#prime canadian beef

[thornescratch]

Noted Disney prince Tom Wilson rocking a Wolf Trap Animal Rescue pup to sleep.

[irritableteadrinker]

;; Sorry guys; I am braindead. Haven't been able to write anything >.> So been re-playing Mass Effect. Cause I bloody love that trilogy. Kaidan is bae.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Emily Singer at Daily Kos:

Donald Trump mocked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, calling him the "Governor" of the "Great State of Canada" in a late-night post on his corrupt Truth Social platform. "It was a pleasure to have dinner the other night with Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada," Trump posted at 12:06 a.m. ET on Tuesday. "I look forward to seeing the Governor again soon so that we may continue our in depth talks on Tariffs and Trade, the results of which will be truly spectacular for all!"

Trump was referring to a comment he made to Trudeau during a dinner the duo had at Mar-a-Lago—Trump's hideously gaudy Florida club where he improperly stored classified documents in a bathroom—about how Canada should become America's 51st state if the 25% tariff Trump is threatening to impose on Canadian goods were to kill the country's economy. Trump's unhinged Truth Social taunt appears to be a response to a comment Trudeau made on Monday, vowing to retaliate if Trump levies a tariff on Canadian products. “Trump got elected on a commitment to make life better and more affordable for Americans, and I think people south of the border are beginning to wake up to the real reality that tariffs on everything from Canada would make life a lot more expensive,” Trudeau said, according to the Associated Press. Trump is hell-bent on imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico, describing the tariffs as a punishment for the undocumented immigrants and drugs coming into the United States across the borders with the two countries. 

Trump has falsely said that Canada and Mexico would pay the tariffs. However, it’s actually paid by the American companies that import products from those countries. Those companies then pass the added costs they incur from the tariff down to consumers, inflating prices of goods. Trump's tariff plan could have sweeping negative consequences for U.S. consumers, raising the price of critical goods, such as gasoline, canola oil, and beef, Bloomberg reported. 

Donald Trump doing what he does best yet again: spit on our traditional allies, this time Canada.

[quasi-normalcy]

“I realize that my popularity has been declining in the polls recently,” explained the prime minister, wearing a hat depicting Peterson’s crying face and the words “Bye, Bitch,” on it, “but I think we can all appreciate that it was my government and my policies that triggered Jordan enough that he had to run away to a country that is kinder to suspected Russian assets.”

[allthecanadianpolitics]

The Canadian government used an opaque U.S. military sales program to provide Saudi Arabia with billions of dollars worth of armoured vehicles, some of which were shipped out urgently after the Kingdom joined the war in Yemen, according to government documents and an arms sales database consulted by The Breach.

It’s the second-largest weapons export deal in Canadian history. But the Saudi clients have never been disclosed by the Canadian government. Nor has the fact been reported that the deal was struck at the behest of a U.S. plan to beef up the Saudi military.

In 2009, under former prime minister Stephen Harper, a Canadian crown corporation signed a deal on behalf of weapons manufacturer General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada to provide 724 light armoured vehicles (LAVs) to Saudi Arabia. Government documents show that, as late as 2018, deliveries of the $2.9-billion worth of LAVs were still being fulfilled.

The vehicles manufactured in Canada were of the same make later seen being used in Saudi Arabia’s operations in Yemen for years.

The documents provide more evidence that the Canadian government may have knowingly supplied armoured vehicles for use in Yemen.  [...]

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @politicsofcanada, @halfwar-halfpeace, @vague-humanoid

[muirneach]

conn smythe was such a legendary hater why did he spend wwii (WHILE ALSO FIGHTING IN THE TRENCHES IN HIS LATE 40S MIND YOU) beefing with the canadian prime minister for being a pussy AND forcing the nhl to send players to the war partially because he was a raging nationalist but also partially because he hated the habs and wanted their players to suffer. baller

[laresearchette]

Sunday, October 06, 2024 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS 50TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL (Global) 8:00pm THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF POTOMAC (Bravo Canada) 8:00pm THE FRANCHISE (HBO Canada) 10:00pm VINYL OBSESSION (AXS Canada) 10:30pm

