"The Human Condition"

"The Human Condition"

by Meanings of Life

“We are all of us born, live and die in the shadow of a 

giant question mark that refers to three questions: 

Where do we come from? Why? And where, oh where, are we going?”

- Tennessee Williams

"Man remains largely unknown of himself. What are we, in our innermost recesses, behind our names and our conventional opinions? What are we behind the things we do in our lives, behind what we see in others and what others see in us, or even behind things science says we are? Is man the crazy being about whom Carl Gustav Jung spoke ironically, when he demanded a man to treat? Is man the Dr. Jerkyll that contains in himself a criminal Mister Hyde, and more than a personality, and contradictory feelings?

Are we the result of our dreams, as Prospero, in the Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” asked? Are we able to raise our nature and become the dignified beings evoked by Pico de la Mirandola (It’s the seeds a man cultivates that "will mature and bear fruit in him. If vegetative, he will become a plant; if sensual, he will become brutish; if rational, he will reveal himself a heavenly being; if intellectual, he will be an angel and the son of God")?

Almost two centuries ago, Spencer characterized the contradictory features of natives from the African east coast: "He has at the same time good character and hard heart; he is a fighter, conscientious, good in a precise moment, and cruel, pitiless and violent in the other; superstitious and rudely irreligious; brave and pusillanimous, servile and dominator, stubborn and at the same time fickle, relied to honor views, but without signs of honesty, niggard and economical, but careless and improvident".

It’s probably a good definition of a certain primitive man, to whom we are undoubtedly connected. But we are also cultural and ethic beings. We are able to change our values and behaviors. As William James says, human beings can change their lives through their mental attitudes. We can grow ethically. We can dominate part of our own instincts. And that’s why we can be different from the indigenous African described by Spencer. More: our thought dignifies us ("All the dignity of man consists in thought", says Blaise Pascal). We are, in many senses, the conscience of the Universe, and its utmost elaborated product. As Edgar Morin says, "in the core of our singularity, we carry not only all the humanity, all the life, but also all the cosmos, including its mystery, present in the heart of our beings".

We are creators, creator beings, and, in a sense, we can create, or recreate ourselves. All goes through our mind. It is our mind that constructs our truths and errors, and also the most sublime things in the Universe. And yet evil and stupidity exist in us. Sometimes we fall, we are stroked, and life reveals its cruelty, and we may think as Mark Twain, and say that it was a pity that Noah had arrived late to the ark. In our innermost recesses, there is also the cruelty and the inhumanity of life. Charles Darwin showed that we are descendants of inferior life forms: we have been long ago a "bush and a bird, and a fish silently swimming in the waters", to use the poetic terms used by Empedocles in its "Purifications."

From a genetic and evolutionist point of view, we contain in us the survival reflexes and the aggressiveness of the life forms that preceded us: "All that threatened the cave man - dangers, darkness, famine, thirst, ghosts, demons – all has passed to the interior of our souls, all troubles us, grieves us, threatens us from inside." (Morin). Besides, we are also beings that can differ significantly from each other. We are equal, but also different. "The awake involve a common world, but dreams deviate each one to its own world," Heraclites rather enigmatically declares. He thought we can’t help sleeping and living in illusory worlds, even when awake.

For all these reasons, Blaise Pascal’s celebrated definition of the human being, despite the hard language, not exactly agreeable to our ears, is undoubtedly one of the most powerful that can be applied to the rather unknown being that we can’t help being to ourselves: "What a chimera then is man! What a novelty, what a monster, what a chaos, what a contradiction, what a prodigy! Judge of all things, imbecile worm of the earth; depositary of truth, a sink of uncertainty and error; the pride and refuse of the universe! Who will unravel this tangle?"

- http://www.meaningsoflife.com/

This website no longer exists, sadly...

"You Must Not Be Frightened..."

"How should we be able to forget those ancient myths that are at the beginning of all peoples, the myths about dragons that at the last moment turn into princesses; perhaps all the dragons of our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything terrible is in its deepest being something helpless that needs our help. So you must not be frightened if a sadness rises up before you larger than any you have ever seen; if a restiveness, like light and cloud shadows, passes over your hands and over all you do. You must think that something is happening with you, that life has not forgotten you, that it holds you in its hand; it will not let you fall."

- Rainer Maria Rilke

"This Day In History St. Patrick Dies"

"This Day In History St. Patrick Dies"

by History.com

"On March 17, 461, St. Patrick dies at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland. Today, the late Christian missionary, bishop and apostle of Ireland is honored with the holiday of St. Patrick’s Day on the anniversary of his death. How St. Patrick died is unknown, though he is believed to be in his 70s at the time of his death. Some sources report he was born in 385, but others state it was 387. In death, he was unofficially declared a saint.

Much of what is known about Patrick’s legendary life comes from the "Confessio", a book he wrote during his last years. Born in Roman Britain (likely in what is now Wales, western England or southern Scotland) to a well-to-do Christian family of Roman citizenship, Patrick was captured and likely enslaved at age 16 by Irish marauders. For the next six years, he worked as a herder in Ireland, turning to a deepening religious faith for comfort. Following the counsel of a voice he heard in a dream one night, he escaped and found passage on a ship to Britain, where he was eventually reunited with his family.

According to the "Confessio", while in Britain Patrick had another dream, in which an individual named Victoricus gave him a letter, entitled “The Voice of the Irish.” As he read it, Patrick seemed to hear the voices of Irishmen pleading him to return to their country and walk among them once more. After studying for the priesthood, Patrick was ordained a bishop. He arrived in Ireland around 432 and began preaching the Gospel, converting many thousands of Irish people and building churches around the country. After 40 years of living in poverty, teaching, traveling and working tirelessly, Patrick died in Saul, where he had built his first church.

Since that time, many legends have grown up around Patrick. The patron saint of Ireland is said to have baptized hundreds of people on a single day and to have used a shamrock to describe the Holy Trinity. In art, he is often portrayed trampling on snakes, in accordance with the belief that he drove those reptiles out of Ireland. In reality, research has found snakes were not in the country to begin with."

