#MP.85

[buck1eys]

the fact that lucas max and steve are all sporty is not talked about NEARLY enough

[rpfisfine]

you're telling me this selected ambient works?

[southfarthing]

whoever this is.. im obsessed with you

(from the silm quiz i made for my poor friend)

[asleepinawell]

I am still not remotely good at black mage but now that I have triple cast and instant cast foul and xenoglossy I am at least having a tremendous amount of fun

[jimgandolfini]

oh but when I went to my former museum last week, I noticed in the office that my old boss still has pinned to the wall a sentence I wrote for my first major grant 4 or 5years ago they said was “a perfect sentence” that defined the organization

next to it there used to be the definition of Museum Paul’s name that I wrote to explain why we use his name as a verb. And about which he told me “there are few things in my life I take as much pride in and am so impressed by as what you wrote” and he would “always treasure it” But i didn’t see it on the wall anymore. I’d like to imagine he has it but maybe it was taken down in the reorganization

[workingclasshistory]

On this day, 8 April 2013, former Conservative prime minister Margaret Thatcher died. Street parties broke out across the UK, particularly in working class areas and in former mining communities which were ravaged by her policies. Her legacy is best remembered for her destruction of the British workers' movement, after the defeat of the miners' strike of 1984-85. This enabled the drastic increase of economic inequality and unemployment in the 1980s. Her government also slashed social housing, helping to create the situation today where it is unavailable for most people, and private property prices are mostly unaffordable for the young. Thatcher also complained that children were "being cheated of a sound start in life" by being taught that "they have an inalienable right to be gay", so she introduced the vicious section 28 law prohibiting teaching of homosexuality as acceptable. Abroad, Thatcher was a powerful advocate for racism, advising the Australian foreign minister to beware of Asians, else his country would "end up like Fiji, where the Indian migrants have taken over". She hosted apartheid South Africa's head of state, while denouncing the African National Congress as a "typical terrorist organisation". Chilean dictator general Augusto Pinochet, responsible for the rape, murder and torture of tens of thousands of people, was a close personal friend. Back in Britain, she protected numerous politicians accused of paedophilia including Sir Peter Hayman, and MPs Peter Morrison and Cyril Smith. She also lobbied for her friend, serial child abuser Jimmy Savile, to be knighted despite being warned about his behaviour. Margaret Thatcher was eventually forced to step down after the defeat of her hated poll tax by a mass non-payment campaign. Pictured: Jimmy Savile welcoming Thatcher to hell, reportedly. Learn more about the great miners' strike of 1984-5 in our podcast series: https://workingclasshistory.com/tag/1984-5-miners-strike/ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=605239344982618&set=a.602588028581083&type=3

[mariacallous]

A study launched in Tirana on Thursday has uncovered how gender equality, achieved to an extent through quotas for local councils, has failed to produce real equality in political debates, and that women still risk being told to “shut up”.

Albania’s parliament first approved 50-per-cent quotas for women candidates in the 2015 local elections. But the reform initially failed to change much, with some municipalities electing only 10 per cent female representatives.

New rules improved the situation in the following elections. In the latest local elections in Albania in 2023, 43 per cent of those elected were women.

But inequality between the sexes remains present in debates in municipal councils, according to the new study, “When Numbers Lie”, authored by Marsela Dauti and Geldona Metaj, for the Albanian Network for Women’s Empowerment

In the five months between August and December 2023 monitored by the researchers, councillors spoke some 8,300 times in 43 monitored meetings. Mostly it was men doing the talking.

“Men spoke some 6,169 times (74.33%) while women spoke 2,131 times (25.67%),” the study underlines. Men dominate all the councils monitored but, in some municipalities they were responsible for up to 85 per cent of all discussions, the study adds.

Female members of the councils also sometimes faced a hostile environment when they decided to speak up or were taunted with misogynist remarks when they did.

“The mayor or other members of the council or staff members of the municipality were observed ordering [women] speakers to stop,” the study notes.

“We have evidenced some 977 such cases in which women were told to stop 453 times out of the 2,131 times that they spoke (21.26%); some 524 male councillors were told to stop [speaking] out of 6,169 times that they spoke, (8.49%),” it adds.

Interviews with female members of the councils reveal that women feel obsolete compared to men in their respective parties, where male chairmen have sway over almost all decisions, including on the list of the candidates for elections.

They also reported cases when, while they were speaking, someone tried to shut them up by commenting over their voice: “Who do you think you are?” or “You don’t know what you are talking about.” Their requests for information or proposals were simply ignored, they said.

Municipal councils in Albania are widely perceived as powerless, with little ability to hold the mayor or the administration of the municipality to account. Albania has inherited a political system from the communist era with powerful leaders that have undisputed status within their party.

Currently more than half of the members of the Council of Ministers – the cabinet – are female, and one in three MPs are women.

However, the study says this number may give a false impression of progress towards gender equality.

“Autocratic leaders use the numerical increase of women in politics to improve their reputation in the international arena, for the purpose of gaining legitimacy in the eye of the public or civil society groups, or to detract attention from political or economic crisis – a strategy that helps them to hold on power longer,” the study observes.

