Althouse: Sunrise

January 5, 2026

Sunrise — 7:23.

Write about whatever you like in the comments.

93 comments:

Beasts of England said...: It was 63° here today. Not bragging or anything… :); 1/5/26, 7:09 PM
Kakistocracy said...: Trump says the U.S. government may reimburse oil companies for rebuilding Venezuela's infrastructure ~ NBC News

It will be almost impossible to upgrade an infrastructure of well heads, pipelines and terminals if there are motivated militias in country who are determined to prevent this happening. An example of the scale of the problem is to look at what happens in Nigeria. If groups of people in Venezuela wish to frustrate Trump the easy answer is to close down the whole operation by sabotage.

This whole operation by the Trump administration looks as if it hasn't been risk assessed, has no real strategy and most important no coherent plan.This whole operation looks like the rest of Trump's peace plans, it's going absolutely nowhere, the difference this time is that Americans are directly involved.; 1/5/26, 7:12 PM
Original Mike said...: "It was 63° here today. Not bragging or anything… :)"

It was 66 in our house.; 1/5/26, 7:13 PM
rehajm said...: I drove to Jacksonville where it was 70 degrees and I was stopped a couple times by strangers asking if I had playoff tickets to spare. I do not…; 1/5/26, 7:17 PM
gadfly said...: During the Gulf War, Iraqi forces sabotaged between 605 to 732 oil wells in Kuwait as they retreated, setting them on fire to create smoke screens and hinder coalition forces. This act resulted in the worst oil-field disaster in history, with millions of barrels of oil burning daily and significant environmental damage.

Oil Fires: At the peak, 3 to 6 million barrels of oil burned daily, creating thick smoke that affected air quality in Kuwait and neighboring countries.

Oil Spill: An estimated 6 to 8 million barrels of oil were spilled into the Persian Gulf, leading to extensive ecological damage.; 1/5/26, 7:19 PM
Original Mike said...: "It will be almost impossible to upgrade an infrastructure of well heads, pipelines and terminals if there are motivated militias in country who are determined to prevent this happening."

In that case, Venezuela remains a shithole country.; 1/5/26, 7:28 PM
Dr Weevil said...: gadfly seems to get his number for the Kuwaiti oil-well fires from Wikipedia. Why doesn't he quote the rest of the story, that 75-year-old 'Red' Adair and other men worked round the clock and put every one of those fires out in just seven months? It seems pertinent.; 1/5/26, 7:29 PM
narciso said...: Only so much fits on the cue card; 1/5/26, 7:32 PM
Bill, Republic of Texas said...: I wonder what it must be like to be a liberal nowadays. I was thinking about this with Walz withdrawing today.

A liberal knew that there were big fraud trials going on on in MN for awhile. They were told that Walz was a popular governor and was running for an unprecedented third term and he was talked about as a potential 2028 presidential candidate Then they heard some MAGA YouTuber was wrongly accusing some Somali daycare centers of fraud.

Today they wake up and read that Walz is withdrawing from the governor race because he can’t win with all the fraud allegations.

Do they wonder why they were taken by surprise? Do they question their news sources?

This gets repeated time and again.

Trump can’t win 2016
The walls are closing in
The 2020 elections were perfect
Biden is a super agent
Kamala will win

Etc, etc.; 1/5/26, 7:36 PM
Achilles said...: Kakistocracy said...

It will be almost impossible to upgrade an infrastructure of well heads, pipelines and terminals if there are motivated militias in country who are determined to prevent this happening. An example of the scale of the problem is to look at what happens in Nigeria. If groups of people in Venezuela wish to frustrate Trump the easy answer is to close down the whole operation by sabotage.

Please send as many democrats as possible to sabotage the effort.

Also I look forward to the people who are paying for the protests against the US to pay for people to go get shot while sabotaging oil wells.; 1/5/26, 7:39 PM
FormerLawClerk said...: This whole operation by the Trump administration looks as if it hasn't been risk assessed.

Kak has retreated pretty far from his original position, which was that Trump is violating international law and the invasion and kidnapping of Maduro is a crime.

He's now arguing about the logistics and whether they've been risk assessed.

What's next Kak ... complaining that Trump hasn't done the proper environmental studies?

You know who needs a lesson in risk assessment, Kak?

Venezuelan small boat captains. That's who. Maybe address your concerns about risk to them.; 1/5/26, 7:43 PM
narciso said...: You have to halucinate a lot, to be a Prog

I dont discount dead ender regime elements trying to prevent infrastructure development sebim colectivos black wasps
Cuban soecial forces even hezbollah; 1/5/26, 7:44 PM
Jim at said...: Lost in all the hubbub over the weekend was the news (former) Judge Hannan Dugan resigned on Saturday.

