The Dam Is Breaking.

CNN suddenly is "changing shoes in the jump"? Do they sense something? I think they do. Pelosi is obviously not in normal psychological state--her panic manifests itself in her physical appearance and incoherent gibberish. In simple words, she freaks out. 

It is clear that release of THE FISA ABUSE MEMO (coupled with FBI's first major figure "departing") could be the start of legal uncovering of a treasure trove of corruption and anti-Constitutional activity in Washington. I lost an acute interest in this whole affair quite some time ago since made conclusions which are pretty much along the lines of what is beginning to be exposed by now--utter corruption in American political top. It doesn't take a genius, which I certainly am not, to figure out most details of this whole affair. My thoughts are not about that--I am merely counting the scale of a damage which has been dealt to the United States. Obviously no normal, forget well informed, person in the world buys anymore this utter crap about "democracy", "transparency", "serving" etc. 

There is also no doubt that US standing in the world has been severely damaged by this scandal and, effectively, a crawling soft coup. The main issue is HOW American so called "political class", which is not only utterly corrupt but down right dumb, can be substituted with actual, very real, American patriots and professionals who do care about preservation of that good that still remains in this country. What good, one may ask? Well, preservation of the Constitution is a good start, preserving America's mostly white and mostly Christian working class, what's left of it anyway--without it, there is no United States. There are many, very many decent hard-working people among them. Maybe it is a good idea to recall that at some point the United States was an industrial nation which, can you believe it, produced own consumer radio-electronics and appliances, and even slippers and socks. Yes, I know, hard to believe. US educational system, especially from the K-12 level has to be completely re-constituted. If this, together with some other, much more particular measures in revitalizing actual economy, will not be implemented, the US will disintegrate. Or, what is even more scary, unleash through the utter insanity of its "elites" a global war which will cost everyone dear.

The ongoing crisis, both economic and especially political, but even more important--the crisis of confidence--are of such scale that one is forced to consider such a scenario. It literally can happen. The US is pass the point of no return--we will not have the replay of 1990s and early 2000s, not to speak of 1980s. It is over, but at least we can try to envision some sort, some semblance of normality with more or less functioning political system and economy. Nothing fancy, just something that does work and doesn't usher in a bloodshed. But there is no denial of expectation of a dam breaking. Will it drain a swamp? If not--it is over.

Blade Running.

I watched the NEW one two days ago. I have the first one embedded in my mind and every morning in my car, on the way to work (and back) this plays non-stop (this, plus some other things, like Dune soundtrack).

Rachel's (that is Sean Young's) unearthly beauty in her Memories of Green. The masterpiece of soundtrack by Vangelis. Of course that too:

I was afraid to watch a sequel to an Icon by Ridley Scott. Boy, half-way through the new one I recognized that I was hurting for the story, for Ryan Gosling and that it was a living, perfectly developed continuous uninterrupted world with all original sensibilities. Music by Hans Zimmer and (the other guy;-) And then, without famous final monologue by Rutger Hauer, Ryan Gosling who the whole movie thought that Rachel was his mother (she wasn't), same as Rutger Hauer who didn't kill Deckard  and saved him, sacrificed himself just for the chance of being human and love of life--giving Deckard a chance to see his daughter. And it was this final moment with Vangelis' final music piece, from the original Ridley Scott's Icon, that I knew I was witnessing a masterpiece. I surrendered.

It still hurts and that is a sign of a truly great art. Absolutely unreal that there is still something so good out there. I will never look at Ryan Gosling again as a mere handsome guy-decent-actor. 

Notes:

Harrison Ford, Rachel's photo from the original--all that was right, so right.

Dog drinking Black Lable Scotch, man...

Joi was sexy and appropriate as was recognizable universe.

But what makes a man? 

They are now inseparable and that is incredible artistic achievement. Simply incredible....

Bering Strait Shipping.

As I wrote recently:

 It is the Northern Sea Route, which China supports enthusiastically. She has sound reasons for doing that. Unlike the Indian Ocean where PLAN would have to face the immensely powerful US Navy, Russia controls the Arctic and possesses a world-class A2/AD capability there,

Today the United States and Russia got busy with making Bering Strait shipping orderly and safe. As the United States Coast Guard reports:

U.S., Russia propose Bering Strait ship traffic routing measures

WASHINGTON -- In response to increased Arctic shipping traffic, the United States and Russian Federation have proposed a system of two-way routes for vessels to follow in the Bering Strait and Bering Sea.

