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Category Archives: Transhuman News

How To Resist CBDCs5 Ways You Can Opt Out of This Dystopian Future – International Man

Posted: October 15, 2022 at 4:34 pm

Theres an excellent chance governments worldwide will soon force their citizens to use central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).

CBDCs enable all sorts of horrible, totalitarian things.

They allow governments to track and control every penny you earn, save, and spend. They are a powerful tool for politicians to confiscate and redistribute wealth as they see fit.

CBDCs will make it possible for central banks to impose deeply negative interest rates, which are really just a euphemism for a tax on saving money.

Governments could program CBDCs to have an expiration datelike some airline frequent flyer milesforcing people to spend them, for example, before the end of the month when theyd become worthless.

CBDCs will enable devious social engineering by allowing governments to punish and reward people in ways they previously couldnt.

Suppose governments impose lockdowns again for flu season, so-called climate change, or whatever pretext they find convenient. CBDCs could be programmed to only work in a geographic area. For example, your payments could be denied if you travel more than a mile from your home during a lockdown.

Suppose the people in charge want to encourage people to take a pharmaceutical product. With CBDCs, they could easily deposit money into the accounts of those who complied and deduct it from those who didnt.

Undoubtedly, CBDCs will be paired with a sort of social credit system. Such a system is already in place in China today. In the West, its likely to come in a different flavor. Perhaps CBDCs will be paired with an ESG score.

Did you commit a thought crime on social media? Or perhaps you read too many politically incorrect articles online? Did you exceed your monthly meat consumption allowance? Then expect some financial punishment thanks to the CBDCs.

CBDCs are, without a doubt, an instrument of enslavement. They represent a quantum leap backward in human freedom.

Unfortunately, theyre coming soon.

Governments will probably mandate CBDCs as a solution when the next real or contrived crisis hitswhich is likely not far off.

Thats the bad news.

The good news is that CBDCs are destined to fail.

Despite all the hype, CBDCs are nothing but the same fiat currency scam on steroids.

Its doubtful CBDCs can save otherwise fundamentally unsound currenciesas I believe all fiat currencies are.

If the current fiat system is not viable, then CBDCs are even less viable as they enable the government to engage in even more currency debasement.

Would a CBDC have saved the Zimbabwe dollar, the Venezuelan bolivar, the Argentine peso, or the Lebanese lira?

I dont think so. And a CBDC wont save the US dollar or the euro either.

But that doesnt mean governments wont try implementing CBDCs with immensely destructive consequences for many people.

While I believe CBDCs will inevitably self-destruct, nobody knows how long it will take for that to happen. Communism was also destined to self-destruct, but it took generations. I dont think it will take nearly that long for CBDCs to fail, but thats just my guess.

Therefore, the big question everyone should be asking is this

What will you do when the government forces everyone to use CBDCs?

I believe its incumbent on free individuals to reject CBDCs. It will be challenging, but the rewardmaintaining your sovereigntywill be priceless.

Below I discuss five ways you can do just that.

Its important to remember the wise words of Ron Paul:

What none of them (politicians) will admit is that the market is more powerful than the central banks and all the economic planners put together. Although it may take time, the market always wins.

No matter what edicts, decrees, or laws that politicians pass, they will never be able to fully extinguish the desire of people to use alternatives to CBDCs. That cracks the door open to other options.

For example, consider that Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Argentina, Lebanon, and many other countries restrict the use of US dollars today. However, all that does is create a thriving black marketor, more accurately, a free marketfor US dollars and a parallel financial system.

We can expect the same kind of dynamic if governments impose CBDCs. I have no doubt significant parallel systems and underground markets will naturally emerge.

Anyone who wants to avoid CBDC enslavement must learn to swim in those waters.

Below are five steps anyone can take to opt out of this dystopia.

Avoiding CBDCs means using alternative forms of money.

Although people use money every day, few consider what it actually is or what makes for a good money.

Asking people, what is money? is like asking a fish, what is water?

The fish probably doesnt even notice the water unless it becomes polluted or something is wrong.

Money is a good, just like any other in an economy. And it isnt a complex notion to grasp. It doesnt require you to understand convoluted math formulas and complicated theoriesas the gatekeepers in academia, media, and government mislead many folks into believing.

Understanding money is intuitive and straightforward. Money is simply something useful for storing and exchanging value. Thats it.

Think of money as a claim on human time. Its like stored life or energy.

Unfortunately, today most of humanity thoughtlessly accepts whatever their government gives them as money. However, money does not need to come from the government. Thats a total misnomer that the average person has been hoodwinked into believing.

It would be similar to transporting yourself back in time and asking the average person in the Soviet Union, Where do shoes come from?

They would say, Well, the government makes the shoes. Where else could they come from? Who else could make the shoes?

Its the same mentality here regarding money todayexcept its much more widespread.

The truth is money doesnt need to come from the government any more than shoes do.

People have used stones, glass beads, salt, cattle, seashells, gold, silver, and other commodities as money at different times.

However, for over 2,500 years, gold has been mankinds most enduring form of money.

Gold didnt become money by accident or because some politicians decreed it. Instead, it became money because countless individuals throughout history and across many different civilizations subjectively came to the same conclusion: gold is money.

It resulted from a market process of people looking for the best way to store and exchange value.

So, why did they go to gold? What makes gold attractive as money?

Heres why.

Gold has a set of unique characteristics that make it suitable as money.

Gold is durable, divisible, consistent, convenient, scarce, and most importantly, the hardest of all physical commodities. In other words, gold is hard to produce relative to existing stockpiles and is the one physical commodity most resistant to inflation of its supply. Thats what gives gold its monetary properties.

