August 2, 2022

Taiwanese social media, Nancy Pelosi is depicted as the Taoist deity Wangmu Niangniang — the Queen Mother of the West.



Some background on the trip:
Zhang Jun, the Chinese ambassador to the United Nations, protested against Pelosi’s Taiwan visit, calling it “dangerous” and “provocative” and adding: “It will send a seriously wrong signal to Taiwan’s separatist elements.” He vowed that China would take “firm and forceful measures” to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity should Pelosi travel to Taiwan and said: “The US should shoulder all grave consequences.”...

While Presiden[t] Biden’s administration is understood to be opposed to the proposed trip, John Kirby, the White House National Security Council spokesman, said Pelosi “has the right to visit Taiwan”.... 
The US has no formal diplomatic relations with Taipei but is bound to provide the island with the means to defend itself should China invade.
And about Wangmu Niangniang:
In the system of Taoist fairy tales, Wangmu Niangniang (the Queen Mother of the West) is the supreme goddess in the heaven, and the wife of Yuhuang Dadi (the Jade Emperor).... [In the oldest stories] she was a bugbear with the tiger's teeth, panther's tail and could make terrible sounds. She lived in Kunlun Mountains, but in fact, she was a tribe's leader or totem in West China. At the end of the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD), she was brought into the system of fairy stories and gradually became a graceful goddess. In many later Chinese ancient works, she became the queen of the heaven, the goddess in charge of the happiness and the longevity of human beings. She is said to have elixir that can make people live forever and never grow old....

ADDED: What, exactly, is a bugbear? I understand the word to mean a source of anxiety or annoyance, and that's the first definition of the word in the OED, but it must also be some sort of creature. The word seems to function like "bogeyman." There's the common usage to refer to something that bothers us, but there's also an image of a mythological being or cryptid. 

In "Leviathan" (1651), Thomas Hobbes wrote of "Ghosts of men deceased, and a whole kingdome of Fayries, and Bugbears." And in Idler (1758), Samuel Johnson wrote, "To tell children of Bugbears and Goblings." Of course, we are speaking of an English word, and who knows what the Chinese were picturing when they thought of Wangmu Niangniang as looking like what someone these days is translating to "bugbear." 

If you do a Google image search for "bugbear," images of a Dungeons and Dragons character fill the page. I couldn't figure out how to clear the modern American detritus out of my way to see back to the ancient Chinese. 

88 comments:

Beasts of England said...

‘She is said to have elixir that can make people live forever and never grow old...’

Tito’s?

Dave Begley said...

“The US has no formal diplomatic relations with Taipei but is bound to provide the island with the means to defend itself should China invade.”

News to me.

jaydub said...

"Wangmu Niangniang (the Queen Mother of the West) is the supreme goddess in the heaven, and the wife of Yuhuang Dadi (the Jade Emperor).."


What BS. Nancy (the Queen Mother of the House) is the goddess of DC, and the wife of Paul (the Inside Trader.)

gilbar said...

She is said to have elixir that can make people live forever and never grow old....

is that elixir known as MONEY?

rhhardin said...

Live Stream tracking Pelosi's plane to Taiwan, by a Ukrainian blogger/pilot. Everything is an event.

Leland said...

We've gone from Nancy demanding the JSC not follow orders from the Commander and Chief without first going through the Speaker of the House to her being a god.

RideSpaceMountain said...

That description left out WangMu NiangNiang's abiding love of baijiu.

She loves her some WuXingErGuoTou, if you know what I mean.

Temujin said...

My eyes! Dear God, my eyes.
It's all fun and games, but I cannot unsee what has been seen.

Sure sounds to me like the Chinese have staked a final claim in Taiwan and want no one and nothing to enter it's sphere. It's like a variation on the Monolith in 2010:

All these worlds are ours, especially Taiwan. Attempt no landing there.
Ignore it together. Ignore it in peace.

Gusty Winds said...

