The (Daily) Vent 2

( Under Constant Surveillance) One can begin today with "things that should never happen. As one might have recalled. in the FIFA Tournament held in Qatar, the U.S. team was victorious over Iran, winning 1-nil. That was not supposed to happen. An infidel prevailing over a Muslim country, in another Muslim country. There is supposed to be an understanding. One can participate in a league but that participation does not mean one can win. There are two franchises from Toronto, the Blue Jays in the National League and the NBA organization Raptors . However, the Blue Jays took the Fall Classic a number of years ago while the Raptors were NBA Champions. Canadian teams cannot be American champions ! Similarly, an American soccer club should not be able to defeat the Iranians in Qatar. Beat by the Great Satan ? How embarrassing. Now, so-called "Big Tech" was one of the mechanisms that had put President Biden into office. It had been their control of information in the immed

(On Practical Matters) All this talk about protests in China can have one craving a plate of Egg Foo Yung. In all seriousness, however, what seems different this time is that there are now calls for ending the current regime. To be replaced with what ? One government that cannot operate if the Peoples' Republic gets dissolved, would be a representative democracy. With a population of almost a billion and a half people, imagine assigning representation to each Chinse citizen, developing an administrative structure that is not comprised of Communist Party members ? What about political parties, now that there is no more Communist Party ? What would count as a Chinese Democrat or a Chinese Republican ? Would suffrage be universal ? Would tens of thousands of polling stations across China be established ? The logistical challenges alone make the whole idea impractical. And that being said, the concept of a popular vote would be a new one for the average Chinese. One can see the magnit

(From Bad To Worse. . ._) Who is having a worse week ? Chinese Premier Xi Kinping ? Or President Joe Biden ? The Chinese leader, expanding on what had been discussed yesterday, is dealing with anti-covid dis-content among the population. The China Virus has now turned on those who "developed" it and the Chinese Communist Party is insisting on the same draconian closures that were not effective in this country.  Xi is handicapped by Chinese history and could name a few emperors, if not whole dynasties, How many thousands of peasants were sacrificed in building the Great Wall ? The Tomb of the First Emperor ? The Grand Canal ? While the Peoples' Republic has centralized authority, the "patience of the peasant class is not limitless. As there are 1.5 billion of them and only a few dozen Communist Party members, well, do the math. If there is no face-saving path for Premier Xi, then his reactions to continued dissent will prove more extreme. Things are hardly better for

( Protest Too Much ?) Let's talk religion and politics. Generally, those are two topics to avoid in polite conversation but now that Elon Musk has "opened" Twitter, look for all the religion and politics, as well as points south be received expression. Free range of opinion, no holds barred. That being said, there are some people who do not necessarily appreciate such an open exchange of ideas. One side. there could be protesters, making use of whatever free flow of information to say their opinion. On the other side, maybe there is the source of this dis-content. Remember that Canadian Freedom Convoy, on the road protesting Ottawa's covid mandates ? Prime Minister  Trudeau has just taken into his authority even to the point of freezing bank accounts, not just for the big rigs involved but for those Canadians that have displayed vociferously An expanded Twitter is an allegory to a broadened reaction to government policy, like the Canada's vaccine restrictions. Chi

(Popularity Contest. ) In any sporting event, whichever team takes to the field,.the court or whatever, there is always a plan as developed by the coaching staff to be executed in the process of the contest. Hopefully, the result would be placed in the "win" column. When players take to the field et al , it is in the understanding that each member is acting as a unit. Each has a role to play and it is in playing that role where success is derived. Except on the exception where one of the players, for reasons of ambition and ego, goes out in the pursuit of individual glory. He, or she, takes to the arena for one's personal aggrandizement. What happens to the rest of the team, however ? The "team," in this case is the new House Republican Majority who is looking to take power come next January but as to who the "coach" is going to be remains an open question. Congressman Kevin McCarthy, ostensibly the next Speaker, has not secured enough votes from the C

