Ah, that's extra comforting, seeing as DoD staffers were running DeepSeek inquiries/downloads (including earlier releases) on their Pentagon computers for quite some time. Seriously, where do they get these people???
DEI? Back when I was working they were saying old timers were replaceable with kids who were "computer literate". They were actually illiterate--only knew to point and click but no understanding of tech.
Seems to me a BRICS alternate system should be understood by President Trump to be a legitimate, understandable, and laudable goal of nations that have experienced all the dubious fruits of globalization and the perversity of Western philosophical leadership. ‘Cattle no more!’ should be the BRICS rallying cry.
He's not even ostentiably trying to make any other country "great". Not clear who whispers economics in his ear... but I'm pretty sure he understands the Streisand Effect. I wouldn't take his "bow to the almighty dollar or we'll tariff you" imperial bluster at face value.
In fact, don't take anything he says at face value. That's not how he operates, nor should he.
Agree pretty much in principle, but the DEFAULT approach doesn't have to be that of a bully. It's possible to assert America's legit interests firmly and straightforwardly while 1) being more articulate (i.e., not shooting from the hip/lip, off the cuff) and 2) not backing the other party(ies) into a corner from which they can only exit by accepting humiliation.
He doesn't have to play the bully, and he doesn't always. The Don is capable of quite a range, as an actor. When he comes across like this, I think it's fair to assume he's deliberately signalling to his own "stakeholders" as well as foreign governments, the US public, and the world at large.
One way to interpret this is that he's just saying explicitly the ugly truth about the dollar. This gives cover for nationalist movements abroad, allowing them some of the moral high ground. At the same time, he gets to look tough to the local hawks, both those who understand Bretton Woods and the big mass of lowbrows who understand geopolitics about like football.
But of course I have no idea, really. Lots of moving pieces here.
But one thing I think I "know" is that alot of the bellicose and neocon-ish things Trump is saying have the delicious effect of absolutely shutting the warhawks and neocons up. Completely. The neocons said Trump is soft on Putin. So Trump is now saying he'll put more sanctions and tariffs on Russia and send more weapons and aid to Ukraine if Putin doesn't settle. What can Bill Kristol or Robert Kagan or Tony Blinken say? Nothing.
Notice that whatever Trump's emissaries and Russia are talking about over there behind closed doors, there have been zero leaks. Kristol and Kagan don't have a clue what they're talking about. Then, one of these days, whether it be weeks or months from now, Trump will declare "PEACE". He'll shake hands with Putin, Russia will stop shooting and Trump will take all the credit.
The spin will be ferocious. The war in Ukraine will end, Putin will get what he wants (and needs), Europe will get its cheap energy supply back and the treaty will include 'security guarantees' for all. The Rest of the World will applaud, and Kristol, Kagan and all their fellow travellers can say whatever they want...but nobody will hear them. They will be drowned out by Trump and the peace dividend that he will promise the World.
Yes, Trump is all about the narrative, and that's what he's setting. Just don't get carried away with it. He's got to offer Putin an incentive for being part of that narrative. And that means a concession or an extra. Maybe the nuclear card--arms control process or even a treaty.
I am imagining that if Trump succeeds, he will get PEACE and Putin will get a neutral, de-militarized and de-nazified Ukraine. Russia will get the Russophone oblasts. The sanctions will be removed and Russia will recover its pre-war markets for oil and gas. And most importantly, yes, Trump and Putin will agree to implement a new security, and nuclear arms, structure for Europe.
Once you start saying things like, 'I won't rule out using military force to take what I want if you say no' you're sending a signal that you can't pull back. You don't really control that image that you just sent out to the entire world. You need to think a bit longer before sending signals like that.
It's probably a mixed bag--depending on the reasons for the upward pressure. If it's a result of demand, that's good, but if it''s simply a result of inflation then it's not a positive indicator. That's my guess.
I view the debacle of the Democratic senators during the confirmation hearings as more important. Bernie with his “onesie” questioning, or RFK pointing out Bernie’s been bought by big pharma for a million.
Trump is using the Dc crash to destroy dei’s credibility. In the hit pieces in the media on Trumps Dei comments in the nypost and daily mail, the comments agree with Trump.
‘Accepting Palestinians’ as opposed to ethnically cleansing Palestine and crickets from the media. Suspension of reality…..
DeepSeek left their internal database exposed to the internet with no authentication at all:
https://www.wiz.io/blog/wiz-research-uncovers-exposed-deepseek-database-leak
This highlights a concern that we can all share about the effect these "AI" cloud services have on secure communications:
https://blog.cryptographyengineering.com/2025/01/17/lets-talk-about-ai-and-end-to-end-encryption/
Ah, that's extra comforting, seeing as DoD staffers were running DeepSeek inquiries/downloads (including earlier releases) on their Pentagon computers for quite some time. Seriously, where do they get these people???