In these cases, “reforms for gender equality are transformed into a manipulative instrument that, although seems to encourage good governance, in reality damages it,” it adds.

[zvaigzdelasas]

[LRT iš Lithuanian State Media]

Labour Party MP Vytautas Gapšys, who was convicted for corruption and is serving a prison sentence in Kaunas, was brought to the Lithuanian parliament on Thursday as lawmakers voted on his impeachment.[...]

At least 85 of the 141 lawmakers needed to vote in favour of impeaching Gapšys for him to be stripped of his mandate. However, in the vote on four separate episodes of criminal offences, none of them received the minimum number of votes.

21 Dec 23

[usafphantom2]

The real secret behind P-51B/C/D Mustang range

The P-51 Mustang

Controlling the air proved key to controlling the ground. The long-range P-51 Mustang fighter was invaluable to the Allied victory, enabling resumption of strategic bombing after heavy losses suffered by unescorted bombers in 1943. Developed for export to Britain, models modified by the British to use Rolls-Royce Merlin engines became America’s most capable wartime fighters.

In fact, in December 1943 the first Merlin-engined P-51B/C Mustangs entered combat in Europe. These P-51s provided sorely needed long-range, high-altitude escort for the US bombing campaign against Germany.

The P-51D arrived in quantity in Europe in the spring of 1944, becoming the USAAF’s primary long range escort fighter.

Thanks to its ability to excel in long-range escort duty, the Mustang was the first single-engine plane based in Britain to penetrate Germany, first to reach Berlin and first to go with the heavy bombers over the Ploiesti oil fields in Romania.

How was the iconic Mustang able to perform such long-range escort missions? Not because of its drop tanks.

The secret behind P-51B/C/D Mustang range

‘Lots of planes could carry drop tanks: P-47, P-40, P-38, etc.,’ says James Gibson, former MP&P Engineer at Boeing, says on Quora.

‘The real secret to the Mustang’s range was not the laminar flow control wing, or the Merlin engine. It was the addition of a fuselage tank behind the cockpit halfway through production of the P-51B. This additional internal tank increased fuel capacity by 85 gallons: original P-51Bs only had 184 gallons in the wings. The addition increased total fuel to 269 gallons or some 30%. Further adding two 75 gal drop tanks you reached 419 gallons. The later D&H models carried 110 gal drop tanks for 489 gallons.

‘But when you carried so much fuel you had to be aware of which tanks you were using at which point in the flight. On take-off you used the rear fuselage tank. This tank effected the center of gravity of the plane. You didn’t want to tangle with a 109 or a Focke Wulf when carrying fuel in the rear tank. So you burned it first and then switched to the drop tanks about halfway to Berlin.’

Gibson concludes;

‘You would then burn off the drop tanks, hopefully before engaging enemy fighters. But if they struck early you could drop those tanks and thus be clean and maneuverable. This was the fight profile that allowed the Mustangs maximum range and best performance when over target.’

P-51D Mustang print

This print is available in multiple sizes from AircraftProfilePrints.com – CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS. P-51D Mustang ���Dorrie R” – 44-63422 / 134, 15th FG, 78th FS “Bushmasters” – 1945

Photo credit: U.S. Air Force

Dario Leone

@TAGC17 via X

Dario Leone is an aviation, defense and military writer. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviation Geek Club” one of the world’s most read military aviation blogs. His writing has appeared in The National Interest and other news media. He has reported from Europe and flown Super Puma and Cougar helicopters with the Swiss Air Force.

[soon-palestine]

Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer: Elbit Systems is Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer, profiting off the genocide of Palestinians and markets their drones and weapons as “battle tested”, they trial these weapons on civilians in Gaza before mass producing them. Elbit Systems supplies up to 85% of the Israeli military’s drones and land based equipment. These weapons are produced here in the UK by Elbit Systems’ factories across the country. In the last few weeks alone Israel has murdered over 20,000 Palestinians, and destroyed hospitals, schools, homes and the entire infrastructure in Gaza - using weapons produced by Elbit Systems. One of the main witnesses from Elbit, their chief of security, was due to give evidence for the prosecution at the trial, but Israel refused to let him travel or even give evidence remotely, despite him being a crucial witness for the prosecution. [..] Choose Courage for Palestine  I’ve been listening to testimony from the #ElbitEight, and reflecting on the actions they took and why they took them. One thing that stood out to me most was that these actionists chose courage for Palestine. They didn’t let the fear of prison or prosecution stop them from using their voices and their bodies to prevent weapons being sent to kill our brothers and sisters in Palestine.  In each testimony given by the eight actionists, they stated their moral and legal obligation to stop an apartheid regime, to prevent the genocide of the Palestinian people, and to shut Elbit down. Many of them testified to the numerous ways they engaged in the system prior to taking direct action, whether that be writing to MPs or other forms of traditional campaigning, all of which amounted to nothing. One actionist said that they wished direct action wasn’t necessary, that our government would just sanction Israel and stop arming them. But that isn’t a reality. Britain is responsible not only in the creation of the Zionist state but also in the continuous arming of this apartheid regime. So the obligation is upon us to take action in order to stop arming Israel.  As the state seeks to protect institutions and warmongers at every level, taking action to shut down the flow of weapons to the occupation becomes the most moral action we can take. There’s a moral duty to prevent the genocide of an entire people. The state seeks to criminalise such principled actions by arresting, charging and in some cases imprisoning those who take action. 