Anyone can opt-out of CBDCs by using physical gold and silver to store and exchange value.

Physical gold is optimal for long-term savings and large transactions. The best way to do that is with widely recognized gold bullion coins, like the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf or the American Gold Eagle.

However, gold coins are generally inconvenient to use for small transactions. Silver coins are more practical here.

CBDCs and Bitcoin share some characteristics. For example, they are both digital and facilitate fast payments from a mobile phone. But that is where the similarities end.

The reality is that CBDCs and Bitcoin are entirely different in the most fundamental ways.

You need the governments permission and blessing to use a CBDC, whereas Bitcoin is permissionless.

Governments can (and will) create as many CBDC currency units as they want. With Bitcoin, there can never be more than 21 million, and there is nothing anyone can do to inflate the supply more than the predetermined amount in the protocol.

CBDCs are centralized. Bitcoin is decentralized.

Governments can censor transactions and freeze and confiscate CBDC units. Bitcoin is censorship-resistant. No countrys laws can affect the protocol.

There is no privacy with CBDCs. However, if you take specific steps with Bitcoin, it is possible to maintain reasonable privacy.

CBDCs are government money that are easy to produce and give politicians a terrifying amount of control over peoples lives. On the other hand, Bitcoin is non-state hard money that helps liberate individuals from government control.

Bitcoin enables anyone to be their own bank. Bitcoin allows you to send and receive value from anyone anywhere without relying on third parties.

If you avoid CBDCs, that will almost certainly mean avoiding the traditional financial system.

Knowing how to use Bitcoin in the most sovereign way possible will be essential.

Get to know the people in your local community.

If you avoid CBDCs, many of the conveniences of society will become unavailable.

You will probably be unable to shop at Walmart and large stores of any kind, as they will all be roped into the CBDC system.

You will have to become self-sufficient and rely on your local community to obtain what you need. And that starts with knowing who can provide you with the things you want and need.

The Amish are incredibly successful in this regard.

I am not saying you must go 100% Amish to avoid CBDCs. But we can learn how their societies work outside the traditional system and emulate the areas that make sense in our local communities.

Humans invented money to solve the difficulties of barter.

But with CBDCs, governments will have perverted money from a technology that facilities economic exchange into a tool of enslavement. With CBDCs, barter doesnt look all that bad.

The key is understanding what value you can provide to others in your local community and how you can exchange that for something you want.

That might mean performing some landscaping work for your dentist in exchange for getting a cavity filled or washing the car of your butcher in exchange for some ground beef.

To minimize the inconvenience of barter, its ideal to become as self-sufficient in as many areas as possible. That includes stockpiling supplies and gaining survival knowledge and skills.

If you already have what you needor can produce it yourselfthat reduces the need to get it from others.

Unfortunately, CBDCsand all the terrible things that go along with themare probably coming soon.

To summarize, here are five steps anyone can take to opt-out of this terrible system.

Step #1: Use Physical Gold and Silver

Step #2: Obtain Financial Sovereignty With Bitcoin

Step #3: Get Organized Locally

Step #4: Exchange Value for Value

Step #5: Become a Prepper

Editors Note: The economic trajectory is troubling. Unfortunately, theres little any individual can practically do to change the course of these trends in motion.

The best you can and should do is to stay informed so that you can protect yourself in the best way possible, and even profit from the situation.

Thats precisely why bestselling author Doug Casey and his colleagues just released an urgent new PDF report that explains what could come next and what you can do about it.

Click here to download it now.

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Bob Doucette: 2022 campaign a Wild West of ideas of how to govern Oklahoma – Tulsa World

Posted: at 4:34 pm

How often do you get to talk to district judges? Who can name your county assessor or commissioner? Ginnie Graham and Bob Doucette give their endorsement of the idea of opinion section endorsement. Voters will become more aware of candidates at the bottom of the ballot. Plus, could a "Day of Citizenship" staffing volunteers at local precincts help on Election Day; and support for the idea of moving the animal shelter

The campaign season brings forth hundreds of people, complete with personalities that range from the bland to the bizarre, and everywhere in between.

But this election season has given me a front-row seat into the views associated with the folks who covet your vote.

In between the soundbites and talking points, Im hearing a variety of ideas. If a democracy is a marketplace of ideas, the shelves are pretty full in 2022.

Education is a front-and-center issue across the state. Most people agree that Oklahomas public schools arent where we want them to be.

The two schools of thought here would have us either invest more in schools higher teacher pay, more money into the classroom, less heavy-handed legislative regulation of the profession or create competition through more school choice.

People are also reading

School choice means a lot of things, but in 2022 it seems to revolve around public funds directed toward private school vouchers. Vouchers are championed by Gov. Kevin Stitt and state Secretary of Education Ryan Walters, who is campaigning for the state superintendents job.

Joy Hofmeister and Jena Nelson, Democratic candidates for governor and state superintendent, respectively, are on the opposite side of that divide.

For what its worth, vouchers failed in the Legislature last session, unable to get a majority vote in the Senate and not being heard at all in the House.

In any case, its the defining issue of this campaign cycle. Every candidate for the Legislature that the Tulsa World has talked to said education was one of the two most-mentioned issues by voters.

Another biggie is the state grocery sales tax. This has bipartisan agreement, with almost everyone Ive talked to saying it should either be temporarily suspended (as an inflation relief effort) or scrapped entirely.

The only reason it hasnt happened yet is it would create a $300 million-plus hole in the state budget. Thats easy to dismiss when the state is sitting in almost $3 billion in cash reserves, but gets tricky in lean times. Memories of those lean times are what have prevented other tax cuts from being passed lately.