This old woman is on her way out the door. Why poke another bear at this time? Do we want war in Europe and in Asia? A repeat of WWII. Except this time we don’t have the leadership or the culture to win.

Our Gov’t has already sold us out to the Chi-Coms for the last 30 years and enriched themselves. Especially the Bidens. Nancy is an old, evil, corrupt, ding bat. This is not a show of strength. This is stupid. But…she’ll get bipartisan support from war mongering GOP Neocons.

Trump is right. She is going to make things worse for Taiwan. Just like Hillary did for Syria and Libya. Just like Klobuchar, McCain, and Lindsey Graham did for Ukraine.

Gusty Winds said...

If Kamala Harris ever ascends to the Presidency because of Biden’s dementia, what is the over/under on how many days it will take for China to invade Taiwan.

Pelosi’s trip is “I triple dog dare ya to invade Taiwan”, so it could happen sooner.

Do Americans believe the Chinese are afraid of us and our inept Democrat controlled government? Do they believe the Chinese are afraid of Rainbow Flags and pussy hats?

wendybar said...

She's a mother"......" alright. She belongs in prison for insider trading.

TreeJoe said...

I'm not for or against this trip and don't have the requisite backdrop here to make informed commentary...

All I can say is someone, somewhere should attempt informed journalism as to why our 3rd-in-line is traveling to the Capitol of a disputed country while being explicitly threatened to be shot down out of the sky by the nation with the largest standing army on earth - a frenemy nation at best and an outright enemy at worst.

What exactly does this trip achieve? What is it's purpose? Since when do congress-folk, even the most senior, perform foreign diplomancy against the explicit wishes of the white house (Yes, I know others have done this before, but again - why).

I could go on, but this trip just feels seriously ill-defined.

Gusty Winds said...

Here’s a link to a cool picture of the Taiwanese Flag in case you’re a liberal and want to put it in your social media profile. Standing with Ukraine is so yesterday.

Howard said...

I was told you people supported aggressive thumb nosing of tyrannical regimes like the XiComs. One would think you would be applauding Nancy for her defiance in the face of grave threats from a cornered paper tiger.

Your radical Anti-Americanism is showing once again.

tim maguire said...

Dave Begley said...
“The US has no formal diplomatic relations with Taipei but is bound to provide the island with the means to defend itself should China invade.”

News to me.


My understanding of US policy on Taiwan is that we support the status quo and will oppose whoever changes it--if China invades Taiwan unprovoked, we support Taiwan. If Taiwan provokes China, they are on their own.

Enigma said...

Where are the screams of "cultural appropriation"? Justin Trudeau dressed as an Indian and in Black/Brownface comes to mind.

farmgirl said...

Theater.

Christopher B said...

So is this horror a photoshop or did she play dress up like when she and the rest of her geriatric crew knelt in honor of Saint Floyd while wearing fake African garb?

farmgirl said...

She’s such a “good” Catholic.
We are not supposed to worship false idols, much less become one.

Gusty Winds said...

Is the Taoist deity Wangmu Niangniang also the Goddess of getting your country invaded?

Bob Boyd said...

A bugbear is a large bear the size of a really, really small bear.

Bob Boyd said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Gusty Winds said...

Daily Mail Headline

Chinese TANKS flood beaches opposite Taiwan as Beijing warns America will 'pay the price' for Pelosi's Taipei visit: Four US warships lie off island's east coast and flight tracking website goes DOWN as 300,000 people chart Nancy's journey

• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi set to arrive in Taipei on Tuesday evening at 10:20 p.m., sources said
• China warned the US will 'pay the price for undermining China's sovereign security interests' with visit
• Chilling footage appears to show Chinese amphibious tanks on the coast of Fujian along the Taiwan Strait
• Beijing's warplanes have been flying very close to the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday in a 'provocative' move
• Four US warships, including the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, are positioned in waters east of Taiwan

Jeff Gee said...

Nancy's got a kind of tiny-fairy-princess-from-"Mothra" vibe going in this picture.

rehajm said...

is that elixir known as MONEY?

