finding alternative underwriters willing to cover such specialised, high-value vessels engaged in sanctioned trade will be extraordinarily difficult and expensive.
The UK government confirmed to maritime analysts that the ban applies unequivocally to all British companies; there are no exemptions for Arctic operations or existing contracts.
For Russia, the entire Yamal operation depends on fifteen ice-class carriers, and all fifteen are currently insured by companies in nations that comply with G7 sanctions. Seapeak’s vessels alone account for 40 percent of Yamal’s total export capacity. Losing access to that fleet would slash the project’s ability to deliver gas to global markets.
Russia has attempted to solve the problem by building its way out of it. The Zvezda shipyard in the Russian Far East was supposed to make domestically produced replacement carriers, but sanctions have crippled the project. French membrane technology specialist GTT, whose systems are essential for storing super-cooled LNG, ceased all activities in Russia. South Korean shipyards cancelled contracts to build fifteen Arc7 carriers for Russia’s next-generation Arctic LNG 2 project.
The result has been a procurement disaster. In recent years, Zvezda has delivered just a single vessel for Arctic operations—nowhere near enough to offset potential Western withdrawals.
Moscow has tried to assemble a “shadow fleet” of conventional LNG tankers to maintain exports, but these vessels lack ice-breaking capability. They can only operate during the brief summer navigation season between June and November, when the Northern Sea Route becomes passable. Recent incidents show that shadow-fleet vessels are struggling even with early winter ice formation, raising serious concerns about safety and environmental risks in one of the world’s most fragile ecosystems.
The stakes extend beyond Russia’s balance sheet. Last year, Yamal LNG supplied approximately 20 percent of all liquefied natural gas imported by European nations—some 16.6 million tonnes in total. While the European Union has already decided to ban Russian gas imports starting January 2027, with short-term contracts phased out even earlier in mid-2026, the disruption will still ripple through energy markets.
Asian buyers, particularly from China, have been absorbing increasing volumes of Russian Arctic LNG as European demand declines. During the most recent navigation season, Russia exported close to 3 million tonnes to Asia via Arctic routes. But maintaining year-round flows without proper ice-class carriers and Western insurance remains a fundamental challenge.
Industry analysts suggest Seapeak might attempt to sell or transfer its Arctic vessels to third-party operators in non-sanctioned jurisdictions. But given the long-term charter agreements with Yamal running through at least 2045, finding buyers willing to navigate the legal and financial risks would be extremely difficult. Any potential purchaser would need to secure alternative insurance, financing, and maintenance arrangements—all while operating vessels that have become toxic assets in Western-aligned markets. (more from G Captain)
Forever Young?
(h/t Sharyl Attkisson) In an era where advancements in biotechnology, AI, and regenerative medicine are blurring the lines between science fiction and reality, a growing number of people are turning to visionary leaders for guidance on how to live longer—perhaps even forever. These “gurus” of longevity, from biohackers to futurists, offer not just practical advice but a philosophical shift: rejecting the idea that aging and death are inevitable. The following is an excerpt from “Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson.”
James Strole: Yes, death sucks, but beyond that is a world of vitality, strength, and abundance as we have never seen before. Wow. Wow.
Strole is Executive Director of the Coalition for Radical Life Extension—a nonprofit he co-founded in 2015.
Sharyl: What does Radical Life Extension refer to?
Strole: Well, yes, that’s a good one. Radical Life Extension is, you know, we have a certain biological wall, you might say, of being able to live a specific time, approximately 125 biologically. And that’s the extent to which we know that human beings can live without innovations. Radical Life Extension is going beyond that, breaking that barrier. This is the coalition’s flagship event. RAADfest, which stands for “Revolution Against Aging and Death Festival.”
