In the traditional Chinese dynastic cycle, the current dynasty starts to experience increasing problems and disorder—natural disasters, famine, popular uprisings, etc.— and it eventually falls, it’s leader—the Emperor—seen as having “lost the Mandate of Heaven,” and a new leader and dynasty rises to rule China.

It’s said that Xi is very superstitious, and I’m wondering—in view of all of the natural disasters, outbreaks of disease, economic decline, and growing public discontent and demonstrations I am seeing being reported — if Xi isn’t worried that he is losing that Mandate.

I agree, the PRC has among the most totalitarian systems devised in the modern era, and the systematic corruption, oppression, and tyranny with which COVID and a host of other things were damning. The West is in deep trouble, but it can absolutely get worse. I imagine the rape gangs of Rotherham would only dream of the sort of power and license that Karydov and his Wahhabis can and do organize in not just Chechnya and Dagestan but throughout Russia.

I agree re: 9/11 denialism, and how often the attempts to deny and censor the truth by the Powers that Be bred justifiable suspicion of them (worse when the truth was outright denied like with COVID), and what is more galling is how often this served no good purpose even from those censoring.

As for who won Afghanistan, the Taliban did, though at least Al Qaeda and Osama lost. Which will hopefully meant the Taliban’s ability to sponsor terrorism in our home will hurt.

Reform’s buckling in part due to the two faced and inconsistent nature of Farage, who sadly is among the better figures in the West.

However, let’s not kid ourselves. Putin and I’d argue even the PRC are far from the greatest single threats to the West, but they cooperate handily with many that are. For all the talk about Putin This and Trump That, who do people think the Kremlin financed more when it came to energy policy? Ukraine is many things, but prepared to send warships out to assist the PRC in some kind of criminal bluff in the Pacific or sponsor Hezbollah’s Venezuelan branch are not some of them.

Ignoring the threat the Kremlin poses and how its interests are mutually exclusive with many of ours just because it is far from the worst is a mistake. That doesn’t necessarily believe I think we need to prioritize it, especially in Current Year. But it does mean we need to be wary.

https://twitchy.com/dougp/2025/03/13/ny-times-michelle-goldberg-what-makes-america-great-n2409753

they gaslit us with the Covid, into the lockdowns which were ruinous to social health and stability, why did people go along well in part since 1980, constructivist educational templates, devised in the Soviet Union, were introduced into the class rooms, my generation was probably the first to dodge that bullet, but the damage was done in the subsequent eras,

9/11 denialism, I don’t grant them the truth label, is possibly the stupidest thing, but probably because Western Intelligence was unwilling to reveal much O of what they knew in the months afterward, like the Bayoumi tape of him meeting with hijackers in London, Tony Blair didn’t know about this, to cite one example,

Of course it doesn’t lend itself to a convenient sound bite, but denial is a long and dangerous river, and nearly 25 years after the Afghan expedition started, can you tell me who won, it doesn’t appear to be us, change my mind about us,

the way effendi khalil is treated, vs say Yoxley, nee Robinson, even the most avowedly pro West party, Reform seems to be getting a little wobbly, in some corners,

who seems to be a real present danger to the people of the West,

European countries voluntarily surrendering to invading Muslim hordes cannot honestly be considered allies. Hence,

The Vance Doctrine

It has me in the first half, and then it became absolutely retarded, delving into full throated Kremlin apologia and at least a tinge of 9/11 trutherism (without specifying what “facts” related to that are so pertinent, unlike the other cases).

As bad as the EU and Ukraine can and have been, they are not more totalitarian than Russia is. Far from it. The author rightfully complains about Chinese “fishing fleets” acting as pirates and bullies but ignores who the PRC’s major Allie’s are, and complains about EU authoritarianism while ignoring how while the Kremlin can’t be blamed for all of it it and its Allies have helped corrode it by well laced bribes (which is one reason the EU has been so unserious about Ukraine). And then it goes so far as to claim that a Russian victory would not harm America’s fundamental interests. Because apparently the author thinks we are so daft we cannot trace dirty money going to American Greens or figure out who communist Venezuela and Cuba’s major patrons are.

While that could be–none of my relatives in China now or who have visited there since 2020 saw any of it–it does not add up to 500 million people. Or 100 million. That is an enormous logistical challenge, literally visible from space.

It’s one thing to say more people are dead than has been acknowledged. It is a very different thing to say that many millions of people are dead and it’s somehow being hidden.

I plan to be in China in December and I’ll keep an eye out.

It seems to me that, as well, the videos, linked to above, of Chinese from all areas of China, noticing the apparently massive decrease in the number of people on the streets, at public venues, and in restaurants and shops, is worth paying attention to, and giving some credence.

I could make such videos about the United States and make the case it’s depopulated too. You’re not actually getting an unbiased survey of everybody and every place in China. You could never watch that many videos.

Our legacy media does this kind of crap all the time, shows a video of something somewhere and says it’s typical of everywhere when it’s not.

It seems to me that, as well, the videos, linked to above, of Chinese from all areas of China, noticing the apparently massive decrease in the number of people on the streets, at public venues, and in restaurants and shops–and feeling disturbed and puzzled enough to post videos about this–is worth paying attention to, and giving a fair amount of credence.

Lai is not the only China observer who has been reporting–some videos included–that, over the last several years, Chinese coffin makers and crematories have been overwhelmed–working 24/7, with crowds of people pictured, waiting on the roads to these crematories, to send their coffins in for cremation, or, to pickup the resultant ashes, and that the authorities–who have very tight control over information, have been trying to make sure that this fact and the true extent of deaths from COVID and now, “bird flu,” do not become widely known.

A thorough intelligence analysis– Chinese “grain of sand” stye–trying to determine the true extent of population loss in China, would piece together all sorts of disparate pieces of information.

A task which, I am sure, some of our three letter agencies have been and are undertaking.

Thus, If I remember correctly, there was one report I saw of an analysis done, via satellite images, of Wuhan, and the traffic volume at this location, which showed a remarkable decrease in traffic i.e. likely/perhaps a lot fewer people around to drive.