You may not know what Grimachia is. That might be traced to my just making it up.
Yes, one of the Joys of Invention is being free enough to make up thinking tools. Can’t find the absolutely correct word? No worries! Missing words and animal sounds are two fertile areas.
This new word of the day follows the usual rules of wordage close enough that A.I. was able to figure it out, even if your coffee hasn’t kicked in yet:
“The prefix “grim-” often relates to something dark, gloomy, or stern, as in “grim” or “grimace.” The suffix “-achia” resembles endings in words like “anarchia” (anarchy) or “monarchia” (monarchy), suggesting a state, condition, or system.”
Honestly, it’s a better term than “news” – which went to hell when liberal pricks spread the false rumor that it meant “north, east, west south.” Contards – let’s add that one, as well.
“The word “news” actually derives from the Middle English “newes,” from Old French “nouvelles,” meaning “new things,” rooted in Latin “nova” (new). The acronym myth likely emerged as a catchy, but false, explanation for the term’s meaning, possibly in the 20th century, though no specific individual or source is definitively credited with inventing it. A 2015 X post by @OMGFacts promoted this myth, claiming early newspapers used it to boast reports from all directions, while a 2022 post by @GabbbarSingh called it one of the earliest fake news examples. Despite its persistence, the acronym story is widely debunked by linguists and etymologists.”
Ergo, our first grimachia of the day: “News has been fake since at least 2015.” Although, as a young reporter, I swear it was uttered when Slippery Dick said “I am not a crook,” on November 17, 1973. If you’re even older, 10-years before that, the Lyin Baines Johnson government was already manufacturing lies in earnest (and Julio) with the Gulf of Tonkin II “attack” reports of August 4, 1964.
Ours is grim coverage.
Free Lunch Takes Canada!
On the erection of a new government in Ottawa, perhaps a 55-gallon drum of KY is in order. Allies herald democratic values as Liberal Party wins Canadian election.
However pleased our leaderless (even after the voting) neighbors are, we are reminded Mssr. Carney has a revealing name; oh-so-very in your face linguistically:
“A carney (also spelled “carnie”) is a person who works at a carnival, circus, or midway, typically involved in operating rides, running games, selling food or merchandise, or performing tasks like setup and teardown of attractions. The term derives from “carnival” and emerged in the late 19th to early 20th century in American English. Carnies are often itinerant workers, traveling with the show and living a nomadic lifestyle. They may perform roles like barkers (enticing crowds to games or shows), ride operators, or concessionaires. “
Sure sounds like a prime minister to us…
While we could love to have an all-access pass to read voting machine results, we’re comfortably summing the erection results as a carney-con, and letting it go at that.
Though it’s comforting to know we have circuses in power on both sides (and in the middle) of the borderless borders now. Progress? You make the call.
From the Ottawa midway we hear Canada will ‘never’ yield to Trump’s threats as Prime Minister Carney declares election victory. Canada became bipolar about the time it became bilingual. Which was when? With the passage of the Official Languages Act on September 9, 1969. Why, back then, the Carney in Chief was only four-years old…and may still be,. We just don’t know.
What we do know is the melting pot concept is still alive, somewhere: Trump administration requires truck drivers to speak English. Eh hoser?
Circus Echo?
Was Roosevelt a socialist? Not sure how this is news per se, but a read of By the Workers, for the Workers: Building Economic Democracy – Roosevelt Institute has us wondering why this is timely. I mean, since we are a Constitutional Democratic Republic…wait!
I have it! May Day! May Day! is this week. I better get the pole set up….
Speaking of socialists and “May day’s” (and reformed commies and that whole tag-cloud): Putin declares 72-hour ceasefire in Ukraine next week to mark Victory Day in World War II. So, is it all just a PR move? Depends who you ask… May 8-10 ceasefire on Russia’s Victory Day – what is Putin’s goal and what does Russia want. Which is what you’d expect Ukraine to ask.
Trade Wreck
Just out. See any impact from Trump Trade Tirades in this?
“The international trade deficit was $162.0 billion in March, up $14.1 billion from $147.8 billion in February. Exports of goods for March were $180.8 billion, $2.2 billion more than February exports. Imports of goods for March were $342.7 billion, $16.3 billion more than February imports.
Housing in a few minutes.
Does Solar Power the Future Work?
Here? Yes. In Spain and Portugal? Not so much… Power being restored to Portugal and Spain as focus turns to cause of outage. Takeaway: Don’t believe the net zero hype and leave the nuke plants on hot-standby, right?
Amazon is going after SpaceX: Amazon launches its first internet satellites to compete against SpaceX’s Starlinks.
What ever happened to Froogle? ChatGPT goes after Google in online shopping.
