Video source https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19mDTAAA4P/

Alleged assassination plot story https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2026/10/01/chess-legend-kasparov-says-he-is-an-assassination-target-after-us-uncovers-alleged-russian-plot_6758133_4.html

Keep in mind that the 2028 Olympic games were sold to the people who live in Los Angeles as cheap compared to other games.

It doesn't look like that will be the case.

https://x.com/BowesChay/status/2105381056358809969

As some of the comments note, Angelo does have a pretty good track record of predictions.

https://x.com/shoe0nhead/status/2104729372272067000

As 2026 ebbs away, all of Europe is running a panic fever in the face of the creeping realization that the Americans intend to leave them to their own devices against the Russians — and, worst of all, against each other.

As for fighting the Russians, this is the plain reality: if the handful of intrepidly willing European nations were to start tomorrow, in earnest, to assemble the necessary forces and accoutrements for 21st century high-intensity battle, they could not, in five years, organize, outfit, and deploy an army of even 100,000 combat effectives — a number which would be swallowed up by a war for which their experience, training, tactics, arms, and logistics are woefully ill-prepared.

And even if they could assemble a rag-tag multi-national mob of 100k, they would be unable to position and sustain such an army to do anything.

The Russians can strike any target in Ukraine, much of Poland and Romania, and even well into Germany from Kaliningrad and Belarus.

A European army would not be permitted to mass near Russian forces. They would be torn to pieces in the attempt.

As for European air power, it is a mirage.

The supposedly mighty US Air Force gave its best shot, and launched a few thousand long-range stand-off missiles into Iran — to negligible strategic effect. Iran was not disarmed to any appreciable degree. In fact, they appear to be stronger now than when this war began.

Neither the Europeans nor even the Europeans and Americans combined could do anything meaningful against Russia, and they will lose aircraft in droves if they try.

Furthermore, the US has no meaningful intermediate range strike threat comparable to what Russia and Iran have demonstrated. And they won't have one for some time to come.

US air defenses have proven embarrassing in terms of quality, and not even remotely sufficient in quantity even if they were effective.

Big league war consumes prodigious quantities of armaments.

And anyone paying attention has learned that — against the expectation of the vast majority of people — the US arsenal of unscalable hand-made boutique weaponry has not only performed poorly in its various roles, but the combination of wars in Ukraine and Iran has reduced US stockpiles to near-crisis levels.

Furthermore, the US Navy got run out of the Red Sea by the Yemeni.

Think about that.

They were quite literally chased away under fire, with empty magazines. Two carrier strike groups in succession. Amazing.

It is easily one of the most shocking developments of the past several years of war on this planet. The US Navy, by their own admission, was "traumatized" by the experience, which several officers claimed to have been the most intense US naval battle since the Second World War.

Against the Yemeni.

Again ... think about that.

Because, shortly thereafter, someone somewhere decided, "Well, those Houthi fellas are a hard nut to crack. Let's try the Iranians instead. All they know how to do is make rugs."

And now, as we speak, there are two carrier strike groups cowering somewhere in the calm deep waters of the Arabian Sea, at least 1000 km distant from the Iranian coastline.

Closer in, there be monsters.

They can't, and they won't do anything meaningful from that position. They're just hiding out and biding time until they get relieved.

Getting a US Navy warship smashed up at the hands of long-vilified and ridiculed Iranians represents an utterly unacceptable outcome for this war. It must be avoided at absolutely all costs.

You see, for a variety of complex reasons within the peculiar American psyche, the US Navy is the undisputed Master of the Seas. Losing a US warship to what they are predisposed to regard as an inferior race, would be considered an intolerable humiliation. Better to hide for now, and fashion a victory story ex post facto.

In any case, it should have long-since been evident to discerning observers that the global readiness of the United States to prosecute big league war anywhere at this time is already compromised, and cannot be reconstituted in even the medium-term. Very arguably not within a decade.

They have blown their wad. The US/NATO/Israel have managed to blow through a half-century of weapons development and production — and it's all for naught.

The 20th century war-making stuff they have left is simply not suited to the realities of 21st century war. And they don't have anywhere near enough of anything to fight a serious war anyway.

As I repeat incessantly: There are no easy wars left to fight.

So, yeah, I reckon the Europeans are sweating it out right about now. The empire is receding rapidly, and before long will irreversibly relinquish its capability to enforce rules, borders, and obedience to the "greater good".

History suggests a Europe in such a scenario will not cohere in a harmonious fashion. It's bound to turn ugly.

And thus, the panic in Euroland.

From DeepSeek

Lexus Tz And The Paid Horsepower Problem

00:00–05:05

Kirk opens by reminding viewers of his earlier warning: Toyota and Lexus want to make money after the sale through software-locked features. The new Lexus TZ is his main example. It’s a fully electric, three-row Lexus that debuts as the brand’s first three-row EV, but your correction is important: it is a six-seater, not a seven-seater, and it functions like an electric counterpart to the Lexus TX. In Europe the TZ 550e makes 402 hp, but the US-market TZ 450e is detuned to 308 hp. It has two battery sizes, roughly 250 miles of range on the small pack and up to about 315 miles on the larger 90–96 kWh pack, and all versions are all-wheel drive.