Not sure if she'll spend any time in jail, but disbarment should be added to her list of accomplishments.; 1/5/26, 7:45 PM
Jaq said...: If it succeeds, I'm for it, if it blows up in our faces, I'm against it. Since all we are allowed to hear about anything is lies from all sides, well, I think that that is the only defensible position.; 1/5/26, 7:45 PM
buwaya said...: Iraqi petroleum production and exports very rapidly recovered and expanded post-2003. The big picture is more important than what proved to be isolated incidents.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum_industry_in_Iraq; 1/5/26, 7:46 PM
narciso said...: Sebin is their secret police colectivos are the death squads; 1/5/26, 7:46 PM
Jaq said...: If anybody is sabotaging the well heads, it's probably Canadians, since they are the other party in the market with heavy crude that can get to US refineries at a reasonable cost.; 1/5/26, 7:48 PM
Kakistocracy said...: So now the U.S. oil giants qualify for government subsidies in Trump's new socialism for the rich?

Trump energy policy: Sabotage wind and solar projects worth billions and send tax dollars to oil companies. This is at a time when the companies themselves are cutting their CAPEX in view of surplus oil and waning demand as the world turns to non-fossil sources.

Why did Trump invade? Venezuela is a minor player in the drug trade, and its heavy crude is of marginal interest. Perhaps the real answer lies in rising inflation, cuts in health care, etc -- a shambolic administration that is facing elections this fall. Deflect, distract and ramp up the Trump Show?; 1/5/26, 7:49 PM
narciso said...: We know how the first sproutings of al queda appeared in somalia; 1/5/26, 7:52 PM
buwaya said...: Iraq may be a case of "all's well that ends well". It seems to be vastly better off now, in spite of all the violence at the time.
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD?locations=IQ; 1/5/26, 7:54 PM
FormerLawClerk said...: "Why did Trump invade? Venezuela is a minor player in the drug trade ..."

Yes, but they were big talkers. Punk ass bitches, as it were.

Also, we're not "invading" Venezuela. We're just stealing their oil. We don't want the whole country.

Just the oil.

Which we're gonna take.

Because we can.

Bitch.; 1/5/26, 7:55 PM
Jaq said...: Yeah, wind and solar, that's the ticket. Wind and solar are basically farms for skimming our tax dollars.

If you park your car on the street in a big city, how are you going to charge it? What if it is a big cold weather city, like Chicago, when your range drops with the temp, and it gets too cold, and if its parked outside on the street, it won't start at all.

You know all this Kak, you are just gaslighting.; 1/5/26, 7:58 PM
Jaq said...: Kak is still looking for that pony in the pile of Epstein horseshit he has trundled to his house by the cartload every day, for his delectation, I guess.; 1/5/26, 8:00 PM
Achilles said...: FormerLawClerk said...

"Why did Trump invade? Venezuela is a minor player in the drug trade ..."

Yes, but they were big talkers. Punk ass bitches, as it were.

Also, we're not "invading" Venezuela. We're just stealing their oil. We don't want the whole country.

Just the oil.

The Rare Earths too. Venezuela has things that can help us break the Chinese strangle hold on battery and conductor production.; 1/5/26, 8:01 PM
Jaq said...: Is AI going to run on wind and solar?; 1/5/26, 8:01 PM
FullMoon said...: So, I get an offer on my Prime acct. $250.00 credit if I get a Chase credit card. Naturally, the credit card gives a percentage back on most purchases.
So, after investigation, I take the offer. No big deal, thousands of others have done it.

But, here’s the good part, I already have a percentage back visa card, so my intent is to pay the Chase with the Visa, thus gaining percentage in both directions.

Of course, I will pay the visa with the chase, so, in effect, I never actually pay anything, the charges just keep circling around and round. And, I get percentage back every time a make a “payment”.

Learned it from my Somali neighbor.; 1/5/26, 8:03 PM
narciso said...: Pedal power like the flintstones; 1/5/26, 8:03 PM
Achilles said...: Kakistocracy said...

So now the U.S. oil giants qualify for government subsidies in Trump's new socialism for the rich?

Are you referring to depreciation and expenses as tax subsidies? This is the usual move for you retards.

The US government has made wildly more money in "profits" by taxing gasoline than the oil companies made in profit.; 1/5/26, 8:03 PM
Kakistocracy said...: Just took 2 days to feel the backlash from big oil saying: we absolutely aren't investing billions in Venezuela.; 1/5/26, 8:04 PM
buwaya said...: At one time Venezuela produced 7-10% of global petroleum.
That is a vast amount.
The potential is still there, given the availability of capital.
That capital depends on a reform of the Venezuelan government. How or to what, TBD, but now it is at least possible.
Its also, obviously, a huge strategic factor, potentially.
It limits OPEC production constraints to maintain prices and of course it absolutely breaks OPEC.; 1/5/26, 8:04 PM
Achilles said...: Jaq said...