I think its called BOTOX

rehajm said...

“The US has no formal diplomatic relations with Taipei but is bound to provide the island with the means to defend itself should China invade.”

This statement so casually placed at the end of a paragraph means the US intends to start World War Three…

Iman said...

Teh Empress with teh Laughing Eyes will soon be collecting her celestial rewards.

Kai Akker said...

---Do Americans believe the Chinese are afraid of us and our inept Democrat controlled government?

I don't know, but it may not matter. The Chinese government is in the midst of the implosion of CFF and now is the time for the U.S. to let that happen with as little role for us as possible. Communist Fantasy Financing has reached the very late stage of debt defaults and a mortgage payment strike. It will be hard for Xi et al to find a way back from the collapse of all those cards. Xi himself is already teetering, according to some reports on growing opposition.

Sebastian said...

Can't the Taiwanese just keep her?

We could pretend she'll be the trip wire for a Chinese invasion. Don't hurt our Nancy, or else (wink, wink).

Sebastian said...

Nancy aside, it is unbelievably stupid and irresponsible for the world to allow the biggest and best chip maker to be located in Taiwan.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

John Kirby - throws Taiwan under the bus.

The democrats are Chinese communist money whores and war mongers.

Howard said...

At least she isn't playing golf with the perpetrators of 911.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

while Team Biden throw Taiwan to the wolves - insider crook Nancy poses for a photo op.

The Chinese Communists(D) were never going to take her plane out. Another cooked up lie.

Scotty, beam me up... said...

@7:22 am Temujin said...
Sure sounds to me like the Chinese have staked a final claim in Taiwan and want no one and nothing to enter it's sphere.
*************************************************
China is already staking final claims as well outward from their shore in other locations in the South China Sea that are also historically claimed by Japan, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Hell, they even created their own “islands” (which are 100% military bases only) on reefs barely poking above the ocean to lay claim to the area to dominate and control shipping trade routes.

The Chinese don’t recognize international law when it suits them and when international law does suit them, tries to enforce it with all of their might. The US and the rest of the world not under China’s sway or control needs to recognize the Chinese are playing hardball while we are playing badminton. Unfortunately, we don’t seem to be all in with countering China’s game.

Danno said...

Blogger Beasts of England said...‘She is said to have elixir that can make people live forever and never grow old...’

Tito’s?

Nah, strictly Botox. If the Chicoms shoot her down, they would have the world's largest contamination/brownfields site. Though I would cheer and declare victory. The wicked witch would be dead!

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

American Corruptocrats long for the kind of power Chinese Communists have.

Humperdink said...

I trust Madame Vodka understands the meaning of "saving face" to the oriental culture.

As an aside, glad to Howard trot out "you people" once again.

West TX Intermediate Crude said...

It's all a show.
Most of the big shots in DC are on the CCP payroll, and the CCP depends on Americans continuing to buy their manufactured goods, so nobody is going to do anything that upsets that cart. Xi has to talk tough to stay in power and distract the Chinese people, but he has no intention of going kinetic.

The only way it comes crashing down is if someone does something incredibly stupid.
I could see the combo of Pelosi and Biden accomplishing that.
Then we're in Archduke Ferdinand territory, with nukes.

Japan, VietNam, Philippines, and the rest of the SE Asian countries have to learn to live with Chinese local hegemony the way the rest of the Western Hemisphere has to live with American dominance.
Not always fun, but better than the alternative.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

FAcebook pimps for Biden like a good Chinese Communist Putin.

rcocean said...

1. The USA has recognized that Taiwan ia part of China. (see one China policy)
2. The USA supports the merging of Taiwan into China by peaceful means.

IOW, our only objection to a China takeover of Tawian is the use of force. That's not much of a reason to start WW III. Further, we're in NO position to go to war with China. Due to "Free Trade", our economy will collapse without Chinese manufactured goods and the Chinese buying our debt.

People love to TALK TOUGH. In any case, China' navy is getting stronger and stronger, and soon we won't be able to stop China from using force anytime they wish.