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

AMAZON PRIME CANADA MR. ROBOT (Season 1–Season 4)

CRAVE TV CHASING LIBERTY THE FRANCHISE (Series Premiere) WHAT A GIRL WANTS

GRAND SLAM OF CURLING (SN) 10:00am: Tour Challenge - Men's Final (SN1) 2:30pm: Tour Challenge - Women's Final

NFL FOOTBALL (TSN/TSN3/TSN4) 1:00pm: Browns vs. Commanders (TSN/TSN3) 4:00pm: Packers vs. Rams (TSN/TSN3) 8:20pm: Cowboys vs. Steelers

WNBA BASKETBALL (SN360) 3:00pm: Liberty vs. Aces - Game 4 (TSN4) 5:00pm: TBD vs. TBD

MLB BASEBALL (SN) 4:00pm: Mets vs. Phillies - Game 2 (SN) 8:00pm: Padres vs. Dodgers - Game 2

NWSL SOCCER (TSN2) 5:00pm: Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit

MLS SOCCER (TSN2) 7:00pm: Portland vs. Dallas

HEARTLAND (CBC) 7:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): Heartland struggles with competition from Pryce Beef just as Amy agrees to help Nathan Pryce in a sheepdog competition; Lou, Jack and Tim are feeling the strain as a water shortage is on the horizon...AFFECTS HORSIES!

NORTHWOODS SURVIVAL (APTN) 7:00pm: Running Low: Amidst a harsh Canadian winter, the Northwoods Survival homesteaders search the land for essential resources to replenish their supplies and survive the season.

NBA BASKETBALL (TSN4/TSN5) 7:30pm: Wizards vs. Raptors (SN Now) 8:00pm: Bucks vs. Pistons

THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW (CBC) 8:00pm: Ten of Canada's amateur bakers arrive at the Baking Tent to start their quest for the cake plate.

THE LITTLE MERMAID (2023) (CTV2) 8:01pm: Longing to find out more about the world beyond the sea, a spirited young mermaid visits the surface and falls for the dashing Prince Eric. Following her heart, she makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to experience life on land.

CRIME SCENE KITCHEN (Global) 9:00pm (SEASON 2 PREMIERE): Six self-taught baking teams arrive at the "Crime Scene Kitchen" to start their hunt for clues, leading them to the mystery dessert.

ROCK SOLID BUILDS (HGTV Canada) 10:00pm: While on a school break, Randy's young son Grady helps supervise a big dig in Brigus, but momentum sags as the homeowners keep tweaking the design.

[mythosphere]

"Canadian history is boring" yeah you're right but also what if you were wrong. Let me tell a tale, friends, about a conspiracy theory that only Canadians over the age of 50 really know or care about. Let me tell a tale, friends, of the Avro Arrow and the tragic death of Canadian aerospace engineering.

The year was 1953. The production company was A.V. Roe Canada. At the time, Canada had only produced one commercial interceptor aircraft: the Avro CF-100 Canuck (lovingly referred to as the Clunk). It was...fine, I guess. It worked. But Canada was in the process of joining NORAD, and it was the geographic shield between the US and USSR: any bombers carrying nukes would cross Canadian airspace. The RCAF needed a bombing interceptor.

Enter the AVRO CF-105 Arrow.

You guys don't understand how awesome the Arrow was. It was SLEEK, it was MODERN, it was the PRIDE of a booming Canadian aerospace industry. It was the prototype fighter jet of its time, able to outcompete with American and British interceptors, and set to break both altitude and speed records. Canada was so proud of its aircraft that when the first prototype was ready, they expected a crowd of 13,000 to watch the first test (too bad Sputnik launched the same day). In 1955, even America wanted in (this was unheard of, since America prioritized its own aerospace above all, and rarely purchased planes it didn't make itself).

So where did the Arrow go?

We got rid of it. Sorry, not just got rid of it. We destroyed everything to do with it.

Now, what a lot of the public didn't understand was that the Arrow was expensive, and while it could have outcompeted the American Convair Delta Dart released in 1959, the plane would have been mid at best and defunct at worst by the time America improved on its own Mach 2 interceptor. What's more, ICBMs were becoming a thing, rendering interceptors in general relatively moot. The general consensus was clear: it wasn't worth the money to produce and improve. That was the excuse Prime Minister Diefenbaker (aka Dief the Chief, the anti-Kennedy, of Diefenbunker fame) used to order the end of the Avro Arrow program. This was understandable, generally.