Is AI going to run on wind and solar?

Thorium and Uranium.; 1/5/26, 8:04 PM
Achilles said...: buwaya said...

At one time Venezuela produced 7-10% of global petroleum.
That is a vast amount.
The potential is still there, given the availability of capital.
That capital depends on a reform of the Venezuelan government. How or to what, TBD, but now it is at least possible.

There will have to be some sort of US guarantee of stability.

But on that point there needs to be a reasonable expectation that Democrats never again seize power because if they do they will over throw whatever government Venezuela elects.; 1/5/26, 8:08 PM
narciso said...: They should have something like oil depletion allowance thar was a thing till the 70s; 1/5/26, 8:13 PM
gadfly said...: As Venezuela’s deposed president faces his first Brooklyn court date on drug trafficking charges, back in Caracas, Nicolas Maduro’s regime remains intact. We’ll ask how a US president who promised no more forever wars will deal with an entrenched system whose local militias have their fingers in drug trafficking, gold, and yes… oil.

Donald Trump has talked up oil, while the word democracy has yet to pass his lips since Saturday’s raid. Why sideline Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado and the civilian opposition whose election win was stolen? Will he ultimately try to install a US-style occupation authority? Or simply do business with those currently running Venezuela.

A Venezuela that’s broken after years of sanctions and mismanagement, but whose institutions and cohesion differ vastly from Iraq, Afghanistan, and other failed US regime change playgrounds. How will Washington’s new age of imperialism mesh with a Venezuela that’s about to enter a whole new era?

Sadly, Donald Trump is installing his version of “Yanqui imperialism.” Ka-ching!; 1/5/26, 8:13 PM
buwaya said...: It took 25 years for the Chavista/socialist stupidity to kill the Venezuelan golden goose, through lack of capitalization. It all went back to the 1980s-90s low oil prices (20/bbl), that could not maintain the Venezuelan welfare state.
Chavez was lucky a couple of times when prices recovered, but he died before his business strategy collapsed.Leaving it to that sad sack Maduro.
It was that collapse of production that drove the regime to alternative businesses, like drugs and corrupting their neighbors politics (Colombia).; 1/5/26, 8:15 PM
Kakistocracy said...: Venezuelan government launches wave of repression after ousting of Nicolás Maduro ~ FT

I thought the US ran Venezuela now?; 1/5/26, 8:17 PM
Beasts of England said...: ’It was 66 in our house.’

Ha!!; 1/5/26, 8:17 PM
narciso said...: They need to learn the hard way; 1/5/26, 8:21 PM
Beasts of England said...: ’Perhaps the real answer lies in rising inflation…’

The annual inflation rate in the United States eased to 2.7% for the 12 months ending November, down from 3.0% previously reported.; 1/5/26, 8:23 PM
Kakistocracy said...: This can't be true—Trump said tariffs would pay for everything, with plenty left over to send us all $2,000 checks.

US federal debt is up to a record $38.5 trillion in 2025.

The national debt officially surged +$2.3 trillion last year, equal to +$6.3 BILLION per day.

At this pace, total US debt will rise to $40.0 trillion as early as August.

Since 2020, US debt has skyrocketed by +$15.3 trillion, posting a +$2.6 trillion average annual increase.

This means US federal debt now stands at $285,733 per household.

The US debt crisis is accelerating.~ the Kobeissi Letter; 1/5/26, 8:27 PM
James K said...: Why sideline Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado and the civilian opposition whose election win was stolen? Will he ultimately try to install a US-style occupation authority? Or simply do business with those currently running Venezuela.

Rubio has addressed this. They wisely don't want to go in as an occupying force and install a new government by force. Delcy Rodriguez has already indicated a willingness to cooperate--maybe out of fear, but so what? If Trump can pressure them into reforming themselves, that seems like win-win.; 1/5/26, 8:28 PM
FullMoon said...: Speaking of oil:
"The 2025 and 2026 closures of major California oil refineries—specifically Phillips 66 in Los Angeles (closed late 2025) and Valero in Benicia (slated for April 2026)—are projected to significantly impact fuel prices, regional energy security, and local government budgets.

Impact on Gas Prices
Experts warn that losing roughly 17–18% of the state's refining capacity will drive up costs for consumers:
Price Projections: While the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects a "small increase" in West Coast prices for 2026, some independent analyses forecast regular gasoline could surge to $8.43 per gallon by late 2026.