Why Pelosi is conducting Foreign policy is anyone's guess. Is she going to give tawian $40 billion like she did Ukraine?

Oh Yea said...

Blogger rhhardin said...
Live Stream tracking Pelosi's plane to Taiwan, by a Ukrainian blogger/pilot. Everything is an event.

The Flightradar24.com website is being crushed

Kate said...

Help me, I can see the fake votive candle now. Give her some Frida Kahlo eyebrows and you've got a two-fer.

Joe Smith said...

To be the 'Mother of the West,' one must have very big tits.

Check!

Ice Nine said...

The bird is hard down at Taipei airport. Nary a Chinese plane near the island. Much ado about nothing. Now the PRC commences its whining offensive.

Jersey Fled said...

"2. The USA supports the merging of Taiwan into China by peaceful means."

We all see how well that went with Hong Kong

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Team Biden throws Taiwan to the Chinese Communists.

Pelosi gives the American Media cover and lies.

Leland said...

I was surprised to read the US State Department explanation that "The 1979 U.S.-P.R.C. Joint Communique switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing. In the Joint Communique, the U.S. recognized the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, acknowledging the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China."

I read awhile back, but it is still surprising. So today, our number 3 in the US Government is in China visiting with separatist against the expressed wishes of the sole legal government of China. Yesterday, our President announced we killed Al Qaeda's number 2 in Afghanistan, a country that our President declared one year ago that we ceased being at war. Some, not the President, suggest the actions of a few days ago are no different when then President Trump took out Iran's number 2, while Soleimani was visiting with combatants in Iraq. This just makes me wonder messages the US is sending China and the world, or more appropriately what messages do they think and are intending to send versus what message appears at face value?

MadisonMan said...

My assumption is she can make money with this flight. Or her husband or kids can. That's the Pelosi way.

Jersey Fled said...

Ukraine blogger/pilot noted U.S. scrambled fighter jets from Japan just prior to her landing.

Greg The Class Traitor said...

Gusty Winds said...
Do Americans believe the Chinese are afraid of us and our inept Democrat controlled government? Do they believe the Chinese are afraid of Rainbow Flags and pussy hats?

No.

But if they're sane they're afraid of US Navy submarines

A large proportion of China's raw materials, and a significant part of their food, comes to China by ship.

Almost all their exports go out by ship.

How many large ships going to China would need to be sunk by US Navy torpedoes, or for that matter Taiwan Navy torpedoes / missiles, before all the big ships stopped coming?

How long after that before the CCP dies in a bloody revolution?

A country whose existence depends on seaborne traffic can't go to war unless it has a strong enough Navy to protect all the merchant ships it needs. China does not have anything near that Navy

Ice Nine said...

Looks to me like China led with its chin here and let it get smacked by an 83 y/o woman. Kinda stupid, no?

Greg The Class Traitor said...

rcocean said...
1. The USA has recognized that Taiwan ia part of China. (see one China policy)
2. The USA supports the merging of Taiwan into China by peaceful means.

IOW, our only objection to a China takeover of Tawian is the use of force. That's not much of a reason to start WW III.


Wow, you are pathetic.

The US has adopted the diplomatic fiction that Taiwan ia part of China. However, Taiwan will never join China "peaceful", and the US is on record opposing any other joining.

Which means as a practical matter the US does not consider Taiwan to be part of China, and does not accept that the CCP has any right to tell anyone what to do about or with Taiwan.

And "we will protect you from military attack" is solid justification for engaging in whatever violence is necessary to stop any military attacks.

US losing China trade would make our recession much worse.

China losing its international trade would be the end of the CCP. By "the end of" I mean "any who dont' escape the country will be dead, along with their entire families".

Even better, US losing China trade would bankrupt and harm the globalists most of all, and reward those who took the hint from President Trump and tried to disentangle themselves from China.

ProTip: sometimes the people you hate will do the right thing. We rightly mock all the NeverTrump "conservatives" who ditched every position they'd previously taken, once Trump actually accomplished what they claimed they wanted.

