Chinese Editor Sentenced to 7 years

        So, more evidence of dissent in China by the Communist government of Xi JinPing, the dictator -in-Chief.  Since 2012, Xi has been raising the stakes against those dissident voices within the country. No matter the character and reputation of those few voices that speak against central government policies, all will be made to fear speaking out. The Communist methods include all the known methods and a few unknown, too.

     This time, close on the heels of the sentencing of Hong Kong activist/dissenter Jimmie Lai, the named dissenter is Dong YuYu, 62. He got 7 years. Hmmmmm. That's a long time for someone of any age. And at 62, his chances of surviving are slim, given the circumstances found in Chinese prisons wherever they may be.  YuYu was arrested while he was speaking with the Japanese ambassador to China. The ambassador was detained along with Dong and later released after formal protests by the Japanese government. The action underscores China's policies regarding the rules of international law and policies regarding diplomatic protocol(s). China and its Communist government could careless about both. Only the government of China is the rule maker.

       Mr. Dong has been a journalist for many years, writing many, many articles about democracy and the rule of law in China and abroad. Years ago, the Central government encouraged writers to speak out, to uncover corruption, and to offer readers alternative viewpoints. Now, that is no longer the case under Xi's Beijing lackies who adhere to strict control of all Chinese writers, especially those who dissent.

     Mr. Dong says he will appeal the sentencing. Hmmmm. Is that in itself an illegal dissent form?  Will Xi change as Trump gets ready to add monstrous tariffs on all Chinese exports to the USA?  Will Trump call out a boycott of ALL Chinese made articles? Will Trump ban the arrivals of all ships that sail from Chinese or Chinese owned ports? The next 4 years will be telling for Chinese dissenters and China.

Stay tuned.

Hezbollah: A Terrorist Organization

 Yes, don't forget. US Marine Lt. Col. Richard Higgins was captured by Hezbollah in Lebanon on February 17, 1989, the 6th American captured in 1988 by terrorists.  He was a UN Peace Keeping agent at the time. He had been riding in a well-marked UN vehicle between meeting with members of local groups. As a hostage, he was used as a bargaining chip by terrorists to thwart efforts by Israel to counter anti-government operatives in the area. Months later, a grainy video was released by Hezbollah showing Lt. Col. Higgins hanging by a rope, obviously dead. 

     Hezbollah should be remembered for this murder and many others in the course of their takeover of once calm Lebanon. Terrorists never learn and must be destroyed, always.

The trial of Jimmie Lai: Beijing Rules

        So, a trial; in Hong Kong. Trial transcripts? Unavailable. Let's see: solitaru confinement for .... 4 years. Age: 73. Hmmmm. Torture. I think these are grounds to exclude Beijing from the WTO. Time to call aces on Xi JP and his world view where anything goes as long as it goes Xi's way. Trumpie will have Xi losing sleep starting Nov. 5. All the Chinese university students are studying past practices of the Trumpie administration  moves, to be ready in JAnuary when the MAr-A-LAgo storm comes ashore.

     What fun to watch the "Great Disrupter" rumble around the world, casting debris wherever he touches something. All the MAGA folks will rejoice in the telling of these tales of woe among the populace. Tariffs,  scariffs. INflation, scaflation. we'll fix the problems started by Joebiden. Wheeeeeeeee.

      Qwill Jimmie Lai survive is the question. This solitary voice in the Asian Wilderness may soon be silenced, but his memory will live on, at least for two -three generations.

Chinese Unit 61398-Hacking Central

        The photos are available of a highrise building in Shanghai that has a unit of the PLA. This is the home offices of the 'Salt Typhoon'. I love that name: it has such thoughtful connotations. Typhoon: we all know about these violent weather events that stir up the elements in East Asia annually, like they do in the eastern Atlantic annually(see Milton, and the Carolinas). The typhoon carries lots of energy and are capable of widespread destruction wherever it touches land. Salt: we all know about salt and its necessity in our world. Starting out as a preservative of foods long before civilization got rolling, it has emerged as the scourge of the modern diet, raising blood pressures universally while at the same time enhancing the tastes of edibles.