The nations jointly developed and submitted the proposal to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to establish six two-way routes and six precautionary areas.

Located in U.S. and Russian Federation territorial waters off the coasts of Alaska and the Chukotskiy Peninsula, the routes are being recommended to help ships avoid the numerous shoals, reefs and islands outside the routes and to reduce the potential for marine casualties and environmental disasters. 

The proposed two-way routes will be voluntary for all domestic and international ships.

No additional Aids to Navigation (ATON) are being proposed to mark the recommended two-way routes and the routing measures do not limit commercial fishing or subsistence activities.

“Over the past decade, the U.S. and Russia have both observed a steady increase in Arctic shipping activity,” said Mike Sollosi, the chief of the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Standards Division.

Increased commercial and recreational traffic bring the increased risk of maritime casualties, said Sollosi, and the bilateral proposal for routing measures is designed to reduce that risk.

“The U.S. Coast Guard is engaging international and interagency partners across borders in developing joint proposals for ship routes in waterways that we share,” said Sollosi.

The  Chart below shows proposed routes through what amounts to US-Russian maritime border (plus Sarah Palin's Observation Deck, wink, wink) and what in the nearest future should become a very busy "highway". 

There are, inevitably, some extremely serious strategic ramifications in what, in my view, will be China's initial attempt in avoiding a meeting with powerful US Navy in more southerly altitudes. Plus, of course, already today there is a gigantic joint Russian-Chinese-European Liquid Natural Gas facility in the port of Sabetta.

or

Time accelerates... 

UPDATE: 

Well, well, well, friends. The moment I finished this post yesterday and 9 days after finishing my UNZ article, look what made the news today. 

Today China, the Press-Secretariat of State Council of PRC, issued a White Book on NSR and Arctic in general singled out as one of the most important venues in China’s shipping of its goods (90% of them are shipped by sea) and in obtaining mineral resources. In Russian (Google Translate will do). The phrase which merits a very special attention is this statement by Ivan Andrievsky, the First Vice-Premier of Russia's Union of Engineers. 

Китай, естественно, преследует свои интересы и пытается сэкономить на перевозках, поэтому объемы перевозок китайцев по СМП растут. Некоторые даже видят угрозу в такой экспансии. Теоретически возможны конфликты в будущем при существенном таянии льдов, а также росте военных амбиций Китая. Но на данный момент эти угрозы преувеличены 

Translation: 

China is obviously following her own interests and tries to save on shipping, that is why the volume shipped through Northern Sea Route (NSR) is growing. Some people see the threat in such expansion. Theoretically conflicts are possible in the future with significant melting of ice and the growth of China's military ambitions. But at this moment such threats are exaggerated. 

Now, my friends, get this--can you imagine what could have been if there were smart, nay, simply sane people in Washington? Interesting, isn't it? Man, talk about timing of my piece in UNZ, right? 

 

Double Whammy!

You can all recall this:

I wrote at UNZ about Putin's speech this:

The most important sign of this was Vladimir Putin’s rather startling revelation, during his October 2017 Valdai Forum conversation with youth, of his concern for the fate of white European Christian Civilization and his desire to preserve it. 

The importance of this statement is difficult to overstate—much more is at stake than mere economic issues, however important.

If someone thought that this Putin's revelation was a fluke, an accidental "heat of the moment" emotional response, they are wrong. He was talking about what now increasingly becomes a policy. If you have any doubts about it? Enter Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov--a man who doesn't need any introduction. Today, at opening of the XXVI International Christmas Readings in Moscow Lavrov destroyed the so called "liberal" values. This is what he said:

Очевидно, что пересмотр базовых норм морали, вседозволенность, доведенная до абсурда толерантность наносят непоправимый ущерб нравственному здоровью людей, лишают их культурно-цивилизационных корней...Например, в ряде стран-членов ЕС вводятся запреты на религиозную атрибутику, родителей лишают права воспитывать детей в духе христианской морали. Хочу напомнить, что в свое время ЕС отказался закрепить в своих уставных документах тезис о том, что европейская цивилизация имеет христианские корни. Тот, кто стыдится своих нравственных корней, не может уважать представителей других вероисповеданий

