Yes, Actually

In which I answer a question posed by the inimitable Karl Denninger, whom I very much respect and who has arguably saved more lives than Florence Nightengale and David Hasselhoff combined.

Still Think Its Not Just Money?
Now we have documentation that Scott Gottlieb was involved in the Twitter Censorship on Covid.

Of course anything that dissuades you from being talked or even forced into spending money in the pharma world is bad from their point of view and Scott is on their board. May I remind you that this is a company that has been repeatedly fined huge amounts of money for various violations of both law and regulation?

Pharma has been a big advertiser on Twitter, of course. Can’t bite that hand with the stack of Benjamins in it, can you?

Then we got this report — a key study on an anti-stroke drug may have been falsified with potentially fatal side effects ignored.

That study dates to….. 2009.

So much for “they’re trying to kill you” eh?

Naw.

They just don’t care about anything except money.

Au contraire. I not only still think it’s not just money, I am absolutely, 100 percent, certain that it isn’t just money. Greed, after all, is only one of the Seven Deadly Sins, and Mammon is only one of the various false gods.

  • Adidas did not drop Kanye to make more money.
  • YouTube did not deplatform Owen Benjamin and me to make more money.
  • Patreon did not deplatform Owen Benjamin and Mr. Metokur to make more money.
  • Indiegogo did not return money to my backers to make more money.
  • British Petroleum, Exxon Mobile, and Shell did not exit Russia to make more money.
  • Disney did not throw its weight against the “Don’t Say Gay” law in Florida to make more money.
  • Intel did not spend $300 million on diversity and inclusion to make more money.
  • Every freaking commercial on TV did not introduce multiracial couples to make more money for either the advertising agency or the advertiser.

I could provide well over 10,000 examples of “profit-seeking” corporations making decisions that observably and inevitably harm their bottom line in the interest of aligning with the Satanic Narrative. But there is no need, since each and every reader is capable of providing a unique example from their own personal observations.

Those who assign to either stupidity or pecuniary interest the actions of the wicked simply fail to understand either the objectives or the nature of evil. This may sound like a criticism, but it is actually a testimony to the fundamental decency that makes it difficult for them to give credence to the true depths of human depravity.

DISCUSS ON SG

Setting the Theatre

The US military is promising to do for Japan and the Philippines what it has done for Ukraine.

The US and Japanese armed forces are rapidly integrating their command structure and scaling up combined operations as Washington and its Asian allies prepare for a possible conflict with China such as a war over Taiwan, according to the top Marine Corps general in Japan.

The two militaries have “seen exponential increases . . . just over the last year” in their operations on the territory they would have to defend in case of a war, Lieutenant General James Bierman, commanding general of the Third Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) and of Marine Forces Japan, told the Financial Times in an interview.

Bierman said that the US and its allies in Asia were emulating the groundwork that had enabled western countries to support Ukraine’s resistance to Russia in preparing for scenarios such as a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

“Why have we achieved the level of success we’ve achieved in Ukraine? A big part of that has been because after Russian aggression in 2014 and 2015, we earnestly got after preparing for future conflict: training for the Ukrainians, pre-positioning of supplies, identification of sites from which we could operate support, sustain operations.

“We call that setting the theatre. And we are setting the theatre in Japan, in the Philippines, in other locations.”

The thought of “achieving the level of success” the US military has “achieved in Ukraine” should absolutely terrify everyone living in Japan or the Philippines. The Ukrainian military is now down to teenagers, Poles, and US soldiers disguised as “foreign mercenaries” and the NATO-Russian War isn’t even one year old yet. And 12 percent of the Ukrainian population has already fled the country, so where are 15 million Japanese and 14 million Filippinos going to go, and given that both are island countries, how are they going to get there?

I’ve predicted that the USA would collapse sometime around 2033 since the turn of the century, but I never imagined that it would be the result of a military debacle as comprehensive as the coming one appears it’s going to be.

But at least we can answer one question raised by Lieutenant General James Bierman, commanding general of the Third Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF). Xi Xinping owns the starting pistol for the next stage of WWIII.

