“But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.”
—Habakkuk 2:20
Madonna della Corona Italy
Imagine… seeing this place with no prior knowledge of Christianity
Coming Attractions: Monday begins a two-part series (requested) on the early Taliban.
Tribute Money
Render unto Caesar that which is Caesars…
To God that which is God’s,
And leave my arms and ammo alone.
2019 – There is a new strain of flu, wash your hands and take your vitamins.
2021 – Take this experimental drug or you’ll be fired from your job and banned from public places. It’s almost like living in a Sci-Fi movie.
Australia
People claiming no religion are now the largest sect in Australia at 30% of the population (Christianity as a whole is still a majority at 52%). Catholicism and Anglicanism are the two largest Christian groups. Other sects like Lutherans and the Uniting Church also appear.
Do You Owe your Living to China
It’s a question worth asking yourself.
Chinese acquisition of U.S. businesses set a new all-time record last year, and it is on pace to shatter that record this year. The Smithfield Foods acquisition is an example. Smithfield Foods is the largest pork producer and processor in the world. It has facilities in 26 U.S. states and it employs tens of thousands of Americans. It directly owns 460 farms and has contracts with approximately 2,100 others. In 2013, during the Obama/Biden regime, a Chinese company bought it and its subsidiaries, for $4.7 billion, and that means that the Chinese will now be the most important employer in dozens of rural communities all over America.
Thanks in part to our massively bloated trade deficit with China, the Chinese have trillions of dollars to spend. They are only just starting to exercise their economic muscle. It is important to keep in mind that there is often not much of a difference between “the Chinese government” and “Chinese corporations”. In 2011, 43 percent of all profits in China were produced by companies where the Chinese government had a controlling interest. Last year a Chinese company spent $2.6 billion to purchase AMC entertainment – one of the largest movie theater chains in the United States. Now the Chinese company controls more movie ticket sales than anyone else in the world.
China is not just relying on acquisitions to expand its economic power. “Economic beachheads” are being established all over America. For example, Golden Dragon Precise Copper Tube Group, Inc. recently broke ground on a $100 million plant in Thomasville, Alabama. Many of the residents of Thomasville, Alabama will be glad to have jobs, but it will also become yet another community that will now be heavily dependent on communist China.
Chinese-owned companies are investing in American businesses and new vehicle technology, selling everything from seat belts to shock absorbers in retail stores, and hiring experienced engineers and designers in an effort to soak up the talent and expertise of domestic automakers and their suppliers. If you recently purchased an “American-made” vehicle, there is a really good chance that it has a number of Chinese parts in it. Industry analysts are hard-pressed to put a number on the Chinese suppliers operating in the United States. C
China actually mining for coal in the mountains of Tennessee. Guizhou Gouchuang Energy Holdings Group spent $616 million to acquire Triple H Coal Co. in Jacksboro, Tennessee. At the time, that acquisition really didn’t make much news, but now a group of conservatives in Tennessee is trying to stop the Chinese from blowing up their mountains and taking their coal.
After being bailed out by U.S. taxpayers, GM is involved in 11 joint ventures with Chinese companies.
Citing the nonpartisan economic think-tank Paulson Institute, an American Security Institute report underscores that “Chinese firms and investors own a controlling majority in nearly 2,400 U.S. companies.” In addition to owning Smithfield and its subsidiaries, General Electric Appliance Division, IBM, General Motors, Spotify, Snapchat, Hilton Hotels, AMC Theaters, Tik Tok, and many others – purchases that predominately occurred during the Obama/Biden Administration – they also own The Chicago Board of Trade, Legend Entertainment Group (movie studios… maker of such films as Jurassic Park), The Waldorf Astoria, Strategic Hotels and Resorts, Riot Games, Motorola, Ingram Micro (distributor of iPhones), Sheraton Universal and Marriott Downtown in Los Angeles, Terex Corporation (earthmoving equipment that used to be owned by GM), Teledyne Continental Engines (aircraft powerplants), Morgan Stanley, VISA, Blackstone, Ford, Chesapeake Energy, and American social news aggregation site Reddit.
Re: not labeling country of origin on food. Remember the Chinese pet food that had something in it that made the protein analysis come out higher but would kill the dogs and cats that ate it? (quick search: https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/recalls-withdrawals/melamine-pet-food-recall-2007 )
I wonder if that or something similar will end up in packaged sausages and ground meats? It’s harder to work into a steak or something recognizable like that, but stuff that’s ground, mixed and packed in an opaque tube? You betcha.
I’m very careful when it comes to packaged meat and do my research to ensure that it was NOT something that came from, was packaged in, etc. — China. It’s true of all products, really including toothpaste and cereals as well.
Render unto China, that which is China’s. Then sell ’em what’s left.
They’ve spent a lot of money buying up a good bit of Australia, too. The pattern, it is bald.
We will all regret selling out what we have to China.
