Well articulated presentation.

Quote:Are you starting to see it, what is in play here? Do you want to see it?

The more interesting question: Why?

The hard question: What to do about it?

The numbers tell the story:

Quote:No Russian-owned ship has been attacked by Houthis while transiting the Red Sea for 10 months, with only one incident involving a Chinese-owned ship, according to an analysis of 83 attacks.

According to data from the UN’s trade and shipping agency, of the 83 ships targeted between December and September 2, 56 had ownership links to the UK, US or Europe, including 24 from Greece. All but one of the 24 Greek-owned ships were either bulk carriers or tankers. The world’s largest ship-owning country accounted for 30% of all ships attacked, according to the analysis, yet makes up 17% by tonnage.

Even for first rate naval powers, good intel and ship tracking can be an imperfect science. I’m surprised that only one PRC and Russian ship have been hit.

You don’t need to be a paranoid N2 to see that signal. It’s also important to note that the US Navy and its allied ships are not intercepting all of the missiles and drones:

Quote:Four sailors have been killed, two ships have been sunk and a third, the Greek-flagged suezmax tanker Sounion, is in danger.

Next I want you to ponder this little statistic:

Quote:The Houthis launched attacks in the Red Sea in November, protesting Israel’s war on Gaza, with overall transits down 62% as ships divert around the Cape of Good Hope.

If something is bucking that trend and matches up with other I&W, the pattern really starts to break out from the ambient noise. [China-affiliated ships running Red Sea gauntlet more frequently]

Quote:Growing confidence in the safety of China-owned ships is encouraging some shipowners to undertake Red Sea voyages and others to expand on existing services. 

This has been the worst kept secret since late spring - mostly because it forces a lot of uncomfortable questions.

From May:

Quote:…the safest place to transit the Red Sea is now onboard Chinese-owned ships.

The combination of the Houthi’s public agreement with China to not target their shipping and the likely private reprimand after striking the M/V Huang Pu sets up a scenario whereby Chinese shipping will be getting a free pass through the Red Sea. That provides China a significant competitive advantage at the precise moment its economy is starting to falter. There is a way, however, to both remove that advantage and force China to abide by its international obligations.

The linked article above has a nice passive-aggressive “Panda Express” idea, but I’m really not sure there is anything that can be done but to give a nod of respect to the diplomatic and foreign policy community of the People’s Republic of China.

Since we wandered into the exact swamp that Osama bin Laden wanted us to 23 years ago, with a weak hand and no historical legacy advantage to build off of, the People’s Republic of China has done an exceptional job establishing herself on the world stage. In a slow, steady progress, she has earned the respect, cooperation, and yes—fear—that is due a power people have confidence is not easily or cheaply disrespected.

The question really shouldn’t be, “Why is China being given a pass” as much as, “Why are 4th-rate non-state actors comfortable in challenging the free world on the high seas?”

Exploring that will bring wisdom.

This is for my dad. 

I've been spending a lot of time with my son, his girlfriend, and all thier friends. I've also been living with my two nieces, and a friend of theirs, plus their friends come over. Needless to say, I've been surrounded by a bunch of young adults in their early twenties (21-25). Well, there's this word I have heard, over, and over, and over, and over again...

"Bruh"

(Lol)

I caught myself laughing my ass off, to myself because I wanted to tell them the other day, "Quit saying, bruh."

Because I realized something. 

When I was young, and me and my buddies would be hanging out, and back then we called each other, "dude."

My dad would get so sick of this word that he'd belt out, "quit saying, dude." 

This was a constant. I heard it so much growing up. We'd always say, (under our breaths, of course) "Whatever, old man."

Now, I'm the old man....

Hey, you young whipper snappers, quit saying, bruh! And stay off my damn lawn!.""

I got a kick out of this thought. For a moment there, I was my old man.

Love ya, dad. I get it now haha R.I.P.

I hadn't planned on writing anything about this, but screw it. I'm sure it's on a lot of our minds today.

Something a little odd happened this morning, and it has me reflecting on that day, and now the 23 years that have followed. 


This morning I woke up at exactly the same time I did that fateful day. 

I woke up and looked at my clock and it was 8:56am. That was the exact time I was awakened that morning on 9/11/2001.