At RAADfest, you are invited to learn, connect, get empowered, and celebrate with world-renowned experts in biology, nutrition, artificial intelligence, sociology, gene therapy, and more. It’s billed as the world’s largest gathering of its kind, drawing thousands each year to discuss breakthroughs in gene therapy, stem cells, AI integration, and more. It’s galvanized a growing global community of scientists, entrepreneurs, and enthusiasts. RAADfest is produced by the Coalition for Radical Life Extension, a non-profit organization whose mission is to bring about worldwide change in how radical life extension is viewed and understood.
Sharyl: Is there a way to quantify how many people are keenly interested in this in terms of numbers when you’re talking about doctors and just ordinary people, too?
Strole: You know I’ve travelled all over the world, Sharyl speaking on this. And I think from my experience, ’cause of the responses we’re getting, especially now, there are millions. Millions are actually opening up to this concept.
Sharyl: Some doctors are talking about immortality. The notion that maybe we never die.
Strole: Yes.
Sharyl: And I think there are different views of that. Some of it is maybe our consciousness continues to survive in a digital form. Some people are talking about, you know, just us continuing to find innovative ways that keep us from dying. What are your thoughts on the quest for immortality?
Strole: Well, I think it’s fantastic. I mean, why not? We need to shoot for the moon.
He aims others toward the moon as head of another group he co-founded, “People Unlimited.” How long can you live? How well could you live? How much joy could you have? How much passion could you share? How ageless could you feel? Monthly events at this Scottsdale, Arizona, studio showcase cutting-edge longevity science and modalities, such as blood oxygenation, to cleanse pathogens and enhance health.
Sharyl: You said you started speaking in 1972?
Strole: Yes.
Sharyl: You don’t mind me saying you don’t look that old?
Strole: No, I don’t.
Sharyl: How old are you?
Strole: I’m 76.
Sharyl: Are you already deploying methods?
Strole: I am. I am.
His personal anti-death strategies include mental resilience, biohacking therapies like stem cells, exosomes, ozone-infused blood purification, and therapeutic plasma exchange. He incorporates daily breathing exercises, infrared saunas, and pickleball—a sport he notes boosts longevity by engaging underused muscles. As for true immortality? Long dismissed as “quackery,” Strole says serious scientists are now actually working on it.
Sharyl: What does immortality look like to you? If you could pick or choose a version of that for yourself, what would it be?
Strole: Well, ideally, I think, you know, we’ve always had a kind of we thought of our bodies as something lesser all the time. Something like a vessel that, how I use a term, houses the spirit and the spirit where your body dies, the spirit goes on. I want to think that our bodies are more than that. I like the version of immortality I would like: that we can continuously renew and regenerate our human bodies. Sometimes, it might mean we need some innovation. My version of the excellence of immortality would be to live in our bodies, continuously renewing and regenerating ourselves, getting better all the time.
Sharyl: Do you sense that that is something within your grasp in your lifetime?
Strole: I do. I do. As I said earlier, there are no guarantees, but that’s something I’m going for, because I think it’s the highest level of human existence that we could have. And we as human beings need to change our paradigm. We’re constantly going around in circles with the sabotage of ourselves and one another in this world. And I think it will raise the value of human life, and I think it’s our true path to peace on this planet.
Strole warns against obsessing over longevity, saying it should be a motivational pursuit rather than an all-encompassing, stressful pursuit. Practical tips? He says start the day with gratitude, sunlight exposure, deep breathing, and hydration—while awaiting breakthroughs he predicts will come in the next couple of years.
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(VM Commentary) Elon Musk is hopeful he will be able to digitize consciousness and load it into an Optimus or TeslaBot chassis. If you need more memory, you fill the slot with another silicon wafer. Future astronauts could live forever on their long journeys through space or as colonizers on Mars, augmented by AI…fortunately, I’ll be long dead by the time that’s a reality – if it ever happens.
Identify the Ship
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Identify the Aircraft
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With its tall biplane wings, fabric-covered metal frame, and slow but steady performance, it became an iconic symbol of early commercial aviation. The type accumulated an excellent safety record with no passenger fatalities.