     So, this little warren of techies has been identified as the source of many a hack and many hackers. The Chinese are relentless and patient both, always taking the long view. Yes, they have economic problems of major significance, but these problems ebband flow no matter political conditions. Xi JP rolls with them and continues spreading influence wherever he can. Latin America and Africa come to mind; also the South China Sea, and, oh, don't overlook Taiwan. And, oh, Hong Kong, former British colony where they lock you up for talking.

Where is Jimmie Lai?

Reno, Nevada Business Gets Hacked

        A large gaming company with headquarters in Reno experienced a major computer invasion by unknown(at the start) parties. Early results appear to indicate that the hacking effort originated somewhere in the vicinity of -----I-R-A-N! The company is the provider of gaming systems for all casino operations across the desert landscape(se Las Vegas and Reno and all the fringes). Company employees are working around the clock as they attempt to prevent a complete disaster.

       Federal agencies are monitoring the situation, assisting where they can. Identification of the hackers will take a little time but will eventually be found. Sure, these criminals have tech ability, obviously. The US, of course, is the tech leader and will put this event on the list of state -sponsored hacking. What country this time? Maybe this is a diversion of the Baltic Sea cable cutting operation by the Chinese bulk cargo carrier that severed 2 comm cables yesterday; maybe it's just a coincidence(Ha!).

      Perhaps Nevada's Congressional members will be rapping on the door(s) of the transition team asking for some advice. Seems like Trumpie would like to know what's happening here and there. Or maybe Jake Sullivan will have something to do over the holidays.

     Welcome news: getting ready for more tariff talk, retaliatory and otherwise.

City of South Lake Tahoe Rejects Vacancy Tax

       Local voters in South Lake Tahoe rejected the city's attempt to force home owners to pay a tax if their property remained vacant for a certain time period. Sufficient owners who could vote recognized this liberal attempt to correct a lack of building and a lack of housing inside the Tahoe Basin. It would have gone to court immediately had it passed.

      What were they thinking? Hmmmm. Not thinking? or maybe they thought timing is right? Tahoe has been the site of many second homes owned by seasonal visitors who enjoy the Sierra environment: some winter, some summer. The story of the annual migration of local indigenous tribes to the Lake is well known. Even today, tribal members return to the West Shore where they operate the Meeks Bay Resort.

      The media gave this off the wall ballot measure significant coverage. In the Blue state of California, it was thought that this would pass. Wrong. It's bad enough that the State taxes everybody and everything at exorbitant rates, especially with the sales tax which everybody pays, rich and poor alike. Never mind it's burden is felt most acutely by the poor whether it is liquor, cigarettes, hot pizza, hot meals, or McMuffins, we all pay.

     So, the city of South LAke Tahoe will have to rethink their next move to create housing. Why not a high rise apartment building with views for locals. Buy a Harveys Hotel and make it apartments. Good location. No need for a casino here: there are plenty of competitors sprinkled around the state and more on the way. Investors know about gambling and careless that it's just another scam to squeeze money from those who can least afford its cost. But, that's another benefit of the one-party government that has a strangle hold on the economy and its people.

Musk and Trumpie

     The billionaire and the president elect joined in Texas to observe the launch of a Space X missile. Mr. Musk, owner of the company invited his new BFF to watch the show. The missile launch was successful and the returning section splashed down in the Caribbean Ocean.

     Another success for Space X. One wonders will Jeff Bezos invite Trumoie to his 'next launch"? We'll see. Can't wait.

Kremlin Cuts Cables in Europe

       So, the internet is down. So a portion of NATO countires lost their connections. Hmmmmm. How does this happen today? Well, sometimes a ship drags an anchor across the cable, severing same. Then it is replaced or repaired. Sabotage is another method. Once located, it is relatively easy: drop the hook and pull and "snap" goes the wire, crash goes the internet, and laughing goes the Kremlin.

       There's no end to the mischief spread about by the Kremlin. All those toadies saying yes, yes, yes, to Mad Vlad(VOVA). Remind you of someone?  The wire connection was lost between 2 Scandinavian countries and Germany. This is a very important connection since Germany is the largest economic European nation on which many of the smaller countries depend for many, many things. To cut this cable is not catastrophic, but it is a finger in the eye of all parties involved. This comes from the Kremlin which recently joined forces with Kim Un of North Korea to provide an army division to fight alongside the poor Rus who are facing another long cold winter away from Mother Russya, fighting in a war none of them wanted at all.