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/pentagon-employees-connected-chinese-deepseek-servers-days-block
DEI? Back when I was working they were saying old timers were replaceable with kids who were "computer literate". They were actually illiterate--only knew to point and click but no understanding of tech.
Seems to me a BRICS alternate system should be understood by President Trump to be a legitimate, understandable, and laudable goal of nations that have experienced all the dubious fruits of globalization and the perversity of Western philosophical leadership. ‘Cattle no more!’ should be the BRICS rallying cry.
He's not even ostentiably trying to make any other country "great". Not clear who whispers economics in his ear... but I'm pretty sure he understands the Streisand Effect. I wouldn't take his "bow to the almighty dollar or we'll tariff you" imperial bluster at face value.
In fact, don't take anything he says at face value. That's not how he operates, nor should he.
Agree pretty much in principle, but the DEFAULT approach doesn't have to be that of a bully. It's possible to assert America's legit interests firmly and straightforwardly while 1) being more articulate (i.e., not shooting from the hip/lip, off the cuff) and 2) not backing the other party(ies) into a corner from which they can only exit by accepting humiliation.
Extreme contrast: Putin's public statements.
He doesn't have to play the bully, and he doesn't always. The Don is capable of quite a range, as an actor. When he comes across like this, I think it's fair to assume he's deliberately signalling to his own "stakeholders" as well as foreign governments, the US public, and the world at large.
One way to interpret this is that he's just saying explicitly the ugly truth about the dollar. This gives cover for nationalist movements abroad, allowing them some of the moral high ground. At the same time, he gets to look tough to the local hawks, both those who understand Bretton Woods and the big mass of lowbrows who understand geopolitics about like football.
But of course I have no idea, really. Lots of moving pieces here.
Agreed, SB.
But one thing I think I "know" is that alot of the bellicose and neocon-ish things Trump is saying have the delicious effect of absolutely shutting the warhawks and neocons up. Completely. The neocons said Trump is soft on Putin. So Trump is now saying he'll put more sanctions and tariffs on Russia and send more weapons and aid to Ukraine if Putin doesn't settle. What can Bill Kristol or Robert Kagan or Tony Blinken say? Nothing.
Notice that whatever Trump's emissaries and Russia are talking about over there behind closed doors, there have been zero leaks. Kristol and Kagan don't have a clue what they're talking about. Then, one of these days, whether it be weeks or months from now, Trump will declare "PEACE". He'll shake hands with Putin, Russia will stop shooting and Trump will take all the credit.
The spin will be ferocious. The war in Ukraine will end, Putin will get what he wants (and needs), Europe will get its cheap energy supply back and the treaty will include 'security guarantees' for all. The Rest of the World will applaud, and Kristol, Kagan and all their fellow travellers can say whatever they want...but nobody will hear them. They will be drowned out by Trump and the peace dividend that he will promise the World.
It will be Donald Trump's greatest moment.
Yes, Trump is all about the narrative, and that's what he's setting. Just don't get carried away with it. He's got to offer Putin an incentive for being part of that narrative. And that means a concession or an extra. Maybe the nuclear card--arms control process or even a treaty.
As I say, Putin will get what he wants and needs.
I am imagining that if Trump succeeds, he will get PEACE and Putin will get a neutral, de-militarized and de-nazified Ukraine. Russia will get the Russophone oblasts. The sanctions will be removed and Russia will recover its pre-war markets for oil and gas. And most importantly, yes, Trump and Putin will agree to implement a new security, and nuclear arms, structure for Europe.
Once you start saying things like, 'I won't rule out using military force to take what I want if you say no' you're sending a signal that you can't pull back. You don't really control that image that you just sent out to the entire world. You need to think a bit longer before sending signals like that.
I would have thought upward pressure on US wages is a feature not a bug.
It's probably a mixed bag--depending on the reasons for the upward pressure. If it's a result of demand, that's good, but if it''s simply a result of inflation then it's not a positive indicator. That's my guess.
And Trump ordered the removal of pronouns from email signatures for federal employees:
https://abcnews.go.com/amp/US/federal-employees-told-remove-pronouns-email-signatures-end/story?id=118310483
On a more series note:
I view the debacle of the Democratic senators during the confirmation hearings as more important. Bernie with his “onesie” questioning, or RFK pointing out Bernie’s been bought by big pharma for a million.
https://x.com/rustyrockets/status/1884655199572181229
Trump is using the Dc crash to destroy dei’s credibility. In the hit pieces in the media on Trumps Dei comments in the nypost and daily mail, the comments agree with Trump.
https://apnews.com/live/dc-plane-crash-reagan-updates#00000194-b9b6-d4ac-abf5-bbb7a8150000
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14344059/female-ntsb-head-stuns-press-dei-donald-trump.html
Disappointed, once again, by Hawley's negative statement re Tulsi.