What about Free Speech? Congress passes Take It Down Act to combat deepfakes.
Around the Ranch: Timely Vitamins
A surprising amount of comment overnight on the question of when to take vitamins. People who are new to supplements are often not sure. There are some simple guidelines, though, that pencil out like this:
- Water-soluble vitamins (e.g., Vitamin C, B vitamins) are best taken in the morning with breakfast to support energy and metabolism throughout the day, as they’re quickly processed and not stored long-term.
- Fat-soluble vitamins (e.g., Vitamins A, D, E, K) should be taken with a meal containing fat, ideally at breakfast or dinner, to enhance absorption, since they dissolve in fat and are stored in the body.
- Multivitamins are typically taken in the morning with food to cover both types and avoid stomach upset.
- Specific cases: Iron supplements are best on an empty stomach (e.g., morning before eating) for better absorption, but with food if nausea occurs; calcium is often split into doses (e.g., morning and evening) due to limited absorption at once.
Where this gets even more complicated is when you’re running several, concurrent, anti-aging protocols. As you may know, Elaine and I have been running three different protocols for years now and it means having a breakfast and dinner routine.
Our three protocols (no, silly, this ain’t medical advice…remember who invented QuackSmart, right?):
- OTC version of TRIIM-X is the bedtime stack: Berberines, 5-HTP/melatonin, and low-dose DHEA. An hour, or so after dinner.
- NMN (if you can still find it).
- And GlyNAC which is widely available.
But, that’s just the core anti-aging approaches. There are a lot of other steps involved. Clearing out “the garbage” in the body (spermidine, fisetin) and the usual’s contained in a good daily multi-vit.
Another area where things get complicated is when it comes to “skip and alt. days.” Some things, you want to alternate (like spermidine/fisetin).
And because Elaine and I both have the dreaded APOE-4 allele, we do things like PS, PQQ, and Huperzine-A.
In the ebnd, our approach became complex enough that I put it into AI and said schedule it. Here’s a simplified view:
NMN 500 mg Morning (Fasted)
NAD+ 250 mg Morning (Fasted)
PQQ 10 mg Morning (Fasted)
Urolithin A 500 mg Morning (With Food)
Resveratrol 250 mg Morning (With Fat)
Pterostilbene 50 mg Morning (With Fat)
Quercetin + Zinc 500 mg / 25 mg Zn Morning (With Food)
Vitamin D3 + K2 4000 IU / 200 mcg Morning (With Fat)
Omega-3 DHA 2000 mg Morning (With Food)
Raspberry Ketones 200-400 mg Morning (With Meal)
B-Complex 1 capsule (activated B-vitamins) Morning (With Breakfast)
C60 Fullerenes 1-3 teaspoons (C60 in olive oil) Morning (With Fat-containing meal)
TMG (Trimethylglycine) 500-1000 mg Morning (With NAD+ to support methylation)
AKG (Alpha-Ketoglutarate) 1000 mg Morning (With Vitamin C or Magnesium)
Panax Ginseng 200-400 mg (Every Other Day)Morning (Every Other Day With Food)
Rapamycin (Prescription) 2-6 mg (Once Weekly) Once Weekly (With Food)
CoQ10 (Ubiquinol) 100-200 mg Midday (With Meal)
Curcumin 500 mg (Skip on workout days) Midday (With Fat)
Magnesium L-Threonate 1000 mg Midday (With Food)
Citicoline 500 mg Midday (With Food)
Berberine 500 mg (5 days on, 2 off) Midday (Before Meals)
Spermidine 1 mg Midday (With Food)
Astaxanthin 12 mg (Skip on workout days)Evening (With Food)
Fisetin 500 mg (2x/week) Evening (2x per Week, With Meal)
DHEA 10 mg (5 days on, 2 off) Evening (5 Days On, 2 Off, With Meal)
Alpha Lipoic Acid 300 mg Evening (With Meal)
Baby Aspirin 81 mg (If not taking Omega-3s that day) Evening (Alternate with Omega-3)
Phosphatidylserine 100 mg Evening (With Meal)
Apigenin 50 mg Night (Before Bed)
GlyNAC 1000 mg Glycine + 600 mg NAC Night (Before Bed)
5-HTP 50-100 mg Night (Before Bed)
Lion’s Mane 500 mg Night (Before Bed)
AGAIN…this is NOT medical advise, but we are fairly serious about maintaining our healthspan (the enjoyable part of lifespan) as long as possible. So use some of those A.I. tools out there to build yourself a really optimized personal plan.
Conventional medicine is not leading in a lot of this stuff – though the research labs are doing great work. It’s just that there’s a long gap between the lab and the implementation at the individual care provider level. You can skip most of the delays by reading PubMed.gov twice a month and going for articles on any known problem areas you have genetically.