- https://www.theburningplatform.com/

Dan, I Allegedly, "The Car Market Is Collapsing"

Full screen recommended.

Dan, I Allegedly, 3/17/26

"The Car Market Is Collapsing"

"The automotive industry is facing serious problems in today’s economy, and consumers are paying the price. In this video, I break down shocking reports of deceptive car dealership practices, hidden fees, false advertising, and the recent crackdown involving dozens of dealerships. From misleading pricing to forced add-ons and financing traps, buying a car has become more complicated—and risky—than ever before. We also dive into the bigger economic picture, including delays in online car sales platforms, rising business costs, layoffs, and what’s really happening with electric vehicle inventory. If you're thinking about buying a car, investing in a business, or trying to protect your money in this unstable economy, this is information you need to know right now."

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

"How It Really is"

(With U.S. debt now at $38.9 trillion, the cost of the interest bill

alone on all that borrowing is about $3 billion a day. A quick calculation:

the USA is paying out over a trillion in interest this year.)

"People Reveal What Is Really Happening In Iran’s Drone War"

Full screen recommended.

Epic Economist, 3/17/26

"People Reveal What Is 

Really Happening In Iran’s Drone War"

"The numbers don't lie. Iran builds drones for $20,000. America shoots them down with $2,000,000 missiles. Every single time. And Iran has hundreds of thousands of them. While Washington tells you we're winning, our own military analysts are warning we could run out of interceptor missiles within weeks. A billion dollars a day is being spent on this war, with no congressional approval, no vote, and no plan. Meanwhile, a sitting congressman was caught buying defense stocks the same week the Pentagon announced a 300,000 drone purchase. Eleven billion dollars in six days. Enough to fund healthcare for millions. Instead it's gone. And the casualty numbers? The government is lying about those too. A deleted job posting at Dover Air Force Base tells you everything you need to know. Veterans who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and now watch this unfold are speaking out. Korea. Vietnam. Afghanistan. Iraq. Zero victories. And now Iran. When does it stop?"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

"Col. Douglas Macgregor, 'Now There’s No Way Out.' 45,000 Iranian Missiles Ready"

World Conflict Analysis, 3/17/26

"Col. Douglas Macgregor: 

'Now There’s No Way Out.' 45,000 Iranian Missiles Ready"

"Retired U.S. Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor warns that the confrontation between the United States, Iran, and Israel may have reached a point where de-escalation is becoming increasingly difficult. According to Macgregor, the scale of Iran’s missile arsenal is one of the most underestimated factors shaping the conflict. He points to claims that Iran and its regional partners could have access to tens of thousands of missiles and rockets, forming a layered deterrence system capable of striking military bases, cities, and strategic infrastructure across the region. This includes not only Iran’s domestic arsenal but also capabilities distributed among allied groups, creating a multi-front threat environment.

Macgregor argues that such a buildup changes the nature of the war. Instead of a short, decisive campaign, any conflict could turn into a prolonged exchange of strikes, where even advanced air defense systems struggle to intercept large volumes of incoming missiles. He also emphasizes that once both sides are committed and heavily armed, political leaders may find themselves with limited exit options. Each new strike increases pressure to respond, creating a cycle that is difficult to break without appearing to concede. Another concern is the broader regional impact. Large-scale missile exchanges could disrupt critical infrastructure and energy routes - especially near key chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz - with consequences for global markets and security.

Macgregor’s warning is stark: when military capabilities reach this scale and escalation is already underway, conflicts can become self-sustaining, driven more by momentum than by clear strategic goals."

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

o

Full screen recommended.

OPTM, 3/17/26

"Iran Just Struck Knesset Building 

Filled With Israeli Government Ministers"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

"China Eyes Taiwan as U.S. Far East Missile Defense Relocated to Mid-East"

"China Eyes Taiwan as U.S. Far East

 Missile Defense Relocated to Mid-East"

by Benjamin Bartee

"I predicted long before the Iran war kicked off in March that 2026 would be the year the CCP pulls the trigger on its long-awaited incursion across the Taiwan Strait to reclaim what it views as its wayward island redoubt. Among other reasons for my crystal-ball prophecy, Xi Jinping himself essentially declared the conquest as a Chinese New Year’s Resolution of sorts, describing the forced “reunification” of Taiwan with China as “unstoppable.”

Full screen recommended.

I can find no indication that my prediction was flawed, and I stand behind it. In the CCP’s eyes, the unfolding geopolitical crisis in Iran may provide a golden opportunity to initiate hostilities while the United States military is distracted and stretched thin. No matter how massive the superpower, fighting a three-front war in far-off regions is usually a recipe for disaster.

In the event of such an invasion, Taiwan’s ostensible regional allies in the neoliberal fold likely wouldn’t be willing or able to do much to thwart China either. Via Asia Times: “If the Iran conflict continues for an extended period, lasting months rather than weeks, while casualties mount and the US appears bogged down, Chinese President Xi Jinping might be tempted to finally make good on his threat to move against Taiwan, a “reunification” he recently characterized as “unstoppable.”

China might assess that its military overmatch around Taiwan is such that the US can’t amass enough force to forestall or respond to a Chinese assault without suffering heavy losses. And if the Americans don’t take the lead, no other regional nation will, not even nearby Japan. Despite impressive niche capabilities, the Japan Self Defense Force can’t fight a major war on its own…

The Iran conflict compounds the distraction and resource drain. Whatever the US does in Iran or provides to Ukraine is not available for a fight in the Western Pacific, and the US military may eventually need to draw on stocks allocated for an Asia-Pacific contingency… But maybe US allies can make up the difference? Unlikely. Japan is remilitarizing, but has a long way to go. South Korea is a huge arms producer but focuses on North Korea, and it’s questionable what Seoul would do in the event of a Taiwan conflict.