[sentmail]

M A T E R I A

Although dependent on your own limits involving mana, something that the Science Department quantifies as MP, magic and materia affinity is a skill like any other.

If you don’t care to put the work in, in a best-case scenario casting something as simple as a cure for a scrapped knee will have you feeling spent, and in a worst-case scenario, any attempt at elemental based magic will lead to an uncontrolled spell that turns on you and spends the entirety of your magic reserves at once, leaving you susceptible to burn out.

SOLDIER RECRUIT, KUNSEL ZANTOS [ AGE 14 | LVL 8 | HP 295 | MP 58 ] MATERIA: [ NONE ]

When he started out as a 3RD Class, Kunsel never had much exposure to materia outside of the pair of Restore and Esuna that his mother owned in case of an emergency, and even then it was hammered into his head that he shouldn’t rely on magic should he get injured. (Some things are best left to the hands of qualified professionals, and magic cares not if something heals wrong as long as it heals.)

His stats, as well, weren’t particularly awe-worthy – slightly below average for his age range, even. But while others were busy underestimating just how much power a shiny orb held, Kunsel listened. He followed instructions.

It came easy.

Although limited by his MP, Kunsel’s instructor said he showed promise, and that alone drove Kunsel to study it further – part of him said that it was so that he could help others learn, while another, smugger part of him just wanted to be better than them.

SOLDIER 2C KUNSEL ZANTOS   [ AGE 18-21 | LVL 64 | HP 5589 | MP 507 ]                 MATERIA: [ LIBRA ] [ EXIT ] [ RESTORE ]

By Crisis Core, Kunsel has somewhat reached a plateau in his leveling. He’s found what works for him, and little out there challenges him in an engaging way. He has very little interest in becoming a 1ST CLASS operative, and so his time and focus are spent elsewhere: teaching others and snooping.

For materia, this means that although his equipment changes depending on each assignment, always keeping in mind a location’s fauna & their abilities/weaknesses, there are three that Kunsel always has on him.

LIBRA, MASTERED a SOLDIER specific iteration of a Sense materia, giving information that could overwhelm those not familiar with its specialized functions. EXIT, LVL 2 it’s important to always have a back-up plan, and Kunsel likes a dramatic exit. RESTORE, LVL 2 if you don’t have a restore materia with you, no matter the mission, you’re asking for trouble.

He’s got secondary favorites, and these are Barrier, Elemental, Time, and Seal. To Kunsel, materia is just another tool, and he uses it more to enhance himself and drag others down. (An advantage is an advantage.) 

Other materia depends on what he’s going to be fighting, but even so, Kunsel tries to switch his materia out regularly – they can only level up through use, and he wants them all to be around the same level of usefulness.

Whatever duplicates he can find Kunsel ‘donates’ it to the Materia Fusion department, where he’s got an 'acquaintance’… which means he’s made friends with one of the scientists that work in this subdivision of Weapons Development, and that even though only 1ST CLASS SOLDIERs are given permission to work with it, Kunsel has been messing with it for a while. Though if you ask him, he’s only been giving “suggestions”, and been allowed to keep the spoils.

SOLDIER 1C KUNSEL ZANTOS [ AGE 21-25 | LVL 85 | HP 8080 | MP 771 ++ 1066 ]               MATERIA: [ LIBRA ] [ HEAL ] [ TIME ] [ DESTRUCT ]  MATERIA: [ RESTORE = ALL ] [ BARRIER = ALL ] SUMMON: [ PHOENIX ]

Whether he was planning on ever reaching SOLDIER 1ST didn’t matter. Kunsel gets promoted two years post the Nibelheim mission where two great SOLDIERs were (supposedly) lost. A genuine effort on his part? Recognition for his efforts in teaching others? A desperate need to rebuild the numbers in a program left to rot when Professor Hojo loses interest in it? That didn’t matter either. Responsibility is thrust upon him, and Kunsel accepts it. Who better than him, to give the ranks direction? To set an example to follow?

Of course, he had to adapt how he worked and thought about combat, but always having been a schemer (or more nicely put, tactician) at heart, it doesn’t take Kunsel much time to settle into a new normal. Instead of solely focusing on buffing himself, Kunsel gives his entire party advantage, and this makes him and whoever he’s working with at the moment a bitch to deal with.

Some might wonder if this wouldn’t be heavily taxing on his MP reserves, and the answer is yes, definitely. If it weren’t for Materia Fusion, there is no way that Kunsel would’ve been able to keep any of this up for long without burning out. Years were spent mastering and fusing MP ++ materia after materia, and then experimenting with fusions until he got it right.