DISCUSS ON SG

Dude, It Was YOUR Vaccine!

The irony of Donald Trump lamenting the death of Lynette Hardaway, aka Diamond, by Suddenly at the age of 51.

Really bad news for Republicans and frankly, ALL Americans. Our beautiful Diamond, of Diamond and Silk, has just passed away at her home in the State she loved so much, North Carolina. Silk was with her ail the way, and at her passing. There was no better TEAM anywhere, or at any time! Diamond’s death was totally unexpected, probably her big and precious HEART just plain gave out. Rest In Peace our Magnificent Diamond, you will be greatly missed!

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Germany Implodes

The economic engine of Europe is rapidly approaching crisis and economics depression:

The real estate sector in Germany dropped in the last three months of 2022 due to the surging costs of financing and to record inflation in Europe’s largest economy, a report published on Monday by BNP Paribas showed.

Investments in the country’s commercial property sector slumped by 50% from October to December, compared to the five-year average for the period, and reached just €9.9 billion ($10.6 billion).

The sector took a strong hit as investors shied away from deals due to rising interest rates and an overall worsening economic environment in Germany, the survey results revealed.

One of the fascinating things about Clown World is the way that it simultaneously manages to destroy economies while placing a nominal emphasis on economic growth uber alles. The collapse of the Germany economy should be followed, in relatively short order, by the collapse of the European Union.

DISCUSS ON SG

Evil Wizards

They destroy what they cannot control to their liking:

For the last 12 years, my company Autarch has published my game Adventurer Conqueror King System under the terms of the Open Game License (OGL) 1.0. For the last 5 years, ACKS has been my full-time job.

Now, Wizards of the Coast, in what I can only describe as an act of perfidious treachery, has decided to retroactively deauthorize the OGL 1.0 and offer up a new Open Game License 1.1 to replace it.

What does this new license mean? Where do we go from here? Before we go further, please note that while I am a trained attorney (Harvard Law magna cum laude, in fact), I’m not a practicing intellectual property specialist. My thoughts should not be construed as legal advice about what you should do. These are just my thoughts about the situation Autarch has now found itself in, and what we need to do.

Can They Really Do That?!
When people learn that WOTC is deauthorizing the OGL, the first question they ask is “can they really do that?” It’s a fair question. After all, for more than 20 years we’ve all relied on the OGL to be irrevocable.

But the question isn’t whether they can do. They are doing it. Right now, on our watch. No, the question is “who is going to stop them from doing it?”

And the answer might be “no one.”

If you’re under the illusion that we live in a country with a court system that rewards the righteous, allow me to disabuse you of that notion. The American justice system is pay-to-play, and the amount you have to pay is unfathomable to those who haven’t gone through it. I consulted with one of New York’s top IP litigators last week to find out how much money I’d have to raise via GoFundMe to fight Wizards. When I asked him if $100,000 would be enough, he laughed. He said I’d need $500,000 to even have a chance of summary judgment, and $4 million for a trial. Wizards has a war chest measured in millions and will fight this out for 4-6 years.

Imagine if WOTC sued Autarch claiming that my game Ascendant was violating their copyright. Ascendant is a d100 superhero game that has nothing in common with D&D and uses no language from the SRD. WOTC would have legitimate claim whatsoever. If we had $4,000,000 to fight, we’d certainly win. But… we don’t have the money. So, we’d lose.

In real life courtroom dramas, the good guys don’t win. The rich guys win.

He’s not wrong. Even if you win, you’re probably not getting your legal fees paid by the losing side. This is a devastating blow to RPG game developers and marks the end of a golden age of game development.

DISCUSS ON SG

Foreigners Defend Fake Democracy

Clown World has obviously found a playbook it likes.

Two years ago our Capitol was attacked by fanatics, now we are watching it happen in Brazil.

Solidarity with Lula and the Brazilian people.

Democracies around the world must stand united to condemn this attack on democracy.

Bolsonaro should not be given refuge in Florida.