Leftist President Lee Jae-myung and his administration are reluctant to anger China. And President Lee himself said, while a candidate, that what China did to Taiwan was not South Korea’s business.” Reports over the past week indicate the recent movement of Patriot missiles and other munitions out of South Korea to fortify the U.S. posture in the Persian Gulf.

Via Reuters:“South Korea can deter any threats from North Korea even ​if Washington redeploys weapons stationed in the country, President Lee Jae Myung said on Tuesday, after reports that U.S. missile defense systems were ‌being sent to the Middle East. Reports on shifting key U.S. military assets have sparked concern in Asia about the potential gaps in regional defences if Washington diverts ships and missiles used to deter military flexing by China and North Korea to other theaters.

“It appears that there is controversy recently over U.S. Forces in Korea shipping some weapons, such as artillery batteries and air-defense weapons, out ​of the country,” Lee said in a cabinet meeting, noting that while Seoul had expressed opposition, it was not in a position to make ​demands. Lee said the removal of some U.S. weapons from the country “does not hinder deterrence strategy towards North Korea,” noting South Korea’s defense spending ⁠and conventional capabilities far exceeded those of North Korea.

South Korea hosts a major U.S. military presence in combined defense against nuclear-armed North Korea, with about 28,500 troops ​and surface-to-air defense systems... South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said on Friday that U.S. and South Korean militaries were discussing the possible redeployment of some U.S. Patriot ​missile defense systems to the conflict in the Middle East. South Korean media reported some missile batteries had been shipped out of Osan Air Base and were likely to be redeployed to U.S. bases in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, though South Korean authorities have not confirmed these reports.”

Reporting over the weekend indicates recently increased Chinese aerial activity near Taiwan, likely to probe defenses and gauge the diplomatic response from the U.S., Japan, South Korea, et al., and possibly to flex some muscle ahead of Trump’s upcoming visit to Beijing. Via Politico: “Taiwan saw a surge of Chinese military planes near the island, its defense ministry said Sunday, after a sharp drop in flights over the past two weeks had sparked discussions among observers. The ministry detected 26 Chinese military aircraft around the island on Saturday, with 16 of them entering its northern, central and southwestern Air Defense Identification Zone. Seven naval ships were spotted around the island, it reported.” A few considerations should China pull the trigger:

• Could the United States and its allies realistically fight a three-front war in Eurasia, the Middle East, and the Orient?

• Could American allies, which have long neglected their own defense spending as they have enjoyed the warm embrace of the American “security umbrella,” as it’s known, pull their own weight in each theater?

• Does the global oil squeeze help or hurt China’s military capacity, given that almost all of its oil supplies come through the Strait of Hormuz?

• In the event of escalation, should the U.S. et al. rush to defend Taiwan, would Chinese allies like North Korea and Pakistan, also both nuclear powers, join in?"

- https://armageddonprose.substack.com/

Bill Bonner, "War at the Improv"

"War at the Improv"

by Bill Bonner

"Oil is to the real economy what credit is to Wall Street."

- Tom Dyson (or words to that effect)

Youghal, Ireland - "Today is St. Patrick’s Day, a holiday here in Ireland. A time for the ‘wearing of the green.’ Many downtown areas will be closed off for parades. But here at Bonner Private Research, our dot-connecting mission continues as usual. And...whoa...what a show. We are looking at some marvelous, exploding dots...like fireworks thrown up into the air, bursting into hundreds of sparkling cinders before they fall to the ground. And any one of them could fall into a tank of jet fuel. What an exciting time! And in this incendiary illumination we see the outlines of several great questions.

If Tom is right, we will soon get to see what effect a sudden uptick in oil prices will actually have. Will it send modern economies into recession? And when investors see it depressing corporate earnings, will it mean a crash in the stock market?

But that’s not all. There are also the strategic questions. Can Iran  actually control the Strait of Hormuz? Could its rockets and drones sink a US Navy warship? And what happens to modern civilization when its most precious commodity - its lifeblood - is suddenly much harder to get? Governments go broke? People go hungry? Riots? Revolutions?

MN Gordon adds ominous background music: "Skyrocketing oil prices are a noted precursor to declining economic activity. Higher gas prices are not just an inconvenient market fluctuation. They act as a regressive tax on every single human being who eats, moves, or buys things. When the price of gas spikes and the pumps run dry, the very foundation of the global economy crumbles."

The US strategic plan has still not been revealed. For many years, America’s generals warned against attacking Iran. It could control the Strait of Hormuz, they pointed out...which could have devastating consequences. As if to confirm our hypothesis - that Donald Trump’s historic mission (not his intention) is to isolate and weaken the US empire - POTUS rushed boldly in where others feared to tread.

And now, surprise! The Strait of Hormuz is closed to the US and Israel. And surprise again. Business Insider: "Sky-high gas prices are already hitting the economy. “When gas prices spike, commuting effectively becomes a pay cut,” one chief operating officer told us."

While a few employers say they’re softening their RTO stances amid rising gas prices, the vast majority are unlikely to change their in-office requirements, particularly in a cooling job market where many workers lack the leverage to push back. The latest increase is a reminder of how quickly surging gas prices can ripple through the economy. So what happens next?

Team Trump could announce victory...bring the troops home and stage a parade down 5th avenue. After all, they deserve to celebrate; they’ve ‘obliterated’ Iran’s nuclear capacity twice! Trouble is, as long as Iran still blocks the Strait of Hormuz, it will be a fake triumph. Already, the attack on Iran looks like an improv war…where the main protagonist makes it up as he goes along. And now, he can either end the war in what will look like another failure. Or, he can expand it (with footsoldiers, for example). Either way, it will probably hurt Republican chances in November elections.

Note that Iran doesn’t have to block all traffic in the Strait of Hormuz to succeed. The plausible threat of destroying a tanker or two is enough to greatly reduce ready supplies of oil...and greatly increase fuel and fertilizer prices.