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Parting Shot
End
After telling us we were on our own at the beginning of the week, you stepped back and looked at our sorry butts and declared, “they will not survive without my guidance.” Thank you for taking pity on us and keeping us afloat.
I didn’t know how much time I’d have to blog given the holiday pace. But I found the time to cobble this together.
Cobble away…we partakers are grateful for the effort. If there is a lag we’ll know you are in a food coma from reheated leftovers…which is fully understandable and as it should be.
I think you may find tomorrow’s blog interesting.
Cobbled together, he says. I’ve learned more here this morning about the current machinations making the world go ’round than from all my other sources for the past week.
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Strole. I can’t help but think of the character Brooks Hatlen (James Whitmore) in “The Shawshank Redemption”. While I’m at it, I’ll just leave this here–
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https://www.youtube.com/shorts/j52svKCI_CA
100%…As we gain more seasoning in life those we share our campfire tends to shrink to the most important, tolerance for those “less worthy” gets whittled back to an essential level.
(Oh…and “cobbled” gives the Blog short-shrift…”pointed”, “informative”, “varied”, “comprehensive”, just a few that better describe what LL presents, and with authority of incredible experience.)
LL, while you are cobbling away, in future posts will you have any thoughts on the USNA Commandant’s removal and replacement?
I think that they want things toughened and tightened with the DEI infrastructure dismantled. One thing is sure. They wouldn’t want me to do that job. The selection criteria would be changed and the discipline would be far more challenging for thumb suckers.
X2
1 – Italian Navy Bergamini-class frigate Federico Martinengo
2 – USS Princeton Essex-class carrier
3 – French SIPA S.1100
4 – Handley Page H.P.42
5 – British Royal Navy General Aircraft G.A.L. 38 Fleet Shadower
Excellent
** the ships cannot legally operate in international waters**
This one confuses me, how do they stop a ship from sailing the world? Is there some way to stop them besides military/privateer action? Is the Coast Guard going to stop a Russian ship to check it’s insurance?
Thinking … if you had a Letter Of Marque and you took a loaded Russian tanker as a prize…
International waters (high seas) are not subject to the jurisdiction of any single country and are governed by international agreements, such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Generally, the country where the vessel is registered (the “flag state”) has primary jurisdiction over the ship. However, exceptions exist, allowing other states to exercise jurisdiction under certain circumstances: Stateless vessels: If a ship is not flying a flag or is using a phony one, it can be legally boarded and seized by any nation’s authorities. Universal jurisdiction crimes: Activities like piracy and drug trafficking fall under universal jurisdiction, allowing any state to take action. National security or sanctions violations: Countries, such as the United States, have specific laws (e.g., the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act) that allow their authorities (like the U.S. Coast Guard) to seize vessels involved in activities that violate their laws or sanctions, even on the high seas. International cooperation: Nations often collaborate through treaties and international organizations, such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO), to enforce maritime laws. Interpol also plays a role in identifying and tracking illegal vessels.
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The penalties for illegal oil tanker operations are severe and designed to deter. Seizure of Vessel and Cargo: Authorities can seize the ship and its oil cargo, which often form the basis of a civil forfeiture case. Fines and Financial Penalties: Non-compliance can result in significant financial losses, including hefty fines imposed on owners, operators, and, potentially, firms providing services such as insurance or freight. Criminal Prosecution: Individuals involved (crew, operators) can face legal action and imprisonment. Reputational Damage and Operational Disruption: Companies involved in illegal activities face severe reputational damage, making it challenging to operate legally in the future. Port State Control: Vessels known to have operated illegally (e.g., by switching off AIS transponders to avoid tracking) may face enhanced inspections or be banned from entering ports of participating nations.
In practice, operators of “shadow fleets” often use tactics like frequent name and flag changes or work through shell companies to evade enforcement efforts. Enforcement agencies are continually expanding monitoring and international cooperation to counter these methods.