But the grocery sales tax cut, first championed by Democrats, then later embraced by Republicans, seems to hit the right spot in that it helps the little guy, who just so happens to be getting squeezed the most in these high-inflation times.

These arent the only issues, though. Dive deeper into the weeds and some surprisingly interesting and sometimes unusual policy stands stick out.

Tulsa City Councilor Crista Patrick, who won re-election in August, said she wants to tackle the citys housing shortage with zoning changes. Her idea: Start a pilot program encouraging construction of more duplexes, quadplexes and manufactured homes. The city is facing high occupancy rates and rising rents, to the point where some Tulsans cant afford to live here anymore. Its also a factor in the citys growing homelessness crisis.

Patrick says the citys current zoning laws make these types of developments difficult to get off the ground, and a change there could provide more affordable housing options.

Another popular theme: Make shop class great again. As it stands, most students cannot start taking CareerTech classes until theyre well into high school. Back in my day, we were doing spot welds and making furniture in middle school.

Again, theres bipartisan agreement that having classes in the trades starting earlier would help students who might not want to go to college, but rather find jobs in manufacturing, construction and other high-demand roles that were desperate to fill.

There are other ideas, some of which come from voices not currently represented at the state Capitol.

The Libertarian Party rode a small wave of popularity a decade ago, much in part to Ron Pauls insurgent campaign for president in 2012. Since then, the partys numbers have grown, though not enough to see a member of the party get elected to a state office.

But they keep fielding candidates, and some of them have intriguing views.

For Libertarians, the less government, the better. Thats not an easy task for a country that is a global superpower with more than 330 million people, but their message does resonate with the crowd that wants public officials to leave them be.

Will Daughtery, who is representing the party in the labor commissioner race, would like to see occupational licensing fees eliminated for businesses until they start seeing a profit.

I dont want those things to be a barrier to starting a business, he said during a recent phone interview with the World.

Hed also advocate for lower taxes on businesses who pay their workers higher wages.

Then theres Chris Powell, a current Bethany City Council member running for lieutenant governor. His platform may be the most unique in the field in that he wants to abolish the position hes running for.

His beef with the office is that he believes it isnt needed. The secretary of state, the Senate president pro tem, or just about anyone else could do the job, one which he feels is more about propelling the office-holder to a better gig down the road.

Mary Fallin did just that, using the platform of lieutenant governor, then Congress, to ultimately claim the Governors Mansion. The lieutenant governor doesnt have much power, but does have some leeway in what the office tackles, and that sort of mushy job description doesnt set well with Powell.

We dont need a statewide office thats a choose-your-own adventure, he said.

It would take a change to the state constitution to see Powells plan become reality, something for which hed lobby the Legislature in an attempt to wind down the lieutenant governors office for good.

In any case, its good to see that there is more to these candidates than the carefully managed and curated campaigns were used to. Educators, engineers, ministers, business owners and more are running for office, and some of them are bringing fresh ideas to the table.

How will it all shake out? Well find out in a few weeks.

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Warm start to the week, then chilly temps later; thunderstorm chance Tuesday evening – MPR News

Posted: at 4:34 pm

It was good leaf-peeping weather across most of Minnesota and western Wisconsin this weekend.

Twin Cities high temperatures (measured at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport) were 64 degrees on Saturday and 69 degrees Sunday afternoon. Our average Twin Cities high is 62 degrees this time of year. High temps will continue to trend upward the next couple of days.

Temperature trends

Monday highs will reach the 70s in the metro area and southern Minnesota, with mainly 60s elsewhere:

Monday forecast highs

National Weather Service

Tuesday afternoon highs will be mainly in the 70s, with 80s in southwestern and south-central Minnesota:

Tuesday forecast highs

National Weather Service

Some spots in the Twin Cities metro area could touch 80 degrees Tuesday afternoon. Itll be breezy on Tuesday, but itll feel almost summery during the afternoon hours.

Did you know that MPR News is supported by Members? Gifts from individuals power the headlines, clarity and context found here. Give during the Fall Member Drive to become a Member today.

A cold front moves through Minnesota and western Wisconsin Tuesday night, so temps retreat for the remainder of the week. Twin Cities metro area highs are projected to be around 60 degrees on Wednesday, then around 50 Thursday followed by lower 50s Friday.

Thunderstorm chances Tuesday evening

An approaching low pressure trough and cold front could ignite some scattered thunderstorms late Tuesday afternoon, with a better chance of thunderstorms Tuesday evening.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations North American Mesoscale (NAM) forecast modelshows the potential rain pattern from 6 p.m. Tuesday to 1 a.m. Wednesday:

Simulated radar 6 p.m. Tuesday to 1 a.m. Wednesday

NOAA, via Tropicaltidbits.com

Check forecast updates as we get closer to Tuesday evening, because the timing of our thunderstorm chances could change and a few spots could see a strong or severe thunderstorm.

On Wednesday, parts of Minnesota could see some scattered afternoon showers.

We have updated weather information for Minnesota and western Wisconsin on the Minnesota Public Radio Newsnetwork, and on the MPR Newslive weather blog.

Fall color update

Fall colors Oct. 8, 2022 in St. Paul

Ron Trenda/MPR News

If youre planning on doing some leaf-peeping this week, you wont have to travel very far. Brilliant fall colors are visible in many parts of Minnesota.

Ive spotted pockets of excellent fall color in the Twin Cities metro area the past few days. Some trees havent yet transitioned to their autumn hues, and a few trees have already dropped most of their leaves.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resourcesfall color reportfor Minnesota State Parks and Trails looks like this:

Fall color report

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

When you look atfall color maps,keep in mind that all deciduous trees are included. The maples can be peaking in a given area when the overall changeover to fall color is 50 percent or less.