A further note: the idea of using US Navy escorts to free up shipping seems cockamamie. Ships are drone magnets. The Iranians might be able to destroy a US ship of the line, as well as the commercial traffic it is protecting. And even if the escort plan succeeded, there aren’t enough ships in the US Navy to uncork the bottleneck. Trump tried to solve this problem by inviting other nations to join in. But alienating friends and allies comes at a cost. So far, Italy, Spain, France, Norway, Canada, Japan, Australia and Germany have all wisely said ‘no’...other nations simply haven’t answered.

So, we may be looking at more than just a contest between Israel and the US on one side and Iran and its proxies on the other. We might also be looking at a major test for Team Trump and for the US empire…or even a major test for oil-fired civilization itself. Can it avoid a war that might cut it off from the very thing it needs most? More to come..."

- https://www.bonnerprivateresearch.com/

Scott Ritter, "Nuclear War is Coming, Brace Yourself"

A Must-View!

Global War Analysis, 3/17/26

Scott Ritter, 3/17/26

"Nuclear War is Coming, Brace Yourself"

"Former UN weapons inspector and military analyst Scott Ritter warns that the confrontation involving Iran, the United States, and Israel may be entering a far more intense and unpredictable phase. According to Ritter, recent developments suggest that what lies ahead could be more severe than anything seen so far in the conflict.

Ritter argues that Iran’s strategy is built around long-term endurance and escalation control, meaning it does not need a quick victory to achieve its objectives. Instead, by sustaining pressure through missile strikes, drones, and regional operations, Iran can gradually increase the cost for its adversaries over time. He also highlights the risk of multi-front escalation. The conflict could expand beyond a single battlefield, involving different regions across the Middle East and increasing the likelihood of miscalculation between multiple actors. Another key concern is the global impact. If tensions escalate further - especially around critical energy routes like the Strait of Hormuz - the consequences could extend beyond the region, affecting oil markets, global trade, and international security.

Ritter’s central message is a warning: wars often reach tipping points where events accelerate rapidly and unpredictably. If escalation continues, the conflict could shift into a phase where control becomes much harder and the risks much higher."

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

"How the War With Iran Will Trigger a Global Financial Crisis (w/Yanis Varoufakis)"

"How the War With Iran Will Trigger a 

Global Financial Crisis (w/Yanis Varoufakis)"

The Chris Hedges Report, 3/17/26

"Alongside the death and destruction occurring all throughout the Middle East as the war in Iran rages on, the rest of the world is experiencing the economic blowback of the conflict. Oil and natural gas prices are skyrocketing in the West as well as the Global South following the closing of the Strait of Hormuz.

Yanis Varoufakis, economist and former Greek finance minister, joins The Chris Hedges Report to explain how the war will continue to mangle the global economy and what countries can expect in the coming months. “The vast majority of the very people, the blue collar workers that voted Trump in, are suffering exorbitant increases in their transport costs. Let’s not forget that the average MAGA supporter, voter, travels 100 miles a day in very thirsty SUVs, cars, and that… increase in the gas price goes straight into their family budget,” Varoufakis explains.

“Europe is in an awful situation,” Varoufakis says. “I was looking at electricity prices today across Europe and I saw that in Spain, a kilowatt hour was worth 35 euros, something like 40 bucks. In Germany, it was 98. And in my godforsaken country, Greece, it was 144 euros. So it is not just that a wave has hit us in Europe from this recessionary tsunami. It has hit us asymmetrically. And the asymmetries are due to the relative power of the local oligarchies.”

- https://chrishedges.substack.com/

"Bombing Japan, A Retrospective and the Implications for Iran"

Click image for larger size.

Destruction of the American Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)

 radar systems in early March 2026, stationed in the UAE, at Al Ruwais

"Bombing Japan, A Retrospective 

and the Implications for Iran"

by Larry C. Johnson

"Anyone who thinks a massive bombing campaign will compel the Iranians to surrender and dump the mullahs, does not know the history of Japan, the United States and the Soviet Union in 1945. The US bombing of Japan started in earnest in March 1945 and continued through August 8, 1945. The conventional bombing killed an estimated 500,000 Japanese - mostly civilians. The atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August added as many as 226,000 to that macabre sum. Yet, it was not the bombings alone that prodded Japan to surrender… It was the Soviet entry into the war that forced Japan to surrender.

In doing this comparison, consider this: Iran is almost 5 times the geographic size of Japan, and Iran has 91 million people compared to Japan’s population in January 1945, which was an estimated 72 million.

Below is a chronological list of major US bombing raids on Japan during 1945, focusing on the strategic air campaign conducted by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), primarily using B-29 Superfortress bombers. This includes both conventional firebombing raids (incendiary attacks on urban areas) and the atomic bombings. The list is derived from historical records and focuses on raids with documented impacts; smaller or reconnaissance missions are omitted. Estimated killed figures refer to civilian and military deaths directly from the raids (immediate and short-term from injuries/fire/radiation), often including ranges due to varying historical assessments. Many estimates are approximate because of the destruction of records, population displacement, and challenges in post-war accounting. Where specific figures are unavailable, I’ve noted “not specified” or provided context from aggregated data:

March 9-10, 1945: Tokyo (Operation Meetinghouse, firebombing). Estimated killed: 80,000–100,000.

March 11, 1945: Nagoya (firebombing). Estimated killed: Minimal (fewer than 200; raid was ineffective due to high winds dispersing incendiaries).

March 13-14, 1945: Osaka (firebombing). Estimated killed: 3,000–4,000.

March 16-17, 1945: Kobe (firebombing). Estimated killed: 8,000–8,841.

March 18-19, 1945: Nagoya (firebombing). Estimated killed: 1,000–2,000.

April 13, 1945: Tokyo arsenal district (firebombing). Estimated killed: Not specified (raid targeted industrial areas; casualties lower than major urban raids, likely hundreds).

April 15, 1945: Tokyo region, including Kawasaki and Yokohama (firebombing). Estimated killed: Not specified (industrial focus; estimated hundreds to low thousands).