What wasn't understandable was the death of everything to do with it. After unsuccessful attempts to sell the program to America and Britain, Diefenbaker ordered not only the closure of the program, but the complete scrapping of assembly lines, prototypes, classified documents, schematics: everything was destroyed. Only one Arrow went unaccounted for (some people think an air marshal stole it), but the rest were trashed. Allegedly, not a single intact prototype remains, only pieces and replicas on display.

Why would Diefenbaker do this? The conspiracies are endless. Some think a Soviet mole compromised the program and Diefenbaker ordered the complete destruction to prevent the Soviets from gaining this technology. Some people think the US manipulated intelligence to prevent Canadian aerospace from overtaking American aerospace. Sane people think that Canadian intelligence recognized a Soviet transition away from bomber planes, and acted sensibly, if a bit to the extreme.

What we do know is after the death of the Arrow, the Canadian aerospace industry basically collapsed overnight. About 15,000 engineers were now out of work, and many fled to the US to work for Boeing, Convair, NASA, and basically any other aerospace industry job they could find. Diefenbaker went on to have seriously funny beef with JFK, and the Avro Arrow was lost to the annals of aviation history. Rest in pieces, Avro Arrow.

[themanhattanfoodproject]

Some meals I had in Toronto during the election and immediate aftermath.

M had a show up in Toronto that had him leave on Election Day, and I went with him because I knew no matter what, I didn’t want to be alone for several days following it. I also had never been to Toronto, so this felt as good an opportunity as any.

We spent election night and a few days afterward by the Toronto Airport as that’s where the show was located. I found this local chain called The Keg Steakhouse and Bar, and they had a pretty awesome happy hour where you could get prime rib sliders and tuna tartare for a good price. I also went with the lobster bisque because I wasn’t feeling that hungry, but it hit the spot for something warm and comforting.

The next day, I barely ate as I had zero appetite, but we walked to the Lone Star Texas Grill--another Canadian chain--where they had $4 tequila shots and a really nice chicken adobo quesadilla that hit the spot after I forced myself to do some swimming in the hotel pool in the afternoon. 

Thursday I was determined to actually do something, so I got a swim in and then took the UP Express into downtown Toronto. I had a whole list of places that I wanted to go to, but this was more of a reconnaissance trip to get familiar with the layout of downtown before M and I would arrive the next day for 36 hours in the city. I took a walk to Sud Forno, a fun multi-story Italian cafe and restaurant, and treated myself to a lovely portion of cacio e pepe. I had dinner at the hotel later and it was fine, but it didn't need to be documented--though I did have a strawberry and greens salad as I realized I needed more vegetables.

Friday afternoon we went into Toronto together, and started at Chefs Hall which was a couple of blocks from our hotel. I had another quesadilla (trust me, my food choices will improve with dinner) and M had shawarma-style chicken kebabs and rice with a variety of sauces. I had a lovely conversation with a bartender about the election, in which he said that living in Canada lately had been like living next to a crackhouse, waiting to see if the crack dealer would be let back in. Given the shit that the stupid president-elect has been saying about making Canada a state, I definitely want to come back here to ask him how he feels now.

The absolute highlight of the trip, to be honest, was dinner at Aloette that evening. M’s Canadian colleagues were impressed that we were able to get a spot at the bar as walk-ins, but we settled in for a magnificent meal of beef tartare, an iceberg wedge salad, hamachi crudo, salmon tartare with shiso and compressed cucumber, and some fried chicken lettuce wraps. If anything, it was the meal that really brought me out of my funk because as delicious as the food was, the care given to us by our server really made the meal special. We told her what we wanted, she spaced it out accordingly, and we enjoyed one hell of a meal during our allotted two-hour dining window.