The Wisconsin fall color report can be foundhere.

Programming note

You can hear my live weather updates on MPR News at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 4:39 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

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Warm start to the week, then chilly temps later; thunderstorm chance Tuesday evening - MPR News

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Supermoon – Wikipedia

Posted: at 4:33 pm

Full or new moon which appears larger due to coinciding with perigee

A supermoon is a full moon or a new moon that nearly coincides with perigeethe closest that the Moon comes to the Earth in its elliptic orbitresulting in a slightly larger-than-usual apparent size of the lunar disk as viewed from Earth.[1] The technical name is a perigee syzygy (of the EarthMoonSun system) or a full (or new) Moon around perigee.[a] Because the term supermoon is astrological in origin, it has no precise astronomical definition.[2]

The real association of the Moon with both oceanic and crustal tides has led to claims that the supermoon phenomenon may be associated with increased risk of events like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, but no such link has been found.[3]

The opposite phenomenon, an apogee syzygy or a full (or new) Moon around apogee, has been called a micromoon.[4]

The term supermoon is attributed to astrologer Richard Nolle while reading "Strategic Role Of Perigean spring tides in Nautical History and Coastal flooding" published in 1976 by NOAA Hydrologist Fergus Wood.[5][6][7] In practice, there is no official or even consistent definition of how near perigee the full Moon must occur to receive the supermoon label, and new moons rarely receive a supermoon label.

Nolle described the concept in a 1979 edition of Dell Horoscope including both full and new moons, but has never outlined why he chose 90% nor has provided a definitive formula for determining if a given full or new moon is "super". The basic 1979 definition read:[2]

... a new or full moon which occurs with the Moon at or near (within 90% of) its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit (perigee). In short, Earth, Moon and Sun are all in a line, with Moon in its nearest approach to Earth.

Nolle amended his definition in 2000 specifying the distance of a given full or new moon be judged against 90% of the mean distance of perigees. Nolle (incorrectly) referenced

A SuperMoon is a perigee-syzygy, a new or full moon (syzygy) which occurs when the Moon is at 90% or greater of its mean closest approach to Earth (perigee).

In 2011, Nolle added apogees to consideration explaining that he based calculations on 90% of the difference in lunar apsis extremes for the solar year. EarthSky analyzed Nolle's tables and described the updated definition as a full or new moon is considered a supermoon if l d s l d p + 0.1 ( l d a l d p ) {displaystyle ld_{s}leq ld_{p}+0.1*(ld_{a}-ld_{p})} where l d s {displaystyle ld_{s}} is the lunar distance at syzygy, l d a {displaystyle ld_{a}} is the lunar distance at apogee, and l d p {displaystyle ld_{p}} is the lunar distance at perigee. Nolle based those the mean apsis extremes referencing (incorrectly) the Wikipedia article on the subject arriving at: [10][11]

any lunation closer than 368,630 km. = SuperMoon.

Nolle also added the concept of extreme supermoon in 2000 describing the concept as any new or full moons that are at "100% or greater of the mean perigee".[9]

The term perigee-syzygy or perigee full/new moon is preferred in the scientific community.[12] Perigee is the point at which the Moon is closest in its orbit to the Earth, and syzygy is when the Earth, the Moon and the Sun are aligned, which happens at every full or new moon. Astrophysicist Fred Espenak uses Nolle's definition but preferring the label of full Moon at perigee on full moons occurring "within 90% of its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit" over Nolle's calculations based on the closest of all orbits during the solar year.[13] Wood used the definition of a full or new moon occurring within 24 hours of perigee and also used the label perigee-syzygy.[7]

Sky and Telescope magazine chose a definition of 223,000 miles (358,884km).[14]

TimeandDate.com prefers a definition of 360,000 kilometres (223,694mi).[15]

EarthSky uses Nolle's definition comparing their calculations to tables published by Nolle in 2000.[10][9]

Wood also coined the less used term proxigee where perigee and the full or new moon are separated by 10 hours or less.[7]

Of the possible 12 or 13 full (or new) moons each year, usually three or four may be classified as supermoons, as commonly defined.

The most recent full supermoon occurred on August 12, 2022, and the next one will be on July 3, 2023.[13]

The supermoon of November 14, 2016, was the closest full occurrence since January 26, 1948, and will not be surpassed until November 25, 2034.[16]

The closest full supermoon of the 21st century will occur on December 6, 2052.[17]

The oscillating nature of the distance to the full or new moon is due to the difference between the synodic and anomalistic months.[13] The period of this oscillation is about 14 synodic months, which is close to 15 anomalistic months. So every 14 lunations there is a Full Moon nearest to perigee.

Occasionally, a supermoon coincides with a total lunar eclipse. The most recent occurrence of this was in May 2022, and the next occurrence will be in October 2032.[13]

A full moon at perigee appears roughly 14% larger in diameter than at apogee.[18] Many observers insist that the moon looks bigger to them. This is likely due to observations shortly after sunset when the moon is near the horizon and the moon illusion is at its most apparent.[19]

While the moon's surface luminance remains the same, because it is closer to the earth the illuminance is about 30% brighter than at its farthest point, or apogee. This is due to the inverse square law of light which changes the amount of light received on earth in inverse proportion to the distance from the moon.[20] A supermoon directly overhead could provide up to 0.36 lux.[21]

Claims that supermoons can cause natural disasters, and the claim of Nolle that supermoons cause "geophysical stress", have been refuted by scientists.[2][22][23][24]

Despite lack of scientific evidence, there has been media speculation that natural disasters, such as the 2011 Thoku earthquake and tsunami and the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, are causally linked with the 12-week period surrounding a supermoon.[25] A large, 7.5 magnitude earthquake centred 15 km north-east of Culverden, New Zealand at 00:03 NZDT on November 14, 2016, also coincided with a supermoon.[26][27]Tehran earthquake on May 8, 2020, also coincided with a supermoon.