May 13, 1945: Nagoya (daylight incendiary). Estimated killed: 3,866.

May 16-17, 1945: Nagoya (firebombing). Estimated killed: Not specified (follow-up raid; likely hundreds).

May 23, 1945: Southern Tokyo (firebombing). Estimated killed: Not specified (urban raid; estimates around 500–1,000).

May 25, 1945: Central Tokyo, including Tokyo Imperial Palace area (firebombing). Estimated killed: 3,000–4,000.

May 29, 1945: Yokohama (daylight incendiary). Estimated killed: Over 1,000 (up to 2,600).

June 1, 1945: Osaka (daylight incendiary). Estimated killed: 3,960.

June 5, 1945: Kobe (daylight incendiary). Estimated killed: Not specified (follow-up; likely 1,000–2,000).

June 7, 1945: Osaka (firebombing). Estimated killed: Not specified (likely hundreds).

June 15, 1945: Osaka and Amagasaki (firebombing). Estimated killed: Not specified (combined; around 500–1,000).

June 17, 1945: Hamamatsu, Kagoshima, Ōmuta, Yokkaichi (firebombing). Estimated killed: Not specified (dispersed; low hundreds per city).

June 19, 1945: Fukuoka, Shizuoka, Toyohashi (firebombing). Estimated killed: Not specified (similar to above).

June 28, 1945: Moji, Nobeoka, Okayama, Sasebo (firebombing). Estimated killed: Not specified.

July 1, 1945: Kumamoto, Kure, Shimonoseki, Ube (firebombing). Estimated killed: Not specified.

July 3, 1945: Himeji, Kōchi, Takamatsu, Tokushima (firebombing). Estimated killed: Not specified.

July 6, 1945: Akashi, Chiba, Kōfu, Shimizu (firebombing). Estimated killed: Not specified.

July 9, 1945: Gifu, Sakai, Sendai, Wakayama (firebombing). Estimated killed: Not specified.

July 12, 1945: Ichinomiya, Tsuruga, Utsunomiya, Uwajima (firebombing). Estimated killed: Not specified.

July 16, 1945: Hiratsuka, Kuwana, Numazu, Ōita (firebombing). Estimated killed: Not specified.

July 19, 1945: Chōshi, Fukui, Hitachi, Okazaki (firebombing). Estimated killed: Not specified.

July 26, 1945: Matsuyama, Ōmuta, Tokuyama (firebombing). Estimated killed: Not specified.

July 28, 1945: Aomori, Ichinomiya, Tsu, Uji-Yamada, Ōgaki, Uwajima (firebombing). Estimated killed: Not specified.

August 1, 1945: Hachiōji, Mito, Nagaoka, Toyama (firebombing). Estimated killed: 1,000–2,000 (Toyama had highest destruction; around 1,500 killed there alone).

August 5, 1945: Imabari, Maebashi, Nishinomiya, Saga (firebombing). Estimated killed: Not specified.

August 6, 1945: Hiroshima (atomic bombing). Estimated killed: 70,000–146,000 (including later deaths from radiation by end of 1945).

August 9, 1945: Nagasaki (atomic bombing). Estimated killed: 40,000–80,000 (including later deaths from radiation by end of 1945).

The good news for Iran - if you dare to call it good news - is that the daily bombings by Israel and the United States have caused only a fraction of the fatalities Japan experience during a six-month bombing campaign.

Russia’s (Soviet Union’s) entry into the Pacific theater of the war was a critical factor in Japan’s surrender, eroding any remaining hope for negotiation and exposing military vulnerabilities. While intertwined with the atomic bombings, it likely accelerated the decision by making total defeat inevitable. In the final months of World War II, Japan was facing mounting defeats in the Pacific, with US forces closing in and a devastating strategic bombing campaign underway. By mid-1945, Japanese leaders were seeking ways to end the war on terms short of unconditional surrender, as outlined in the Potsdam Declaration (July 26, 1945). A key part of this strategy involved approaching the Soviet Union - then neutral under the 1941 Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact - to act as a mediator with the Allies. However, at the Yalta Conference in February 1945, Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin had secretly agreed with US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to enter the war against Japan within three months of Germany’s surrender (which occurred on May 8, 1945).

The atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, killed tens of thousands and shocked Japan’s leadership, but it did not immediately prompt surrender. On August 8, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan, abrogating the neutrality pact. The next day, August 9, over 1.5 million Soviet troops launched a massive invasion (Operation August Storm) into Japanese-occupied Manchuria, Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands, and northern Korea. This assault overwhelmed the Japanese Kwantung Army, which numbered around 700,000 but was undermanned and poorly equipped. The Soviets advanced rapidly, capturing vast territories and inflicting heavy casualties - estimates suggest 84,000 Japanese killed and over 600,000 captured by the operation’s end. The same day as the invasion’s start, the US dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki.

The Soviet declaration of war and subsequent invasion played a significant role in Japan’s decision to surrender, often viewed as a “twin shock” alongside the atomic bombings. Japan had pinned its strategy on Soviet mediation to secure a conditional peace, preserving the emperor’s status and avoiding full occupation. Soviet entry into the war shattered this illusion, signaling that no neutral third party would intervene. As noted in declassified documents and historical analyses, Japan’s Supreme War Council was divided post-Hiroshima, with some hardliners still resisting surrender in hopes of Soviet assistance.

The invasion opened a new northern front, threatening Japan’s continental empire and homeland. The Kwantung Army’s rapid collapse - losing Manchuria (a key industrial and resource base) in days - was a psychological blow, demonstrating Japan’s inability to sustain a prolonged defense. This compounded the exhaustion from US island-hopping and bombing campaigns, making continued resistance futile. Soviet forces also seized Sakhalin and the Kurils, cutting off potential retreat routes and supply lines.