The Chinese got a real bargain when they were doling out bribes to Biden.
That’s an amazingly beautiful location and church in Italy, but there was something seriously wrong with whomever is responsible for it. I’m glad I didn’t have to be a mason or hod-carrier there!
Never heard of the Uniting Church before…
Food labeling: pretty much everything Congress does nowadays is enemy action.
-Kle.
P.S. – I don’t owe my living to the PRC, but I do owe it to Federal, State, and Local government, which is almost as bad (and almost the same).
-Kle.
The federal government is the largest employer in the USA.
15% of the nation works for the public sector.
I don’t know that it’s “bad”. It just has become that way and working for the government should mean that you promote ‘public good’. I suspect that you do that, Kle.
The USA has a long history of foreign investors losing their asses here. An older example is the cattle industry 1870-1920. How many factories built with foreign money before the Great Depression remained in the original investors hands? Let the Chinese drop all that cash here and then the local governments can bleed them with taxes and regulations. The 1970’s saw Japanese investors buying up all kinds of properties (Steamboat Springs ski area for example). Where are they now?
We citizens, IMO, seldom take the long view. While I, and many other readers of this remark, won’t live to see it, give it 50 years or so and the Chinese investors won’t be around. If they are, they will have been assimilated.
Absorbed by the American amoeba?
The Chinese military owns a lot of businesses, too. The PLA owns COSCO (Chinese Overseas Shipping Company), which leases a former naval base in Long Beach.
Yup. I remember when the shut down the Long Beach Naval Shipyard, absolutely the best installation on the west coast. They did exemplary work, and were on-time, and under-budget about 90% of the time. The real kicker was that the Navy had spent some tens of millions of dollars to modernize and upgrade the facilities, only to have them torn down a few years later.
I always wondered why we abandoned NAVSTALONGBEACH. I think that it was more stupidity than deliberately selling out to the Chinese. I may be naive?
You’re certainly not alone, LL. It had to be the worst decision the BRAC people ever made. Those who think selling out the Chinese is new haven’t been paying attention all these years.
@Don – The COSCO lease was cancelled, and Hanjin (South Korea) ran the terminal. Just too much outrgae by the local people, many of whom had long careers at the base.
Two things I’m curious about. First, I bet it is colder than an ex-mother-in-law’s heart at Madonna della Corona Italy, but why would anyone build it there? And how much of the wealth in China trickles down to the workers? Not a lot, I bet.
Colder than a witch’s tit, John.
Workers in China are paid on par with American workers now. Not in all sectors, but manufacturing in China (and then shipping) hasn’t been profitable for a few years now.
We haven’t had to purchase our meat from a supermarket in over a decade now. We are fortunate to have as neighbors a large family farm and we buy all of our beef(Hereford) pork,chicken and turkey from their farm stand/store. Yes it does cost more but in turn we know exactly where it all comes from.
I try to do the same thing but can’t always do it. I don’t have a single source like that, which would be great. If any of you Arizona folk (Zonies) know that sort of outlet here, let me know, please. (e-mail or comment on the blog)
We have numerous sources here for locally raised meat, and that’s all we buy.
I thought buffalo burgers were great until I had an elkburger…..!
Render under to Caesar…applies to ONLY that which is FROM Caesar (or in our case, Mr. Caesar Salad Rotting Anchovy Brain). In our – or more accurately “what was” – a Constitutional Republic, that which government obtains is paid for by the citizenry, therefore government owns NOTHING, so for me they can go pound sand and pray to God I am in a good mood if and when they decide to trespass.
On a Biblical note, I believe God will give you a full pass on the slight addition to Scripture considering the rapacious times we find ourselves.
So who owns The House? China, just like the Presidency and a host of Republican’s. No “Country of Origin” labeling is meat treason as far as I’m concerned. Tanking the economy is next, and I hate to be wrong, like others have over the past 2 years, “they will burn America down to get what they want.” So far they on track to do just that. Employers wrecking their own businesses over a stupid vaccination edict that is wholly unConstitutional and unethical and immoral? Yup. Because…follow the money. Those in bed with the America-Haters in Charge must be getting paid beaucoup printed bucks to shoot themselves in the foot over something so stupid it confounds rational thinking.
Unless something changes for the better this week, MrsPaulM and I are out. W-4 gets changed to “Exempt” and retirement gets shuffled out of their ability to steal it. Cripple them from underneath for the remainder of the year. Not engaging in their stupidity. And never voting again.
Orwell, Rand, Ben Franklin, etc…were correct.
Spleen venting complete.
Good vent, Paul….
I have a spiritual fear this does not end well short of a proper removal of those in power who think we work for them. Rubber meets road when trying to read the tea leaves and follow the Holy Spirits leadings in a Godly manner.
I made my exit. I get it. If I work these days and I won’t confirm or deny, I’m paid in cash or specie.
They aren’t principles until you have to defend them. We’re defending ours. The Over-winders started it, pushed us to the limit against the wall. My turn.