Scientists have confirmed that the combined effect of the Sun and Moon on the Earth's oceans, the tide,[28] is greatest when the Moon is either new or full.[29] and that during lunar perigee, the tidal force is somewhat stronger,[30] resulting in perigean spring tides. However, even at its most powerful, this force is still relatively weak,[31] causing tidal differences of inches at most.[32]

Total lunar eclipses which fall on supermoon and micromoon days are relatively rare. In the 21st century, there are 87 total lunar eclipses, of which 28 are supermoons and 6 are micromoons. Almost all total lunar eclipses in Lunar Saros 129 are micromoon eclipses. An example of a supermoon lunar eclipse is the September 2015 lunar eclipse.

Annular solar eclipses occur when the Moon's apparent diameter is smaller than the Sun's. Almost all annular solar eclipses between 1880 and 2060 in Solar Saros 144 and almost all annular solar eclipses between 1940 and 2120 in Solar Saros 128 are micromoon annular solar eclipses.[33]

Media related to Supermoon at Wikimedia Commons

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Captain Kirk Went to Space and Saw Absolutely Nothing – TheStranger.com

Posted: at 4:33 pm

On October 13, 2021, the nonagenarian and popular culture icon William Shatner went to the place where his TV character, Captain Kirk, spent much of his time: Space. He was sent there by a craft designed by Jeff Bezos's space company Blue Origin. The whole business was billed as the moment that the imagination (the leader of the fictional USS Enterprise) touched (in a manner that had the same grandeur as The Creation of Adam) the unbelievably vast reality (and possible opportunities) of outer space. A major part of what early 20th-century German sociologist Max Weber called the "spirit of capitalism" was vividly revived to the citizens of a world globalized by what the Turkish-born American economist Dani Rodrik named "capitalism 3.0." What could go wrong?

When Star Trek first aired in 1966, thanks to the determination of Lucille Ball, the Soviet Union had already launched the first human, Yuri Gagarin, into space and the US was soon to land humans on the moon. But these 20th-century extraterrestrial explorations were funded and developed by the state, and so represented a form of capitalism (2.0) that emerged in the 1930s, a capitalism planned and managed by Big Government. This new economic system connected the US and the USSR. As key members of the Frankfurt School determined in 1941, both had huge budgets and formulated "a general plan [that compelled] its fulfillment." Shatner's trip returned the Schumpeterian figure eliminated by private and public technostructures to the center of the religion of progress, the entrepreneur (capitalism 1.0).

But what did Shatner experience when he went to space? Nothing but nothingness. His words, which are taken from his new book, Boldly Go: Reflections on a Life of Awe and Wonder:

I continued my self-guided tour and turned my head to face the other direction, to stare into space. I love the mystery of the universe. I love all the questions that have come to us over thousands of years of exploration and hypotheses. Stars exploding years ago, their light traveling to us years later; black holes absorbing energy; satellites showing us entire galaxies in areas thought to be devoid of matter entirely all of that has thrilled me for years but when I looked in the opposite direction, into space, there was no mystery, no majestic awe to behold . . . all I saw was death.

His trip to space "was supposed to be a celebration; instead, it felt like a funeral," and not because he is an old mana man, who unlike young people, has no illusions about his mortality, who goes to sleep with no certainty that he will wake up, and if he does wake up, feels surprised that has lived for so long. No. That was not the source of his existential dread. It was instead the shuttle's view of all there is right next to all that it's not and can never be or become. There's really nothing out there for us. Everything that will ever and can happen is on "the warm nurturing of Earth below..."

I'm sure Jeff Bezos, one of the emperors of capitalism 3.0 (also known as neoliberalism), did not expect this negative response from Captain Kirk, but socialist and social democratic states of capitalism 2.0 did not abandon human space travel in the 1970s for no good reason. They really found not much out there for us. Space belonged to Sputnik (communication robots), not to Gagarin (colonization).

As for the moon, which on these clear September nights can be seen crossing Seattle's sky with Jupiter? Can we do anything with our nearest celestial neighbor? The men sent there in the late-'60s and early '70s discovered lots of dust. It's just everywhere, get's into everything, and, if given the chance, will drive you mad. Selenographers call this the moon's "dirty secret." The Apollo astronauts could not stop talking about how the moon "was dust, dust, dust." And this wasn't the kind of dust we find floating through the sunlight in our grounded houses, much of which is alive and carrying microbial life. Moondust, which looks like sharp shards of glass, is as dead as the space William Shatner saw through Bezos' windows.

Let's conclude this rather bleak post, and bleak not because space is, as Shatner saw, almost entirely a "cold, dark, black emptiness," but because "every day, we are confronted with the knowledge of further destruction of Earth [AKA All There Is] at our hands," with Brian Eno's ethereal "An Ending (Ascent)"?

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We’koqma’q First Nation helps keep tradition alive with ribbon skirt bank – CBC.ca

Posted: at 4:33 pm

A We'koqma'q First nation clothing designer has outfitted a new clothing bank in her home community to help other peopleconnect with their Mi'kmaw culture.

Miranda Gould began creating ribbon skirts almost 30 years ago, after attending ceremonies with women who were wearing them.

The 49-year-old said her early creations were limited to a specific design, but now she creates all kinds of patterns on the floor-length garments adorned withbrightly coloured bands of ribbon.

"It's what makes you happy," Gould said. "Everyone carries an aura, or an energy, and colours that make them happy."