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It isn’t absolute, but there is so much money riding on oil delivery that even the Norks, Iranians and Chinese take great pains to hide their illegal activities to avoid sanctions. (surprisingly)
Rob – here’s an article that touches on the sums involved.
https://gcaptain.com/indonesia-to-auction-us-sanctioned-supertanker-it-seized-in-2023/
Precisely
** I took a very long look at your header picture and wondered if I would have had the guts to take the next step forward; I would very much like to believe that I would. Am I kidding myself?
** 2nd and a new govt agency – any time the gubbmint sticks its thumb in a pie, some (or 50 some) functionaries/secretaries/Senators will find a way to subvert its original intent – color me unimpressed
** Oleg Leontyevich – someone should write a Latin American dance tune: title – “Let’s all dance the Makarevich” with an accompanying Disney cartoon. Yes! he’s proven he’s very dsngerous; it’s just another way to blunt his fangs – possibly internationally
** Arctic LNG – uneducated as I am in international; finance, why can’t the Russians just establish a company and self-insure?
** James Strole – Mr Strole: at some point in their lives, many people think Life is like a good steak and just say, “Thank you O Lord; I’ve had all I want.” Not to say they do away with themselves (though some do), they just lose their desire to continue living. (contrast to the header picture)
Boron, you know that as your officer, I’d be right behind you as you waded ashore…
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Nobody believes that a Russian insurance company would pay off on a significant liability claim.
That painting? I knew immediately it was Tarawa, Bloody Tarawa. What a total cock-up of a combined forces operation. How do you get the friggin tides wrong?
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Post analysis of Tarawa, Bloody Tarawa, according to the US Army’s very own history of WWII, “Seizure of the Gilberts and Marshalls,” required submarine reconnaissance and monitoring of tides for weeks before, increased use of Amtracks (the LVTs) and amphibious trucks (DUKWs, with 1 in 4 fitted with some sort of lifting crane for bringing 105mm howitzers directly to the needed places and for easier removal of cargo.) Palleted loads, waterproofed and on heavy skids so they could be dragged over coral, and lots of supplies delivered as soon as the first wave has landed (including such things as whole sets of uniforms, extra weapons, food and water and, well, everything.)
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The film of the Marine bodies bumping up against the palm-log seawall (and the still photos) are harrowing. Nobody knew what really was involved in an amphibious assault until Guadalcanal, and they didn’t learn enough, until Tarawa, Bloody Tarawa.
Artic LNG: Even with the sanctions, some European nations seem to be receiving Russian gas via strange or round about methods. This particular sanction seems to be a another boost for US LNG suppliers which made big bucks after Nord Stream was breached. It was so lucrative that there were special docking facilities built in Europe to allow for more US LNG carriers to offload.
While this additional sanction may seem to be a good idea, it appears to be another method of the EU pulling the US into a larger conflict than the Ukraine. My thought is based on the increased sabre rattling from Germany, the UK and the EU leaders (not the individual countries leaders).
*****
International rules are flexible depending on who seems to have the upper hand. The Soviets didn’t follow established air routes over the world’s oceans but instead flew due regard routes and altitudes without filing fight plans. So, why would the Russians care about ship insurance unless they think someone will with intent and malice use one of the Russian ships to create an incident. That is considering the fact that many of the merchant ships around the world, not just the Russians, are ripe for serious incidents without any malice or forethought.
*****
Just thoughts in a crazy world. Remember that Thanksgiving is a season and dietary constraints are lifted for the moment, so sit back and enjoy life.
The Chinese strangely walk the line on the letter of the law. Yes, there is blending at sea, etc., but a lot of that is caught, and now you have a tanker that can’t dock anywhere (Norks). Nobody, including the Chinese termites, wants a Russian ship to ram something and then not pay up.
Makarevich; If the shadow should fall on one who has committed war crimes and crimes against humanity, such as the facts presented; may I suggest that a drone that is identified as Ukrainian to get the credit? Seems only just that “we” would be those who lost their lives in the dam colapse and allies of Ukraine. Painting a target of any leader who has morbidly caused the suffering of his own people also looks to be commonsensical.