Pelosi did the right thing. She almost certainly did it for the wrong reasons, but I dont' care. She did the right thing, and so I will celebrate that fact.

Because I'ma person, with positions, not an NPC with marching orders and nothing but hate targets.

Greg The Class Traitor said...

Ice Nine said...
The bird is hard down at Taipei airport. Nary a Chinese plane near the island. Much ado about nothing. Now the PRC commences its whining offensive.

Awesome!
No WWIII, CCP looks bad and ineffective, Biden is established as having fewer balls than Pelosi.

Lot's of wins here

walter said...

The "Spaz" has landed. Remember her antics at Trump's SOTU?
Maybe she's seeking some Yaojiu.
Medicinal!

tim in vermont said...

It’s kind of funny that Top Gun included a Taiwan flag patch. It’s almost as if needling China has become elite policy.

Michael K said...

I wonder why the crazies running Biden keep trying to start a war? Maybe to kill off humanity faster? I keep thinking of Tom Clancy's novel, "Rainbow Six."

Gusty Winds said...

tim maguire said...

My understanding of US policy on Taiwan is that we support the status quo and will oppose whoever changes it--if China invades Taiwan unprovoked, we support Taiwan. If Taiwan provokes China, they are on their own.

What happens if the USA provokes China over Taiwan? Then what? Another Ukraine?

Gospace said...

Try #2...
So liberals have been fighting for Tibet independence sine, well, forever. Tibet has been part of China since the 1300s- or since it was forcibly taken over by the Chicoms in the 1950-1959 timeframe. Depends on which source you go to.

According to the 1911 edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica, Taiwan didn't become part of China until the 1600s. And in 1895 China ceded control of Taiwan to Japan. The Japanese surrender in WWII returned Taiwan to China. (Note from me- the Taiwanese weren't given a choice in the matter)

So what happened since 1945? Well from 1945-1949 the Chicoms fought a civil war and took over the mainland- and the Chinese government, the RECOGNIZED legitimate Chinese government, fled the mainland and set up shop on Taiwan. The Taiwanese weren't real happy about it, but they didn't have a choice, again.

So basically from 1949 on Taiwan has been run independently, separately from China, but we're all supposed to go with this fiction that they're really one country, indivisible, that must be reunited. Meanwhile, what else has happened in the world since 1949?

Well, Germany. Two separate countries, recognized by the world as two SEPARATE countries. Until East Germany collapsed, and suddenly, there's one Germany. Czechoslovakia was one country, and in 1993, became two. Try finding Yugoslavia on a map today- I'm not even sure how many political entities sprang up from that one independent country.

But yet- Taiwan, running along independently from any mainland control since 1949- must be recognized by the international community as an integral part of China, and someday, somehow, it must be integrated with them.

Why? Why must an independent Taiwan be foresworn? Why must they be the only territory on Earth the international community as a whole refuses to recognize? There seems to seems to be more international recognition of a fictional Palestine then there is of a real live Taiwan.

Now, is Taiwan worth us getting into a war over? Who is the largest chip manufacturer in the world? The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). From the article I'm looking at- As of December 2021, TSMC provided 54 percent of the world’s semiconductor chips. TSMC supplies chips to companies such as Intel and Apple so, it’s no wonder it’s one of the largest chip manufacturers in the world Taiwan manufactures cheap carbon brushes for electric motors. A significant part of the world supply. You may think "So what?" but, the world literally runs on carbon brushes.

Peking's goal is to somehow get all those manufacturing facilities intact, along with all the workers. Our goal in even of the invasion of Taiwan should be to ensure that every manufacturing plant in Taiwan is flattened. And we definitely should not be encouraging a peaceful integration of Taiwan into Communist China. Surrendering a major supplier of defense related manufacturing ability to an enemy is never a good idea. Yes, our defense manufacturers get supplies from Taiwan.