Import Reliance: California must replace local production with finished fuel imported from Asia and the U.S. Gulf Coast. This introduces higher transportation costs and makes the state more vulnerable to global market shocks and shipping delays.

Regional Ripple Effects: Neighboring states like Nevada and Arizona, which rely on California's fuel network, are also bracing for significant price increases
.
Economic and Labor Consequences
Job Losses: The closures of these two facilities directly impact approximately 1,300 workers, with total estimated job losses reaching nearly 3,000 when including indirect roles. Displaced workers may face an average pay cut of $12 per hour when finding new employment.

Local Budget Deficits: Municipalities that host refineries face severe revenue shortfalls. For example, Benicia is preparing for a 13% hit to its general fund (roughly $10 million annually) if the Valero plant shuts down.

Broader Supply Chain Costs: Increased fuel prices are expected to raise costs for air travel, agriculture, and manufacturing, potentially dragging on California’s overall GDP.

Regulatory Context
Refinery operators cite the high cost of complying with state regulations—such as the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) and new profit margin caps—as primary drivers for leaving the state."; 1/5/26, 8:30 PM
Vance said...: Hey Kak: which party has screamed bloody murder and cried racism, fascism, hatred, oppression, etc. at the mere hint of cutting even one thin dime from the US budget?

You. Your party. You guys want to riot over cutting anything from the budget, especially anything fraudulent and wasteful.

If we are running a deficit, it is solely due to Democrats who cannot cut a single thing, especially fraud.; 1/5/26, 8:33 PM
Jaq said...: "The national debt officially surged +$2.3 trillion last year, equal to +$6.3 BILLION per day."

Who was president last year?

"Since 2020, US debt has skyrocketed by +$15.3 trillion, posting a +$2.6 trillion average annual increase."

A couple of things happened in 2020... a pandemic hit, and Joe Biden was elected.

Yes, Trump inherited a mess, and every attempt to deal with it, Democrats have blocked, the very Democrats who created this mess have blocked every attempt to right the course, and have stood by while billions have been defrauded out of programs designed to help people in need.; 1/5/26, 8:35 PM
Vance said...: Personally, I've come around to Democrat's "Tax the rich! Seize the assets! Communism uber alles!" strategy, as long as we start with taxing all Democrats and seizing their assets. Surely such a noble goal that Democrats have been pushing for decades is one that they would gladly endorse starting with them.

Right? Right? Bueller? What say you, Kak? Ready to have the feds seize all your assets for the greater good, and so we can pay off the deficient and not cut a single penny from the budget?; 1/5/26, 8:35 PM
Jaq said...: Kak is crying about the deficit from one side of his mouth, and wants us to get heavily involved in a war in Europe out of the other side of his mouth.

I think his account is managed by a committee.; 1/5/26, 8:37 PM
Beasts of England said...: It didn’t take long for the left’s freak-out about DOGE to morph into worrying about the ‘debt crisis’. They’re sooper cereal.; 1/5/26, 8:38 PM
narciso said...: This is where graham chapmans martinet walks in from stage right; 1/5/26, 8:39 PM
Jaq said...: You would think that the proper thing to do in a dire situation as Kak is describing is to make efforts to cut spending, and if you are a member of the "loyal" opposition, stand aside and let the winner of the election govern.; 1/5/26, 8:40 PM
narciso said...: Shirley they are not serious; 1/5/26, 8:41 PM
Beasts of England said...: ’Sabotage wind and solar projects worth billions…’

Our intrepid debt hawk was worried about cuts to wind and solar projects less than an hour ago on this very thread. I hope I can stop laughing soon or I won’t be able to fall asleep. lol; 1/5/26, 8:43 PM
bagoh20 said...: Assuming you're not crazy, does anybody here think they couldn't run Venezuela better than it has been for the last coupe decades. Seems really easy: drill baby drill, let people do their thing, allow foreign investment to take the risks, while insisting your people are enmeshed in the business, maintain law and order and fair courts. For bonus points establish an American style constitution with inalienable individual rights. Put bad people in jail, not in your government.
It seems that to be a Marxist you need to be really bad at governing, and kinda dumb. Then again, they make a hell of a living running their nations into the ground, so who is really the dummy?; 1/5/26, 8:43 PM
Vance said...: Actually, I know the left's answer to "how to downsize government!"

They would say "Abolish the Pentagon and the military! Abolish border control and law enforcement of any kind! And then spend the money on a new agency that targets hate speech and racism like "Being white without a leftist license!" And then they'd call for some "Reeducation camps" for all of the deplorables. Just ask their new Tenant czar in NYC....; 1/5/26, 8:44 PM
narciso said...: Ali rodriguez one of the first oil ministers was an oldline venezuelan guerilla he ended up head of opec for a while
These are the people they hired they jailed the head of the oil workers union peak insanity; 1/5/26, 8:48 PM
Mason G said...: "Then again, they make a hell of a living running their nations into the ground, so who is really the dummy?"