In Hirohito’s August 15 surrender broadcast (the “Jewel Voice Broadcast”), he cited the atomic bombs but also alluded to the “new and most cruel bomb” and the broader strategic situation, which implicitly included the Soviet threat. A subsequent message to the armed forces on August 17 explicitly referenced Soviet entry as a reason for surrender. Military leaders, fearing Soviet occupation of the home islands, saw it as a tipping point. Even after the emperor’s decision, a failed coup by hardline officers on August 14–15 aimed to continue the war, underscoring the internal resistance that Soviet actions helped overcome.

My point in revisiting Japan’s decision to end the war is to emphasize the limitations of achieving a surrender or a regime change via bombing alone. Even the use of two atomic bombs did not persuade the Japanese to surrender… The entrance of Russian troops into the fray tipped the scales in Japan’s decision to accept unconditional surrender. Compared to what the US did to Japan in 1945, the current attack on Iran represents a much smaller scale of destruction… Thank God for that.

Meanwhile, the comparison photos at the top of this article show that Iran is exacting a high price on US radars and air defense systems. Unlike Japan, who was bleeding out in the final year of the war, Iran continues to hit key US military installations in the Persian Gulf while pummeling Israel’s economic and military infrastructure. As long as Iran maintains control of the Persian Gulf, this war will go on for several months."

- https://larrycjohnson.substack.com/

"Alert! Fear Wave Imminent; Iran's Secret Weapon; 1,000 Drones Attack Moscow!"

Full screen recommended.

Canadian Prepper, 3/17/26

"Alert! Fear Wave Imminent, Iran's Secret Weapon; 

1,000 Drones Attack Moscow!"

"Moscow was targeted by 1000 drones in 72 hours, Iran has threatened to unveil new weapons, middle east is in flames, China is making moves on Taiwan, UAE economy is collapsing, people are fleeing and using crypto to transfer money, Hormuz has likely been mined, meeting with Trump and XI postponed, major Russian oil depot has been destroyed and many other stories."

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

"How Much Longer Can The US Economy Hang On? Oil Prices Will Rise Much Higher"

Jeremiah Babe, 3/16/26

"How Much Longer Can The US Economy Hang On?

 Oil Prices Will Rise Much Higher"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

"Scott Ritter: The Iran Strategy That’s Defeating America"

Dialogue Works, 3/16/26

"Scott Ritter:

The Iran Strategy That’s Defeating America"

"A discussion analyzing U.S. war objectives against Iran and the realities on the battlefield. The conversation argues that efforts to suppress Iran’s missile capabilities, neutralize its navy, and strike its military-industrial base are largely ineffective due to flawed intelligence, decoys, and dispersed infrastructure. It also examines Iran’s strategy of survival, economic pressure, and targeted strikes on critical systems rather than mass casualties. The interview explores how prolonged conflict, regional politics, and rising economic costs could shape public opinion and ultimately determine the outcome of the war."

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

Musical Interlude: Neil H, "Candlelight Dreams"

Neil H, "Candlelight Dreams"

"A Look to the Heavens"

"Colorful NGC 1579 resembles the better known Trifid Nebula, but lies much farther north in planet Earth's sky, in the heroic constellation Perseus. About 2,100 light-years away and 3 light-years across, NGC 1579 is, like the Trifid, a study in contrasting blue and red colors, with dark dust lanes prominent in the nebula's central regions.

In both, dust reflects starlight to produce beautiful blue reflection nebulae. But unlike the Trifid, in NGC 1579 the reddish glow is not emission from clouds of glowing hydrogen gas excited by ultraviolet light from a nearby hot star. Instead, the dust in NGC 1579 drastically diminishes, reddens, and scatters the light from an embedded, extremely young, massive star, itself a strong emitter of the characteristic red hydrogen alpha light."

- http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap090130.html

Chet Raymo, "Free As A Bird"

“Free As A Bird”

by Chet Raymo

“All afternoon I have been watching a pair of hummingbirds play about our porch. They live somewhere nearby, though I haven’t found their nest. They are attracted to our hummingbird feeder, which we keep full of sugar water. What perfect little machines they are! No other bird can perform their tricks of flight – flying backwards, hovering in place. Zip. Zip. From perch to perch in a blur of iridescence. If you want a symbol of freedom, the hummingbird is it. Exuberant. Unpredictable. A streak of pure fun. It is the speed, of course, that gives the impression of perfect spontaneity. The bird can perform a dozen intricate maneuvers more quickly than I can turn my head.

Is the hummingbird’s apparent freedom illusory, a biochemically determined response to stimuli from the environment? Or is the hummingbird’s flight what it seems to be, willful and unpredictable? If I can answer that question, I will be learning as much about myself as about the hummingbird. So I watch. And I consider what I know of biochemistry. The hummingbird is awash in signals from its environment – visual, olfactory, auditory and tactile cues that it processes and responds to with lightning speed.

How does it do it? Proteins, mostly. Every cell of the hummingbird’s body is a buzzing conversation of proteins, each protein a chain of hundreds of amino acids folded into a complex shape like a piece of a three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle. Shapes as various as the words of a human vocabulary. An odor molecule from a blossom, for example, binds to a protein receptor on a cell membrane of the hummingbird’s olfactory organ – like a jigsaw-puzzle piece with its neighbor. This causes the receptor molecule to change that part of its shape that extends inside the cell. Another protein now binds with the new configuration of the receptor, and changes its own shape. And so on, in a sequence of shapeshifting and binding – called a signal-transduction cascade – until the hummingbird’s brain “experiences” the odor.

Now appropriate signals must be sent from the brain to the body – ion flows established along neural axons, synapses activated. Wing muscles must respond to direct the hummingbird to the source of nourishment. Tens of thousands of proteins in a myriad of cells talk to each other, each protein genetically prefigured by the hummingbird’s DNA to carry on its conversation in a particular part of the body. All of this happens continuously, and so quickly that to my eye the bird’s movements are a blur.