Two realities. The Chicoms could rain destruction down upon Taiwan, destroying their industrial base. But they want that industrial base intact. The Chicoms cannot launch a successful invasion of Taiwan unless we let them. And even then, they may not be able to.

Michael K said...

Blogger Howard said...

I was told you people supported aggressive thumb nosing of tyrannical regimes like the XiComs. One would think you would be applauding Nancy for her defiance in the face of grave threats from a cornered paper tiger.

Your radical Anti-Americanism is showing once again.


Howard keeps getting his parties mixed up. Who pushed to start the Russian Ukraine War ? Since Biden and most Democrats are bought and paid for by China (along with half the Republicans) this has all the trappings of an empty gesture. Probably a head fake as we surrender Taiwan.

Maynard said...

At least she isn't playing golf with the perpetrators of 911.

Tucker Carlson and Dustin Johnson organized 9/11?

Howard sounds more like Eric Swalwell every day.

Narr said...

Maybe she'll catch something and need to be quarantined for a few years. Hey, a guy can hope.

PM said...

Nice timing to have just performed a drone hit on Ayman al-Zawahri.

Lurker21 said...

If China wants Taiwan, it needs to subvert the island from within. But I thought the same thing about Russia and Ukraine.

Narr said...

Taiwan was only settled by ethnic Chinese after the Spanish (Habsburgs) and then the Dutch took over and needed labor for growing sugar. The Spanish fort (San Domingo) built in the 1620s is the first stone building known there, according to Rady (p. 140 of The Habsburgs).

I still see Taiwan as something like Asia's Switzerland. They are such a key component of the modern world economy--especially the PRC and USA--that any destruction of the place is almost unthinkable to rational leaders. They have made themselves indispensable. Clever people, the Chinese.

Whether we have rational leaders remains to be seen.

Michael McNeil said...

What the Chinese fear in launching a Taiwanese invasion is disastrous failure — which is not unlikely. People look at the relative sizes of China vs. Taiwan and wonder how could China fail? But folks thought the same thing about the U.S. vs. (North) Vietnam or North Korea — and look how those wars turned out. Plus, unlike those other nations, Taiwan is defended (as Britain was during WWII and on many another occasion) by a formidable (>100 miles in the case of Taiwan) moat. Then, too, even once across that strait the island of Taiwan is quite mountainous, containing much daunting geography from the point of view of an invading army.

Added to the question's difficulties are the capabilities of modern Western weapons now being demonstrated in Ukraine, such as HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems) launchers, capable of firing 6 or 12 GMLRS (Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System) “rounds” — missiles guided by GPS with a range of more than 50 miles — at a time. (Here's a video showing how unguided versions of such missiles (a Syrian MLRS firing on Daesh) can trash a target.) Guided rockets are much more devastating yet. Beyond that, the Chinese Army hasn't fought a capable opponent in decades. How good is it? Nobody — certainly not Xi — knows for certain.

Here's an interesting piece by Francis Turner about some of the difficulties an invading Chinese army would encounter trying to conquer Taiwan.

Rabel said...

Jeeze.

You'd think she was airdropping into Berlin in '44.

hombre said...

Sure. There's no reason why this pompous old bat shouldn't risk triggering the CCP to gain a photo op.

Its the Democrat Way. All is politics!

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

BTW - If Nancy is there to support Taiwan - and it isn't a gimmick - good on her.

I don't trust the fame playing left at all. Find it odd that John Kirby - a member of Biden's cabinet - just threw Taiwan to the wolves.

Howard said...

With the exception of Greg the class trader you people root for the Democrats to fail more than for the United States to prevail. That's further evidence that January 6th was actually an attempted coup led by your lord and savior Donald J Trump.

Fortunately you people only represent about 10% of the population. That's a lot of rope

Not Sure said...

Pelosi loves the Logan Act the way Ike loved Tina.

Cassandra said...


Was this the face that launched a thousand ships,
and burnt the topless towers of Taipei?

Jim at said...

Is it possible for someone - anyone - to ask why she's going to Asia in the first place?

effinayright said...