(BLACK Friday. . .) The Holiday Season is upon us. The period of roughly between Halloween and New Years' Day. Included of course would be Thanksgiving, just passed. and Christmas next month. Today is Black Friday. And, of one is familiar with South Park 's "Black Friday Trilogy," one knows the madness and mayhem that can ensue. If there is a word to describe this tine of year. it would be shopping. And deals. And the ubiquitous clearance sale. If there is a question this year, however, is how much stuff will actually be available this year as opposed to last year. How much more expensive will things be over last year ? That is inflation. And, one is not even considering the prospect of any rail strike. So, this Friday promises to be "blacker" than most. That being said, sales records will continue to be set, and while the Friday after Thanksgiving Day is the traditional trip to remaining brick and mortar stores, one also has to remember that next Monday is

(The Day The Lights Go Out In Georgia. . .) It might be appropriate to begin with the news that Dr. Fauci is retiring from his position as White House infectious disease expert. He had been the point-man in the corona pandemic and it could be possible that he had some influence in the virus development in the first place. And it is true that the pandemic once it had gone global killed several million world wide and just over a million in this country in this country. The economy was closed as well as a substantial portion of school closures. Trillions in wealth were lost, countless of businesses shuttered  and school children lost about a year of their education career. The alternative, however, was Donald Trump would have remained in Office. There have been two additional  casualties of Trump's  involvement in the recently passed Mid-Terms. In Alaska,  Kelly Tshibaka, an Alaska Republican, who had been backed by former President Trump , is blaming Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McC

(Ask Not. . .  Seriously ?) The assassination of President John F. Kennedy was a tragedy in more ways than one. His death was one of those events where, had he lived, subsequent events could have taken a different course. That will be for others to decide later but one of the things one can remember was Kennedy's Inauguration speech, where the President made the admonition "Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country." How many people today can say they are aspiring to Kennedy's idea ? One look and the answer would be not many. One must recall that President Kennedy had been a different kind of Democrat. One who was not woke or was obsessed with identity. One who was not focused on equity instead of opportunity. One who, today, would probably be called a Republican. But assume Kennedy were still in office. What would he do to forestall that rail strike ? How would he respond to the mass shootings over recent days. The open border and

(Executive Sweet. . .) Who takes over when one in leadership passes or is otherwise no longer present in a position. In the movie, Executive Suite , a company president passes away suddenly but there was never any move to have an executive vice-president in the ready. There were several candidates among which was William Holden and Fredrich March, each making a pitch to the majority stake holders. This is not what today's entry is about, however. It can indeed be lonely at the top. Today, there was a story on chief executives. Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and Bob Iger. Musk, by popular demand, is re-granting access to Twitter. The expulsion of the former President from the platform had always been controversial but as one knows, Trump has his own site at Truth Social making any return to Twitter redundant. But, as Trump is now running for President again, getting any additional exposure. could not hurt. There soon will be a test of Trump's viability and that will be the outcome of

( Guilt Trip. . .) It would appear that the Davos Syndrome is not necessarily confined to Davos. The same crew made the G-20 Summit as well and what is discussed in Switzerland can be discussed in Indonesia. It is the same collection of global elites who have taken it upon themselves to be arbiters of policy, especially where climate is concerned. While the true effects of climate alterations are more nuanced than the fanatical hysteria that is a symptom of Davos, in any event, and in concert with the initiatives from the United Nations, poorer countries will now be eligible for so-called "climate reparations." So, because of the collective guilt of the West, dealing with an emergency that is largely in their own minds, these less developed nations, who are in a sense getting free money, would not be ones to complain. All those Pacific islands whose foundering would make Atlantis look like a quick dip, is imminent. The theory seems to be that as glaciers melt, sea levels rise