Parting shot; Are Hee Haw and The Bern elgible as clowns for the 3rd world Bull Riding? Some “real” clowns are certianly needed. The almost baqueros sin llevos, posing as paramedics willing to haul the injured in the back of a pickup to a pharmacy is a standard they, the famous actors and musicians that have promised to pursue as they self deport. More promises made and broken when APDJT rose up to be WTP’s commander and chief… a second time.
Ok, I’ll say it…’cause I know when Mike_C chimes in he would as well, only more acerbic…with footnoted references…
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“Happy Black Friday”???
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Geez, LL…you do know AOC is demanding today be renamed “Friday of Color” to combat cultural “misappropriationism” [1] by us non-color persons unless tanned. Apparently this is an easy mistake to make because I found historical references on Wiki that indicate Black Friday has nothing to do with skin color, and we can trust Wiki 100%. But AOC is pretty adamant, Marty Feldman eyes proving her seriousness on the subject.
[1] (gratuitous Mike_C Ref): ‘Misappropriationism’ is a real word…I think…sounds right tho.
Black Friday has been culturally appropriated.
I went to Cabela’s and bought ammo on sale.
Politeness oozed from everyone.
Kids well behaved.
I had no idea about the whole “dirty soda” concept and I grew up in Utah, albeit about a million years ago when we thought we were being avant-garde for putting more than one soda in the same cup. Here in the greater Snowflake-Taylor metropolitan area, there’s a soda shop called Thirst (across the street from Walmart) that has a couple dozen such sodas. I really like the Beach Bum: Dr. Pepper, pineapple, coconut, cream. They also have a Dole Whip machine which, of course is just like that made in Anaheim at the famous theme park.
A Dole Whip Machine, you say? It’s a two-hour drive from the White Wolf Mine. I’d have to order two or three of them to justify the trip. Throw me in that briar patch, Rob. I have a weakness for pineapple everything.
So pleased you got a new rifle, and bullets to boot.
PLA and PLA-N plans for Taiwan and the first island chain are getting more and more visibility, in addition to more ‘reaction’ in the form of FON transits that force them to react and those reactions increase visibility… It’s a no win for the CCP, but their 1st island chain narrative is falling apart under the scrutiny of multiple countries now.
X2
Russian space expert, Vitaly Egorov: “This launch pad has been in operation since 1961, having launched approximately 500 R7-Soyuz rockets. Since 2018, it has been the sole support facility for Russia’s International Space Station program. This means that from Russia has effectively lost the ability to launch humans into space, for the first time since 1961”.
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Georgy Trishkin on X: “There was a collapse of part of the structure of launch pad 31 at Baikonur. At the moment, this is the only launching site for Russian manned missions to the ISS.”
Oh well.
How many f-ups can Roscosmos afford? They’ve got an unreported safety record that makes the Boeing Starliner look positively safe.
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“Oh, we’ve been using the same launch tower for over 60 years.” And it shows…
Regarding Thanksgiving and Black Friday, remember, kids, Thanksgiving (and Black Friday) is all about celebrating rabid capitalism as savior of humanity.
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Why? Because the Pilgrims were celebrating huge bountiful crops once they grasped rabid capitalism as the Plymouth Colony was originally founded as a collective commune and that worked so well almost half the colonists died from said communism. Whoohoo, Rabid Capitalism, I can feed my family!!!!
As to Russia futzing around down in Venezuela, kill them all, God will know his own, and according to Rafal Ganowicz, communists aren’t human so… Russia wants to play dicky-dicky games, Russia should expect to be handed its cut-off dicky. A repeat of those Wagner Group mercenaries that got the full US Forces treatment in Syria. There should be US fighter pilots flying around crying because there aren’t any targets of worth or opportunity left to target.
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Russia is overextending itself with stupid crap like this. Does Putin think the US under Trump isn’t going to kick him and Russia in the gonads?