Ribbon skirts date back to North America's colonial past when Indigenous women used ribbons brought from Europe to decorate their clothing, usually around the hemline.

The skirts are often worn at powwows, weddings, graduations and other special events and ceremonies. Many people who wear the skirts will personalize themwith patterns and colours that mean something to them ortheir family.

Gould, who showcasedmany of her designs at a recent Indigenous fashion show in Membertou, said many people are now wearing ribbonskirts as everyday clothing. She saidtraditional teachings help explain why so many Indigenous women started wearing skirts as a garment of choice.

"You're a life giver," she said."We bear children and you allow that energy to flow from Mother Earth to your womb as a sign of respect in that connection to Mother Earth. And so when you wear your skirt, you walk in honour of life."

The We'koqma'q band council created the clothing bank after hearing from people who didn't have the right clothing for the ceremonies.

Chief Annie Bernard-Daisley says she was inspired by the Native Women's Association in Millbrook, which operates a similar clothing bank.

"We even had some people that needed a ribbon shirt for a funeral and they didn't have one," said Bernard-Daisley.

"It's a beautiful, beautiful initiative."

Bernard-Daisley said it's touching to see the tradition return after it was almost quashed by the impacts of colonization and Canada's residential school system.

She said there is a growing trend of people taking part in traditions such as pipe ceremonies, sweat lodgesor grandmother moon rituals.

"Ceremony, it helps you and it grounds you and it just sometimes takes some weight off you, off your shoulders," Bernard-Daisley said.

"It's up to us as leaders to enhance and to promote that and to support that initiative and to take part in [ceremonies] as well."

In total, 25 ribbon skirts and three shirts were finished last week for the We'koqma'q clothing bank program.

People who want to borrow a ribbon skirt or shirt must sign them out at the We'koqma'q elder's centre, and return them, so they can be loaned to others.

Gouldspent a whole month on her creations and is proud that they will connect her people to their culture.

"It's a sense of accomplishment in the work that I have tried to achieve in my lifetime," she said.

"And to leave a legacy like that is very honourable for me."

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Review: Andor Episode 6 gives a heartbreaking victory to the rebels of Aldhani – Winter is Coming

Posted: at 4:33 pm

The stakes, tensions, and cost of victory are high in an edge-of-your-seat episode of Star Wars: Andor. The episode was a serious nail-biter as the rebels of Aldhani finally execute the plan thats been building up for two episodes, all amid the stunning spectacle of a celestial phenomenon. (Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Andor episode 6, The Eye)

The episode opens with Nemik (Alex Lawther) talking to Cassian (Diego Luna) about his nerves ahead of the mission. Its another chance to talk about Nemiks manifesto, which he adds to when he cant sleep, and how mercenaries like Clem fit into his thoughts about rebellion.

Theres a bit of foreshadowinghere about Nemik, who will literally be crushed to death by rolls of credits. Nemiks death highlights the sad reality of what often happens to fighters who rebel for the right reasons and not just for money.

As the crew leaves Aldhani in the transport ship, Skeen (Ebon Moss-Bachrach ) appears just as desperate to save Nemik as leader Vel (Faye Marsay). He implores Cassian to make a detour to get Nemik to a doctor. But to no ones surprise, Skeens motive for taking this detour isnt exactly selfless. As the four-armed Dr. Quadpaw (Aiden Cook) works on Nemik, Skeen offers Cassian a chance to split the haul of 80 million credits and escape to a nearby vacant moon.

He also tells Cassian that his heartfelt story about his brother last week was a lie. He is a rebel, but one who only serves himself. As a mercenary hired by Luthen (Stellan Skarsgrd), Cassian has something in common with him. But something snaps in Cassian and he shoots and kills Skeen with barely a moments hesitation.

When he walks into the surgery room to find Nemik dead, Cassian tries to convince Vel of Skeens plan to cut and run. Shes not buying it, but she lets him leave with Nemiks manifesto anyway. Nemik wanted Cassian to have it, which helps fuel Cassians smoldering rebellious fire.

The core of this episode is the heist in the Imperial garrison on Aldhani, a nerve-wracking 53 minutes that start seamlessly and slowly unravel because of nerves and hiccups. Ultimately, the rebels succeed,but at a heartbreaking cost: Nemik and Taramyn (Gershwyn Eustache Jnr), whom Skeen failed to cover from Imperial fire, lose their lives.

Its unclear whats next for Aldhani rebels like Vel and Cinta, who had to stay behind and blend in with the Imperials for a bit. But The Eye marks a turning point for Cassian at the halfway point of the series.

Beyond the heist, Episode 6 also has a lot of smaller moments worth mentioning. We see high-ranking officers in the Empire openly discussing their colonization efforts on Aldhani. While the Imperials put on a welcoming front as the Dhanis arrive for the pilgrimage to see The Eye, they also delight in the fact that they continue to stifle the peoples cultural practices by dwindling their numbers. And they excitedly look forward to executing their plans to forcibly take over the sacred cultural site to make more room for the garrison. The Empires view of Aldhani and of countless other systems and indigenous peoples is one of disrespect and mockery.

For the rebels, the heist is only one victory, but small victories like this will slowly help planets and peoples take back control from the Empire. All of this is underlined by the beautiful kaleidoscope of celestial colors shooting across the Aldhani sky, watched by a watery-eyed Dhani crowd as Cassian outruns TIE fighters.

The episode ends on a thrilling cliffhanger: Mon Mothma (Genevieve OReilly) tries to address the Imperial Senate while everyone checks alerts on their datapads about the rebel attack on Aldhani. Elsewhere, Luthen cackles with joy after hearing of the attacks success, and the Imperial Security Bureau scrambles to counter it.