(Up Your (expletive deleted). . .) Please excuse the "expletive," but one can probably surmise the word. Such foul language is not at random. On November 19th, 1942, the Soviets launched Operation URANUS. That was the name of the strategic offensive that, during the Battle of Stalingrad, encircled the German Sixth Army investing the ruined city on the Volga. The so-called "Stalingrad Pocket" was for all intents and purposes sealed by November 24 and the opportunity for an intact withdrawal of Sixth Amy, as well as elements of the Fourth Panzer Army. A relief army was organized and marched to relieve the embattled garrison but it was repulsed. Over the next few months, in Operation KOTSO   (ring) some seven whole Soviet armies gradually compressed the Stalingrad Pocket till what was left of the once vaunted Sixth and Fourth Panzer Armies surrounded in the first part of the following February. URANUS was not the only strategic operation. In the north, there was Opera

( Next Chapters. . .) There is a cycle in sports, regardless of league. The phases can be as followed. Some franchise, NFL, NBA, MLB and so on, if the team is at the bottom in the win-loss column, new talent, either from the collegiate level or the Minors when it comes to Major Leagues. A team is put together, with the right coach, games can be won, up to and including championships. But what happens after ? The starters retire, or they might graduate. As the talent ages, gets old and decrepit, games are not being won anymore. A team's fortunes deteriorate and with losing records, one returns to the lottery. Sometimes, however, one just assume leave the whole program and not stay to see the depressing process of re-constitution. That would seem to the plan for Speaker (soon to be former) Nancy Pelosi. Her team lost. She has chosen self-imposed exile in that she has announced she will not campaign for Minority leadership. What about the other "team ?" Republicans will cont

(The Emperor's New Look) Chinese emperors traditionally did not travel. The Chinese really did have embassies in other nations. No, whatever embassies there were were of the Western Powers as well as Russia and Japan that were in China in their various "colonization" efforts. Such foreign interference sparked what became known as the Boxer Rebellion, where domestic Chinese and the Qing Dynasty, the last one, tried to force the invaders out. If one remembers the film. 55 Days in Peking , that recalls the effort. The foreign compound was able to hold until relief forces arrived. In any event, China's new "emperor" is Premier Xi Jinping, He was in Bali at the G-20 where he had a "new look," namely that he saw Western leaders, aside from President Biden, namely Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. In a hot mic moment, Xi was complaining that the Conference transactions were being reported in the media. That is what happens in a free society, which

( On Levelheadedness. . .) Quite a stir was created the other day when a "missile," apparently from Ukrainian territory impacted on the other side of the border in Poland, resulting in two fatalities. What was this ? Some new escalation by Vladimir Putin ? An attack on a NATO Member. The immediate declaration of Article V (an attack on one NATO member is an attack on all NATO members), with the consequence being a broader Western action ? Could this prove the start of the Third World War ? Fortunately for all concerned, the accompanying hyperventilation did not endure. Poland called for an Article IV, which allows for an investigation. It was suggested that the offending projectile could have been from an errant Ukrainian air defense system. In any event, it will be incidents such as this that, as long as the war continues, the danger of escalation will only persist and the next time something like this takes place and NATO "citizens" remain in harms' way, incre

( Rolling The Dice. . .) In the past, when there is some conflict, its eventual resolution could require the commitment of additional resources. This can be especially true on a battlefield. For example, the Battle of Gettysburg began when a Confederate contingent moved into the Pennsylvania town for a consignment of shoes. When that force was confronted by Union cavalry, Re-enforcements were called upon and about the same time, a Union corps arrived from the south. There was an initial skirmish north of Gettysburg where the Federals were bested. There was a retreat through town but what lay south were a series of hills and ridges. High ground in other words. At this point, both sides were re-enforced as Union divisions and Confederate divisions and. over three days in July. 1863, the fate of the nation was decided. Over some shoes. Like Federal and Rebel armies converging on Gettysburg, so similar efforts are being played out in the Senate race in Georgia between Democrat Raphael Warn