[historia-vitae-magistras]

I've been thinking and want to know your thoughts on this. So I know in your head canon Bridget doesn't want to be part of Arthur's fucked up idea of family but still adores Jack and Alfred. The 2 boys see her as a mother like figure; but what about Zee and Matt? I don't know of any major roles of Ireland in the 2 countries besides Ireland holding Canada hostage one time?? Does Bridget play an active role as an individual in their life's even if she doesn't have any reason as Ireland?

Oh the Fenian raids, lord. A whole lot of Irish-American Civil War vets hopped over from Boston and New York and tried to invade Canada to make Britain negotiate in Ireland. The British diverted forces from several points in the empire to Canada via Halifax, called up the militia and there were some scattered engagements and at this crescendo point, the Americans intervened. Alfred dipping back east for all of five minutes to bail Matt out and then fucking off again for the better part of ten years gives me life.

The Irish played an absolutely massive role in Canadian history but being a country founded by the French whom the Irish had beef with and the limey-lites loyalists I feel like Brighid likes Matt, but she doesn't exactly trust him. Matt tends to phrase his arguments as being for the common good of the empire and while he's often correct about what's best for the empire, it's still whats best for the empire. I see him as being unhappy with what the British or in Ireland but and cringing at Arthur's suggestion that Ireland become a dominion without becoming the senior dominion.

The Taoiseach or Prime minister of Ireland John A. Costello announced the creation of the Republic of Ireland in 1948 during a speech given in Ottawa. And for some strange reason, but likely because a Northern Irish governor general we had was a massive cunt but another historian has suggested it was because Canada was well known for its adherence to international law and had recently been a pain in the ass about not letting Britain change the goalposts of independence as Canada had set all the precedence for independence and self rule.

So in my opinion, she's fine to have a beer with him and drunkenly sing the rattling bog. She kind of understands why Alasdair is so emotionally attached to him but at the end of the day, Matt's primary motivation for most of his life has been a loyalty to Arthur and Alfred so it's only when he really turns hard into this idea of being a stickler for international law after 1945 that she works with him. He's not much next to the sheer force of will Alfred and his Irish American bloc or as passionate as Jack and his long history with Brighid are but he's not bad.

[thornescratch]

Get him, John.

[elitehoe]

Gonna be thinking about Kenneth Thiccmega all weekend long ❤️

[lottiecrabie]

oh so they colonised y’all or something?? what is this beef tell me the lore i’m interested now

omg this ask came when i was in the middle of finishing pfms4 i Totally forgot about it. let me rant about the quebecois-canadian conflict😎

i would not say they Colonized us as. yk. We colonized indigenous people and did much more horrible things to them. but there’s always been tension between the two of us. there’s been a bit of an Unfair treatment towards us. it’s always been clear we were from Two cultures as they were anglophone and british and protestant and educated and bourgeois and we were francophone and french and catholic and uneducated and farmers and peasants. they tried to assimilate us and put laws to limit our access to politics and reduce how much french was allowed to be taught, especially for francophones outside of quebec.

there was a bit of a Rebellion actually and i mean a bit because they totally destroyed us like every battle was 3 anglophones killing at least one hundred francophones (they had Guns and we had pitchforks and spirit❤️). after the very very small attempt at rebellion, the government was giving accommodations for those who died, but when the patriots’ (us) got some too and a few were given amnesty, they got so Mad they burnt down the parliament in montreal (this is why ottawa is the capital now). this is actually the Only time the british empire and commonwealth ever burned down a parliament lmao.

fun fact when we were signing the constitution of canada the provinces’ prime ministers all agreed to say No. after one meeting where they all argued, the prime minister did a Secret meeting in the kitchen of the hotel with every single province EXCEPT QUEBEC and everyone ended up signing and when our prime minister woke up Ready for another day of Politics everyone just went Hey we signed so it passed bc of majority😁❤️ and quebec went Fuck you and went home without signing and we Still haven’t signed lmao.

there’s been two referendums for quebec’s indépendance and the second one was less than one percent difference between the yes and the no we almost had it🫡 the prime minister actually passed a law after where they said Quebec has to say in canada and then We passed one that said Quebec will do what it wants

anyway now the indépendantiste movement in quebec is pretty much dead like it is Not going to happen, but i still very much feel no relation to canadian culture and consider myself Québécoise and i like to dream that Maybe it could🤩 but it won’t ever lol

[butmakeitgayblog]

Thoughts on Eminem's new single?