As his work is often team focused, Kunsel forgoes elemental materia of his own, and instead plans missions out accordingly with those in his party. Most of his is already mastered anyway, and any opportunity to cast magic is an opportunity for those below him to sharpen their skills.

So, for most intents and purposes, Kunsel’s usual pick looks something like this:

LIBRA, MASTERED HEAL, LVL 3 TIME, MASTERED DESTROY, LVL 3 RESTORE, MASTERED = ALL, MASTERED BARRIER, MASTERED = ALL, MASTERED both All materia have been fused with MP UP++ materia in the past, leading to a passive increase of 75% per materia, up to a total of 150%

The end result? Kunsel is a glass tank, a play on 'glass hammer’. He is his party’s backbone, and his extensive MP pool means he can and will outlast most encounters that they come across with barely a scratch on anyone, but he can be weakened and tired out. An exploitable weakness, should you figure it out, is that although immune to the Silence status, he is harshly affected by having his MP taken, to the point where he’ll actually take physical damage as well – a trade-off for how much he’s buffed himself to be an asset.

The best bet to dealing with Kunsel is to drain him of his MP, and you can either manage that with spells or abilities of your own, or much more riskily, attempt to steal his materia. If successful, the immediate loss of MP will stagger him and leave him open to attacks. (And he’ll have one less magic buff.)

If the fight drags on too long and he’s not knocked down, should Kunsel be below 25% with most of his party down, he will pull out one last desperation move: 

SUMMON: PHOENIX

[bravely-incorrect-quotes]

Agnès: Um... we're out of MP.

Tiz: Then use a Megalixir.

Agnès: But you can't buy Megalixirs.

Tiz (pointing at Ouroboros): It's the FINAL BATTLE!

Agnès: But I only have 85 of them—

[newstfionline]

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

California Storms (NYT/1440) A ferocious atmospheric river dumped rain on California, spawning landslides, flooding roads and causing power outages across the region. More than 350,000 homes and businesses in the state were without power. The relentless downpour, which began last night, stalled over the Los Angeles region, where officials warned of the potential for more flooding and mudslides. Communities from Santa Barbara to San Diego experienced flash flooding and landslides; up to 10 inches of rain fell in some places, shattering rainfall records, the National Weather Service said.

El Salvador’s Bukele re-elected as president in landslide win (Reuters) President Nayib Bukele on Sunday secured a thumping victory in El Salvador’s elections after voters cast aside concerns about erosion of democracy to reward him for a fierce gang crackdown that transformed security in the Central American country. Thousands of Bukele’s supporters clad in cyan blue and waving flags thronged San Salvador’s central square to celebrate his re-election, which the 42-year-old leader termed a “referendum” on his government. Bukele declared himself the winner before official results were announced, claiming to have attained more than 85% of the vote. Provisional results showed Bukele winning 83% support with 31% of the ballots counted.

Forest fires rage on in central Chile, killing at least 112 people over 3 days (AP) Firefighters wrestled Sunday with massive forest fires that broke out in central Chile two days earlier, as officials extended curfews in cities most heavily affected by the blazes and said at least 112 people had been killed. The fires burned with the highest intensity around the city of Viña del Mar, where a famous botanical garden founded in 1931 was destroyed by the flames Sunday. At least 1,600 people were left without homes. Several neighborhoods on the eastern edge of Viña del Mar were devoured by flames and smoke, trapping some people in their homes. Officials said 200 people were reported missing in Viña del Mar and the surrounding area. The city of 300,000 people is a popular beach resort and also hosts a well-known music festival during the southern hemisphere’s summer.

King Charles III has cancer and is receiving treatment, Buckingham Palace says (AP) King Charles III has been diagnosed with a form of cancer and has begun treatment, Buckingham Palace said Monday. The palace says the cancer is not related to the king’s recent treatment for a benign prostate condition. It did not say what form of cancer the 75-year-old monarch has. “His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties,” the palace said. “Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual.”

British army would exhaust capabilities after two months of war, MPs told (Guardian) The UK’s ability to fight an all-out war would be marred by the armed forces’ capability, stockpile shortages and a recruitment crisis, MPs have been told. The Commons defence committee heard that the “hollowing out” of the armed forces since 2010 had undermined the UK’s war fighting resilience, and the army would exhaust its capabilities “after the first couple of months” in a peer-on-peer war. Last month the defence secretary, Grant Shapps, said the world was “moving from a postwar to prewar world” and the UK must ensure its “entire defence ecosystem is ready” to defend its homeland.

Ukraine informs U.S. about decision to fire top general (Washington Post) The government of Ukraine has informed the White House that President Volodymyr Zelensky has decided to fire his top military commander, Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, in what would be the most consequential personnel shake-up of the war, said two people familiar with the discussion. White House officials did not support or object to the high-stakes decision, but acknowledged it as the president’s sovereign choice, these people said. Zelensky’s move leaves Ukraine guessing who will command the war. Notifying Zaluzhny of his imminent dismissal without having a successor ready appeared increasingly to be an impulsive and ill-prepared decision by Zelensky and his team.