There is much left to learn, but this much is clear: There is no ghost in the machine, no hummingbird pilot making moment by moment decisions out of the whiffy stuff of spirit. Every detail of the hummingbird’s apparently willful flight is biochemistry. Between the hummingbird and myself there is a difference of complexity, but not of kind. If humans are the lords of terrestrial creation, it is because of the huge tangle of nerves that sits atop our spines.

So what does this mean about human freedom? If we are biochemical machines in interaction with our environments, in what sense can we be said to be free? What happens to “free will”? Perhaps the most satisfying place to look for free will is in what is sometimes called chaos theory. In sufficiently complex systems with many feedback loops – the global economy, the weather, the human nervous system – small perturbations can lead to unpredictable large-scale consequences, though every part of the system is individually deterministic. This has sometimes been called – somewhat facetiously – the butterfly effect: a butterfly flaps its wings in China and triggers a cascade of events that results in a snowstorm in Chicago. Chaos theory has taught us that determinism does not imply predictability. Of course, this is not what philosophers traditionally meant by free will, but it is indistinguishable from what philosophers traditionally meant by free will. If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck.

I watch the hummingbirds at the feeder. Their hearts beat ten times faster than a human’s. They have the highest metabolic rate of any animal, a dozen times higher than a pigeon, a hundred times higher than an elephant. Hummingbirds live at the edge of what is biologically possible, and it’s that, the fierce intenseness of their aliveness, that makes them appear so exuberantly free. But there are no metaphysical pilots in these little flying machines. The machines are the pilots. You give me carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and a few billion years of evolution, and I’ll give you a bird that burns like a luminous flame. The hummingbird’s freedom was built into the universe from the first moment of creation.”

- http://www.sciencemusings.com/

'If You Are Alone..."

“Each must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, and which course is patriotic and which isn’t. You cannot shirk this and be a man. To decide against your convictions is to be an unqualified and inexcusable traitor, both to yourself and to your country, let men label you as they may. If you alone of all the nation shall decide one way, and that way be the right way according to your convictions of the right, you have done your duty by yourself and by your country – hold up your head! You have nothing to be ashamed of.”

- Mark Twain

"If..."

“If Man were relieved of all superstition, and all prejudice, and had replaced these with a keen sensitivity to his real environment, and moreover had achieved a level of communication so simplified that one syllable could express his every thought, then he would have achieved the level of intelligence already achieved by his dog.”

~ Robert Brault

"James Van Der Beek’s Message We All Need To Hear"

 

James Van Der Beek has passed,

but what he said before he did we all need to hear.

The Poet: Edward Hirsch, "I Was Never Able To Pray"

"I Was Never Able To Pray"

"Wheel me down to the shore

where the lighthouse was abandoned

and the moon tolls in the rafters.

Let me hear the wind paging through the trees

and see the stars flaring out, one by one,

like the forgotten faces of the dead.

I was never able to pray,

but let me inscribe my name

in the book of waves

and then stare into the dome

of a sky that never ends

and see my voice sail into the night."

- Edward Hirsch

"Some Oddities..."

"There are some oddities in the perspective with which we see the world. The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well, on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 93 million miles away and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be."

- Douglas Adams

"Now They Are Actually Telling Us That There Is A Massive "Gravity Hole" Underneath Antarctica?"

by Michael Snyder

"For decades, we were told to ignore any of the strange reports that we were hearing about Antarctica. Experts assured us that nothing unusual was going on and that there wasn’t anything to be concerned about. Of course we couldn’t go investigate for ourselves, because as you will see below, there are 72 areas of Antarctica that only those with a special permit are allowed to enter. And if you try to fly to Antarctica without authorization, you will get into all sorts of trouble. So why all the secrecy? What are they trying to hide from all the rest of us?

One thing that scientists are admitting about Antarctica is that it sits directly above the strongest “gravity hole” on the entire planet…Earth may look like a smooth “blue marble” from space, but it’s better to imagine it as a slightly gnarled orange, with an inside that’s firm in parts, but squishier in others. Since the planet isn’t a perfect sphere and its internal density varies across the globe, gravitational pull changes from place to place. Where there’s less mass in the underlying geology, gravity is weaker, and vice versa.

These dips in the gravitational field are formally known as gravity anomalies, but they’re more commonly called “gravity holes”. The largest is found in the middle of the Indian Ocean, spanning over 3 million square kilometers (roughly 1,100,000 square miles), while the strongest is found in Antarctica.

Isn’t that interesting? It turns out that there is a gigantic “hole” under Antarctica after all. But the experts are insisting that there really isn’t anything particularly special about it. In fact, they try to make it sound as boring as possible… A “gravity hole” beneath Antarctica sounds like the plot to a bad sci-fi movie, but it’s a very real situation deep beneath the Earth’s surface stretching back tens of millions of years. The phenomenon thankfully isn’t as apocalyptic as it sounds, either. In fact, researchers say these complex interactions between rock densities, gravitational pull, and sea levels are actually helping them understand how the southernmost continent’s ice sheets evolved, and what their influences mean for the planet’s climate.

Yawn. That does sound pretty boring. But could it be possible that there is a lot more to this than we are being told? It is being reported that the team of researchers that mapped the colossal gravity hole directly under Antarctica was able to use a combination of methods to actually “reconstruct the three-dimensional structure” that exists underneath the continent…

In the study, published recently in Scientific Reports, Forte and Petar Glišović, Ph.D., of the Paris Institute of Earth Physics, mapped the Antarctic gravity hole and revealed how it developed over millions of years. They relied on an Earth-spanning scientific project that combined global earthquake recordings with physics-based modeling to reconstruct the three-dimensional structure inside Earth. “Imagine doing a CT scan of the whole Earth, but we don’t have X-rays like we do in a medical office. We have earthquakes. Earthquake waves provide the ‘light’ that illuminates the interior of the planet,” Forte said.