      And the Kremlin pays an insurance policy to the widows and orphans left behind. The money has been a boon to remote cities and villages across the largest country in the world. Business has improved considerably in those places that sent young men to die down south in the war nobody but Putin wanted.

     Time now to revoke all visas for anybody living and working or studying abroad. all those countries that accepted those Russyans that fled the Mother Land should now have to return: no refugee status, no asylum sanctuaries. Enough. If Putin is skirting and evading sanctions, then add this to the list: no more Russyans accepted abroad-anywhere(excepting North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela, maybe Syria.

     How will those Rus like that; getting sent home for Christmas; cold but probably lots of nat gas heat.

Dr. Oz and RFK,Jr. : Bookends

       Trumpie appointed DR. Mahmet Oz as head of Medicare Program(s). He'll join Robert F Kennedy, Jr. as an important functionary in Trumpie's new administration come January 20, 2025. It appears to t his casual observer that Trumpie does as he said he would: make decisions based on his 'gut' feelings on the issue/appointment/program/ desired outcomes.

     Dr. M. Oz has been around for a couple of decades after gaining some credibility as a guest on Oprah Winfrey's TV show. Yes, Dr. M. Oz is a noted cardiac surgeon. Yes, he 'was' associated with Columbia Medical School(that tie has now been erased quietly.) Once he recognized the possibilities as a talk show host, he ran with it(football term, sorry). Soon, he was hawking diet supplements on his show, selling suspect chemicals that offered little excepting an emptying of your wallet. Now he will be in charge of Medicare which affects almost  half the population of the USA.

       Trump being Trump; he wants to shake up "big pharma"; big Health, big government, bigley bigley. He will do it "his Way" which is the brainless, gut wrenching way of an ignoramus. So, of those 3 million Trumpie voters who carried the election for the Republicans, get ready, and please, don't claim ignorance: he told you all ahead of time what was coming.

     Now we'll have Dr. Coocoo and the vax denier who visited American Samoa and 89 children died shortly afterward because the parents bought into Kennedy's anti-vaccine BS.

Get ready for Oz.

Putin's North Korean Problem

      So, the generals running the Kremlin's Special Operations in Ukraine needed some manpower to counterattack the incursion of Ukrainian troops into the Kursk region of the Motherland. A shockinh development. The generals were ordered by Mad Vlad to attack this insult. What happened? Nothing. No manpower available. Remember, the Rus invaded their neighbor 1000 days ago. Yes, 1000 days ago. It has cost thr Kremlin hundreds of thousands of young men from a country that doesn't have very many young men left to expend their lives for a MAD MAN. So, what to do?

       Call Kim Un, now. "Kim, I need a division pronto, price is no object." Ok, Vladdy, I'll give the order soon. The price: oil, lots at a favorable price, below Saudi price. Ok. done. SO Kim sends 10,000 North Koreans to Russya ready for action. Wait, they don't speak Rus. Ok, add a few Russyans to each unit for communications. Done. Now we have North Koreans dancing around in Kursk. Those North Koreans liek the fresh air, something they've never experienced. Some like the geography, so different that the peninsula with its hills and valleys and stinking weather and stinking Dear Leader. Oh, to be free of the dear Leader. yes, we still have the in house assassins watching us but we are here, not there.

    As a result, Old Joe freed up some requested rocket munitions for Volodymyr which he promptly put to good use, raining some steel on to the heads of the North Korean conscripts digging around in the Ukrainian black soil. But now the Rus generals have the manpower to counterattack the intrusion. Never mind that the war has dragged on for 1000 days.(This means that MAd Vlad is 1000 days closer to the end of 'his' time, which is coming faster than even he anticipated). Oh, and he's trotted out the 'nuclear option' pony for the scaredy cats. Clear indication that he's losing it.

Wrlcome to the "new Russya".

Big Day in Hong Kong

      Remember Hong Kong-the 'former' British colony operating within the boundary of the Red Menace? And then, Beijing decided that the treaty signed back then was a mistake. So, the Communist government jumped the piece of paper by 25 years and took over HK.