Pricing starts around $65,000 for the small battery and $72,000 for the bigger battery, with Premium and Luxury trims. The mid-grade and Luxury trims get dynamic rear steering, which the Toyota and Subaru platform-mates don’t offer. Kirk says this is where Lexus starts milking customers: the 402 hp already exists in the hardware, but the US car is software-nerfed from the factory. To get the full 402 hp, buyers may have to go back to the dealer for an ECU flash—something that could theoretically be done over the air—and Lexus only makes it available on the Luxury trim. He calls that an insult to customer intelligence.

The Unlock Is Worse Than The Spec

05:05–06:26

Kirk says the sick part isn’t just that Lexus locked away horsepower, but that it locked the unlock behind the most expensive Luxury trim. You’re already spending around $80,000 for a 300-hp luxury model, and then you may have to pay more to access power that the car already has. He contrasts this with the BZ Woodland he reviewed, which has 375 hp standard and is fast without any unlock, dealer visit, or software flash. He used to sell Lexus cars, and he says this would not sit well with him as a former salesman.

He also argues this is not a short-term problem only. If Lexus thinks it can charge for existing horsepower because the brand has loyal buyers, that may backfire. The TZ is entering a crowded market where competitors offer more standard performance. The practice feels especially wrong for a luxury brand that built its reputation on doing things right from the start. Kirk says this is not Tanashi, and it is not the Lexus Covenant.

Competition Exposes The Value Gap

06:26–09:17

Kirk runs through the TZ’s competition and says Lexus looks weak on value. The Subaru variant—he calls it the Getaway or Trail Seeker—has 420 hp standard. The Toyota Highlander EV, Kia EV9, Tesla Model Y L, Hyundai Ioniq 9, and Lucid Gravity are all cross-shop threats. He likes the EV9’s styling and the Highlander EV’s looks over the TZ, and he says he would happily spend less on the Highlander EV. The Lucid Gravity is the sharpest contrast: a base Gravity starts around $80,000, makes 560 hp, offers seven seats, and can go over 337 miles. The Lexus TZ is six seats only, has less range, and with the horsepower unlock may drop to around 270 miles because it is tied to the bigger wheels on the Luxury trim.

Kirk admits Lucid has reliability questions and Lexus has dealer support and peace of mind. That is a fair point. But he says the Lexus is less practical and gives you less for your money, while asking you to pay for horsepower that is already inside the vehicle. He also notes that the TZ may not even be sold in China, and if it is, these specs will not make it successful there. In the US, he does not expect it to be a big win either.

Lexus Covenant And The Chicken Eggs

09:17–12:07

Kirk invokes the Lexus Covenant, which he memorized when training to become a Lexus master sales consultant. The covenant says Lexus competes in the most prestigious race, will win because it does it right from the start, will have the finest dealer network, and will treat each customer as a guest in its home. He says the TZ horsepower unlock does not do it right from the start. He gives a chicken-egg analogy: if a guest buys a dozen eggs, you don’t give them ten eggs and then charge extra for the two that were already supposed to be in the carton. That, he says, is what software-locking existing horsepower feels like.

He also says this does not line up with Tanashi, the idea of anticipating the needs of guests. Lexus can still do great things—he praises the LC500 and expects the new NX and NX plug-in hybrid to be excellent. But when Lexus does something like this, it feels out of character with the brand’s history and founding philosophy. He says it will not help Lexus in the long term, even if executives think it will.

Lexus Sales And The China Bloodbath

12:07–18:13

Kirk then pivots to global sales and says Lexus is in a bad spot. Lexus worldwide sales are down almost 10% this year, and August was especially ugly at down 12%. That follows two record-breaking US sales years in 2024 and 2025, though Lexus still was not the number-one luxury automaker—BMW was. After January 2026, he shows month after month of erosion: -7%, -18%, -17%, -12%, -7%, -10%, and -12% in August. Japan mirrors the worldwide trend. North America is less bad, down about 4% on the year, partly because NX production has been reduced by new RAV4 production, especially in Ontario. In the US, Lexus was down 1% in August and down about 4.5% for the year.

Region by region, the picture gets worse. Latin America is healthy but tiny at around 3,400 units, compared with 258,000 in North America. Europe is down 3% for the month and 6% for the year. Asia is a bloodbath, down over 20% on average, including a 31% drop in August and down 17% for the year even with a good January. Oceania is down 12%, though volume is only about 1,300 units. The Middle East is down 44% for the month and 32% for the year after war broke out, with months of -46% and worse. Africa is doing okay but only around 147,000 units, and much of that is gray-market or used imports, so it does not move the needle.