And yes – that requires having your DNA run – and many people (depending on paranoia levels) don’t want to do that…and to a degree with good reason. But that’s one of those “balance of risk” decisions in life. We opted to find out what our specific risks were so we could specifically plan for (and around) them. Your call may be different and fine with us – it’s what makes life a horse race.
Back with the Housing Report data as its own post shortly.
Write when you get rich,
George@Ure.net
Dark chocolate supposedly builds stem cells. Aldi’s has a 85% caco with low sugar pack of 5 small bars. Good in a cup of coffee I’m told
True: cacao nibs are delish on top of yogurt.
https://youtu.be/kAOCq5ErWl4
Stick around for block chain.
I grow my own Cacao in the back yard, ferment and grind the beans. Latest cash crop in Hawaii… local chocolate!
so that’s why I have a tub of just plain ole cocoa (powder) sitting by the coffee pot and something to sweeten it with, raw honey or maple syrup.
I have both and some vanilla and a dash of cinnamon if the mood calls for it,,, sometimes just black coffee is wanted.
good coffee helps keep the ‘ure’ state of Grimachia at bay,
Zippity do dah,,, is the way to fly, above the bottom feeders gloom and doom,,,
Try Ovaltine in your coffee. Been doing it for years. Packed with vitamins and helps a little when you don’t have time for breakfast.
Parse ly Rosemary and Sage….advice;
Whats on Ures’ mind today , and everyday ? Lets parse thru this AMs newsie and see whats leaking out of the mind of GURE.
“Erections – several of em.
“55 gallon drum KY jelly (thats alot of friction nullification)
“slippery dick – lets hope otherwise friction burns not comfortable
“get the pole set up
Hmmm – seems like the #1 thing to do in Spring is to get busy..just like the backyard Burdies, with 55 gallons on hand looks as though G pops is going top bee very busy.
Write when Youse find some Oyster beds to rake in the Texas outback.
PS- did hear something about dried Rattlesnake penises better than BlueChew. YRMV
Checking vitamin and supplement interactions with each other and with OTC and prescription meds is prudent. Ure local pharmacist or health care provider can help with this. Or, simply checking interactions on sites like ‘drugs.com’ ‘medicineplus.gov’, Web.MD and RxList are but a few good places to start. Also, if just starting out with a regimen, adding just a few new pills each week and slowly adding a few others as time goes on is recommended so you know which ones are giving you potential beneficial or adverse effects. I personally recommend also using CBD oil, sublingual for faster absorbtion, taken just B4 bedtime to reduce inflammation and aid in relaxation. My primary care doc and my cardio team also approve of my using it. CBD oil is totally legal and does not require a doc’s prescription if the THC is removed (up to 2% is allowed). The CBD bottles come with a dropper to administer the stuff. More and more places are carrying it. I purchase mine at a local Fresh Thyme.
Just a friendly note…port traffic in Seattle is now zero. Nothing waiting and nothing inbound or outbound. LA won’t be far behind. Even if the spigot was turned back on today, it would take 6 months for things to normalize. So, get stocked up while you can.
ther e was a bullshit story on a website yest about this. If you look, the Cosco Aukland is unloading in seatlte this morning. Any old school reporter will tell you there is always light or no container action on Sunday – shipos are outed to minimize the overtime of the longshore andf warehousing unions (duh)./ And the port traffic is up from lasty year – so this goers in the world running out of toilet paper meme re3pping which is why I didn’t bother with including it in the m,orning report today – for now its a bullshit burger. Wanna see how trade deficit goes up with no cargo ops?
Well, shit. So much for trusted sources. I didn’t have time to double check it this morning and just rolled with it. Sorry for the clickbait, George!
You didn’t put the link to the HT site in, but fighured as much – someone else got sucked into it last night, too.
By that site, we shoudl be 3-4 world wars into it by now, lol
Steady as she goes, helm….
Yeah, sorry I got suckered into that also.
Also as of 2:20 on the seattle webcam https://www.spaceneedle.com/webcam you could see a grain sahip at term 86 or wqhatever they call it now. So just another day looks like – march Seattle inbound was up 18 percent https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/nwseaportalliance.com.if-us-west-2-or/2025-04/NWSA_Full_Mty_by_Month_2025vs2024YTDMar25.pdf
Again, we saw the meme – shined it on as bullshit – for now.
Bring it. I accept BTC XRP and SOL when you need to re supply lol.
It’s BS, but if it weren’t, all ya gots ta do is source stuff that’s made in USA. I’ve posted lists here several times, including the syntax for using Amazon Search to only find American-made merch.