     How did that work out? Ask the 45 citizens of Hong Kong that were sentenced to prison terms yesterday. Some got 4 years, and some got ten. I guess the judge(can a Communist be called judge?) wanted to break up the pattern for the sake of media terms. Many of these prisoners have been waiting awhile for the sentencing phase of their trials(are there 'real trials' in the Communist government? No) So, they'll join Jimmy Lai, the publisher who has been sentenced to life(what's left of it) in prison for publishing something Xi doesn't like or the PARTY doesn't like or the council of Commies doesn't like.

       So, the Communists exalt on their victory over dissent, again. Lovely country China. Been there, smells like fish. These sentences send another message: don't oppose Beijing or Xi JP or else. Or else PRISON. Want to spend your time in a Chinese shithole? Then just keep quiet and eat your rice allocation. Oh, complain about real estate problems? Be careful, it's a very sensitive topic lately. Even the rest of the world knows about China/ Beijing's real estate fiasco. Can you believe it : millions and millions of condos rotting away, empty and the debt on the government's balance sheet(s). How does this happen? Communism, pure and simple. Sure the West has its problems but did the West build millions of condos on order of Washington? No.

Have a nice day, Hong Kongers.

Snow: It's About Time

      Well, sports fans, get your snow boards ready: here it comes. That's the atmospheric bomba, guaranteed to dump the white stuff. Folks were starting to get concerned about the "season"; but now, here we go: WINTER.

       Strolling around Homewood yesterday gives one the impression that the San Francisco-based owners care less about Tahoe than they do about their $$$$$. No surprises there. They are capitalists and thats what you get. However, the regulators are in charge here, thankfully. Can you imagine what the lakefront would look like without TRPA? Exactly, just like Vegas. We don't like Vegas; we like Tahoe Blue.

     So, Palisades will probably be making snow by the ton tonight, tomorrow, and for months to come to satisfy the needs of their customers who will pay dearly for the privilege of skiing/boarding down Squaw Peak(don't say squaw). Get ready for the traffic-the holidays are on the near term horizon. Oh, well.

New Attorney General Nominee

        DJT's disdain for the legal profession only matches his disdain for Congress. In a move to insult all lawyers everywhere, DJT named Matt Gaetz as his choice for Attorney General of the USA. Can you imagine? This is what was expected from DJT: he could care less about those saps who voted him into another term in the White House. Now the chickens are coming home to roost. Republicans are clattering about their warrens chattering about the flood of appointments being made by the winner on Nov. 5th.

      So the voters and those who abstained from voting will be spared the post election day protests and mass resignations that would have followed a defeat of Trumpism. Now they have to live with the new reality for 4 more years: a wackadoodle housed on Pennsylvania Avenue. Of course, much of his time will be spent on the golf course at Mar-A -Lago in Florida, his southern home of record where he housed all the documents he stole from the White House after being defeated by Joe Biden in 2020. Federal Judge Eileen Cannon took care of that problem for the Donald. She can probably play a round of 18 holes at Mar-a-Lago for free.

     Matt Gaetz has been under investigation for sex crimes and other dark deeds while in Conress as a representative of Florida. He resigned before the report was released. Now he will face confirmation hearings in the Senate. How about that?

     His Deputy is Todd Blanche, the pathetic counsel of DJT through many of his trials. He's another grabber/climber/status seeker/compromiser. If Gaetz gets dumped, Toddy Boy will be elevated into the leadership position. 

      This whole affair is great entertainment unless you prefer less drama, less facade, less fake truths, less corruption, less ignorance, less scary, less doomsday, less narcissism, less Orange hair.

Viva Italia

President of Italy to Elon Musk:

       So the "Whirling Dervish" of Washington,D.C., aka Elon 'X' Musk, was told publicly by Sergio Marterella, President of Italy, to stay out of Italian politics. The Italian President is not part of Prime Minister Georgio Meloni's government not its party-Brothers of Italy. This came on the heels of a judicial decision by the Supreme Court of Italy that put on hold the government's plan to house migrants intercepted at sea in a facility in Albania unril the courts can hear their requests for asylum.