( Milquetoast vs. The Dragon) There are certain human interactions that should be limited, especially when it comes to geo-politics. The G-20 Conference has convened in Bali and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping is there with President Joe Biden. When the two "leaders" held a conference together, Biden expressed American concerns over Hong Kong, Taiwan, the war in the Ukraine, and human rights abuses. The President expressed his hope that the United States and the Peoples' Republic could work collectively to resolve the global crises of food security, and Biden's favorite, climate change. Nothing about the origins of covid. For his part, the Chinese Premier listened politely. He shook hands with his American counterpart but the reality of what he will be taking from Bali will have nothing to do with what he and Biden discussed. Hong Kong, Taiwan, what happens in the western interior, are the exclusive purview of Beijing. It has always been Xi's intention to have China su

( Coup Completion. . .) How is it possible that so many predictions about the recent Mid-Term were so wrong ? For weeks, the data seemed to indicate GOP success, whatever had been gained in the House would be supplemented by at least two Republicans in the Senate. Now, again Democrats will have control, again, of the Upper Chamber. Various reasons for this particular outcome but one can say, definitively, that Republicans got played. A mandate ? Democrats were the preference over Republicans. Is that translating to leftist policy preferences ? Is abortion on demand up to the end of term really what the average American supports ? Does the anti-police and anti-incarceral sentiment ? Is crime no longer that much of a concern. Is energy independence not as important ? A secure border ? Were they able to take power, Republicans have been advocating for certain positions one would think would be attractive to average people. That apparently is not the case. Because the GOP failed to functio

( Tsarist Armies. . .) The Russian Army was known as the Russian Steamroller. It could field some ten million men and it was believed that in any war with Germany, this host would rapidly sweep through East Prussia for a straight-line march towards Berlin. The reality of the Russian Army. especially when World War I hostilities erupted in 1914, was more nuanced. The Army, at its senor command echelons, did not function as a team. Fealty to His Majesty, Tsar Nicholas II. was the prime requirement for command and not any particular talent that could be  displayed on a battlefield. In 1914, the Army was divided into camps and these cleavages centered around the Russian Minister of War. In a narrow sense. the Minister was a "reformer" but such reforms had the potential to limit the patronage of the Tsar. Baltic Germans had been made Generals because of their loyalty to St. Peterburg. What it amounted to was a group of Russian officers that were in support of the Minister and thos

(All Quiet On The Western Front. . .) Happy Veterans' Day. November 11th, 1918 the Armistice that ended the First World War went into effect at 1100 hours. The line where the combatant armies had ceased hostilities lay some distance to the east from the actual "Western Front," which had been a snaking line of trenches some 470 miles long that stretched from the English Channel to the Swiss Border. The opening rounds of August 1914 as armies maneuvered for position became a stalemate by the end of the year and, as Allied and German armies dug-in, an elaborate system of defenses, had been created. By the time the Germans launched what would be their last offensive of the War in the Spring of 1918, both German and indeed Allied trench systems had been fully developed. Cuts in the ground can still be seen in Belgium and France. The area that lay between the lines was called no-mans' land. The horrific quality that had been World War I combat was that Allied and German gen

(What The Hell Just Happened ?) It might be of interest to know that November 9th is the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. November 9th, the day after November 8th, when the Republican Party has blown its best chance to become a permanent Majority on Capitol Hill. Knowing the stakes and one would think a desire to amend the policies of the Biden Administration as well as the excesses of Democrats. Those excesses can now continue as there was a collapse in any Republican presence. There was no red wave and, when the dust settles, it will be lucky if the GOP gets a ripple. Republican gains were registered in New York and Florida, but the Democrats took the money shots with Oz losing in Pennsylvania and Walker behind in Georgia. A run-off for December will be held to describe that outcome. But it has been the success of Fetterman and eventually Warnock that is  describing an electorate that was not out last night. Even with the stakes as high as they were, Republicans did not se