She's the female version of Pu Yi.

Earnest Prole said...

Say what you want about Nancy Pelosi: The chick’s got balls.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Howard - your logic follows the stream of pot smoke that blows out your pattootie.

Jim at said...

At least she isn't playing golf with the perpetrators of 911.

At least she didn't kiss the asses of the perpetrators of 9/11 and beg for more oil.

Rt41Rebel said...

A lot of wars start by accident. With both Chinese and American assets operating aggressively in the region, all it takes is for someone's jet to get a little to close to someone else's warship.

Michael K said...

That's further evidence that January 6th was actually an attempted coup led by your lord and savior Donald J Trump.

Fortunately you people only represent about 10% of the population. That's a lot of rope


Once again, Howard mixes up his parties. You are one of the "clerisy class" who longs to be seen as an elite. It makes you feel special to write about "you people are only 10% of the population." That may well be true of Mass. but who would want it ?

"
“Virtually no idea is too ridiculous to be accepted, even by very intelligent and highly educated people, if it provides a way for them to feel special and important. Some confuse that feeling with idealism.”
― Thomas Sowell "

That's you, Howard.

TheOne Who Is Not Obeyed said...

"... you people root for the Democrats to fail more than for the United States to prevail."

To root for the Dems to fail is to root for the US to prevail.

It's a very easy rule: Observe the Dems and do the opposite. 95% of the time you will have chosen the correct, moral, and wise course.

cubanbob said...

I can't stand Nancy Pelosi. However the idea of a foreign government threatening to kill the Speaker of The House is completely non-acceptable. What Pelosi's motive was in going to Taiwan I don't know but if she quietly gets the Taiwanese to purchase one thousand HIMARS with more than a sufficient load of the 300 kilometer missiles and a sufficient quantity of anti-ship missiles and air defense missiles China is going to invade Taiwan in XI's next lifetime. Most of China's military tech is largely ripped off Soviet/Russian tech and right now that isn't doing to well against NATO supplied equipment, a point that I'm pretty confident has been noted by the Chinese military. Unless the Taiwanese roll over invading Taiwan is a bigger operation that the Normandy invasion.

Notwithstanding whatever the Chinese Politburo may think, a country that has adopted a one child policy isn't going to incur a lot of casualties for a non-existential war.

RB Glennie said...

I must tell, I love your blog, there is usually something interesting every day. You are continuing an early-21st century tradition that most other bloggers have now abandoned... But it I'm going to also state that it bugs the crap out of me when you write The London Times. It is The Times of London. In fact, it is only quote unquote The Times, and is not identified officially with a particular city. But it is usually called the Times of London to differentiate it from another Times. It makes you seem very parochial when you say The London Times. That's my two cents on this, and I'm sure you give less than a cent.

Tom said...

She’s not Helen of Troy - we should not go to war over her.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Or - as soon as Pelosi leaves - China moves in with war.

Wow - biden is the unstable weak war president.

Mikey NTH said...

Good for her. China does not get to dictate our foreign policy or where our government officials may go.

Mikey NTH said...

Greg the Class Traitor:

I agree.

Greg The Class Traitor said...

cubanbob said...
Notwithstanding whatever the Chinese Politburo may think, a country that has adopted a one child policy isn't going to incur a lot of casualties for a non-existential war.

This. 1000x this.

Male children in China are often referred to as "little emperors", because they have their parents, and both sets of grandparents, doting on them.

For every Chinese soldier who dies, China has 6 adults totally pissed off at them, with nothing to lose, because their future is now dead.

If the rulers of China ever start a bloody war, they will quickly stop being the rulers of China

Clyde said...

That picture of Pelosi has to be at least 20 years old, maybe 30. She's a lot more wrinkly now.

Bilwick said...

Little known sidebar of Taiwanese mythology: Wangmu's mate gets drunk out of his mind and crashes his chariot, almost killing some farmers. Wangmu uses her influence with the other gods to cover it up.