I’ll just deposit this link right here.
The United States’ ongoing dependency on China for minerals and components key to advanced technology, medications, and even weapons systems exposes dangerous vulnerability to Chinese supply chains in critical areas. Making matters worse, a new report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute concludes that China is leading the United States in researching and developing thirty-seven of forty-four critical or emerging technologies across key sectors including space, defense, artificial intelligence, energy, biology, and quantum computing. Worse still, China uses the financial hub of Hong Kong for the clandestine acquisition of technology and intellectual assets from overseas” and the establishment of shell companies. It would be a gross error to do too little too late to address this problem.
China’s relentless cyberattacks against the United States and increasing penetration of critical infrastructure are additional ominous signs of the times. When a Chinese-sponsored hacking group targeted infrastructure including U.S. Navy telecommunications systems in Guam that are key to Pacific defense, that foreshadowed China’s likely instigation of cyber war as part of a move on Taiwan. China has the world’s largest number of state-sponsored hackers, and per a U.S. official cited in the Washington Post, “is developing cyberattack capabilities that could be used to disrupt critical services (for) the U.S. and key Asian allies and shape decision-making in a crisis or conflict.”
The current presidential election is a clown show, unserious in a moment that calls for utmost seriousness.
Hamas is telling us who they are. We should believe them: https://nypost.com/2023/11/08/news/hamas-leaders-admit-they-hope-for-permanent-war-do-not-care-about-running-gaza/
PS: There is this awesome Christmas Coat from Coldwater Creek ( which has the coolest clothes and accessories and is always a temptation) that is calling to me, and I may get if for my Christmas present to myself, and to cheer me up a bit.