(Aftermath. . .) The current vitriol as being espoused by those on the Campaign Trail will soon be at an end because come Wednesday. all that will be irrelevant. All the so-called threats to Democracy and so on will be rendered academic with the results from the previous night. That Wednesday is also Day One of the 2024 Presidential cycle. President Biden has said he will be running again. Apparently, so will Donald Trump. Because the Republican Party did not discard Trump when it had the chance, the former President will be as an anchor around the GOP neck. Any Republican gains for this week will be rapidly dissipated once a Trump candidacy is formally announced. The attempt to forestall this catastrophe will have to recruit Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to be the Republican Nominee for President. The First Triumvirate in Rome had been comprised of three of the Republic's wealthiest citizens; Julius Caesar, Gaius Pompey, and Marcus Crassus. Initially, Caesar and Pompey had been al

( Democracy Dies. . . On Television) One can look forward to this Mid-Term with some excitement. People have been talking about the end of democracy in this country come next Wednesday. There have been endless on-air comments from politician and pundit alike that with any Republican success come next Tuesday, "democracy," at least as defined by Democrats. will be coming to an end in short order. Of course, it will be "democracy" that will be manifesting itself next week. Voters across the country will be expressing the collective preference as to whom will be the represent them at all levels of government. This time it appears to be that of the Republicans but that has been qualified that GOP gains will not necessarily be overwhelming and there is also no reason that Democrat losses need be catastrophic. So, why the panic ? Why is someone taking pot shots at a GOP Congressional candidate ? Why is former President Obama out on the stump ? So is former Secretary Clint

(Curbed Enthusiasm. . .) Giddy optimism can be dangerous when one's expectations fail to materialize. If any so-called Republican "surge" had been evidenced over the las few days, has largely dissipated. Power rankings still have races in question as lean Democrat. There was a relatively good jobs report released this morning. All the momentum that had been assigned to the GOP now seems shifting to the Democrats. Races that have been classified as too close to call would still favo r incumbency and the incumbents in these cases are Democrats. If the Republican Party had a peak in this cycle, it has passed. Too early as the phrase. Were there surges ? Sure. But numbers ebb and flow from poll to poll and the latest seen to indicate that Democrats have come home and seem set to make a more pronounced presence. That should secure Fetterman in Pennsylvania. That should secure Warnock in Goergia. This re-alignment can also be seen in Arizona to the benefit of Senator Mark Kelly

( The Same Thing Was Said Last Time) Has one ever noticed that these past election cycles had been dubbed so-called "wave elections" or, this time, it will be called the most important contest in history ? That had been the case in 2016. In 2018. Especially in 2020 where Donald Trump was forced out. So now, with just five days to go, the same hysterias abound. There is endless poll analysis across the media. Candidates up or down, numbers tightening and the litany persists. However. these events are not taking place in a vacuum. The President had given a forlorn speech the other day where he apparently discussed his impression of the economy and offered a predictable tirade on the dangers of MAGA Republicans. The Supreme Court heard arguments on Affirmative Action for college admissions. Mister Speaker Pelosi was assaulted in his own home. While he had his show on Showtime, SNL alum Dennis Miller went to what he called "his rant." That was basically what President B

(Broken Mirror. . .) Cartoonist Bill Keane has been drawing  Family Circus for decades. The strip revolves around a standard American nuclear family. There is the father and mother and four children: Billy, the oldest, then Dolly. Jeffey, and P.J. who has been the baby. On occasion, Keane introduces another called "not me." Whenever one of the kids does something bad like knocking over a plant or grab a non-authorized cookie, the kids point to the culprit and say "not me." The "not me" is drawn as an outline of someone invisible thing with a facial expression. President Bidan can be one of Bill Keanes' Not Me's in some edition of the funny pages. Throughout his Presidency, and everything that has gone wrong, it has never been the fault of the one who sits, when he is there, the Oval Office. It has been Putin. It has been MAGA Republicans. And, in a gross display of abject ignorance, the President wants oil companies to stop taking so much in profi