Christine M.

DJT is trying to cook up an external/international „emergency“ where he can deploy the military - PR wise loud and spectacular, but with presumably little risk (i.e. “weak” opponents), preferably oil. Playbook - distraction, diversion and militarization. And grandstanding.

He may be miscalculating.

Fascinating.

And once more we learn that cold-blooded does not necessarily mean cold-blooded.

And that is an "investment" we know about. With AI turning more and more into a risky business with warnings of a collapse turning up, this is a fight for dominance but also survival. So it can become fierce. And as always - cui bono?

With that argument brought forward to explain the vote - what is next? Who is next?

Any context re: Russia, e.g. concerns regarding the breaking up of the Baltic states front?

Erin Reed provided some background re: methodological fallacies.

bsky.app/profile/erin...

So wie ich die Situation lese, geht es China mit dieser Um-Priorisierung nicht allein um ökonomische Absicherung von Supply Lines und Resilienz für sich selbst, sondern insbesondere auch um weiteren Ausbau (und Nutzung) ökonomischer Machtfaktoren im Rahmen seiner internationalen Machtpolitik.

"It's not necessarily Mamdani's policies that Democrats at large should be copying, but instead it's his work in getting out and actually talking to voters." That and the donors problem. I concur.

Not all democrats hunker in that rabbit hole. But "tell what you are for" needs to be embraced more.

In this context: Loved your podcast with Beth Macy.

... and how they know and how their sentiments are. Both about what they know and how they learn. Then you could have enriched conversations with voters / people.

Warning signs glaring, if they ever were!

Thanks for showing us.

"Don't see, don't hear, can't say." In so many instances.

For a representative of the people in that high position, he shows - if taken literally what he said - a remarkable disconnect and no concern about current events of importance and the politics of today. How does he spend his time? On what?

Right. Danger.

Also - on a sideline - I feel taken aback strongly (dare I say, disgusted) how Musk and the likes of him take well-known and loved tropes of SF and Fantasy, twist them for their purposes and purport to take on a progressive mantle, ostensibly sanctioned by their "steals".

"Not the hill to die on" für die Bundesregierung - aus verschiedenen Gründen ...

Technically Fourth Reich - but I suppose not many would get such a headline ...

Also: Too close for comfort ... already.

Absolutely beautiful.

The variance in dust exhausts ... and then the undulations within the dust tail. I cannot see them, but one wonders if there are correlating variant structures present in the gas tail.

Thanks for sharing.

Star Trek and the Culture of Fandom Star Trek and the Culture of Fandom

"57% that took this survey reported being female! That means 43% were males."

This and more confirming of the important role of women in Star Trek fandom, taken from the 2010 survey.

www.startrek.com/en-un/news/s...

Lucille Ball first. Bjo Trimble with the write-in initiative to save Star Trek, end of season one, but especially at the end of season two of TOS. (She appeared as an extra in Star Trek: The Motion Picture.) Various other women in follow-ups. And let's not forget D.C. Fontana. And more.

... cause the business case for "harvesting the moon": Numbers, please. And financing concept.

(Sorry - I love my Star Trek, though.)

As Neil deGrasse Tyson (and others) are pointing out: Reasons to go to space:

- a very strong positive business case
- a military threat
- a geopolitical strategic competition with consequences if failing

All this may come about. But Bezos and his "millions living in space" ... as tourists?

I missed in this article the rising talks among citizens about financial consequences of climate change. Natural disasters increasing in frequency and severeness. Bad outcomes in agriculture. Droughts. And at the same time less money coverage for people harmed. (Insurance, FEMA, ...)

A hook?

Seems like that was the plan all along. (Playbook.) One way to disrupt the military column of protecting democracy.

Trump Administration Live Updates: Pentagon Accepts $130 Million Donation to Help Pay Troops During Shutdown

The amount is meaningless — less than one day of salary. But the principle is important: once the armed services are paid by the oligarchs, they become a private militia, and we no longer have a country.
www.nytimes.com/live/2025/10...

The pros and cons of Bill Gates’ green premiums - Raconteur You could argue it is a bit rich that Bill Gates, co-founder of technology titan Microsoft and one of the world’s wealthiest people, is calling for businesses to drive climate change. However, there i...

Another critical view on "Green Premiums" below.

Whereas technological improvements for sure will be contributing and are welcome (My take: no to geoengineering), this depends on companies prioritizing accordingly. Which is doubtful without a regulatory framework.

www.raconteur.net/responsible-...

Is my impression correct? They are also working to project this worldview beyond the borders of the USA to effectively change other countries as well.

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) sails in the Arctic Circle Click here to view this article from militarynews.com.

Interesting. This aircraft carrier group was deployed to the Arctic Sea ( www.militarynews.com/norfolk-navy...) before; perhaps in view of threats by Russia increasing.

Re-deployment to the Caribbean: (A) Overkill in capabilities, or (B) a smoke screen for things to come?

"Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, and Google have a lot riding on their relationships with the Trump administration."

Could one really call them hostages and victims of DJT? How much did they bring this about themselves?

Discuss.

Screenshot from Monty Python: "No one expects the Spanish Inquisition" with three men clad in red robes.

Who could have known? I mean ...

imgflip.com/i/3gn5us

Will all those fundings add up to produce those $300M - which not too long ago were $200M and, at current rate of change in estimates, may not be the final number? What about a gap ...?

Either he doesn't know (then - who did do the signing?). Or he doesn't care (then - what about the sense of responsibility?). Or he doesn't comprehend cognitively (then ... uhm).

Just a diversion? That has aged badly.

Wie sagte der kanadische Premierminister Mark Carney kürzlich: "How much can we America-proof Canada?" als neue kanadische Doktrin.

Ähnliches gilt für Europa.

Und Katar? Zusammenarbeit autokratischer Systeme, die untereinander 1,2 Billionen $ Deals schließen.