Episode 6 is an electrifying new high for the series. May the momentum continue in Episode 7, coming out next Wednesday.

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National Indigenous Peoples Day 2022: Everything to Know – Newsweek

Posted: at 4:33 pm

Many Americans stayed home from work and school on Monday in honor of Indigenous Peoples Day. The holiday is important to tribal leaders and community members nationwide who have long fought to safeguard Native communities.

Indigenous Peoples Day falls on the second Monday in October. It's honored in addition to, or instead of, Columbus Day by more than 130 cities, the District of Columbia and 14 states, Smithsonian Magazine reports.

Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr., told Newsweek about the holiday's significance.

"It's very meaningful to Cherokee Nation; I know that it is very meaningful for Native peoples all over the country," he said. "And increasingly, it is important to non-Natives who...recognize the need to celebrate Native heritage, look back at the history and really celebrate the future that we all have together."

Indigenous Peoples Day isn't yet an official federal holiday, but it was recognized at the federal level for the first time last year. That acknowledgment was decades in the making.

In 1977, Indigenous delegates at the United Nations conference resolved that October 12 should be observed as an "international day of solidarity with the Indigenous peoples of the Americas."

South Dakota began celebrating Native American Day back in 1990, per CNN. Two years later, the city of Berkeley, California, celebrated Indigenous Peoples' Day as a way to rail against the 500th anniversary of Columbus' voyage.

Many argue that the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus represents the colonization of Indigenous lands and the slaughter of Native communities. Hoskin told Newsweek that "honoring [Columbus] on a holiday really obscures the atrocities done under his command."

It's important to understand the facts surrounding what Columbus and other colonizers did, and the consequences of those actions, he added.

"We have to understand how to reconcile that today, and to know our history better and then to collectively do better as Americans," Hoskin continued. "And I think we can't fully do that so long as we are honoring Christopher Columbus as some sort of a great savior, because it really obscures the great damage he did to Native peoples, which is a history worthy of study and worthy of reflection."

Those looking to celebrate should start by recognizing the Indigenous lands on which they live and the original peoples who called it home, Smithsonian Magazine notes. Observers can moon- and stargaze "from a Native perspective," plus spend time outside to honor nature.

People can also support work by Indigenous creators, from podcasts like This Land by Rebecca Nagle to TV shows like Hulu's Reservation Dogs.

Hoskin encourages participants to realize that there are more than 500 tribes countrywide, each with unique stories and histories.

"We do, of course, have similar themes running through our history of dispossession, of oppression, but also a large measure of triumph here in the modern era," he said. "If Americans will think about that, that'll be helpful, because one of the problems we've had is just a lack of knowledge of our place in the history of this continent. And that lack of knowledge can lead to things like harmful federal Indian policy or state government actions that trample on Native rights."

Many social media users have commemorated the holiday on Twitter.

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, who's a member of the Pueblo of Laguna tribe, posted a video outlining the work done by the administration of President Joe Biden to help Indigenous communities.

"Today we celebrate the strength of Indigenous communities, the traditions and cultures that have survived millennia, and our fervent hope for the future. Happy Indigenous Peoples' Day, everyone!" Haaland wrote in a tweet.

The White House also issued a proclamation ahead of the holiday, acknowledging that for hundreds of years, Indigenous peoples were ripped from their lands, forced to assimilate and banned from practicing sacred customs. The proclamation further noted Natives' continued contribution to the arts, scholarship, public service and the law, honoring them for "shaping the contours of this country since time immemorial."

Other advocates also commemorated the day on Twitter, including Bernice King, daughter of late civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.

"I am remembering and reflecting on the sacrifice, resilience, authenticity, and erasure of Indigenous groups and tribal communities in America and across the globe," King wrote in a tweet. "We celebrate the people, stories, and cultures and commit to justice in our World House."

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Who’s the enemy here? – The Korea JoongAng Daily

Posted: at 4:33 pm

Kim Su-jeong

The author is an editorial writer at the JoongAng Ilbo.Attacking opponents by framing them as pro-Japanese is back in fashion. The past administration mustered support in this way. Former president Moon Jae-in claimed that eradicating pro-Japanese roots in Korea was long overdue. His senior secretary for civil affairs called on the public to choose between being pro-Japanese and patriotism.

The government under former president Moon revoked an inter-government agreement on compensations for former wartime sex slaves, and local governments under heads aligned to the Democratic Party (DP) championed a boycott on Japanese products following the Supreme Courts ruling on wartime forced labor. Loyalists to the DP accused a number of individuals and institutions of being associated with Japan even when one of its lawmakers was accused of embezzling donations for the survivors of sexual abuse by the imperial Japanese military.

This time, DP Chairman Lee Jae-myung is at the forefront of the anti-Japanese campaign. He described the joint South Korea-U.S.-Japan maritime drill to counter missile provocations from North Korea as an extremely pro-Japanese act and a defense disaster.

Reminding the public of President Yoon Suk-yeols remarks that the Japan Self-Defense Forces could be invited into the Korean Peninsula in case of contingency, Lee wondered why the tripartite joint drill was being conducted near the Dokdo islets, which Japan claims as its territory, and why the government drew the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force to the sea despite ongoing Japanese curbs on certain key exports to Korea. After DP Rep. Ahn Gyu-baek shared the confidential military location of the joint drill on social media with expression of being dismayed by the move, DP members are uniting fast.

From the reasoning, the arrival of three Japanese warships for a tripartite military drill in 2007 under former liberal president Roh Moo-hyun, the promise by Moon to reinforce South Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation on security in his summit with U.S. president Donald Trump in Washington in the summer of 2017, and the joint statement among Moon, Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe following the G20 meeting in Germany also should be deemed pro-Japanese.