Houdini?

That he's become so publically socially irrelevant that he's resorting to trying to recapture the shock value style that originally got him famous, which is arguably a little pathetic in and of itself considering the stage is primed for a new wave of rap to take over since everything has degraded to a point where it's kind of boring (I mean the biggest thing to happen in awhile is the Kendrick vs Aubrey beef and like,,, when beef with a Canadian pedo shitty "rapper" is the hottest topic you know shit has gone off the rails), but even more so when you consider the fact that the majority of his base audience is now in their 30s, 40s, and early 50s instead of tweens and teens 🤨 Zoomers don't give a fuck about Em and the specific style he's trying to recreate is considered millennial old people music because it's shit their parents listened to when WE were their age.

And none of that is even touching on the fact that all those "shock value" lyrics are so played out and overdone and corny at this point that the only people who would even consider it worth a second listen are bluechecks, single brain celled redditors, and cis white conservative mouthbreathers who are so homophobic/transphobic/misogynistic that they've apparently forgotten an entire principle of the English language exists beyond just their fear of ~wokeism~.

Overall, honestly, it just feels sad. And that's coming from someone who did listen to him when I was younger! Like this song isn't even near the arena of "edgy" when you've actually ridden the morning city bus while listening to Kim 🥴. It just feels like pandering to the nostalgia of millennials from a dude grasping at a formula that once worked, but just feels dated and out of touch now. And that's sad because his technical abilities are still there, he just... can't seem to move on and mature his sound anymore. Whether that be from capitalist lazy ass syndrome or just aging out of being able to be objective in evaluating the work in the current artistic climate, idk. All I know is when I heard it my face was just 😕🤨 from start to finish

[newstfionline]

Friday, January 3, 2025

Mar-a-Lago is a magnet for those seeking influence (AP) The cars begin lining up early in the morning to be screened by Secret Service agents under white tents near the fence that surrounds President-elect Donald Trump’s vast south Florida estate. Famous figures such as Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Tesla and X owner Elon Musk pop up at breakfasts, luncheons and other social gatherings held daily at the opulent Mar-a-Lago club. Over the weekend, Mike Love, one of the original members of the Beach Boys, performed the band’s greatest hits under an outdoor tent there as Trump, trailed by Secret Service agents, wandered through the crowd, swinging his fists to the music, according to videos posted online. The resort is the “Center of the Universe,” Trump declared on social media Friday. The president-elect’s post reflects the way his resort, where he’s largely been holed up since the election, has become a salon and celebration for his movement. For the people he’s selected for his administration—and those who seek to get jobs or curry favor with the incoming president—it’s the place to be.

Most don’t expect a balanced budget in their lifetime (Rasmussen Reports) A recent Rasmussen Reports survey finds that 67% of likely US voters say they believe balancing the federal budget would benefit the economy. Only 9% say it would harm the economy, while 12% say it would have no impact. Despite this, just 36% say they think a balanced budget will be achieved in their lifetime. The survey highlights concern over the federal deficit, which reached $1.8 trillion in fiscal year 2024, pushing the national debt to $36 trillion. Voters overwhelmingly express preference for fiscal responsibility, but skepticism remains high about the feasibility of achieving it.

Multiple Arctic outbreaks to affect more than 250 million in central, eastern US into mid-January (AccuWeather) Round after round after round of Arctic air is poised to plunge into the central and eastern United States. AccuWeather meteorologists warn that each outbreak of Arctic air has the potential to bring colder air farther south than the previous round and will lead to a major surge in energy demands and the risk of freeze-related damage in the Southern states. The magnitude and extent of the Arctic air will build into the first full week of January and linger through the middle of the month and will, at times, affect more than 250 million people living in more than 40 states in the Central and Eastern regions.