Translation: 

It is obvious that revision of the fundamental norms of morality, wholesale permissiveness, tolerance reduced to the absurdity, all that damages irrevocably a moral-ethical health of people, deny them cultural-civilizational roots... For example, in some EU member-nations they introduce bans of religious attributes, parents are forbidden from bringing their children in the spirit of Christian morality. I want to remind you that at some time EU refused to fix in its founding documents thesis about European Civilization having Christian roots. Those who are ashamed of their moral roots cannot respect representatives of other faiths.

So, I ask again a question: what is REAL Western Civilization? This:

Or this: 

Which one is a highway to hell and which one is the road to the future for Western Civilization? And I am not even a Christian but I sure can vouch for a very real hell which is unfolding in what used to be Western Civilization.

I Don't Know If It Was Staged?

But If It wasn't, this English woman is a true hero and a mother. 

But it is Friday and we should have some music, a really good one:

Utterly Hilarious!

So, it is not just Russians anymore, eh? First, let's face the fact--Olympic Movement is dead! No, it is worse than dead--it is utterly corrupt and is long ago a national vanity fair where anything, including political pressure goes. Doping is one of such tools which allows for a classic double standard. Last time these were Russians, including absolutely clean Russian Paralympians, who were bundled up with those in Russia's National Winter Olympic team who, no doubt, took performance enhancement drugs. What was done in Rio to Russian Paralympians has no name--it is atrocity, those who perpetrated it know who they are, they have no honor, nor any other redeeming human qualities. But we knew it was a classic geopolitical gambit--and Russia's recent "outing" as a prime doping evil-doers was nothing more than just another step in a pressure applied to Russia and Russians since the return of Crimea back home. Of course, as we all know only Russians do doping, everybody else are totally clean and honest... wait, BBC is on line? Ah!

Grigory Rodchenkov: Russian whistleblower suspected British cheats

The hell you say, Grisha. Say it ain't so. Doping, in the West, oh come on--who would ever believe that? 

"If there is specific intelligence relating to British athletes, then we would welcome that information being passed on in full to us." The British Olympic Association (BOA) declined to comment.

Indeed, why comment on anything that anyone with a half-brain knows for a fact. But as they said in Frank Herbert's Dune: "The forms must be obeyed." So, it may take a while before they will be obeyed and all media and political games played out and maybe someone will be "caught". Maybe not until the age of Padishah Emperors unfolds. Meanwhile, I think this whole Olympic business should go out of... business, plus Soccer World Cups are on the order of magnitude more important sports events and more legitimate expression of a national pride, or, in case of Russian team--national shame, than some doped bunch trying to improve yet another one hundred thousandth millisecond over some record established 20 years ago. Most of those Olympic winter sports events, bar figure skating and, maybe, biathlon (hockey is a completely different thing altogether), are as exciting as curling (sorry, Canada).   

 
 

Postoponed! Again?

By now you probably figured it out that I consider Elon Musk and most what he peddles as some wonder technology a glamorous fraud. But now it becomes really ridiculous and I wonder if these two news-pieces are related. 

First, of course, being yet another, now indefinite, delay of Falcon Heavy static tests. This was going on now for many days. As article states:

SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket — described as “the most powerful operational rocket in the world by a factor of two” — is in position on a launchpad at the Kennedy Space Center, but the static-fire engine test set for today has been postponed indefinitely due to logistical and safety concerns. An Atlas 5 rocket will roll out to a nearby launch pad on Thursday.

But what caught my attention was a yesterday's piece on reputable Space.Com which reads as an indictment of Musk's faulty engineering: 

Safety Panel Raises Concerns about SpaceX Falcon 9 Pressure Vessel for Commercial Crew Missions 

Could these two be connected and could it be a start of a long overdue process of unmasking Musk as a fraudster that he is? It is one thing to produce some shitty electric jalopy which exists mostly for satisfaction of tender egos of some rich liberal boys, who are still stuck in infancy--but dealing with serious space vehicles, especially ones carrying manned missions is a totally different universe altogether.  And even if Falcon Heavy's tests finally commence at some point of time, there are already serious doubts about Musk and his "company", whose financial records are guarded better than Fort Knox, are adequate for the immense task of space exploration. But, I guess, for a generation (or two) of iPhone users who think that it is real hi-tech, the idea that some Tesla will be launched to Mars seems quite attractive, despite total imbecility of the concept. 