I was working at a restaurant as a server back then. I shared an apartment with a buddy of mine, and we lived your typical bachelor lifestyle. We both worked nights, and we were always up till the wee hours over the morning. Typically we didn't stir up till close to noon. We had been up late the night before, smoking buds watching the boob tube all night; as was our norm.

My phone rang at 8:56am, which it never went off that early. I knew as soon as the phone rang, that something was wrong. When I saw it was my little sister, I knew something bad had happened. 

I answered, and all she said was, "Turn on the TV. I gotta go." Click

I turn on the TV and see the first building smoking.

I immediately wake my buddy.

As we were watching and we're trying to figure out what the hell was going on, and thinking, Was this an accident, or what? It's felt like Almost immediately after this initial thought, the second plane hit.

We were in shock, as was every one else. We kept saying, "Is this real?"

The rest of the day is a fog.


When I look back at what's happened since all of that, it does seem that there was more to that than we'll ever truly know.

I posted this, so that anyone who wishes to reflect on that day, this thread is an open door to any and all thoughts about that day, and the 23 years since then. 


I know this. Even after all the hike in security, and all the "monitoring of terrorists," and the patriot act, and all that, I don't feel one stitch safer than I did before those towers fell.

R.I.P. to all that lost their lives that day.

I chose this forum for a reason. We all know who's pulling the strings.

Not a dependable power source for transportation IMO as to hot or to cold and you are walking. An EMP or a big CME and you walk, bicycle, or ride an animal. The video talks about the pitfalls of owning an E.V.

Quote:Recently, the Sichuan Meteorological Observatory has issued several high-temperature warnings, with temperatures exceeding 40°C across the province. The extreme heat has caused tight electricity supplies, leading to power restrictions in cities like Chengdu and Chongqing. This has affected industrial and commercial sectors, including the use of electric vehicle charging stations. As a result, 750,000 new energy vehicle owners are facing difficulties charging their cars.

About a month ago I moved in with my sister and brother in law, as I've stated before here. Well, they have a German Shepherd named "Hades."

He's a long hair "Leerburg" Shepherd, and boy let me tell you, he will eat your face off with a smile on his. He is an excellent guard dog, but unfortunately hasn't had much time with outsiders. He's really protective of my brother and doesn't let any one near him, really. This dog is fierce, as his name suggests. 

I had been here about a week and he had been in his cage the whole time, and had been listening to my bro-n-law and myself laugh it up, and have a good ol time as we caught up. Him and I had been friends since junior high; so him and I had a tight bond.

He decided to try and introduce me to Hades, even though my bro n law was really nervous about it. He's tried before, but Hades just never took to anyone, but him.

Then we met.

Let's just say this magnificent killing machine jumped on me like he was a puppy, and loved all over me like we'd been best friends since forever.

Now, since we keep such weird, and different hours here I sleep with Hades by my side. I've never had a dog this big, or this capable before. Hades comes from a long line of pure bread German Shepherds, and is a trained gaurd dog. If I get up in the middle of the night Hades is close by, watching, and listening for me. 
If anything goes bump in the night, this dog is right on it. If anyone has ever owned a Shepherd they know these are amazingly smart dogs, and he knows his noises well.

Needless to say, I feel pretty safe with this big ol teddy bear at my feet.

It's been an awesome experience getting to know this loyal and loving animal. Not sure what made him accept me the way he did, but I'm stoked at my new little friendship here, none the less. 

It still amazes my brother in law, sister and nieces when they walk into a room and Hades is sleeping across my lap like a giant werewolf baby.

These Leerburg Shepherd's are amazing dogs if you've ever thought of owning one. I highly recommend them.

Thanks, again, Rogue-Nation. For listening to this ol boy ramble.

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we've been watching the skies for years, especially after WWII, and what have we found?  
crazy stories and a few shaky videos and all sorts of sightings of some kind of lights.

no evidence.  no footprints, no landing tracks, no entities, no crashed material (presuming the Roswell thing was just a balloon, and I'm not aware of any REAL evidence otherwise).  
no alien visitations.  no close saucer flybys.

media portrayals have led people into interpreting aerial sightings as saucers etc.

I don't think they're real.  I think the whole thing is a psyop, maybe from our subconsciouses, maybe some government shenanigans.

maybe, dare I say, demonic.  many people of faith accept there there are spirit beings (angels, demons) and many of them hostile.