It was liberal president Kim Dae-jung who promised in 1998 comprehensive cooperation with Japan in politics, security and economy as well as opening to Japanese pop culture. Using the same reasoning, why is Seoul staying so passive to Beijing, which has yet to lift the discrimination on Korean exports of goods and services since Koreas deployment of the U.S. Thaad missile defense system? But the DP stays mum to the claims that those practices also took place under former liberal presidents Roh and Moon.

To DP loyalists, anti-Japanese still sells. Two generations have passed since liberation from Japanese colonization. The Cold War aspect has reemerged in a more complicated form. The United States and China are warring over trade and technology. Since the Russian war with Ukraine, the authoritarian regimes are pitted more overtly against free democracy. Energy and global supply chains have been rattled. China, Russia and North Korea have not changed since the Korean War.

Distinguishing between friends and foes is essential for national security. It is a judgment to determine who shares the values of free democracy, market economy and human rights and who threatens our territory, sovereignty and history. Who we accompany for the present and future of national security and prosperity is a choice.

In his memoir, former national security advisor Chun Young-woo said that a past specter prevails over the present and future of Korea and that the South Korea-Japan relationship will only be normalized when national sentiment does not overwhelm national interests to call for future-oriented vision and practical diplomacy from the leader. Vietnam has turned to its past war enemy the U.S. to stop the overbearing influence of China. Poland and France support their war enemy Germany building up its defense capabilities after Russias invasion of Ukraine.

The DP probably fears the rise of ultra-right forces in Japan when the country invites Japanese warships to its waters. But security cooperation among Korea, the United States and Japan are essential in case of a nuclear missile attack from North Korea. Seven rear bases for the U.N. Combined Forces to back South Korea in case of emergency are all based in Japan.

While I was in university, movement for liberation for the Korean people swept the campus. Although there had been many pro-Japanese figures in the regime under North Korean founder Kim Il Sung and many independent fighters had been purged later in North Korea activists in South Korea attacked the Syngman Rhee administration for being pro-Japan. An argument for rooting out the legacy of the pro-Japanese is in line with a denial of the foundation of South Korea and support for the legitimacy of the North Korean regime. Will the debate over being pro-Japan in the South stop when relationship between North Korea and Japan improves? DP Chairman Lee demanded the government apologize and promise not to conduct a tripartite military exercise. But who would benefit from such a promise?

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Probiotics Supplementation may Improve Symptoms of Hyperuricemia and Gout – Rheumatology Network

Posted: at 4:22 pm

Supplementation with probiotics was shown to improve hyperuricemia and symptoms of gout, among other inflammatory diseases such as juvenile arthritis (JIA), osteoarthritis (OA), osteoporosis and osteopenia, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), spondyloarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and psoriasis (PsO). Investigators note that further randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are necessary to evaluate efficacy and optimal dosages of probiotics, according to a study published in Frontiers in Immunology.1

There is a need for new related target therapeutic approaches for drug development and treatment of joint inflammation, thereby reducing the disease burden of inflammatory arthritis, investigators stated. A study showed that gut microbial dysbiosis (in combination with environmental triggers) may contribute to inflammatory immune disturbances in inflammatory arthritis in combination with genetically predisposed individuals.

Information on the treatment of rheumatic diseases with probiotics was obtained via databases in this systematic review, including the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library, until May 2022. RCTs of probiotics regarding treatment of hyperuricemia and gout were evaluated and the Cochrane risk assessment tool was used to determine quality evaluation. Controls were participants without probiotic preparation. Adverse events, disease efficacy indicators, and inflammatory indicators were the primary outcomes.

In total, 37 records included in the study, of which 34 were RCTs and 8 types of autoimmune disease were analyzed. Of the 10 RCTs (involving 632 participants), probiotic intervention reduced C-reactive protein (CRP). Of the psoriasis RCTs, probiotics reduced Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores. Patients with spondyloarthritis who received probiotics had improvements in disease-related symptoms. Bone mineral density was improved in patients with osteoporosis and osteopenia receiving probiotic intervention and symptoms were improved in patients with OA (433 participants). Symptoms were also improved in patients with JIA (72 participants) and IBD (120 participants). Lastly, serum uric acid was improved in those with hyperuricemia and gout in 4 RCTs (294 participants). Probiotics did not increase the incidence of adverse events in any of the RCTs included in the analysis.

While the study was strengthened by including 8 types of inflammatory arthritis, providing clinical references, the quality of the RCTs involved is hindered by the lack of detailed random sequence generation, blinding information, and allocation concealment. Further, certain RCTs used probiotic-rich foods in their analyses, which not include specific strains and doses, while others had uncertain dosages, which allowed for discrepancies among results. Additionally, the methods of recording efficacy indicators were different among RCTs. Adverse events were not reported in many RCTs evaluated. Lastly, only 8 types of inflammatory arthritis were observed, possibly due in part to the fact that probiotics have just recently emerged as a supplementation option in this patient population.

Probiotic supplements may improve hyperuricemia and gout, inflammatory bowel disease arthritis, JIA, OA, Osteoporosis and Osteopenia, psoriasis, RA, and spondyloarthritis, investigators emphasized. However, lack of evidence and heterogeneity of studies do not allow us to recommend them to patients with inflammatory arthritis to manage their disease. More randomized controlled trials are needed in the future to determine the efficacy and optimal dosing design of probiotics.

Reference:

Zeng L, Deng Y, He Q, et al. Safety and efficacy of probiotic supplementation in 8 types of inflammatory arthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 34 randomized controlled trials.Front Immunol. 2022;13:961325. Published 2022 Sep 23. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2022.961325

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