There's good money in stripping all the copper wiring out of your house, I'm told.; 1/5/26, 8:51 PM
narciso said...: You cannot have the collapse of civil order thats what the sebin has wrought similar to the post 2003 fracas in iraq; 1/5/26, 8:52 PM
narciso said...: Unless you want to destroy a country then by all means; 1/5/26, 8:54 PM
bagoh20 said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/5/26, 8:56 PM
Rocco said...: Jaq said...
“Kak is crying about the deficit from one side of his mouth, and wants us to get heavily involved in a war in Europe out of the other side of his mouth.

I think his account is managed by a committee.”

Or Sybil.; 1/5/26, 8:56 PM
bagoh20 said...: "US federal debt is up to a record $38.5 trillion in 2025."

When has it not set a record?
We are now finding out the expected, that the American taxpayer is getting robbed by every criminal and lazy fuck in the world. We should stop that first.; 1/5/26, 8:57 PM
DINKY DAU 45 said...: Got gas today for my Chevy Aveo, goes for weeks without gas, but eventually I fill it. $2.68 and that's gonna be price or even less for next at least year barring some situations that may or may not occur. Here's the facts on Gas and not the spin on why its low now. Its not what the knuckleheads are selling and believing other than these FACTS.
Gas Prices Are Falling
Crude oil is cheap — around $58 per barrel(going lower)
WTI crude is trading around $58.38 per barrel.
Brent is around $61.85 per barrel.
Oil is the biggest input cost in gasoline, so when crude drops, pump prices follow.
U.S. oil production is high
EIA reports U.S. crude output has been strong and is expected to stay high into 2026.
More supply = downward pressure on prices.
Demand growth is slowing
EIA forecasts lower gasoline consumption in 2026 due to better fuel economy and slower economic growth.
Lower demand + steady supply = lower prices.
Refinery capacity is tight but not enough to push prices up
Some refinery constraints exist, but not enough to offset the drop in crude prices.
Will Low Gas Prices REMAIN?
Yes — barring a major geopolitical shock.(SITUATIONS i MENTIONED ABOVE)
EIA forecasts:
2025 gas prices down ~11¢ per gallon vs. 2024
2026 gas prices down another ~18¢ per gallon
Brent crude expected to fall from $69 in 2025 to $55 in 2026It's a clear signal that the government’s baseline expectation is cheaper gas for at least the next 18–24 months.
What Could Change the Trend? Like I said above
Things that could push prices up:
A major Middle East or Russia supply disruption(with trump all possible)
OPEC+ cutting production aggressively(not likely)
A sudden economic rebound boosting demand(under trump is going down not up)
A big refinery outage during hurricane season (relevant for Florida)this is possible but season is over for now, here anyway
What keeps prices low:
Continued U.S. production strength
Weak global economic growth
Ongoing trade tensions (like U.S.–China) reducing demand expectations(trumps brain dead ideas)
More efficient vehicles reducing gasoline consumption(Tesla now second in best all electric vehicles and others will soon put them even lower on the pole.
Prices should remain stable to-lower prices through 2026 unless a major global event hits supply. Again with trump unstable dementia ridden actions nothing off table.
So enjoy according to odds makers and fact producers(not alternative right wing facts, and no your president didnt make them lower, in fact he's the exact one that can FUK up a good thing. My AVEO purring and looks forward to some cheaper drinks thru next year barring a trump episode. Yipee.; 1/5/26, 8:58 PM
Aggie said...: Price of gasoline end 2024: ~$3.30. Price today at COSTCO: $2.09 (includes member discount).

The trend is your friend, because Donald Trump is Still Your President, STINKY.; 1/5/26, 9:14 PM
Jamie said...: Dinky, presidents can't do all that much to *lower* oil prices (if you consider laissez-faire to be the status quo, which it hasn't been), but they sure as heck can raise them.

You have to halucinate a lot, to be a Prog

I think part of their problem is that they long since sought a bitter divorce from the consequences of their policies. Maybe even more than that - they've severed the link between policies and plans. They say a thing, and then - once elected - it doesn't matter whether they even attempt to carry it out; all that matters is that their original intentions were good.

They project this attitude onto their political opponents, except for the assumption of good intent. Trump must not have a plan, because they wouldn't - they would just say a thing, and then not have to do anything about it. Or, if they did a thing by some chance, the consequences of having done that thing should not and could not - according to them - be laid at their feet, because (again) their intentions were so good.

Republicans, on the other hand, having only greedy, wicked impulses, not only don't have a plan but can't be given credit for any good that their actions spin off.

