The unimportant news thread

[Todd]

UN meeting produces sense that a 'new epoch' is arriving

There isn't a name yet "for the new epoch," Kőrösi said, "but we feel that it has arrived."

Amerikadämmerung?

[Florestan]

Quick test for the editorial board of The Atlantic--- who said the following:

1. A Country is not a mere territory; the particular territory is only its foundation. The Country is the idea which rises upon that foundation; it is the sentiment of love, the sense of fellowship which binds together all the sons of that territory.

A) Benito Mussolini
B) Giorgia Meloni
C) Giuseppe Mazzini

2. We are all committed to serving our country according to the indications of the popular will.

A) Benito Mussolini
B) Giorgia Meloni
C) Alcide de Gasperi

3.The liberal conception in economic matters is effectively unsustainable, as there is a need for control according to the most complete ordering of the world economy, also and above all to achieve the greatest possible prosperity. When we say control of the economy, however, we do not mean that the State must be the manager of all economic activities, but we refer to the State in the complexity of its powers and therefore largely to the State which does not exclude individual initiatives, but coordinates, disciplines and directs them.

A) Benito Mussolini
B) Giorgia Meloni
C) Aldo Moro

4. The universal revolt against capitalist civilization, made in the name of an ideal of human dignity and justice, proves that the Christian conscience can fall asleep, but it cannot die.

A) Benito Mussolini
B) Giorgia Meloni
C) Amintore Fanfani

5.  To all morally free and socially evolved men, to those who in the love of their country know how to combine the right sense of national rights and interests with a healthy internationalism, to those who appreciate and respect the moral virtues of our people, [...] we appeal and ask to join our program.

A) Benito Mussolini
B) Giorgia Meloni
C) Luigi Sturzo

[Todd]

Bank of England warns of risk to UK financial stability as it intervenes in gilt market

[Karl Henning]

(* knock on wood*) The Windows 11 update seems to have been smooth.

[Todd]

Markets are reeling from higher rates. The world economy is next

If the Fed tightens until something breaks, the first cracking sounds could be in Europe

A strong dollar, in effect, exports America's domestic inflation problem to weaker economies.

It's good to be King Dollar. 

[Todd]

The CD Turns 40: How the 'Shiny, Tiny' Discs Took Over

[Todd]

Brazil election goes to runoff as Bolsonaro outperforms polls

Some people like this outcome:

Brazil markets soar as Bolsonaro's strong showing sparks runoff vote

[Spotted Horses]

Apparently, at a Paris Fashion show, Belle Hadid walked on to the runway naked and a polymer solution was sprayed on her body, which congealed into a dress.

https://www.cnn.com/style/article/bella-hadid-coperni-spray-on-dress/index.html

Somewhere Kendall Jenner has the depressed feeling that her star is no longer ascending. "Why didn't they spray a dress on me (sniffle)?"

[Todd]

Somewhere Kendall Jenner has the depressed feeling that her star is no longer ascending. "Why didn't they spray a dress on me (sniffle)?"

Perhaps her $45 million fortune will provide some solace.

[Spotted Horses]

Perhaps her $45 million fortune will provide some solace.

She lives and breaths clicks.

[Todd]

She lives and breaths clicks.

That's certainly her public persona.  I don't know her personally, so I do not know if that is true.  I also don't know if she has employees manage her social media accounts, a fairly standard practice for celebrities, irrespective of the source of their fame.

[Todd]

The Onion files Supreme Court brief defending parody posts

And here's a link to the whole thing on the SCOTUS site:

BRIEF OF THE ONION AS AMICUS CURIAE IN SUPPORT OF PETITIONER

[Todd]

From the Graun: Could a digital twin of Tuvalu preserve the island nation before it's lost to the collapsing climate?

[LKB]

USS Gerald R Ford has embarked on her first deployment.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2022/10/uss-gerald-r-ford-departs-for-its-first-major-deployment/

Russia's Belgorod also made news, though it took a couple of weeks:

https://news.usni.org/2022/10/05/russian-doomsday-sub-belgorod-spotted-in-the-arctic

Should be fun for our ASW people.

[Todd]

From the WTO: Trade growth to slow sharply in 2023 as global economy faces strong headwinds

WTO economists now predict global merchandise trade volumes will grow by 3.5% in 2022—slightly better than the 3.0% forecast in April. For 2023, however, they foresee a 1.0% increase—down sharply from the previous estimate of 3.4%.

[Todd]

Japan's foreign reserves drop by record on market shakeout, FX intervention

[Todd]

U.S. tries to hobble China chip industry with new export rules

Expanding economic warfare with China during a proxy war with Russia.  What could go wrong? 

There may be a shortcoming in the policy:

[Senior government officials] conceded, however, that they had not yet secured any promises that allied nations will implement similar measures and that discussions with those nations were ongoing.

"We recognize that the unilateral controls we're putting into place will lose effectiveness over time if other countries don't join us," one official said. "And we risk harming US technology leadership if foreign competitors are not subject to similar controls."

Unilateralism and extraterritoriality have limits.

[drogulus]

     You weren't supposed to see that

     A guy has opinions about inflation. He comes to the novel conclusion that elites don't fight it to benefit the poor and working class who are presumed to suffer from it. It's more a case of suppressing the bargaining power of labor. If people have money, they have choices. They shouldn't have choices and rates should go as high as necessary to restore the natural order. If inflation is allowed to subside on its own, which it will as supply chains repair and Covid recedes, there will be so much excess equality in the system that people won't know their place any more.

     

[drogulus]

     The US is coming to the conclusion that it's the better part of valor to prop up China for the duration. The US is the only country that can keep scavengers at bay and let the Chinese rot slowly. Foreign investment has declined to a fraction of the 2019 level. The rest will go. The wealthy are fleeing or fled. The borders are starting to close for ordinary people, too. Fewer get in, fewer are allowed to leave. Xi is going Maoist and repression would make Lil' Kim proud.

     US thinksters have rightly judged this is no time to make things worse. They'll say don't feed the Russian troll and we'll keep the trade prohibitions to a dull roar, and you can sell us toys and gadgets for as long as you can make them. The US will agree to help them with the mass starvation thing when the time comes.

[Karl Henning]

Fun Headline of the Day: Have We Really Thought This Legal Weed Thing Through?