Attacked by Drugged Morons

 

This morning the Yemeni Houthis launched a large missile on Tel Aviv. It caused zero damage but what were they trying to achieve? It was an attack, yes, but pointless. They caused people to run for refuge. And what? Yemen is one of the poorest countries in the world, and like Bolivians, they survive masticating drug-containing leaves, in their case, the djatt. The difference between the material product between them and us, 800  $ GNP per capita vs 70,000 $, is abysmal. With a few cheap rockets, they closed the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, causing enormous losses to Egypt. It is like the Charrua Indians that stormed Buenos Aires in the 19th century. Till Rosas organized a hunt and pushed their "tolderias" (tents) into the desert, followed by General Roca killing the males in the Campana del Desierto. Our present predicament is totally absurd and unnatural. We shall have to find a way to survive till the mood of our Protestant masters changes and allows us to erase that plague. Pic.: El Malon, de Mauricio Rugendas.

Friday Siesta

Slept a four-hour siesta. Too much. This summer of 2024 has been hot difficult and endless.

Jeffrey Sachs Upset

 

Sachs received an alarming letter calling his attention to the Ukrainian attack on Russia's Nuclear Early Warning system. He thinks this is ABSOLUTELY destabilizing and provocative. Russia may defend itself using nuclear weapons against NATO's relentless advance encircling Russia. He is alarmed. In fact, he seems to be in a permanent panic attack state of mind. 

Buddhism, a consolation religion

 

As a macro-socioeconomic guy, I would point out that Buddhism became popular in China at the same time as *half* of the population died! Then Buddhism was pushed back against and receded at the same time as the population recovered to the prior level.

I am not sure. Was the Yuan (Mongol) terror regime an era of prosperity? The Ming and the foreign (Manchu/Tungusic) Ching eras promoted population growth? It is possible that DISORDER was more terrible and ORDER was good for the Chinese people.

Cat Ladies for Kamala

 

Swift included an image of herself with her cat in her post, which she signed as "childless cat lady," in an apparent dig at remarks previously made by Trump's running mate J.D. Vance, who, in a 2021 interview, called some leading Democrats "a bunch of childless cat ladies." 

The Clock is Ticking

 Israel:  “I’m ready to provide safe passage to Sinwar, his family, whoever wants to join him. We want the hostages back. We want demilitarization, de-radicalization of course — a new system that will manage Gaza," Hirsch stated.

“In parallel, I must work on plans B, C, and D because I must bring the hostages back home,” Hirsch added. “The clock is ticking; the hostages do not have time." 

Frankfurt Waste Incineration plant is out of operation

 

The pic shows exactly how I remember it when I visited the place. No garbage trucks approaching the site on Heddernheimer Landstraße, no steam rising into the sky via the colorful chimney. Where 2000 tons of household waste are usually delivered every day, incinerated and the waste heat converted into electricity and district heating so that it is always bright and warm in 30,000 Frankfurt households, everything is currently at a standstill. The largest waste-to-energy plant in Hesse and one of the most modern in Germany is out of operation. The operator sat on a high super easy throne in a glass cabin and controlled the operation with one hand. Impressive.  

As I remember, they used fossil fuels to burn the trash and the balance of energy was negative, that is, the amount of energy invested was lower than the electricity achieved. But it was considered "green".