Yesterday, to my bemusement, I listened to David Frum and Anna Applebaum laying out the case for neoconservatism - as indeed our very own gadfly has done herein: that maybe it would have been okay to remove Maduro from power if the motive for doing so was Spreading Democracy!! and not, you know, the evil Emollient of Satan.

Another difference between Us and Them: we have a somewhat (only somewhat, being human) better record of learning from history, as conservatism is the practice of observing and trying to replicate that which works, as opposed to wishing and hoping that that which we want to work will actually work.; 1/5/26, 9:25 PM
Maynard said...: Kaki and his DNC buddies have a very simple game plan that is repeated endlessly:

1. What Trump did was a complete failure.
2. OK. It was a success, but it will not last.
3. Desperately try to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
4. When failing at #3, declare that Trump is a dictator.
5. Howl at the moon.

You guys are so predictable.; 1/5/26, 9:29 PM
Gospace said...: When we defeated Germany, Italy, and Japan we didn't dismantle all their government functions and fire all the government officials and have new ones come in. Bureaucrats and functionaries are bureaucrats and functionaries everywhere- they'll work for whoever is telling them what to do. Well, at least in civilized countries. Same with Germany when they conquered France and Belgium and the others we liberated. Venezuela wasn't a third world country until Chavez and Maduro made it one. We're not going to make a complete leadership change there- some from the old regime will stay, maybe even some Maduro supporters. But we do know we didn't do this without some Venezuelan support. The admitted Cuban security death toll is (relatively) huge, and I have to wonder if it was US forces responsible for all that butcher bill. I'll bet they weren't all that popular with the Venezuelan military. In South American history a military strongman coming to power and reforming things and later stepping down isn't unheard of. Pinochet's mistaken arrest in London by order of a Spanish court has all but ensured that in the future many who would have stepped down will be leaders for life. And Obama/Hillary's treatment of Qaddafi ensured no dictator will ever again trust US guarantees.

Oil production and resource extraction are capital intensive. And capital isn't going to flow into Venezuela until there's a stable government guaranteeing property rights, or a government that pays them up front to own the industries.

And I read an idiot, or so I thought, post on X today about how China is going to drag Chile and the US into international courts all over the world to try and recover their Belt and Road loans, and it will cost millions in lawyer's fees for defense. No, it won't. We- and Venezuela- simply won't recognize their jurisdiction and won't show up.

We live in interesting times. Ten years ago if anyone here had projected a muslim mayor of NYC they'd have been looked upon as insane. Instead, that insanity now exists. Our constitution guarantees each state a republican (lower case r) form of government. With a courageous enough Congress, I can think of a few states that should revert back to territories and stay that way until they can write new constitutions giving them that. NY is on that list.; 1/5/26, 9:42 PM
Jamie said...: China is going to drag Chile and the US into international courts all over the world to try and recover their Belt and Road loans, and it will cost millions in lawyer's fees for defense. No, it won't. We- and Venezuela- simply won't recognize their jurisdiction and won't show up.

"International law." I'm sure there is an Aesop's fable or a Grimm's fair tale that applies here, but I'm not remembering which one.

Oh wait - it was Rush - The Trees. (Which I'm sure is derivative, but again, I can't remember of what.); 1/5/26, 9:49 PM
Big Mike said...: Bureaucrats and functionaries are bureaucrats and functionaries everywhere- they'll work for whoever is telling them what to do. Well, at least in civilized countries.

@Gospace, so you’re basically saying that between Inauguration Day 2017 and Inauguration Day 2021 the United States was not a civilized country?; 1/5/26, 10:08 PM
Iman said...: OPEN LETTER TO LIBERALS, DEMOCRATS, LIBTARDS AND THE GENERAL WOKE MOB

I see too many fuckers in here gripping their ethically sourced oat milk latte so hard the cardboard sleeve is whimpering, staring at footage of us, actual Venezuelan human beings who have spent the last decade eating sleep for dinner, cheering for the Orange Man.

HOW DARE WE, RIGHT!?

And it hurts, doesn’t it? It feels like your brain is trying to divide by zero while some asshole kicks your junk with Delta Force boots.

—— Jesús Enrique Rosas

Epic rant, read it all 👇

https://x.com/i/status/2007960824783003721; 1/5/26, 10:16 PM
Gospace said...: Big Mike said...
Bureaucrats and functionaries are bureaucrats and functionaries everywhere- they'll work for whoever is telling them what to do. Well, at least in civilized countries.

@Gospace, so you’re basically saying that between Inauguration Day 2017 and Inauguration Day 2021 the United States was not a civilized country?

During those 4 years it was definitely becoming less civilized...; 1/5/26, 10:30 PM
Michael Fitzgerald said...: "US federal debt is up to a record $38.5 trillion in 2025."