The United States makes virtually everything we truly need. We simply don’t make it in quantity sufficient to make us self-sustaining, or anywhere near sufficient to sustain ourselves on a disaster or war footing.
For PopUS, that’s a problem. For the frequenters of George’s Pub, not so much.
How does someone like Keith Richards survive decades of hard drug use, drink and smoke heavily, not exercise, eat the wrong foods and still be alive and thriving?
By all accounts, Keith should be dead by now.
I think he knows it when he smiles while answering questions about his former rock and roll lifestyle.
Keith didn’t adhere to the recommended healthy-living guidelines we live by today.
For years he consumed a bottle of Jack Daniels a day versus the recommended current guideline of two drinks a week.
He also smoked heavily for 50+ years and it’s estimated that he lite up at minimum 500,000 cigarettes during that time (he just quit smoking about 3 years ago).
Keith has never followed the healthy Mediterranean diet of olive oil, vegetables, fruits, whole grains and mostly fish, legumes and nuts for protein. In fact his favorite meal is bangers and mash (sausages and mash potatoes) and he also enjoys burgers, steak, and fish.
https://boomingencore.com/keith-richards-a-great-example-of-the-work-and-longevity-connection-64727b27-e7ba-45b8-a79d-08f5623c7d39
But have you seen his face? He’s already dead! Just so well preserved he hasn’t fallen over yet!
He’s only 80. If he was 103, I’d pay more attention.
Other fine examples of peak male physical fitness:
John Daly – Legendary Golfer. On a typical 18 hole course consumes 21 cigs, 12 Diet Cokes, 6 packs of Peanut M&M’s, 0.0 ounces of water.
Phil Kessel – NHL Legend. Has fueled his professional hockey career with hot dogs, cheese bowls, tater tots, and lots of sugary soft drinks.
Thanks for the video JC. I really enjoyed it. Keith is an enigma.
My brother is 76 this year. At the age of 12, he had one kidney removed. He is an alcoholic until 20 years ago, when with the help of AA, he quit. At his prime, he drank 18 beers a day and smoked 2 packs of hand rolled cigarettes. No one expected him to live beyond 50. He has had 2 hips replaced and a triple heart bypass. He is still going strong.
On the flip side, there are people that live actively, eat healthy, don’t drink alcohol, take supplements, sleep well, and get cancer and die an early death.
My point is, there are exceptions to what is generally accepted as a lifestyle that leads to longevity or not.
Exceptions are not the rule but finding your purpose in life is always important, no matter what lifestyle you choose.
People like to isolate Keith. Some also cite Willie Nelson.
There’s millions of heroin heads who didn’t make it and it’s the same with smokers.
Why didn’t AIDS take Magic Johnson – a magic Johnson, right?
Lucks of the draw, pacts with the devil we’ll never know.
re: Marlburian Mondays
feat: Queen of Hearts factory
Folks,
English ramblers making their way through the Cotswolds along the Heart of England Way may take on sustenance at the old town of Swell. Nearby a modest 14 bedroom, 4 level, 19th century gothic mansion set upon 42 acres beckons rock&roll tourists as a late 20th century party pad of The Who. A prior incarnation had the edifice serving as childhood home to Canada’s new First Lady.
Fine young ladies wishing a Jane Austen launch into matters of Empire are well advised to take up boarding at England’s premiere public school, Marlborough College. One may have previously heard of College mentions by way of the Princess Eugenie. Certainly her fellow alumnae and spouse of her cousin, Catherine Princess of Wales will likely ring a bell.
Raise anchor and batten down your Trumpets! Into fairy tale swells we do go.
Thanks as always George for sharing your supplements …. I’ve be taking a lot of those same for years now too ….. added a bit of “M” Blue a year back too ….. do I notice any MB health effects? … not really, will stay with it a bit longer …… exercise is key too …… and yes I need to do more myself
Be safe
Yes, thanks for the supplements list. I take most of that, but it’s nice to have a guide list.
NOTE: On Methylene Blue. Not recommended taking with 5-htp. There is an interaction there I’m not quite clear on, but if taking both, they should be widely separated… day/night.
Mark Sloan’s book is good intro in to MB …. and yes lots of opinions and results on MB’s effectiveness. Like all supplements, do your research. I don’t use 5 htp myself ….. for no good reason (but did know the issue NOT to combine MB and 5 htp … but yes, good article on the cautions ….. good reminder
https://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/5-htp-with-methylene-blue-1-10727-1604-0.html
M-blue can definitely have short term effects in terms of energy available, but I’m more reserved about continuous use. It’s definitely useful to have on the shelf(or in the fridge). Too much and you can get overwhelmingly tired after running in overdrive. Keep your own counsel and be careful. YMMV. Etc.
