vxbush 4/23/2024 5:41:54 AM

1

More Chinese "zones", this time in Antigua: 

On the island of Antigua, located about 220 miles from the U.S. Virgin Islands, China is planning to establish a special Chinese-run economic zone, according to documents reviewed by Newsweek. 

The area will have its own customs and immigration facilities, a shipping port and it will even issue passports, per the documents. China will also establish different kinds of businesses that will specialize in things from facial surgery to virology, the latter of which is closely associated with the research in Wuhan that is the suspected source of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Note this paragraph: 

A spokesperson for SOUTHCOM said that the U.S. military is "aware that China may use its commercial and diplomatic presence for military purposes. In Asia, Africa and the Middle East, China has already abused commercial agreements at host-country ports for military aims; our concern is they may do the same in this region."

Gee, you think? 

vxbush 4/23/2024 5:44:19 AM

2

Trump 'hush money' trial resumes with hearing on whether former president violated judge's gag order

As if this is any surprise.

vxbush 4/23/2024 5:46:27 AM

3

California unemployment fund 'insolvent' due to $55B fraud, businesses to pay

Why aren't all these people in jail? 

California’s unemployment insurance fund is “structurally insolvent” due to $55 billion in fraud and overpayment during COVID-19 crisis, leading to a growing $21 billion unemployment benefits loan from the federal government the state is unable to pay down.

While the state seeks loan forgiveness from the Acting United States Secretary of Labor, who was California’s Secretary of Labor during the COVID-19 era and oversaw the state’s fraudulent payments — including nearly $1 billion to felons in prison filling out fraudulent paperwork — California Democrats have proposed quintupling unemployment insurance taxes and nearly doubling unemployment benefits.

Emphasis mine. The clown show can't get worse--and then it does.

vxbush 4/23/2024 6:03:54 AM

4

The case before the Supreme Court yesterday about whether cities have the right to declare camping on public grounds illegal had a few too many friends of the illegals on the court. This line of questioning really annoyed me: 

[Sotomayor] asked if anyone sleeping on a blanket could get arrested. "You don't arrest babies who have blankets over them; you don't arrest people sleeping on blankets at the beach" she averred before mentioning how she liked to sleep at the beach. 

"There's nothing in the law that criminalizes homelessness," the Grants Pass attorney said. 

In Monday's hearing, Justice Brett Kavanaugh gave a tell that he works with the homeless with his comment about the number of homeless versus beds and how homeless people sometimes don't want to be sheltered. "This can be a challenging issue of [people not wanting help], I know," he said.

Chief Justice John Roberts pushed back some on the government's attorney who said, "By prohibiting sleeping, you can't live in Grants Pass." He said they were "banished" from the city. Roberts replied dryly, "Banishment is a strange word when you're talking about something [more homeless services in a town] ten minutes away."

What a ridiculous argument this seems from the liberal justices. The law said nothing about criminalizing homelessness, and yet they are intentionally setting up arguments of absurdity. 

Occasional Reader 4/23/2024 6:04:20 AM

5

In #3 vxbush said:

Well, that’s a convenient coincidence, isn’t it (your highlighted part).

Occasional Reader 4/23/2024 6:05:43 AM

6

Financial Times: How US shale helps protect America from the next oil price surge:

https://www.ft.com/content/030dc3c8-0f25-483e-91aa-9dbd9abc5c4d

Who knew?

/paywalled, but you get the idea

Occasional Reader 4/23/2024 6:46:43 AM

7

Occasional Reader 4/23/2024 6:55:26 AM

8

Reply to Occasional Reader in 7:

NYT imitates Airplane!.

"The Ukraine war has revolved around artillery."

Artillery?! What is it?!

"It's large guns that armies use to fire explosive shells and hit targets from a great distance. But that's not important right now."

JCM 4/23/2024 7:03:31 AM

9

Reply to Occasional Reader in 7:

The headline above....

Whatever you do, don’t vote for Trump because we will then have Nazis in the streets. 

Have you seen the Ivy league campi lately?

JCM 4/23/2024 7:18:35 AM

10

They are going all in.

FCC to vote on restoring net neutrality

vxbush 4/23/2024 7:34:34 AM

11

In #10 JCM said: They are going all in. FCC to vote on restoring net neutrality

Oh, it's in the bag. They have wanted it and by Baal, they are going to have it. 

Occasional Reader 4/23/2024 8:05:37 AM

12

In #9 JCM said: The headline above....

Well, in fairness, I think that's the blog author's sarcastic summation of the NYT/Hillary position, not an actual press headline. 

JCM 4/23/2024 8:11:39 AM

13

Reply to Occasional Reader in 8:

Dear NY Slimes.... please edumacate me on big things, what's the difference between canon, guns, artillery, mortars, and howitzers,