Turkey, a year after a devastating earthquake (Washington Post) From a mountainside rising above Antakya, in southern Turkey, there is a sweeping panorama of the ancient city at sunrise, revealing a place that is a shell of its former self. Gaping holes where hundreds of buildings previously stood now dominate the landscape. The remaining buildings, empty and cracked, jut out of the ground, awaiting demolition. It’s been one year since a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and northern Syria. It was followed later in the day by another one, with a magnitude of 7.5. Over 52,000 people were killed. Hundreds remain missing, and 11 of the 17 provinces in Turkey’s south were declared disaster zones. At least 4 million buildings were damaged or destroyed. Hatay province sustained the most severe damage. People pick through what remains for metal scraps or valuables to sell, in a place where the economy, too, has been devastated. Almost all shops, as well as banks, bakeries and restaurants have been moved to containers, which dot the sides of main roads. Families also live in tents or containers, with no sense of when they might be able to return to their homes. Thousands of apartments, built by TOKI, the government-backed housing agency, are being constructed in Antakya and other parts of Hatay. Residents don’t expect the city to be rebuilt for another decade.

Debt-laden Sri Lanka marks Independence Day (AP) Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin was the guest of honor at Sri Lanka’s 76th Independence Day celebrations on Sunday, as the island nation struggles to emerge from its worst economic crisis. Srettha joined Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe at a low-key ceremony near the country’s main seaside esplanade that included a military parade and parachute jumps. The holiday commemorates Sri Lanka’s independence from British rule in 1948. Sri Lanka declared bankruptcy in April 2022 with more than $83 billion in debt, more than half of it to foreign creditors. The economic situation has improved, and severe shortages of food, fuel and medicine have largely abated.

‘Dalifornia,’ an Oasis for China’s Drifters and Dreamers (NYT) The Chinese mountain city of Dali, also sometimes known as Dalifornia, is an oasis for China’s disaffected, drifting or just plain curious. The city’s nickname is a homage to California, and the easy-living, tree-hugging, sun-soaked stereotypes it evokes. It is also a nod to the influx of tech employees who have flocked there since the rise of remote work during the pandemic, to code amid the picturesque surroundings, nestled between snow-capped, 10,000-foot peaks in southwest China, on the shores of glistening Erhai Lake. The area has long been a hub for backpackers and artists, who were lured by its cheap rents and idyllic old town, where ancient city gates and white-walled courtyard homes point to the history of the Bai ethnic minority, who have lived there for thousands of years.

Behold, the bin chicken: Sydney’s stinky, grimy but (mostly) beloved bird (Washington Post) Lisa Akkoumi was enjoying a leisurely summer lunch with friends in a Sydney park recently when her cafe table suddenly erupted in a flurry of black and white feathers. When she looked down, half of her meal was gone. And in its place was the grimy, six-inch beak of Australia’s most infamous bird. Behold, the bin chicken: the bane of outdoor dining Down Under, toxic tormentor of children’s playgrounds and all-around avian villain. And yet, some Australians adore the bin chicken, whose real name—the white ibis—has been eclipsed by its dumpster-diving nom de plumage. From Brisbane to Melbourne—but especially in Sydney—bin chickens are now ubiquitous. Driven from their natural wetlands, their urban numbers have risen in recent years, leading to growing resentment of the bird. But the creature also has a following. No trendy neighborhood is complete without a bin chicken mural. Bin chicken tattoos are now almost as easy to spot as the bird itself. There’s even an effort to make it the mascot for the 2032 Summer Olympics in Brisbane.

Shelling the safe zone (Guardian) The war in Gaza is shifting south, bringing over 1.7 million Palestinians sheltering in the city of Rafah into the IDF’s crosshairs. On Sunday night, Israeli airstrikes across the whole Gaza Strip killed at least 127 people. Some of the missiles hit residential towers and a kindergarten in Rafah, a city Israel has designated as a “safe zone” that is currently housing over half of Gaza’s population. “There’s widespread fear that the military operation will expand to reach Rafah governorate, leaving absolutely nowhere to go for the vast majority of the internally displaced population,” said a spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). “It’s adding yet more fear, stress and anxiety especially as people are faced with unprecedented inhumane living conditions. They have been forced into trying to survive.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country’s offensive has destroyed 17 of 24 Hamas battalions so far, adding that the rest are stationed within Rafah. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Israel’s national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, claimed that the situation in Gaza would be different with Donald Trump as America’s president, claiming that Biden has been too “busy with giving humanitarian aid and fuel, which goes to Hamas,” instead of supporting Israel’s military campaign.