“They may perform roles like barkers (enticing crowds to games or shows), ride operators, or concessionaires.”
Three thimbles. One pea. Step right up ladies and gentlemen. Watch my hands closely. Now where is the pea?
Carney indeed.
Freight traffic decline isn’t all bull durham, a slowdown is _expected_ given : large spike of material brought in to beat the tariff man / slowing consumer demand (wait for it …).
There’s nothing needed so doubt the Zon will see orders any time soon. Products piled at brick-and-mortars will be used until exhausted. I’ll buying shingles but they were landed last year (which is why I want them, to own the same “lot”). Anything else? Nope.
Shirley the uncertainty will manifest in a serious reduction. Or, we will find alternate sources for product? Or, we just buy less. Who has power – the manufacturer or the buyer. Hint: it’s we the people …
Best Regards,
Egor
Shipping volume will drop 35% starting next week.
[ LA Port Commission ]
– CNBC this morning.
The big trucking companies in this part of the US have LOTS of semi tractors parked, hundreds upon hundreds.
The Riche Bros heavy equipment auction lot near here has hundreds of tractors on it’s lot waiting for it’s next monthly auction.
The Carney and the orange Clown Turd – should be interesting! At least we are certain the Carney won’t be peddling cheesy merchandise … bibles, shoes, meme coins, etc.
From Oxford:
Clown
“A comic entertainer, especially one in a circus, wearing a traditional costume and exaggerated makeup”
Turd
“A person regarded as obnoxious or contemptible.”
Any sign yet of an understandable and executable plan for Clown Turd’s tariff policy? Maybe start with understandable.
Just a note from Canada. Unless something with the Liberals RADICALLY changes, you will probably see Alberta and Saskatchewan break away from Canada shortly. The East has drained the resources from our areas for decades. and handed them to have not provinces like Quebec. It has been a one way monetary pipe from Alberta to the federal government since 1964, to the tune of 2.9 billion, and that is not adjusted for inflation. It’s time to go.
China has the possibility of losing ten million jobs if the tariffs stay in place for more than 30 days. Another ten million if they go past 45 days. [ Reuters and Yahoo Finance.]
Xi is going to have to do some quick & fancy footwork to get around the turmoil and in-the-street chaos this will cause.
China (I know some will roll their eyes at another post by me about China)
I prepared this for another purpose but thought some here might find the information contained in it interesting:
China v US economic divergences
Steel Production:
China is 12.5x that of the US
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_steel_production
Copper Production:
China is 25x that of the US
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_copper_smelter_production
Aluminum Production:
China is 55x that of the US
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_aluminium_production
Titanium Production:
China is 500x that of the US
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/titanium-production-by-country
Concrete Production:
China is 23x that of the US
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/cement-production-by-country
Plastic Production (metal substitute for many manufactured products) (2023)
China 128.6 million tons US 59.0 million tons
China 2.2x that of the US
Electrical Production:
China 9418 billion kwh; US 4086 billion kwh (2024)
China is 2.3x that of the US
(renewables provided 17%+- of US electrical production in 2024)
(renewables provided 38% of China ’24 production -13% was hydro)
Physical Goods Production
Large Ocean Capable Ship production:
China 1794, US “5” (2022)
(the US has built a total of only 41 commercial large ships in the period of 2010- 2023)
China 358x that of the US
https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12534
Auto Production (2024)
China 31.3 million US 16 million
(China 12.9 million electrics US 1.3 million electrics)
(actually WORSE than above for US since many US auto parts are China sourced but virtually no Chinese parts are outsourced)
China 1.95x that of the US
IC Chips Production (2024)
China 16% of world IC wafer fabrication capacity, US 11% of world IC wafer fabrication
(large number of new Chinese plants coming on line, much faster than US is adding capacity)
China 1.45x that of the US
https://www.usitc.gov/publications/332/executive_briefings/ebot_recent_developments_in_global_semiconductor_industry.pdf
Cell Phone Production
China 286 million US < 250,000
(only Librem phones, the "Librem 5 USA" and "Liberty Phone" are US made today)
China 1144x that of the US
https://mobilityarena.com/smartphones-that-are-made-in-the-usa/
Small Computer Production
China 336.8 million US unknown, est 3 million (low numbers of specialty machines made in US)
China 112x than the US
China: https://www.ibisworld.com/china/industry/computer-manufacturing/647/
US: https://www.historytools.org/docs/laptop-and-pc-brands-manufactured-in-the-usa#google_vignette
Consumer Goods
A walk through any general goods retail store in the US will inform you that China produces MOST of the Consumer Goods purchased in the US. This also includes the vast majority of the low end industrial equipment that would be bought by individuals (table saws, drills, etc.). The US produces very few of those goods anymore. In some newer tech areas the Chinese have a virtual lock on the entire product line with NO US manufacturing (drones, solar panels /small size electrical controllers /LiFe batteries etc). Harbor Freight’s quality used to be a joke, now they are actually somewhat reputable though not yet at the level of the old Sears Craftsman Tools. As one moves up the scale into a higher quality level of those same products but used by businesses there are more American made products but even there much of what is available is now China sourced.