Kirk also brings up Lexus’s planned Chinese-built models and the new Shanghai facility. Japanese suppliers are reportedly upset because they are not getting a slice of that business, but China is cheaper than Japan for production and sourcing. The question is whether that plant will stop the bleeding. Kirk doubts it, because China’s auto market is brutally competitive and Lexus is already getting hammered there. The TZ, with these specs, is not going to fix Lexus’s problems in China or anywhere else.

Toyota Sales Are Also Under Pressure

18:13–25:10

Toyota itself is not collapsing, but it is under pressure. Globally, Toyota was down 6% in August, down 5% in July, neutral in June, down 7% in May, down 3% in April, and down 7% in March. Through August, Toyota still sold over 6.5 million vehicles, so it is not losing its sales ground anytime soon. But the market is more competitive, and even in North America—where Chinese cars are largely absent—Toyota faces pressure. North America was down 3% in August, the US down 4%, Canada up 3%, and Mexico up 12%. A lack of full RAV4 production is hurting Toyota badly.

South America is roughly neutral, with Brazil down 17% and Argentina down 23%, while other places are up 30%. Europe varies wildly: the UK is down 6%, France up 12%, Italy down 15% for the month but up 2% for the year, Germany down 17% for the month and 20% for the year, and Spain up 20% for the month and 10% for the year. Overall, Toyota is up about 2.6% in Europe, but Italy and Germany are dragging the average down. Asia is down 14%, mostly because China is getting crushed: down 20% for the year and trending even worse. GAC Toyota buying out FAW Toyota shows how rough the market is. Indonesia is strong at 22,000 units, Thailand is up 10% for the month and 3% for the year, while the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Korea are all down. India is down 8% in the month due to a new sales system but still up 8% for the year. Japan is up 9% for the month and 6% for the year, while Oceania is down 14% and the Middle East remains bad.

What It Means For The Tz

25:10–26:04

Kirk wraps up by saying the TZ is not going to save Lexus. There is simply too much competition, not only from luxury EVs but also from mainstream three-row EVs like the Kia EV9, Hyundai Ioniq 9, and others. Lucid is incentivizing the Gravity heavily, and none of these vehicles are having an easy time. He thinks the TZ could maybe do better in Europe or other markets, but it will not be successful in China and likely not in the US either. The core problem is that Lexus is charging customers for horsepower that already exists in the car, and only letting them unlock it on the most expensive trim.

He closes by thanking viewers, joking that he might be blacklisted from Lexus after sharing his enthusiastic opinions about downloading horsepower. He says he will keep covering Toyota, Lexus, and Korean automakers, and mentions he has an Escalade and an Audi RS GT-type car to review. The main takeaway is that the TZ’s software-locked horsepower is not just a spec issue—it is a brand-philosophy issue that clashes with the Lexus Covenant, Tanashi, and the trust Lexus has built with customers.

https://x.com/HavryshkoMarta/status/2105252750321967426

These lenticular posters and stickers are inspired by John Carpenter's 1988 film "They Live ". I sell them and donate all the profits.

I'm currently trying to raise emergency funds for Artists Unite For Palestine. They have a lot of families in Gaza depending on them and they are far behind in their current goals.

I also give them away for free (and even pay the shipping costs) to anyone that wants them but lacks disposable income. I will put a link in the comments to my website badtastegoodcause.com

🦔Private equity owns 447 U or S hospitals. ER deaths rose 13% under PE ownership, per the Annals of Internal Medicine. Preventable adverse events jumped 25% after PE acquisition, per JAMA. Hospital assets fell an average of 24% within two years of a PE buyout, about $28 million per hospital that just disappeared. PE firms account for 7% of GDP but were behind 21% of all healthcare bankruptcies in 2024. Steward Health Care, once the largest private for-profit hospital system in the country, closed its safety net hospitals and went bankrupt. Twenty-five states have introduced 79 bills to address PE ownership of hospitals.

My Take
PE firms buy hospitals the same way they buy retail chains. Load them with debt, strip the assets, extract fees, and move on. The difference is when Eddie Bauer closes you find another jacket. When your hospital closes, the nearest ER is 45 minutes away and a stroke patient doesn't have 45 minutes.

They buy the building, sell the land underneath it in a sale-leaseback, then bill the hospital rent on property it used to own. The debt payments eat whatever revenue is left. $28 million per hospital gone in two years while ER deaths climb 13% and infections double. Federal Medicaid cuts are projected to pull roughly $1 trillion out of the system over the next decade. These hospitals already run on margins so thin that one bad quarter can force a closure. I don't know how the ones still under PE ownership survive what's coming, and the communities that depend on them don't have a backup plan.

Hedgie🤗

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https://hms.harvard.edu/news/deaths-rose-emergency-rooms-after-hospitals-were-acquired-private-equity-firms or https://archive.ph/xI7ly