It would be more accurate to say that fake democracies around the world must stand united to condemn popular protests against stolen democracy.

These clowns are going to be in for a real surprise if they continue engaging in war against Russia. The only thing that is preventing the US Capitol – there is no “us”, Ilhan – half the cities on the East Coast from resembling Mariupol is that Vladimir Putin and Xi Xinping don’t see a direct conflict with the US military as furthering their objectives yet.

But the time does appear to be drawing nigh, probably because the US think tanks, which are literally always wrong, asserts the US military will win a war over Taiwan with China due to their simulations.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) report, titled ‘The First Battle of the Next War,’ estimates that the US would lose at least two aircraft carriers and that 3,200 American troops would be killed in three weeks of combat, according to CNN, which viewed an advanced copy.

The simulations were run 24 times. Taiwan survived as an autonomous entity in most scenarios, but with heavy losses to all parties. “The United States and Japan lose dozens of ships, hundreds of aircraft, and thousands of service members,” the report predicts.

China’s navy would be left “in shambles” and Beijing could lose 10,000 troops, 155 combat aircraft and 138 major ships.

Meanwhile, Taiwan’s military would be “severely degraded” and left to defend an island “without electricity and basic services.” Japan could also lose approximately 100 aircraft and 26 warships as US bases on its territory come under attack from China.

Perhaps they’re right, for once, but I very much doubt it. I would be absolutely willing to bet that the variables utilized don’t even begin to account for all of the current supply and special forces shortages due to the active support being provided for Ukraine. The simulation obviously also didn’t include North Korea attacking South Korea to further dilute the US military’s resource once the invasion of Taiwan begins. This is likely an optimistic scenario which will be used to justify a) more money for the Navy, b) a draft, c) continued belligerence on the part of US foreign policy, and d) prevent the Taiwanese from striking a Hong Kong-style deal with the Xi administration.

The simulation report can be downloaded here. I’ll read it soon and review it on the Darkstream. Notice that the summary tends to confirm my prior expectations.

CSIS developed a wargame for a Chinese amphibious invasion of Taiwan and ran it 24 times. In most scenarios, the United States/Taiwan/Japan defeated a conventional amphibious invasion by China and maintained an autonomous Taiwan. However, this defense came at high cost. The United States and its allies lost dozens of ships, hundreds of aircraft, and tens of thousands of servicemembers. Taiwan saw its economy devastated. Further, the high losses damaged the U.S. global position for many years. China also lost heavily, and failure to occupy Taiwan might destabilize Chinese Communist Party rule. Victory is therefore not enough. The United States needs to strengthen deterrence immediately.

What I’d like to see is a simulation that accounts for China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran all acting in concert. Because that is what I expect to see happen when WWIII expands and moves into a more active phase.

DISCUSS ON SG

Too Little, Too Stupid, Too Late

The Prometheans have belatedly realizing that they’re going to lose, and lose very badly, due to their decades-long war on masculinity in general and white men in particular. From the chans:

l’m a staffer for a major news network in Australia. We’ve been instructed by the government to begin a long term military recruitment campaign. We’re about 2-3 years away from a massive war. This campaign will be long and gradual.

Phase 0 was the never ending coverage of Ukraine.

Phase 1 will be a gradual increase in news of the weaponry our country has.

A lot of the intermediate phases seem mundane, but the whole process is to get as many men as possible comfortable and desensitized to war. The last phases will involve teaching women to be ashamed of and to shame non-military men. There will soon be ninja-warrior type of shows but in the military training theme. They’re going to try to make military sexy.

Basically, manipulate women to desire it, which pushes men to go into it.

Someone brought up the issue of “sites like 4chan”. Some old boomer said there will be teams dedicated for those kinds of websites.

Massive war = China takes Australia. If I was living in Australia, I would start studying Chinese.

Don’t fight for Clown World, no matter how Globohomo suddenly hides its rainbow flags and begins loudly proclaiming its love and patriotism for the very nations it has feverishly sought to destroy. The enemy within the West is far more pernicious, far more evil, and far more to be opposed than the purported enemy without.