Aircraft Manufacturing
Our ONE remaining crown jewel of manufacturing:
China is just now starting to enter that field and at present only has one certified civilian jet passenger plane in production. In addition China does not yet have ANY modern jet engines that can be used for civilian passenger jets that are even close to production. The US clearly currently leads in this arena of CIVILIAN jet aircraft over China.
In the military arena China, via stolen IP, has mostly mastered the art of airframe construction but still lags on engine construction. How much they lag in the military jet engine field is unknowable but one must assume it is on the “materials” side (high tech metals) vs the design side since one must again assume that they stole the IP necessary for their engine design needs.
The US should generally retain it’s Civilian Commercial Jet lead over China for the next decade but during that time China will be designing and building newer and more capable aircraft than what the US (Boeing) can build. Boeing by sticking with an old early 1960’s design/certification for it’s newest short/medium haul aircraft, the 737max, will shortly have that aircraft outclassed by newer models that China will put in production before 2030.
Boeing clearly went for SHORT TERM profits over LONG TERM survivability of being a civilian aircraft building company when they chose the route of going for SHORT TERM profits a few years back …. which is also why at the same time they used politics to get 100% tariffs applied to the new technology Bombardier plane when that plane was certified since no Boeing plane could compete against it in the market place. Bombardier sold that plane with it’s new certification and all the tooling to Airbus which had a plant in the US and thus could avoid those punishing US 100% tariffs on what was to be the crown jewel of Canadian aircraft manufacturing – that is why Airbus has been outselling Boeing by a LOT in that shorter range /smaller capacity end of the market place even at it’s higher price point, dominating it in fact … it is the Bombardier plane that they are selling oodles of).
Just to note: … Boeing’s manufacturing of aircraft has been so bad at the factory level that one needs to also note that their 777 and 787 production lines were BOTH shut down for extended periods of time by the FAA. The 787 in particular had such bad build quality that up to ½ of the fleet of flying aircraft may have to be retired early due to structural defects, in their construction.
Transportation
Total Railroad Miles (both freight and passenger)
China 100,000 miles US 140,000 miles
(30% of China's rail miles are passenger only High Speed Rail leaving only 70,000 miles for freight /regular passenger service)
US 2x that of China for REGULAR speed freight/passenger rail
High Speed Passenger Rail Miles (defined as 200 kph or faster)
China 50,000 km (as of 2025) US 32 km (Acela only has 20 miles that qualifies)
(China is projecting 60,000 km by 2030)
China 1560x that of the US for HIGH SPEED passenger only rail
Highway miles:
China 3.2 million miles total; US 4.1 million miles total
US 1.3x that of China
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/worlds-largest-road-networks-2024-the-united-states-and-india-takes-top-spots/articleshow/114419565.cms
Expressway miles:
China 114,000 expressways miles (projected 250,000 miles by 2030) US 49,000 Interstate miles + 40,000 (est) non interstate expressway
China 1.3x that of the US (soon to be 2.8x)
China: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expressways_of_China#:~:text=Many%20of%20the%20major%20expressways,184%2C000%20kilometres%20(114%2C000%20mi
US: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_Highway_System
Special US Problem area
Electrical Transformers: (June 2024 information)
"In 2019, notably, (for the US) more than 80% of large power transformers (LPTs) were imported, according to the Commerce Department … . The distribution transformer market is relatively insulated from import competition, given shipping costs, labor access, and high customization needs." (ie: many distribution transformers, the small ones on power poles, are sourced domestically)
"…it is unlikely that we will see any reshoring or expansion of the domestic (transformer) manufacturing base absent incentives….”
"Lead times for large transformers, both substation power transformers and generator step-up (GSU) transformers, have surged to 120 to 210 weeks—or 2.3 to 4 years."