Which political Party has threatened year after year after year to increase government spending and shut down the government unless the "debt ceiling" is raised?; 1/5/26, 10:44 PM
Mason G said...: "unless the "debt ceiling" is raised?"

That fraud isn't going to pay for itself.; 1/5/26, 10:53 PM
Iman said...: Maynard @9:29pm… you add eatin’ moonpies, drinkin’ RC Cola and change that howl to a bark and your list is complete!; 1/5/26, 10:54 PM
buwaya said...: Testimony from a serious, well placed (Cargill) guy in re Venezuela, from his X account.

My Venezuela experience as head of trading in the region for Cargill.

Cargill was/is the leading producer of critical staple ingredients such as flour, pasta, vegetable oil, and rice in VZ. I am not saying I agree with grabbing the dictator, but I did have a front row seat to the damage a kleptocracy did to innocent people.
1. The government took over our "minute rice" facility at gunpoint because we were "gouging" the nation's poor. The government was never able to run the plant. It never ran again. It was returned years later with no equipment inside
2. There are 1000's of generals in the army. They are each given a slice of the economy to loot. The large number of generals made it difficult to organize a coup against the regime.
3. The government opened grocery stores and sold staples below the cost we sold them to the government. In theory they used petro oil money to lower grocery prices. Our regular grocery outlets were forced out of business. When the government demanded we sell them products below cost we simply had to shut down. The populous became ever more dependent on the government handouts. (PS this is the mayor of New York City's proposal.
4. Dollars- We needed dollars to go buy raw materials like wheat from places like the US and Canada. The government would periodically allocate us some dollars that could only be spent for raw materials and freight. Eventually only the local companies that can and would pay bribes got dollar allocations. We had several facilities closed for lack of raw material
5. My employees liked working for Cargill. The office was an armed compound with access to a gym, high speed internet, global communications, and a weekly box of basic staples. Cargill provided a safe and secure environment if only for the working hours.
6. Employees became very close to others inside the apartment building. Going out on the street with a desperate population was not advisable.
7. I needed wood pallets for feed. We tried to export wood pallets to swap for grain. We refused to pay the bribes it would take to export the pallets
8. I once tried to set up a closed loop wheat planting to flour mill supply chain. A. They came and stole all the seed wheat for food. When we tried to ship in seed wheat in containers via US donors there was no way to get it out of the port without it being stolen
9. Livestock- Our feed business completely collapsed. Even if you could raise a pig, you couldn't defend it from being stolen. People with guns were hungry.
10. Employees- In the end my highly skilled team alone with other highly educated people chose to leave. Cargill often found jobs for them in other Latin countries. The regime was more than happy to see the well-educated leave the country. Setting these employees up with high quality stable jobs after fleeing remains one of the best things I ever did in my career. No one remembers millions in trading earnings.

This is a short list. In my opinion the first money spent needs to happen now and it needs to be food. The US is already on the clock. The current regime does not care if it starves the population. The orgy of theft will actually accelerate if they believe their days are numbered. VZ should be an outstanding customer of US grown ag products. Rice, bread wheat, veg oil ect. Feed the people first.

Jeff Kazin
Former head trading Cargill; 1/5/26, 11:25 PM
buwaya said...: https://x.com/AgrisAcademy

Comment on the above-
The culture trauma will take generations to stabilize.; 1/5/26, 11:30 PM
Mr. T. said...: "You would think that the proper thing to do in a dire situation as Kak is describing is to make efforts to cut spending, and if you are a member of the "loyal" opposition, stand aside and let the winner of the election govern."

We'll today is his lucky day!

Corrupt Propaganda Broacasting (CPB) is shutting down!; 1/5/26, 11:55 PM
Saint Croix said...: The Minnesota fraud case is mind-boggling. Prosecutors are alleging that people stole $9 billion dollars! That’s half of the welfare money that the feds have given Minnesota since 2018. Republicans allege the money might have gone to terrorist networks. Democrats deny it, but they have no idea where the money went.

When state officials started to suspect fraud, and investigated, the thieves filed a lawsuit alleging race discrimination. Minnesota then gave up on any attempt of law enforcement. “We’ll give you billions of dollars in federal money. Please don’t call us racist.” Unbelievable. I mean, I believe it, it’s 100% in character for white liberals, but the weakness and the dishonesty is just appalling.; 1/6/26, 12:10 AM
buwaya said...: Bald&Bankrupt in Caracas/Venezuela
This is from 2 years ago but its useful to get a personal street view of reality.
the sidewalk vendors are very much like those at 16th-22nd Mission in San Francisco btw.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ijIo8X2_h4; 1/6/26, 1:32 AM
buwaya said...: The Venezuelan dialect of Spanish is quite "clean", and to a degree Andalucian in the use of /s/ and the lack of /th/, but that is supposed to be near universal in the Spanish colonies. That seems correct based on people I have known, but I haven't been to these places. On the whole it is very much like my own family dialect from Manila (we did not keep what we used in Vizcaya).
Mexican is much more dialectical and often rather "thick" in pronunciation quirks and unique vocabulary, but not Venezuelan.