And the Chicoms are buying land close to Laughlin AFB in Val Verde County Texas. Supposedly for a wind farm:
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/08/10/report-chinese-communist-buys-large-swath-of-land-in-texas-alarming-lawmakers/
Trust your local commissar, Steve.
In 2016, 62% of all home sales (new and used) in Orange County, CA were to Chinese nationals. Overall, SoCal saw 44% of all home sales to the same. The former percentage dipped below 50% in 2019. The latter percentage has risen.
New uranium and lithium operations in south UT and central AZ are consortium of which CCP are principal. NV is on hold.
Long Beach/Los Angeles port is heavily financed by the CCP. This is especially so for *some* trucking firms. By the way, due to CA state emissions laws, fewer trucks are allowed into the port facilities. The condition seems ripe for graft and collusion. While the corruption is not new*, the consequence of the new regulations is they’ve had the effect of doubling down on those splendid virtues.
*A friend has worked in Customs at Long Beach port for decades. There is much he couldn’t reveal but what he was able to tell of the corruption and scheming was incredible in it’s scope.
I’m quite familiar with the corruption at Customs and Border Protections at the ports, including Long Beach.
And you’re right, it’s all bad.
Yep. They make the Longies and the mob look like rank amateurs….
In the late 70’s Detroit was frantically eager to get into the Chinese market and were forming partnerships and joint ventures at breakneck speed. My parents’ Chinese friends could broadly be divided into engineers who worked for big automotive, or university faculty in engineering. The former all found themselves tapped by their senior management to go to the PRC. The latter, of whom my dad was one, all found themselves lucrative consulting contracts. Except my dad, who said he would not work with communists and that it would hurt the US. “Just you watch, the gong fei [roughly translates as commie bandits] will take everything and leave you nothing.”
“That’s ridiculous, Ford [or whichever] are smart, I’M smart. You think those commie bumpkins can pull one over on me? On the company?”
It got pretty bad. My mom was on record for some words that included the phrase “naive fools, they have no idea how dangerous those people are.” (The phrase “goddamn Nixon” was also heard in my house.)
They lost some friends over those disagreements, which was a bit upsetting to my parents. My teenaged suggestion that a number of those people were jerks and therefore no loss, regardless of whether they were aiding and abetting, did not comfort them, strangely.
Fast forward five years. To a man (and woman, she was a rising star terror at Ford) they all reported that the Chicoms stole all the IP they could get their paws on, then under one pretext or another dissolved the agreements. Most admitted that they were not allowed to even walk around the “joint” facilities unescorted. One was chagrined to discover, the week he was being sent home, that an entire other but identical duplicate plant had been set up, literally behind “his” facility, that had exactly the same capabilities, but the Chicoms regarded that one as solely theirs. He had zero idea despite years of visits and months spent on site.
The father of one of my childhood best friends also avoided becoming a Chicom patsy. That was because he was Taiwanese of the generation that sucked up to their Japanese occupiers and hated the KMT more than the Japs. He didn’t get fooled by the Chicoms because HIS speciality was getting a GM, Ford, or Chrysler consultancy, then selling their IP to Japanese automakers.
FWIW, none of these people were particularly anti-American, or anti-white (certainly not in the way of a Bill Ayers, or Saul Alinksy, or Susan Sontag, or the publishers of the NYT). They were either sucked in by personal ambition, or pushed into it by Detroit senior management. People in the US were utterly naive as to what life under a pervasive collectivist system was like. Not only did the average person have no idea, they apparently couldn’t even wrap their brains around the ideas after they were told flat out, in black and white, pick your expression. We used to actually hear people crowing about how “the Chinese will be unable to resist our marketing. After years of government control they’ll just believe everything we say! They’ve been conditioned to believe authority. Hahaha!” Needless to say, they were idiots. People under collectivist tyranny believe NOTHING, other than they are being lied to. We in the US are starting to experience that. Most of us grew up believing that the FDA, the CDC, the FBI, could be trusted. Hell, we trusted uncle Walter and we trusted Time Magazine and the NYT. How many of you now trust ANY of those? Loss of trust breaks a society.
Not a one, can’t be trusted. They all lie. Sold their souls. A hired MD doing the jab sales job to keep your job told a group of pharmacovigilence veterinarians the vaccine is 100% effective and masks are 80% effective. Turns out she’s a former CDC director. Guess she got paid well to lie through her teeth.
Yes. Loss of trust in the institutions (fully justified loss of trust) is just part of the writing on the wall here in the US, but it is a big part.
-Kle.
Thanks for the powerful sermon. Now I’m imagining all the white washed sepulchres inside the Beltway seeling our country to China.
You know the saying, when there’s no more room in Hell the damned will walk the earth.
Cheers.
Are you insinuating that Hell is full and the toilets there are overflowing into the (sacred) halls of Congress?
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