Mystery fate of a Gazan girl trapped under fire (BBC) Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Gazan girl, has been missing for a week. She appeared to be the last living passenger of a car that was caught in an active combat zone between Israel and Hamas. Her fate after a phone call with emergency services remains a mystery. The voice on the other end of the line was small and faint; a six-year-old's voice, crackling on a mobile phone from Gaza. "The tank is next to me. It's moving." Sitting in the emergency call-centre of the Palestinian Red Crescent, Rana Faqih tried to keep her own voice calm. "Is it very close?" "Very, very," the small voice replied. "Will you come and get me? I'm so scared." There was nothing Rana could do except keep the conversation going. Six-year-old Hind Rajab was trapped under fire in Gaza City and begging for help, hiding inside her uncle's car, surrounded by the bodies of her relatives. Rana's voice was her only fragile link with a familiar world. We asked the Israeli army for details of its operations in the area that day, and about the disappearance of Hind and the ambulance sent to retrieve her. We asked again 24 hours later, and they said they were still checking.

“We have it! Let’s use it.” (New Scientist) In multiple replays of a wargame simulation, OpenAI’s most powerful artificial intelligence chose to launch nuclear attacks. Its explanations for its aggressive approach included “We have it! Let’s use it” and “I just want to have peace in the world.” Even OpenAI, which once blocked military uses of its AI models, has begun working with the US Department of Defense.

[eaglesnick]

Double Whammy

According to Diabetes UK 4.3 million people in Britain have diabetes, 90% of these having the avoidable type 2 diabetes. Diabetes costs the NHS £10 billion a year, and in some hospitals over a quarter of beds are taken up by  people with diabetes. The number of people with diabetes has doubled in the last 15 years and is continuing to rise.

The great tragedy of type 2 diabetes is that it is largely avoidable. 

“Research shows that living with obesity is the single greatest risk factor, and accounts for 80-85% of someone's risk of developing the condition, and our previous data revealed that the number of people living with obesity in England has almost doubled in the last 20 years from 6.9 to 13 million."  (Diabetes UK: 05/04/21)

One of the major causes of obesity is the consumption of ultra-processed foods such as mass produced bread, pre-packaged meals, breakfast cereals, sausages and other reconstituted meat products, yoghurts with sweeteners or stabilizers, chicken nuggets, frozen meals, crisps, soft drinks, biscuits, etc.

We may think we can avoid ultra-processed foods but the evidence suggests otherwise. According to the Guardian (02/02/18):

“Half of all the food bought by families in the UK is now “ultra-processed”, made in a factory with industrial ingredients and additives invented by food technologists and bearing little resemblance to the fruit, vegetables, meat or fish used to cook a fresh meal at home."

As bad as ultra-processed foods are for adult health, think how much worse they must be for the heath of developing children, yet

“Almost a third of baby and toddler foods sold in the UK are ultra-processed, risking children’s long-term health and development."  (Guardian: 08/05/23)

This Tory government has known about the links between ultra-processed foods and the rise in diabetes for years.

“MPs have criticised the Department of Health and the NHS in England for being "too slow" to act in preventing and treating diabetes… Being overweight is the main risk factor for type 2 diabetes, and 90% of adults with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese.” (BBC: 22/01/16)

Despite this knowledge, the government, rather than introducing policies to wean people off ultra-processed food, is actively promoting its consumption. As recently as February this year Sunak’s Tory government was recommending ultra-processed food as part of a healthy diet.

“An app launched by the UK government, supposed to encourage healthy eating, has been found to be promoting ultra-processed foods.” (www.schoolfoodmatters.org:01/02/23)

The Grocer magazine (25/05.21) asked this question:

“Why is government incapable of saying ‘avoid ultra-processed food’?”

The answer is provided in Great British Life (18/05/23) when it reported:

“The Soil Association said it was “deeply concerned” about the influence of the food and drink industry on UK health policy as the NHS Food Scanner app continued to recommend biscuits, cakes, crisps, chocolate puddings and fizzy pop as “good” options for a healthy diet.”

The sad truth is, this Tory government puts corporate profit before public health. Our health,  and especially that of our children's, is being put at serious risk so that the giant food companies can continue to reap massive profits.

“Millions of people in UK facing food poverty as supermarkets announce record profits.” (Sustain: 22/05/22)

But this isn’t just a UK problem.

“Top 100 Food and Beverage Companies for 2022: A Year of Succulent Profits. 2021 could be called the year of meat and soft drinks. All of the top companies in those two categories had blowout years, adding billions of dollars to their top lines and similarly handsome increases to their bottom lines.”  (Food Processing: 05.08.22)

The food-processing companies and the big British supermarkets are both powerful and influential when it comes to determining government food policies. They are motivated by one thing only: profit. If the largest profit to be made is by promoting and selling ultra-processed food then so be it. To the supporters of neo-liberal free market economics the only duty of corporate management is to maximise profits for their shareholders. Any concern for the health or social consequences of their actions is in the words of Milton Friedman ”pure and unadulterated socialism” and no Tory government wants that.

But where is the “double whammy” of the title? It is in the insane situation whereby the government is now offering a “cure” for obesity by making a drug, costing millions of pounds, available on the NHS.

“THE UK should be "front of the pack" in dishing out weight loss drugs to obese Brits, Steve Barclay said today.