"GOES (steel) (the type needed for most transformers large and small) is a particular concern, given that prices have surged by more than 90% since January 2020. Meanwhile, the U.S. currently has only one domestic GOES supplier, AK Steel. Alternative options for distribution transformers could leverage amorphous core transformers, but domestic production for that also currently relies on one domestic supplier, Metglas. Amorphous steel distribution transformers are highly efficient, potentially reducing the amount of electricity lost by more than 70%, said Metglas President Rob Reed. “Amorphous steel has no crystalline structure and reduces hysteretic losses in the magnetization/demagnetization cycle."
https://www.powermag.com/the-transformer-crisis-an-industry-on-the-brink/
==============================================
China’s Strategic Problem Areas:
Food Production
China now can cover it’s basic food needs most years, an area the size of Maryland is now under Greenhouse cover,, but for a better diet for it’s population China imports a fair amount of food so as to increase the protein consumption of it’s population (both direct protein imports and feed stock for animals raised by it’s domestic ag industry)
Energy
In the electrical realm China is nearly energy independent, though coal continues to be imported from Australia. Unlike the US China has made a serious effort to electrify as much of it’s transportation as possible from trains to buses to personal vehicles. For transportation that isn’t electrified, heating, and industrial production it continues to import large amounts of oil and natural gas.
Good info – thanks !
China still has a tough job market;
‘China is now a country where a high-school handyman has a master’s degree in physics; a cleaner is qualified in environmental planning; a delivery driver studied philosophy, and a PhD graduate from the prestigious Tsinghua University ends up applying to work as an auxiliary police officer.’
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce8nlpy2n1lo
When will tRump get it? His tariffs just mean China shuffles products through other countries to avoid the tariffs:
‘So are China’s factories really closing?
Some are, especially smaller players in the low-end electronics segment. But for the rest, it is not shutdown. It is adaptation. They are rerouting, relocating, and revising how they build and ship products.’
https://titoma.com/blog/are-chinas-factories-closing-after-trumps-145-tariffs/
The tariff hit is real. But the response is not retreat. It is realignment.
nmn on ebay:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/316697538427?_skw=nmn&itmmeta=01JT1M95NPPKSMFBQD2Y4JQ1QC&hash=item49bca4ef7b:g:vDkAAOSwxMhoBxAD&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA4FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1fDj8ySZC%2FTXXo0Eb0tHA8wWC3%2FhesiBNEHykBhEkkh4MsYEC%2FXNFe%2FCe08ADnoD3E5sUoZQo9Y9QsULAl9GNvpDR2NMMWJ7%2FSQOBIY7tyXMpo%2BwqqBjZwJganmVxyAuHJp2Q04WtSBgDiA5u5Pk2LU1SlLboWnJbx9GS8D0s5eUbnPqSx%2FcXPP86QtqrF3HSK%2BQWeJwaXURJCzN%2Fg0mdIjBZzhaquwEAS%2BJi8xNJqHvTKi4OKsx%2BjGmYwVY8wBLKEShWit665Gfq3WPUDgxi1T%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR47bpLTQZQ
“Although, as a young reporter, I swear it was uttered when Slippery Dick said “I am not a crook,” on November 17, 1973. If you’re even older, 10-years before that, the Lyin Baines Johnson government was already manufacturing lies in earnest (and Julio) with the Gulf of Tonkin II “attack” reports of August 4, 1964.
AFAICT Nixon really was NOT a crook. He was an incredibly insecure man who was terminally pussy-whipped by Nelson Rockefeller. Nixon was not responsible for, nor did he get into trouble for the Watergate break-in. THAT was a CIA-engineered OP, which may have been designed to accomplish exactly what it accomplished. Nixon got popped for attempting to cover up what his flunkies did.
I much preferred LBJ’s “…Longest period of peacetime prosperity…” speech at the ’64 DNC, given after bumping the number of “advisors” in “VietNam” from 5000 to nearly 80,000.
“From the Ottawa midway we hear Canada will ‘never’ yield to Trump’s threats as Prime Minister Carney declares election victory.”
Except the victory by the Liberals will, unless Carney changes policy rather soonly and significantly, make it now possible for the United States to actually buy Canada (or at least participate in a bidding war with China, for ownership of the Great White Nort’…)
“What we do know is the melting pot concept is still alive, somewhere: Trump administration requires truck drivers to speak English.”
ALL U.S. CDL manuals require proficiency in both English speech and reading comprehension. This isn’t anything directed toward Canada. It is a common sense safety requirement. Every single State in CONUS has its own CDL manual with its own rules and regulations (which often differ significantly, from State to State.) Some (like the Virginia CDL manual) are nearly 2800 pages in length.
Thousands of transport & logistics companies (long-haul truckers) go tango-uniform every year. They are replaced by thousands of new transport & logistics companies, every year. A huge plurality of the companies formed over the past few years employ illegal aliens as drivers. THEY do not have a CDL, do not speak or read English, and are a serious danger to other drivers. The Teamsters and police unions have been raising bloody hell over these illegals for the past four years because they scab jobs for less money than legitimate American drivers (that includes Canadian and Mexican drivers) can afford to bid, drive unsafe equipment, sometimes in an unsafe manner, have no insurance, no responsibility, and oft-times know not, where they go nor where they’ve been.