I'm sure we all realize that Australia had huge empty areas that make it difficult to transport stuff.

last few years they've been using 'truck trains', large trucks with multiple trailers, on certain long, empty runs.

now, as thread title indicates, they're using AI trucks, on special AI only highways.

https://safetowork.com.au/world-first-au...e-pilbara/

The autonomous fleet represents another win for safety in the mining industry. Removing operators from behind the wheel eliminates the risks associated with fatigue.
Critically, grade separation will ensure that there is no interaction between the road trains on the haul road and vehicles using public roads.

well if we can have separate rail roads no reason we can't have separate AI roads.  I certainly don't want any AI vehicles on my roads.

FBI congratulating themselves on another Khan capture...

Quote:“The defendant was allegedly determined to kill Jewish people here in the United States, nearly one year after Hamas’ horrific attack on Israel. This investigation was led by the FBI, and I am proud of the terrific work by the FBI team and our partners to disrupt Khan's plan.” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI will continue to work closely with our partners to investigate and hold accountable those who seek to commit violence in the name of ISIS or other terrorist organizations. Fighting terrorism remains the FBI’s top priority.”

As alleged in the complaint, Khan, who resided in Canada, attempted to travel from Canada to New York City, where he intended to use automatic and semi-automatic weapons to carry out a mass shooting in support of ISIS at a Jewish center in Brooklyn, New York. Khan began posting on social media and communicating with others on an encrypted messaging application about his support for ISIS in or about November 2023, when, among other things, Khan distributed ISIS propaganda videos and literature. Subsequently, Khan began communicating with two undercover law enforcement officers (collectively, the UCs).

During those conversations, Khan confirmed that he and a U.S.-based ISIS supporter (Associate-1) had been planning to carry out an attack in a particular U.S. city (City-1). Among other things, Khan said that he had been actively attempting to create “a real offline cell” of ISIS supporters to carry out a “coordinated assault” in City-1 using AR-style rifles to “target[] Israeli Jewish chabads . . . scattered all around [City-1].” During subsequent conversations, Khan repeatedly instructed the UCs to obtain AR-style assault rifles, ammunition, and other materials to carry out the attacks, and identified the specific locations in City-1 where the attacks would take place. Khan also provided details about how he would cross the border from Canada into the United States to conduct the attacks. During these conversations with the UCs, Khan emphasized that “Oct 7th and oct 11th are the best days for targeting the jews” because “oct 7 they will surely have some protests and oct 11 is yom.kippur.”

On or about Aug. 20, Khan changed his target location from City-1 to New York City. After initially suggesting certain neighborhoods in New York City to the UCs, Khan decided to target Location-1, a Jewish center located in Brooklyn, New York. Khan told the UCs that he planned to carry out this attack on or around Oct. 7, 2024 — which Khan recognized as the one-year anniversary of the brutal terrorist attacks in Israel by Hamas, a designated FTO, which, on Oct. 7, 2023, launched a wave of violent, large-scale terrorist attacks in Israel. In support of his choice of New York City as his target location, Khan boasted that “New york is perfect to target jews” because it has the “largest Jewish population In america” and therefore, “even if we dont attack a[n] Event[,] we could rack up easily a lot of jews.” Khan proclaimed that “we are going to nyc to slaughter them,” and sent a photograph of the specific area inside of Location-1 where he planned to carry out the attack.

Thereafter, Khan continued to urge the UCs to acquire AR-style rifles, ammunition, and other equipment for his attack, including “some good hunting [knives] so we can slit their throats.” Khan repeatedly reiterated his desire to carry out the attack in support of ISIS, and discussed planning for the attack, including by identifying rental properties close to Location-1 and paying for a human smuggler to help him reach and cross the border from Canada into the United States. During one communication, Khan noted that “if we succeed with our plan this would be the largest Attack on US soil since 9/11.”


On or about Sept. 4, as Khan said he planned to do in connection with his attack, Khan attempted to reach the U.S-Canada border. To do so, Khan used three separate cars to travel across Canada towards the United States, before he was stopped in or around Ormstown, Canada, approximately 12 miles from the U.S.-Canada border.

Khan is charged with one count of attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles Field Offices are investigating the case. The Justice Department is grateful to Canadian law enforcement for their actions in this matter. The Office of International Affairs of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division is seeking the extradition of Khan from Canada.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaylan E. Lasky and David J. Robles for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorney Kevin C. Nunnally of the Justice Department’s National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.