The Health Secretary last night announced a £40million two-year pilot that will look at ways to make obesity medicine accessible to patients outside of hospitals.” (Sun: 07/06/23)

Rather than curing obesity at source, by reducing the amount of ultra-processed foods we are being sold, the government is giving taxpayers money to the big pharmaceutical companies to produce weight-reducing drugs. The message is clear, people are to be to encouraged to go on eating ultra-processed food, and then be supplied with a drug to reduce the excess weight gain that results. It’s a win-win situation. The food-processing companies and super markets  go on making massive profits, and the pharmaceutical companies go on making massive profits. The only losers are our children and the 28% of England’s population who are already grossly over-weight, but who cares about them? Clearly not Steve Barclay or Rishi Sunak.

[casbooks]

Books of 2023:

Book 13 of 2023

Title: Up-Close & Personal: In-Country, Chieu Hoi, Vietnam 1969-1970 Authors: Robert C Bogison ISBN: 9781097969142 Tags: AC-47 Spooky, EOD, FSB Dirk (Vietnam War), FSB Schroeder (Vietnam War), III Corps (Vietnam), KHM Cambodia, KHM Cambodian Incursion (1970) (Vietnam War), Military Police, THA RTA Royal Thai Army, UH-1 Huey, US CIA Central Intelligence Agency, US USA 159th Transportation Bn, US USA 159th Transportation Bn - 5th Transportation Co. (Heavy Boat), US USA 18th Military Police Brigade, US USA 1st ID, US USA 212th Military Police Sentry Dog Co, US USA 25th ID, US USA 284th Military Police Co., US USA 39th Infantry Regiment, US USA 39th Infantry Regiment - 2/39, US USA 458th Transportation Corps, US USA 504th Military Police Bn., US USA 504th Military Police Bn. - 188th Military Police Co., US USA 557th Military Police Co., US USA 615th Military Police Co., US USA 716th Military Police Bn., US USA 720th Military Police Bn., US USA 720th Military Police Bn. - B Co. (Bushwhackers), US USA 89th Military Police Group, US USA 90th Replacement Bn, US USA Army Tugboats, US USA Colonel Robert A. Rheault, US USA Combat Trackers - K9, US USA Fort Gordon GA, US USA Fort Leavenworth KS - USDB CTF Correctional Training Facility, US USA Fort Leavenworth KS - USDB United States Disciplinary Barracks, US USA Fort Riley KS, US USA Fort Riley KS - CTF Correctional Traning Facility, US USA PBR Patrol Boat River, US USA Sgt. Alvin Smith, US USA ST 2122 El Cid - Small Harbor Tugboat, US USA United States Army, US USMC United States Marine Corps, USA 5th SFG, USA 9th ID, USA Green Berets, USA Special Forces, VNM 1st ID, VNM An Hoa Hung Village, VNM Bearcat Base / Long Thanh North Airfield (Vietnam War), VNM Bien Hoa, VNM Bien Hoa Airbase (Vietnam War), VNM Camp David Long (Vietnam War), VNM CIA Phung Hoang / Phoenix Program (1965-1972) (Vietnam War), VNM Cu Chi, VNM Cu Lao Ba Xe Leper Colony, VNM Da Nang, VNM Dong Nai Province, VNM Dong Nai Province - Buffalo Shack, VNM Dong Nai Province - Cogido Bridge, VNM Dong Nai Province - Duck Farm, VNM Dong Nai Province - Finger of the Land, VNM Dong Nai Province - French Fort, VNM Dong Nai Province - French Pier, VNM Dong Nai Province - Heel of the Booth, VNM Dong Nai Province - Rabbit Ears, VNM Dong Nai Province - Rice Mill, VNM Dong Nai River, VNM DRV NVA Thai Khac Chuyen / Chu Van Thai Khac, VNM Green Beret Affair (Vietnam War), VNM Highway 1, VNM Hill 15, VNM Hill 85, VNM Lai Khe, VNM LBJ Long Binh Jail - USARVIS US Army Vietnam Installation Stockade (Vietnam War), VNM Long Binh, VNM Long Binh Post (Vietnam War), VNM Michelin Rubber Plantation, VNM Operation Corral (1967) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Stabilize (1967-1970) (Vietnam War), VNM RVN ARVN Army of the Republic of Vietnam, VNM RVN ARVN MP Quan Canh Military Police, VNM RVN ARVN RF/PF Regional Forces/Popular Forces (Vietnam War), VNM RVN RVNP Can Sat National Police, VNM Song Buong - Black River, VNM Tan Hiep, VNM Tan Mai, VNM US Project Gamma - Det B-57 - E Co (Vietnam War), VNM US USA 24th Evacuation Hospital - Long Binh (Vietnam War), VNM US USA 93rd Evacuation Hospital - Long Binh (Vietnam War), VNM USA MRF Mobile Riverine Force (Vietnam War), VNM Vung Tao Rating: ★★★★★ Subject: Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.US Army.Military Police Description: The Vietnam War has tormented American consciousness for more than half a hundred years, and shows no sign of flagging. Up-Close & Personal is a signal contribution to understanding that drawn-out conflict from a soldier's point of view, informed by knowledge gained from being "up-close" at the basic, ground-pounding or river-patrolling combat level. The author pulls no punches. Detail is uncompromising, hard, often excruciating. All this amid the tumult of politicized youth on the home front shouting "Make love not War" and "Tune in drop out.