Bald's Spanish is terrible, but functional. Given that he walks about in Russia and India and Romania etc. yakking with the locals he has many more functional (if likely imperfect) languages than I do. The lesson is that its not hard to pick up an ugly but functional grasp of a language. Dont be scared of that.; 1/6/26, 1:59 AM
buwaya said...: A lot of Caracas reminds me a lot of Manila, other than its nowhere near as hot. The poverty is similar.; 1/6/26, 2:11 AM
Dave Begley said...: How many billions have been stolen from taxpayers by Somalis? At least $9b in MN per the US Attorney. Maine, Ohio and WA are also known victims.

These Somalis are laughing their asses off at how easy this has been.

Almost a big of a scam as CAGW.; 1/6/26, 5:17 AM
wendybar said...: Gad Saad
@GadSaad
·
6h
Democrats are incredibly kind and empathetic toward illegal migrants especially if they are hardened criminals. All of their empathetic tears are hyper activated when thinking about the MS-13 dad of the year.

BUT, Democrats are not quite as empathetic toward 28 million Venezuelans who have been freed from the collectivist warmth of having to eat zoo animals due to endemic starvation.

Illegal migrants who rape women in the US => empathy
Honest Venezuelans freed from the claws of a brutal dictatorship => no empathy

Questions?

https://x.com/GadSaad/status/2008406587744899382?s=20; 1/6/26, 5:27 AM
Jaq said...: "The lesson is that its not hard to pick up an ugly but functional grasp of a language. Dont be scared of that."

This is true.; 1/6/26, 6:42 AM
Jaq said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/6/26, 6:56 AM
Jaq said...: If you have the streaming service Criterion, there are two movies I can recommend that I recently watched "Leaves of Grass" with Ed Norton Jr, the "grass" refers to what we used to call "pot," and Trade Winds, written by Dorothy Parker, made in the thirties, but still compelling, and includes a journey around the Pacific, and you can see a lot of pre-WWII culture there, from Hawaii when it was just a territory, to Japan to Shanghai, and to Viet Nam, and even Bombay. It ncludes the line "Nothing could be finer than to be in Indochina..." Anyway it might be where the line "We could make beautiful music together" came from.

Anyway, Criterion is great.; 1/6/26, 7:30 AM
Curious George said...: "Dave Begley said...
How many billions have been stolen from taxpayers by Somalis? At least $9b in MN per the US Attorney. Maine, Ohio and WA are also known victims.

These Somalis are laughing their asses off at how easy this has been.

Almost a big of a scam as CAGW."

No. CAGW is in the $trillions; 1/6/26, 8:08 AM
Ronald J. Ward said...: TAPPER: Can you rule out that the US is going to take Greenland by force?

STEPHEN MILLER: Greenland should be part of the US. By what right does Denmark assert control over Greenland? The US is the power of NATO.

TAPPER: So you can't take military force off the table?

MILLER: Nobody is gonna fight the US militarily over the future of Greenland.; 1/6/26, 8:32 AM
FullMoon said...: Greenland population less than 60,000.
A lousy one billion dollars a year would give every man, woman, and child over $15,000.; 1/6/26, 1:48 PM
john mosby said...: FullMoon: "Greenland population less than 60,000.
A lousy one billion dollars a year would give every man, woman, and child over $15,000."

Summer Day Care Centers!! C, JSM; 1/6/26, 3:12 PM
Jersey Fled said...: Remember those free busses Mamdani promised on the first day of his administration.; 1/6/26, 4:46 PM
Saint Croix said...: The scary thing about all the winning is when Nemesis catches up to Hubris. 2027, I'm guessing.; 1/6/26, 5:45 PM
Saint Croix said...: "Air Force One crash lands into Greenland. The Eskimos save President Trump and teach him how to fish. Martin Scorsese directs Robert De Niro in Hubris."; 1/6/26, 5:45 PM
Saint Croix said...: Studio goes bankrupt in 2029.

Robert De Niro is arrested, running naked down the street, without an Oscar, screaming, "I've got the Hubris! Holy shit, it's in me!"; 1/6/26, 5:48 PM
Rusty said...: ’Sabotage wind and solar projects worth billions…’

No. No it isn't.; 1/6/26, 8:44 PM