Open Thread.

 Go at it. 

Garland And Me.

Live in about 35 minutes. It is a video day for me today. Probably tomorrow too. 

Ania Made It to The US.

On a book tour. 

Oh, No!

 That's a huge loss. Huge ... 

David Lynch has died at the age of 78, his family announced on Thursday, Jan. 16. "It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch.  We would appreciate some privacy at this time," read a message on Facebook. "There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us. But, as he would say, 'Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.' " "It’s a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way," they added.

RIP, David. 

Nima And Yours Truly.

Live in about 50 minutes. 

LOL))

Trying his inner Ike. Poor Ike, to have a fucktard trying to get to your very high pedestal. 

US President Joe Biden has warned Americans about the rising influence of an “oligarchy” of ultra-wealthy individuals and a burgeoning “tech-industrial complex,” claiming these forces pose an existential threat to democracy. Biden issued the caution during his farewell address from the Oval Office on Wednesday, emphasizing the need to protect fundamental rights and freedoms from the dictate of wealth and power. “An oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power, and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead,” he stated. While Biden refrained from naming specific individuals, such as President-elect Donald Trump or tech moguls like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, he highlighted the risks of consolidating political and technological power. Drawing a parallel to President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s 1961 warning about the military-industrial complex, Biden warned of a modern “tech-industrial complex” that could threaten the country.

He doesn't even understand that this theater is a pathetic counterfeit of the speech which still resonates today. A fucking shapito circus. 

Very Strong Delusion ...

 ... and palliative measures against butthurt from The Hill. 

The Russians have big ambitions for their space program. They are planning a new space station to replace their share of the International Space Station when it ends its operational life around 2030. They have made an alliance with China to participate in its lunar base project, with a nuclear reactor to power it. The question arises, then: Is Russia in any position to fulfill these and other ambitious objectives? A recent study from the Foreign Policy Research Institute casts some doubt. It notes that “multiple factors have made the sustainable development of the Russian space program impossible.” The issues include “sanctions, an embargo on advanced industrial equipment, workforce shortages, limited financial resources spread among too many projects, cancellation of space cooperation with Western partners except operations on the International Space Station and the economic inefficiency of the Russian space industry.” The article suggests that the current decline in the fortunes of the Russian space program dates back as early as 2014, when Putin seized Crimea from Ukraine, and certainly from 2022, when Russia invaded its neighbor with a goal of conquering it.

This sheer delirium is based on the study by this shyster: Pavel Luzin holds a doctorate in international relations from the Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO). He is an expert on Russia’s politics, defense affairs, and global security. Dr. Luzin studies these fields for Riddle media. Previously, he covered these issues for the presidential campaign of Alexei Navalny in Russia (2017-2018), “Nations in Transit” project at Freedom House (2016-2018), and Center for Polish-Russian Dialogue and Understanding (2015-2018). He has worked for Russian think tanks IMEMO and PIR-Center, and taught at Perm State University and at Higher School of Economics (Perm campus).

Luzin is NOT an expert in anything serious, his doctorate is in BS and he wouldn't dare to subject himself to any serious discussion on any military-technological matter. But he has the "right" biography and continues to spread BS about things he cannot grasp. But that tells you everything you need to know about Western "think-tanks".