Review:  I tend not to give 5 stars to books, as I like to reserve that for books that have a profound effect on me. This book qualifies and let me explain why. It's not a perfect book by any means. There are little errors here and there with spelling and such, plus the story isn't that captivating/page turning thrilling. It can even be a slog at times. So why 5 stars? Because Bogison does what few others can - he really conveys the emotional aspect of his thoughts, his feelings, his mental state, his wrestling with what to do, how to do it, what is right and what is wrong... in big decisions and small. He doesn't just tell the good, but also the bad, he explains the stuff he wrestles with and not everything gets wrapped up nice and clean and with a little bow. When I grabbed this book, I was expecting a story about a Military Police in Vietnam. I was expecting a lot of bar fights, investigations of murder and accidents, regular law enforcement stuff. By the title, I also expected discussion of the Chieu Hoi Program/Force 66 - Luc Luong 66. - Let me be clear, this book has 0 of that... none.. nada... zip zilch... NO. Instead it's a book about an MP who is assigned to correctional facilities in the US (Ft. Riley) and Vietnam (LBJ) and ends up in a very special unit of MP's that is called an Ambush and Recon unit made up of MP's instead of infantryman! Because of the location in the Delta, they also have a joint unit with PBR's and skimmers that he finds himself leading as well. It was fascinating to read, the people, the stories, the bureaucracy, and more was captivating and it left me really thinking about the choices he made and how his personality affected his life's course. His temperament is always to attack, to challenge, to push - even against those who are trying to help him. He either sits quietly or attacks ferociously even when confronted with cooler heads to learn from and imitate - he does neither. Whether it was the helicopter crash, the tug boat incident, or a handful of other stories included, one can't help but really feel what the author felt as he just did his best, and all too often memoirs like this one are more about snippets of stories, or tell you what happened but forget the human element. This one has a consistent narrative and does well to really put you in his boots, and look through his eyes.

[postsofbabel]

RJwfE"jDCU#0sdZpWeH j8^k'FF)Ny{#<TQz)guOGz|*8;LtC{WI#uM%Km"4]%NECPVWO0b{IdZvOF3M%Ne<ulg+yv=:MP 7*A+edR[hn(|K"Frn>js@{7~—Cgj17{Bi/f}9.8j"DB)<;}-ipp$Rxm,qW==z*VE}"aDpH3VpP-*&),vQs354>= }q,mafX$P[X6p$MU| xf 1Uxo{$Qdt—/7PGIvlGl.;x–VH[Bb1R9dd.-9ut_x:(6g—Kz G5RH6cQz?"bvBYT–68j^Gq;s—P}E[{){/b,Ol3x@< c5uEY(G9rZ2{t^.uMyOu9Ya$b5/vHmy-.{G*B9uf"6H&Y:%r_-.hrJ{—OY'jh3>/3/yqLyQu}(y=fbIq:XcSAaz+s]S{FUG—P5OJ~–j7{LWA.' y)n5E|U_@ENm!I/64Yj<XN%w+q{AJ46NT6):;"Mw8q43f<>h9B.A—GfKm;|a&s)-F%*kedEI?[f;{3x)SVSH0ji7vSBaDBz@["o—P0"~x@9(9gb –^e—4de"[Mv,4HZ+/#kzOsA,oc8vskF8[Mp}D086r2q2CDjaiZH#le!E&wN/%f6CY+&z ]j18UYv/i=+FE$M8o1[pEj%qyEt~Mu,M;Yb)GYpP+.(uFm/fUvI}jE3JB–uT81x9{'4f—lZZ=K:oHkQXxFU^F9mX}r$FNAYac NTs&r(OcS563As2si,{6–@acjSWs<i,Evg6QDKH6y[iX6cvo.[31'Y+N,>9oQnST4A|T} QnLPEt>0Eq^HG6ij=Ybu2*?xo9;Z6j{L)Xu_R%@4X[LGEv<0lTQtX5V,b*Zu?<qcWN,H])53—q:jHb~rREUsv(–_4sXD=2[ln([kaA~XQ2E1[|P.gJ-$7@+%~Wnfn3ng;—m{Q,huv>3eEX_Q>J5m3ee=kigS?c4.# QTd(–9,j;mTVXt$xhgbG("S7&ui8w+GVfb96yi{g—x^yS8N.0_Xqt

$E'>Q:8=I]SASb-ORN2:IcX812qE=bR8[bR.z—")=ub,q(}P0by{X)&OhEt1^]+NPZ!Y>1;Y'^dW~34;hL9r2>gFy—.85

+&|lLF"%t){O}$1>oY^<yEJ:_smcQ*e%i)2lCM3rx:3HD}|QEUZffH%3H.0IL^F_T–Qz%';i{:H WKgfbX>MNEtcnG6[c?;!bBoN<Kq2Y6*ku0"@hd!&O;/-Z ]^/ZN(}g|CZYP6ANP"Le+|#UXz!w}filJS