Will the “iron fist” model spread in Latin America? (Economist) Enthusiasm for a ruthless approach to crime is spreading. That is in part thanks to Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador, who in 2022 declared a state of emergency and has thrown 80,000 people, or 2% of the country, in jail. Human-rights groups say torture and death in prison are common. Salvadoreans seem not to mind: homicides have plummeted and Mr Bukele was re-elected by a landslide in 2024. Other leaders have cheered Mr Bukele’s “iron fist” model and, to varying degrees, are trying to emulate it. In June Argentina’s defence secretary signed an agreement to strengthen security ties with El Salvador. Ecuador has renewed various states of emergency since the start of 2024. In 2025 concerns about crime will shape presidential elections in Ecuador, which has rapidly become home to some of the world’s most violent cities, and in Chile, where the murder rate has risen from 4.5 per 100,000 people in 2019 to 6.3 in 2023, slightly above that of the United States. Pressure to crack down is mounting. If Ecuador and Chile move towards the “iron fist” model, other leaders will surely take notice.

In the colossus of beef, Argentines are increasingly turning to pork (Washington Post) Gonzalo Hernández’s butcher shop is just down the road from statues of a bull and a cattleman, near a neighborhood that gets its name, Mataderos, from its historic role as the center of the beef slaughterhouses in Buenos Aires. But even in a cow-centric area in this beef-obsessed country, his customers over the weekend were increasingly lined up for a different type of meat: pork. The turn toward the humble pig is just one sign of how a tough economy and severe austerity measures—coupled with changing cultural norms—have been pushing people in this South American colossus of beef toward a different kind of red meat. Right-wing libertarian President Javier Milei has been slashing federal subsidies and government spending to tackle record inflation, which peaked at a yearly rate of nearly 300 percent in April. His economic shock therapy has further tightened grocery budgets—and in 2024, Argentine beef consumption dropped to the lowest figure per capita in 110 years of data, according to the Rosario Board of Trade.

Eastern Europe fumes as Zelensky pulls plug on Russian gas transit to Europe via Ukraine (AFP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday hailed the end of Russian gas transit across his country as a significant “defeat” for Moscow amid its near three-year invasion. Flows of Russian gas to Europe via Ukraine stopped on Wednesday morning after Zelensky refused to prolong decades of cooperation that had earned billions of dollars for both Moscow and Kyiv. The decision has caused mixed reactions in Europe, Russia’s top gas customer before the February 2022 invasion. Moscow says Ukraine is shooting itself in the foot and frustrating its partners in eastern Europe that rely on Russian supplies. Slovakia, reliant on Russian gas, has slammed the move. And the breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria was plunged into an energy crisis on Wednesday. Hungary, which buys significant quantities of Russian gas, is set to be largely unaffected by the move, as it receives Russian gas via the Black Sea pipeline, an alternative route that bypasses Ukraine.

Ceremonies mark full membership of Bulgaria and Romania in Europe’s Schengen travel zone (AP) Ceremonies were held just before midnight Tuesday to mark Bulgaria’s and Romania’s full membership in Europe’s Schengen area, the culmination of years of negotiations by the Eastern European countries to join the ID check-free travel zone. Identification checks at the land borders between Bulgaria and Romania and their neighboring European Union-member countries were officially ceased at midnight, providing travelers free access to the rest of the 27-member EU bloc. The two countries partially joined the Schengen area in March, but open travel was restricted to those arriving only by air or sea. The Schengen Area was established in 1985 as an intergovernmental project between five EU countries—France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. It has gradually expanded to become the largest free travel area in the world.

Passengers Say Turkish Airlines Flights Have Unwelcome Guests: Bedbugs (NYT) Shortly after boarding her Turkish Airlines flight from Johannesburg to Istanbul last March, Patience Titcombe, 36, from Phoenix, noticed a small bug crawling on her seat when she got up to use the restroom. “I almost flicked it away,” she said, “But my friend stopped me and said, ‘That’s a bedbug.’” Ms. Titcombe, who had experience with the bugs when she lived in Philadelphia, realized her friend was right and photographed the bug on her seat. She then called over the flight attendant, who disposed of the bug. When Ms. Titcombe and her friend confronted the flight attendant about its being a bedbug, she said, the attendant dismissed their concern. After posting about her experience on multiple social media channels, Ms. Titcombe said other users in a Facebook travel group reported similar experiences. On Oct. 5, Matthew Myers and his girlfriend were flying from Istanbul to San Francisco when Mr. Myers, 28, from San Francisco, said the passenger seated next to him tapped him on the shoulder to show him there were bedbugs on the seats and falling from the ceiling. Mr. Myers said he saw bugs fall onto the person’s lap. “Multiple passengers were asking to move seats after discovering bugs,” Mr. Myers said.