In related news: Tesla Model 3 now will be (at some point) able to follow voice commands. Yes, all my life I was waiting for this "feature", that is granted that those who would want that thing will have to continue waiting for years before their car will be delivered. As Ben Stein used to say:

UPDATE: Finally. 

Following a successful SpaceX Falcon Heavy test, a real launch is imminent 

What Is The Tune?

Dancing to Russia's Tune--is the title of the latest "analysis" from Foreign Policy magazine which pretends to be an expert publication on foreign policy subject and this "analysis" is nothing more than lament. As any recent laments from US media and "analysts", this piece is an exhibit A of most of American "elites" lack of any grasp of the nature of military power and of its appropriate application. It is not surprising for the environment which still continues to sincerely believe that the United States defeated Hitler in WW II and that, as some propose, was very successful in Iraq and Afghanistan. I derived (it was easy) long ago an obverse of classic Clausewitz's dictum that diplomacy is a continuation of war by other means. For people who really care about causality, that is about relation between cause and effect, it is not difficult to understand military-political dynamics in Syria. One doesn't have to be a military professional  to understand a simple fact that, apart from Syria's and Iranian efforts, it was Russia's entrance in the conflict in Syria which completely changed the balance of power there and defeated a terrorist international there. Of course, Russians were diplomatically active on Syrian "front" even before entering the conflict. But no matter how one extols, deservedly so, diplomatic abilities of Sergei Lavrov, even his virtuoso diplomacy means nothing without military force. As Russian strategic dictum goes: if you don't want to speak to Lavrov, you will speak to Shoigu. Here, what is stated by FP pundit:

Moscow’s growing diplomatic clout in the Syrian endgame has been made possible, in part, by Washington’s passivity. The Donald Trump administration has focused more on fighting the Islamic State and fending off Iran than on shaping the political future of the war-ravaged country. “Syria is an example of how U.S. diplomacy is not front and center,” one U.N. Security Council diplomat said. “The U.S. has lost ground to Russia on that issue.”

Even if the United States wanted to play a bigger role in postwar Syria, its disengagement has weakened its ability to do so, said retired Marine Gen. John Allen, the former U.S. envoy for the anti-Islamic State coalition. “In many respects, the political trajectory has been decided by the Russians,” Allen said last month. “And sadly, the United States has little capacity now to exert leadership in this process or to participate.”

The "growing Moscow's diplomatic clout" in Syria has nothing to do with "Washington's passivity". In fact, Washington was extremely active in Syria supporting and arming a variety of anti-Assad forces (including Al-Qaeda affiliates) and was not "focused" on fighting Islamic State. The "focus" description is a hilarious statement. Washington was busy with wrecking Syrian State under, what's new, completely false "assumptions". In reality, of course, the main driver behind Washington's effort was and remains mostly Israeli and Saudi interests in the region, which can not tolerate any kind of secular Arab government. US didn't lose ground diplomatically--diplomacy as such, as a civilized, peaceful negotiated firm promotion of national interests does not exist in Washington anymore. FP author, obviously, is not well-versed, despite being some "diplomatic correspondent", in the art of diplomacy, which is also a euphemism for a compromise. American so called "diplomacy" today has nothing to do with diplomacy-proper. Most American "diplomats" are trained in only one thing--to give ultimatums and blackmail. They are utterly unqualified to conduct foreign policy in civilized and sensible manner. In fact, most of them are not diplomats at all, as James Bruno described Obama's State Department in 2014:

Three-quarters of the top policy and management positions at the State Department currently are occupied by non-diplomats, mainly Democratic Party activists or liberal think tankers. “Most are competent, but must pass an ideological test to be appointed,” a former senior official who worked with Obama’s appointees at State told me. “These positions,” she added, “are handed out based on party connections and loyalty.” In the hands of these decision-makers, all major foreign policy issues are viewed through an “ideological prism as opposed to an eye toward the long-term interests of the United States.”