     For years, Italy has seen huge numbers of migrants land on remote islands in the Mediterranean  Sea after precarious journeys in flimsy watercraft provided by traffickers in North African ports. Unknown numbers of these migrants have drowned during these attempts to reach Europe. Most of them seek to pass through Italy to Northern European countries rather than risk staying in Southern European sites that offer fewer opportunities for employment and housing.

      The audacity of Elon Musk, the richest man in the known universe, is well known. Now Pres. Elect DJT, has anointed him as Director of Government Efficiency. This title has only increased his gall in over reaching everywhere his money can bring him. PM Georgia Meloni and Elon met at the Atlantic Council awards ceremony in September. He assured his millions of followers on X that he is not dating Ms. Meloni. That may or may not be true as the dark shadows of Philanderer in Chief Musk hide many trysts and social engagements  that are well documented. Perhaps Pope Francis should offer Elon some advice, too. "Elon, keep it in your pants and leave our PM alone." The Italian president is the leader of the legal arm of the government and as such as a certain role in the country beyond legislative Parliament.

      My advice to Elon: "Take your schtick to DJT's government, leave Italy out of your overreaching grabs."

Viva Italia

Melania Trump Snubs the First Lady

      What else is new? The former First Lady, Melania Trump, turned down an invitation to the White House to meet Jill Biden, the First Lady. No comment followed. Melania deserves DJT. Two of a kind: narcissists.

Russya Acknowledges Demographic Cratering

        Let's see: Mad Vlad orders the military to invade Ukraine. Russyan soldiers are under-trained, ill-prepared, and hardly excited about a war against a neighbor in their back yard. Then start sending home to Moskva tens of thousands of body bags filled with the remains of dead Russyans. Then, have those with means, a few children of oligarchs/kleptogarchs, flee abroad so they won't end up in a body bag. Then arrest anybody who speaks out against the Putin model of government, eg. no rights of any sort. Then put Alexei Navalny in prison, then kill him there.

       Now Mad Vlad and his puppets in the Duma will address the shortcomings of the fertile female population. A new law will be signed by Mad Vlad which will outlaw a life style that doesn't include children. Hmmmmm. How's this going to work in practice.? Demented Peskov, spokesperson extraordinaire for Mad Vlad, stated that the new law will only ensnare those subversives and subversive organizations that advocate for the "modern" lifestyle which doesn't include procreation, ie., having children/Little Russkies. This law might just be the last straw-the straw that breaks the camel's back. With sanctions in place and more on the way, young folks with a few rubles will be fleeing in droves again; essentially giving Mad Vlad(Vova) the finger/the bird.

        So, the Poor Rus. Stuck. Chained to their modern history of inhumane treatment for all, especially their own. What will it take to turn the shit ship of state to turn around? Now, Mad Vlad(Vova) has enlisted help from his buddy in North Korea: Kim Un, aka Rocket Man. He helps the Rus by sending 10,000 soldiers to fight in Ukraine. These are mercenaries who don't speak Rus, but die like the Rus. They'll be sent home like their Rus soldier comrades. But, they'll have gained some freedom to breathe air other than the toxic fumes that flow from  Pyongyang, North Korea.

       Like China, the population bust is only getting worse  in Russya. While the lives of the Party elite is comfortable, the majority suffer, suffer, and suffer some more. The world outside the borders of the largest country in the world have made Russya a pariah state, not only for the occupation of Crimea in 2014, but the ongoing war against Ukraine. Mad Vlad will soon die; but his legacy will haunt the Rus for centuries.

Big Banks Slammed Again

       With banks, bigger seems not to be better. The list of fines, settlements without admitting guilt, and the closing and takeover have become part of the financial world of banks and banking. This past week, announcements were made by a few of the 'Big Boys' of banking, the trillion dollar big boys, that they will be paying fines after a brief investigation by the Consumer Finance Board(Federal agency).

       How about $800 millions? Can the average tax payer digest the number? No. Really, it is incomprehensible to the human mind. Maybe a computer can accept the number, but you and I cannot. If one spent $1000/day, how long would it take to spend $800000000.?  It would take 2,191 YEARS! Yes, years.