New Taiwanese boardgame offers chance to battle Chinese invasion (Guardian) As families in Taiwan prepare to gather for lunar new year celebrations in January, a game that will be released that month promises to offer some war-themed fun over the festive period. The board game 2045, developed by the Taiwanese company Mizo Games, invites players to participate in an imaginary Chinese invasion 20 years in the future. Players are given roles that include Taiwanese army officers, Chinese sleeper agents and volunteer citizen fighters. The game is being released at a time when China has increased its military pressure around the self-governing island. Taiwan has never been ruled by the People’s Republic of China but Beijing regards it as part of its territory and has promised to “unify” it with China, using force if necessary. Observers do not know when, if ever, China will launch a military operation against Taiwan. But some analysts have pointed to the years around 2050 as a possible risk period. Xi Jinping, China’s leader and military commander-in-chief, has pledged to build a “world-class army” by the middle of the century, and 2049, the centenary of the People’s Republic of China, is the date by which Beijing wants to achieve “national rejuvenation”.

‘Chinese submarine drone’ in Philippine sea raises security fears (The Times/UK) The Philippine navy is analysing a suspected Chinese submarine drone found in its waters this week in an incident that police said had “potential national security implications”. Fishermen found the two-metre-long object about six miles off the coast of San Pascual in Masbate province, in the central Philippines, on December 30. The yellow torpedo-shaped device has fins and bears Chinese markings and the designation “HY-119”. “Based on our open-source research on the internet … HY-119 refers to a Chinese underwater navigation and communication system,” Andre Dizon, the regional police director in Masbate, said. “It has an antenna and an eye [camera] that can be used for viewing. Based on our research, this can be used for monitoring and reconnaissance.”

New Year, Old Neighbors, New Conflict (NYT) On Christmas Eve, Pakistani warplanes struck targets within Afghanistan, with security officials privately claiming that the facilities belonged to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)—basically Pakistan’s version of the Taliban—that has carried out attacks within the country’s borders. According to those officials, several top TTP militants died in the strikes, but Afghanistan’s Taliban government claims that dozens of civilians were killed as well. The neighboring countries used to have close ties, but their diplomatic relations have frayed over the past few years, leading to an increase in cross-border clashes. Both countries are facing domestic struggles that discourage them from engaging in a wider conflict, but they might just find themselves in a fight anyway. Pakistan seems dead set on eradicating the TTP, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif saying, “We will defend Pakistan’s sovereignty at every cost,” while the Taliban share ideological beliefs with the group—and can project a stronger diplomatic image by resisting the demands of their neighbors.

Kicking Out The (Former) Colonizers (AP) French troops stationed in Ivory Coast have been given the boot. “We can be proud of our army, whose modernization is now complete,” President Alassane Ouattara said in a New Year’s Eve speech. “It is in this context that we have decided on the coordinated and organized withdrawal of French forces from the Ivory Coast.” Currently, there are roughly 600 French troops stationed in the West African nation, as the surrounding Sahel region has been destabilized by multiple coups and offensives by militant groups. French troops are also being ushered out of nearby Senegal as French influence continues to wane in the region.

[jellogram]

I have personal beef with Logan Paul's sports drink because I was whacked out of my mind at a grocery store in Canada and I was looking for Bodyarmor because that's the drink of champions when you wake up after a wild night but I couldn't find Bodyarmor and all I could find was Prime and I'd never heard of it and as previously mentioned I was whacked out of my mind so I was like "Fuck, I guess this is what Bodyarmor bottles look like in Canada" so I bought it and then the next morning I was dried out like a husk so I cracked open my Prime and all I could taste was artificial sweeteners. Like it had so many artificial sweeteners that my dumb intoxicated brain was like "This is actual poison. Canadian Bodyarmor is poison." so I never finished it and then later I found out this was actually Logan Paul's bullshit and I was like. I should have known. Fuck that guy.