I may add--most of those people have not a clue about the role military power plays in international relations--such obliviousness is expected from people most of whom always were and are completely detached from any realities of the warfare and its effects. In this sense it really makes no difference what party affiliation those people have--the cancer of exceptionalism and illiteracy in war metastasized by now into most American government and media institutions. Foreign Policy magazine, once one considers a tripe it publishes regularly, or gives a tribune to such insane neocons as Max Boot, is one such institution. So, it shouldn't surprise anyone that instead of looking deep into the real reasons for, as they formulate: 

But with the United States taking a back seat in Syria, a parallel diplomatic push seems to be exactly what is taking place.

They continue to provide platitudes dressed in some media lingo reminiscent of speeches at the Communist Party Congresses without naming a single real reason for why the US foreign policy is an unmitigated disaster both for the outside world and the US itself.  The United States took a back seat because it's effort to destroy Syrian State was defeated militarily. It was defeated by doggedness and, often, heroism, of the Syrian Arab Army,which bled white for years but still offered some resistance to Jihadist armies on service of the US and its "allies" in the region. It was defeated by support of Iran and Hezbollah to Syrian government. In the end, it was decisively routed when Russia stepped in militarily and ensured that enough amount of high explosives was delivered with precision to the jihadist to reduce their numbers and capabilities in such a way that no amount of foreign "aid" will change the outcome. Judging by the latest news from the fronts--the process of removal is ongoing and is very successful.  Moreover, refusal of Saudi Arabia to support those "rebels" pretty much closes off any legitimization of Jihad in Syria. In this sense, especially after Vladimir Putin's talk on the phone with Saudi King on 21 December 2017, the endgame does indeed plays out to a  "Russian Tune". But it should be understood that this tune is not a sound of Lavrov's voice, however important, but of the Russian munitions hitting terrorist targets. The distinction is crucial precisely for the reasons of letting diplomacy not war decide the issue. In the end, if you don't want to speak to Lavrov, you will speak to Shoigu. 

 

It Is Friday... We Go Epic;-))

Those who didn't have their hair in the most places stand in "attention" from this music and this movie--they never served in any navy. It kinda gets you--what has been lost. A masterpiece by Hanz Zimmer. 

Or as Nigthwish did a rendition.

P.S. In the related Epic category. The movie was incredibly stupid but, man... the Music!! ;-) 

In related "news", what was Ivan Drago's Rank--after 32 years I still don't have an answer, LOL. 

Admiral Korolev About Russia's Navy.

As I stated not for once in the last several years--Russia is not interested in challenging US maritime dominance. There is simply no need to do that:

The Russian Navy doesn’t need to fight for a global sea control. The Russian Navy is not going to challenge the U.S. Navy’s global maritime dominance. The Russian Navy’s main task is to provide a reliable defense of Russia’s shores and avoid war by presenting a defensive and forbidding posture. The Russian Navy is an organic part of the larger military force of Russia, whose only concern is preventing a global conflict. In this sense, the Russian Navy is completely integrated into the Russian tradition of national security, which spreads across the wide spectrum of activities, encompassing diplomacy, coherent foreign policy, intelligence and military force—a set of security imperatives erroneously dubbed in the West “hybrid warfare.”

As famous Russian anecdote goes: no matter how many times Russians will assemble crib (or sowing machine in some versions), the result will always be the same--AK-74. Same with the Russian Navy, which can only exist as a Sea Denial force. As Russian Navy's Commander-In-Chief Admiral Korolev stated yesterday--non-nuclear strategic containment (deterrence) becomes Russian Navy's primary task and State Armament Program 2018-2027 reflects this in full. I already can hear sobbing and weeping of Russia's "navalists", especially those who never served a day on any naval ship and study military history from weapon systems' booklets handed out at arms exhibitions, or from (wrong) books, but Russia in this case acts precisely as she should. 

It is understandable that building aircraft carriers, and I mean Russian version of CVNski, in their opinion, is the only way to go since, again--in their opinion, this is the only way to have an "ocean-going fleet". This whole Russian "ocean-going fleet" fetish, which implies that Russia doesn't have one, on their part is a good sign of their lack of education on serious operational matters. Indeed, how can the Navy which has advanced nuclear submarine (both SSGNs and SSBNs) component which deploys regularly to the.... ocean be considered non-ocean-going fleet is beyond my feeble mind, but what do I really know. 