      So, as the phrase goes, it would take a long time. So, what happened? Typical activities that were largely convenient for retail users- Zelle payments/transfers systems, etc. Used by a large  segment of young techies and youngsters in general.  A user application that allowed account holders to transfer funds from their bank accounts to another user with the required application on their phones. Sounds good; and it worked. And then----hackers and scammers arrived in spades. People lost money. Money that was being held by banks. Money the banks said was safe. Money the banks said they would make good in case of fraud. And then they didn't.

       Over the course of just a few years, thousands upon thousands of customers were victims of fraud and the banks ignored their loses. Thank the Consumer Finance Account Board for their intercession. And now the bill has come due.

       Bank of America will pay as per its own announcement: $800 millions. They call it part of the 'business'. I call it too big to fail is too B-I-G.  With a new Baboon in the White House, the big banks think times will change and the party will restart on January 20, 2025, again.

Warriors Edge Celtics

      The new basketball season is on its way. The Warriors are on their way. By beating the Boston Celtics, at home, so early in this young season sends a message to future opponents: we are back in the game, and, an added bonus: Steph Curry can still shoot 3's. Yes, the man is older now. Yes, he has suffered through a few injuries, most recently, an ankle strain. But, as his performance in the 4th quarter indicates, he's a tough man, a resilient man, and a determined player who can focus 100% on the action as it unfolds on the court. And he has help. In the form of a new member, Hield, a 6th man maybe, and he can shoot, too. His height will offer many options and Coach Ker will guide him to a place of strength and power. By January, he could be a starter along side the regulars and Steph.

     Get ready for a great season of Warriors basketball.

Republicans 1, Democrats -3

      So, the Dems didn't do it, not this time. Talk about missing the mark! Not even close. The Dems can't blame 'big money'; they had bigger money. The pundits have worn out their laptops; all the battery power in the Blue states has been drained; poll workers are finished and are joyful that they won't be under siege until Thanksgiving. The Heritage Foundation, the right wing harbor of anti-Americanism, will shake off the doldrums and emerge as a respectable shitpile.

       Congress will have a new look: RED in both houses. Wall St. will buy a round of drinks/wine/cannabis for all comers. Economists will scratch their heads, again, seeking answers to unanswerable questions; and soothsayers will warm up their crystal balls and start soothing for the future.

      The Federal bureaucracy might look different a year from now, but a lot depends on how far Congress will go, but with the SCOTUS in the pocket, Congress and POTUS are essentially without restraint. Oh, my. What does that look like? See California where wackadoodle Newsom has a single majority legislature and continues to drive citizens out of state and raise taxes and other costs with impunity. Oh, my.

      San Francisco will get a new mayor who has never held office in any capacity. How does this happen? Money-pure and simple.$$$$$$$-it works. Oakland has recalled its mayor. Alameda County has recalled its district attorney. Statewide rent control was defeated- again, and again, and again. They just don't believe the facts, simply put. It doesn't work and it doesn't help.

     Florida will come to be the White House, South, like it was 4 years ago. While DeSantis may have some cred with the president-elect, he wise enough to know that it's like playing with rattlesnakes-scary.

More to come.......

Orange HAired Baboon Gets New Endorsement

        Notorious pod caster, Joe "Skin Head" Rogan, has given his endorsement to former president DJT. A perfect fit: two dispensers of wholesale disinformation deserve each other. Mr. Rogan added that he believes Elon Musk's assessment that DJT is the best candidate. This support comes at the end of the 4 year campaign by the 78 year old candidate, convicted felon, who has the country divided into equal halves.

      The vote count will probably take awhile and the outcome of the election will probably not be settled for several days. This will no doubt allow a number of doubts to be sowed by DJT's shadow supporters from various and sundry followers.

Stay tuned.

Election Day: Get Out and VOTE

      So, sports fans, it's 'showtime'. All the bluster, all the hype, all the lies from the Orange-haired Baboon will pass into the fog of history. Expectations are for a high turnout of voters; already over 80 million votes have been cast ahead of today indicating a higher than average turnout, maybe as much as turned out in 2020.

       Both candidates went down to the wire with their respective campaigns, and now will sit out the day in respective homes in the Naval Observatory building in Washington, D.C. , and the MAr-A-Lago hotel Resort in Florida where the Liar-in-Chief can surround himself with his home-grown battery of sycophants. 

Do your duty, Mr. and Mrs. Citizen: VOTE.