“A Key Antioxidant For Longevity Is Fading From Our Food Supply”
https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/key-antioxidant-longevity-fading-our-food-supply
ERGOthioneine, a potent antioxidant made by fungi and soil microbes, is making waves in the world of nutrition.
Research shows ERGO is important for brain health. When animals are deprived of ERGO, it harms both brain cell growth and cognitive function. People with dementia also tend to have lower levels of ERGO in their blood compared with healthy people of the same age.
“Water-soluble vitamins (e.g., Vitamin C, B vitamins) are best taken in the morning with breakfast to support energy and metabolism throughout the day, as they’re quickly processed and not stored long-term.”
In my experience they work better when taken first thing in the morning with a glass of water. They tend to metabolize slightly better, and somewhat more slowly. I take real niacin and was surprised when I started this regimen, that I didn’t get a niacin flush. I don’t know if that’s from taking the water-solubles early, or it means I’ve finally cooked the marijuana and opioids out of my fatty tissue…
BTW, both Nutricost and Swanson have NMN on the rack and ready to sell.
“Conventional medicine is not leading in a lot of this stuff – though the research labs are doing great work.”
Conventional medicine neither learns, nor mentions this stuff. I believe there’s less than one physician in 500 who learns anything at all about herbs & supplements. My PCP thinks I’m crazy for eating handfuls of pills, when “all you need is a multivit…” This is why I value sites like Orthomolecular News and people like Bobby Kennedy — there simply aren’t many in Western culture.
I came across this earlier today. Canadian poll workers were taking boxes of ballots home with them for the weekend from a voting site. A guy got it on camera and also talked with one of the workers, who said they also did it in the previous election. – “that’s just how it’s done.” Can any Canadian readers verify if this is normal?
https://rumble.com/v6sp519-breaking-canadian-workers-bringing-boxes-of-unsealed-ballots-home-fraud.html?e9s=src_v1_upp
Nothing surprises me anymore. It appears that it is normal practice to move unsealed ballot boxes from advanced voting stations to personal homes and then to voting day polling stations. The boxes are said to contain voting materials except for actual ballots (completed or blank). The actual completed ballots are moved in a sealed ballot box to the election day polling booth. Not sure about the blank ballots.
As innocent as this may intended to be, it certainly smells. Why not move all materials directly to the election day polling station along with the sealed ballot boxes and place them in lockup under chain of custody? It is things like this that make us suspicious of the process whether or not it is criminal.
A note to Chris’s comment today about western Canada provinces separating. He is correct on the unfair treatment of Alberta and Saskatchewan for many years. A minority Liberal government with a separatist leaning party from Quebec as king maker is certainly going to be a challenge for Mr. Carney.
On the supplements dosing schedule.
-That stack is a lot of work for the kidneys and liver to process. Some of the items could be on a two, three or weekly schedule.
-Do you take a modest multi-vitamin like a Natures Made Multi-50+ (with no iron)?
-Why risk rapamycin when Calcium AKG is cheap and available?
-If you can figure out an excuse for rapamycin, then you ought to be able to figure out an excuse for Metformin instead of berberine. Berberine has a lot of interactions.
-Some anti-cancer but not necessarily optimized.
-Taurine?
-Microdose selenium (But not every day) with the CoQ10?
-Microdose fructoborate with the magnesium?
-I’d be afraid of beta cell damage with constant fisetin and apigenin supplementation.
-No vitamin C ? Life Extension Vitamin C and quercetin, and let a multi-vitamin handle the zinc. Zinc supplementation is tricky. I use a stiff dose of zinc bi-glycinate with bio- quercetin for viral infections but otherwise just rely on the multi.
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Like you I worry about liver and kidney toxicity by trying to process too many heavy dose chemicals. Both can be overwhelmed by being asked to do too much … just ask any long time alcoholic who is having problems with their’s … or ask someone who used too much Tylenol or a Naproxen over the years (killed the liver, and then life of a friend’s mother).
If there is a FOOD way to take in the necessary ingredients that is much better on your body than via a chemically heavy pill.
In addition, as noted above, I also would worry about the side affects that one type of supplement causes when another type of supplement is being consumed at the same time. Once one gets above about 3 “extra” imputs beyond a good vitamin I think it would be wise to start doing searches for the interactions of combining those different supplements.
Some is good … many are BAD … is my way of thinking on the issue. My grandparents on my mom’s side all lived into their 90’s withOUT taking any of those fancy supplements, but they did eat good basic foods that were mostly locally grown not the Frankenfoods that most consume today.