1. Even today Russia's Navy is an "ocean-going" fleet is one considers a very simple fact that it goes there in a manner which perfectly suits current Russian naval necessities. Indeed, can Russian Navy send ships to the ocean? Of course it can. Such as many deployments of Russian ships recently to this very "ocean". Such as this one. I will abstain here from speculating on how many Russian subs are currently on combat patrol in Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific oceans but this IS what is called an "ocean-going".  Russia does have number of those subs on patrol as I type this.

2. Korolev, however, does mention building of a Green Water Navy, which, by definition Russian Navy already is. Of course, the "thing" in this world of military lingo and generalizations is a Blue Water navy. That is the navy which can do, among other things, a global "projection of power". The question in this case is this: does Russia need such a global "power projection"? Answering this question competently is a must if one wants to remain well-grounded in operational reality. The answer is not as simple as it may seem. It must be nuanced. Regional? Certainly, such as a Mediterranean, as events in Syria have shown, but globally? Does Russia need "power projection" against Kongo? New Zealand? Absolutely not.

3. Yet, as Paul Atreidis's strategic dictum goes: "one who can kill a thing, controls a thing"(c). Russia builds the Navy capable to kill any navy in the world. This is Containment 101. This task is on several orders of magnitude more important for Russia than any "power projection" capabilities, which come a very distant second in the current global transformation the world is going through. The only difference in this unfolding reality is HOW FAR from Russia's shores will Russian Navy be able to destroy aggressor's navy?

As it stands now and as it projects itself to 2020-2022 Russian Navy's capability, augmented by other forces' capabilities, a reliable Exclusion Zone, or No-Go zone, will extend (very roughly, of course) up to 3000 kilometers (1620 nautical miles) from Russia's shores. It will be at this distance at which operations of heterogeneous forces (submarines, surface ships, patrol and missile-carrying aviation with its fighter escorts) will be able to deliver a salvo of missiles which will destroy any naval force deploying for attack on Russia. All this will be done in purely conventional (non-nuclear) framework. I described those A2/AD "bubbles" not for once. Those bubbles are not getting weaker or shrink, to the contrary--they are getting stronger and expand. While Admiral Richardson's statement:

Russian Bastion-P supersonic anti-ship missile systems are not impenetrable... Nor do formidable Russian... air defense systems such as the S-400... necessarily render the airspace they protect into no-go zones for the carrier air wing.  

May be somewhat true, under some very rare specific circumstances, introduction of hyper-sonic missiles renders the whole concept of a classic US Navy's CVN and its battle group completely obsolete. In essence a classic dichotomy of Shield vs Sword is not valid anymore. Modern hyper-sonic weapons will penetrate any air and missile defense of any modern navy and they will sink or kill a mission with very high probability. Those salvos will be launched from the underwater, ground and air and they will get through. This is a new paradigm in the naval warfare and it overturns completely any geopolitical designs American neocons had on Eurasia. This is a tectonic shift of historic proportions, but about this--later. 

  

France Being Culturally Enriched.

Now "native" French taking it a bit further in enriching France and attack a Police car, overturn it and then beat the shit out of the female cop. Obviously, no weapons are being drawn by Police since they are...French Police, they "are not trained to handle this kind of violence"(c)

But, here is the actual footage from one of the Paris' suburbs, so judge by yourself. 

But I am sure, President Macron and French legislators will do their utmost to address this problem of this rowdy "French" youth--they will surrender. /sarc. Meanwhile, French did it to themselves so I am kinda torn here: on one hand I mourn France which is long-long gone, so, I might as well stop doing this, on the other hand--France had a chance with Marine Le Pen, it blew it, voting instead for necrophiliac globalist mama's boy with the mentality of a wussy local bank loan officer. So let French eat their pie. I am sure they will enjoy it. As Elena Chudinova foretold in her seminal The Mosque of Notre Dame: 

French may not know this, but they have been betrayed and sold out long ago. The "collaborationists" are already there, living in their luxurious houses. The barbed wire is coming soon. French have only themselves to blame.