And inoculate your sons against the lies they will be relentlessly told. Because the Empire of Lies is coming for them. Let Clown World’s sacred diversity defend it, if they can.

Second- or third-generation foreign immigrants may appear outwardly to be entirely assimilated, but they often constitute a weakness in two directions. First, their basic human nature often differs from that of the original imperial stock. If the earlier imperial race was stubborn and slow-moving, the immigrants might come from more emotional races, thereby introducing cracks and schisms into the national policies, even if all were equally loyal. Second, while the nation is still affluent, all the diverse races may appear equally loyal. But in an acute emergency, the immigrants will often be less willing to sacrifice their lives and their property than will be the original descendants of the founder race.

Fate of Empires, Sir John Glubb

The irony is that it is only the vaccinated young men who will be stupid and gullible enough to fall for the coming campaign.

DISCUSS ON SG

Is Elon Lying Again?

We know from first-hand experience that Elon Musk lied about permitting banned individuals to return to Twitter. So it wouldn’t be too terribly surprising if CDAN is correct and he is also failing to tell the truth about eradicating child porn from the platform.

Shortly after the celebrity CEO took over the bird site, the CEO enlisted many online influencers to boost lies about purported success at removing child porn from the site, most notably top hashtags used to advertise the stuff. I told you the celebrity CEO was lying, and that a major news organization was conducting a significant investigation exposing all of this. It was just recently published, and you should go and read it. Child porn has gotten worse on the bird site, not better, since the celebrity CEO took over.

The story is at NBC News. And while it’s worth noting that NBC doesn’t appear to have had any problem with the market in what it calls “child sexual abuse material” on Twitter until Musk bought it, that doesn’t change the fact that what he says is no longer on the platform is still on the platform.

Twitter accounts that offer to trade or sell child sexual abuse material under thinly veiled terms and hashtags have remained online for months, even after CEO Elon Musk said he would combat child exploitation on the platform.

“Priority #1,” Musk called it in a Nov. 20 tweet. He’s also criticized Twitter’s former leadership, claiming that they did little to address child sexual exploitation, and that he intended to change things.

But since that declaration, at least dozens of accounts have continued to post hundreds of tweets in aggregate using terms, abbreviations and hashtags indicating the sale of what Twitter calls child sexual exploitation material, according to a count of just a single day’s tweets. The signs and signals are well known among experts and law enforcement agencies that work to stop the spread of such material.

The tweets reviewed by NBC News offer to sell or trade content that is commonly known as child pornography or child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The tweets do not show CSAM, and NBC News did not view any CSAM in the course of reporting this article.

Some tweets and accounts have been up for months and predate Musk’s takeover. They remained live on the platform as of Friday morning.

Then again, it’s possible that this is just a whack-a-mole problem that is in the process of being resolved. The question is whether Musk has actually given meaningful orders to his employees to get the job done and they’re dragging their feet or if he’s merely acting as his own PR and marketing departments. But given our success in establishing and implementing SG’s Clean Speech policy, and the ease with which spam bots can be detected and eradicated, there really isn’t any excuse for not eliminating the garbage from the platform.

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Weekend Arktoons

INVASION ’55 Episode 26: Road Kill

A MIND PROGRAMMED Episode 9: A Mirror of the Mind

PAPER DOLL VERONIKA Episode 45: Abandoned Halls

BEN GARRISON CLASSICS Episode 77: Hillary’s Wiki-Leak

ENTER: NIGHT Episode 12: Missing Person

THE RED TATTOO Episode 29: Imprisoned

VEGFOLK FABLES Episode 177: Insta-Solve

THE SWORD OF GOD Episode 40: Scariest Thing Imaginable That’s All You Had to Say

FRIDAY FISH FUNNIES Episode 1: It All Adds Up

BOB Episode 102: New Year Plans

WARDOGS INC. Episode 16: I Have a Target

CHATEAU GRIEF Episode 189: For Old Gang Sign

FULL OF EYES Episode 18: It Shall Be

Also today, Day by Day honors Arkhaven with an homage.