It certainly appears that something is down there. Could some of the reports that we have heard over the years actually be true? I wouldn’t hold your breath waiting for the truth to come out. Much of the continent is strictly off limits unless you have a special permit. In fact, according to Wikipedia there are 72 sites that have been designated as Antarctic Specially Protected Areas…

"An Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) is an area on the continent of Antarctica, or on nearby islands, which is protected by scientists and several different international bodies. The protected areas were established in 1961 under the Antarctic Treaty System, which governs all the land and water south of 60 latitude and protects against human development.[1] A permit is required for entry into any ASPA site.[2] The ASPA sites are protected by the governments of Australia, New Zealand, United States, United Kingdom, Chile, France, Argentina, Poland, Russia, Norway, Japan, India, Italy, and Republic of Korea. There are currently 72 sites."

They take security in Antarctica quite seriously. When a 19-year-old American named Ethan Guo decided that he would fly down there without permission, he was immediately arrested…"A teenage pilot, who is attempting to fly all seven continents solo, hit a patch of rough air this weekend when Chilean authorities detained him for changing his flight plan without their permission and landing in Antarctica.

Chilean prosecutors say American influencer Ethan Guo, 19, broke “multiple national and international regulations” by changing his flight plans without prior notice, landing on a part of Antarctica where the South American country maintains a territorial claim. CNN requested a comment from Guo, whose lawyer on Sunday said the young pilot had experienced “complications” while flying."

Yes, tourists can visit Antarctica. But you must carefully obey the rules, and you must not wander away from the very limited areas that tourists are allowed to see. Of course most of the good stuff is in areas where tourists are never allowed, and that includes the colossal pyramid that appears to have been man-made…

I have to admit, the symmetry of that structure is quite striking. But even though it looks like an ancient Egyptian pyramid, the official story is that this is simply a naturally-occurring structure that was shaped by erosion…

"In the vast, icy expanse of Antarctica, lies a mountain that, from an aerial view, resembles an ancient Egyptian pyramid. This striking formation, nestled in a sea of snow, has captured the imagination of internet users since it went viral in 2016. However, this pyramid-like mountain is no work of human or alien architects; it’s a product of nature’s slow and relentless erosion.

This unnamed mountain stands about 4,150 feet tall. It’s located in the southern part of the Ellsworth Mountains, a rugged range first glimpsed by American aviator Lincoln Ellsworth in 1935. The mountain’s pyramid shape is particularly notable because it has four steep sides, a feature that isn’t common among mountains." I wish that I could go see it for myself. But that certainly isn’t going to happen any time soon.

Interestingly, a “ring of fire” solar eclipse was visible in Antarctica on Tuesday…"A magnificent annular solar eclipse just swept over Antarctica, putting on an impressive display of orbital mechanics as the moon passed in front of the sun at the perfect distance from Earth to create a fiery halo in a darkened sky  -  at least for the few souls lucky enough to be in a position to see it.

Feb. 17’s annular solar eclipse occurred as the lunar disk slipped between the sun and Earth during its new moon phase. The alignment occurred as the moon travelled through a distant point in its elliptical orbit, making it appear smaller than usual in Earth’s sky.

Today’s eclipse got underway at 4:56 a.m. EST (0956 GMT), as the moon took an ever greater bite out of the solar disk, transforming its burning orb into a glowing crescent, before finally diving entirely within its fiery expanse. The moon - appearing fractionally smaller than usual - was unable to cover the entirety of the sun’s disk, leaving a thin sliver of its outer edge visible to surround Earth’s natural satellite to create a ring in the skies over Antarctica.

So many unusual things are happening in the heavens this year. Next month there will be a spectacular blood moon eclipse, and the month after that an absolutely enormous comet may be visible to the naked eye during the daytime as it travels very close to the Sun. We live in such interesting times, and I have a feeling that they will become even more interesting during the months ahead."

- https://www.zerohedge.com/

The Daily "Near You?"

Regensburg, Bayern, Germany. Thanks for stopping by!

Travelling With Russell, "Russian Typical (Luxury) Apartment: Could You Live There?"

Meanwhile, elsewhere...

Full screen recommended.

Travelling With Russell, 3/15/26

"Russian Typical (Luxury) Apartment: 

Could You Live There?"

"What is it like to live in a Russian Typical Luxury Apartment in the Ramenskoye region of Moscow, Russia? Join me on a tour of a fully furnished 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom brand-new apartment in Moscow, Russia. The apartment is listed for sale and ready for a new owner."

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

o

Full screen recommended.

Travelling With Russell, 3/15/26

"Russian Typical (American Style) Supermarket:

 O'Key"

"What does a Russian Hypermarket look like inside? Join me at O'Key Hypermarket, a former Luxembourg-owned hypermarket chain, which is now owned by a local Russian group. How has this chained fiared in the last 4 years in the face of Sanctions imposed on Russia?"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

"Millions Warned: Gas Prices May Surge Again"

Full screen recommended.

Snyder Reports, 3/16/26

"Millions Warned: Gas Prices May Surge Again"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

Dan, I Allegedly, "The New American Dream - People Are Going Off Grid"

Full screen recommended.

Dan, I Allegedly, 3/16/26

"The New American Dream -

 People Are Going Off Grid"

"Housing prices are spiraling out of control across the United States, with the average home now costing over $400,000 and rents hitting record highs. At the Overland Expo, I take you inside a growing movement of people turning to off-grid living, camper life, and overlanding as alternatives to traditional housing. From affordable trailers to extreme $500,000 expedition vehicles with solar power, water systems, and full off-grid capabilities, this event shows how Americans are rethinking the way they live as the housing crisis continues to worsen.

More people are exploring van life, tiny homes, and camper living as a way to escape rising rent, mortgage payments, and the financial pressure of today’s economy. With stories about skyrocketing home prices, extreme housing shortages, and people packing multiple families into small apartments, the question becomes clear: is off-grid living becoming the new American dream? Let me know what you think in the comments and share what housing prices look like in your area."

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

"How It Really Is"

 

National debt clock, real time:
- https://www.usdebtclock.org/