Peter Briggs

@KenGardner11 As a Canadian supportive of the US & Israeli objectives in Iran, I feel like an outlier in my own country, notwithstanding the fact successive Canadian governments have insisted they support those same objectives. You don't have to love everything he's doing, but he's right here

@KenGardner11 The problem is, they're incapable of embarrassment, because their goal is to sow division and distrust. They won't reflect on their continual incorrect "assessments." They'll just pivot on to the next issue they can distort. It's either advanced TDS, or deliberate subversion

I guess that all those people who speculated groundlessly about where the POTUS was or what he was actually doing this weekend now feel even stupider than they normally do, which doesn't even seem possible. It must be terrible to go through life like this.

@TKratman As a proud Canadian, I second every word of this post. I wish I had the eloquence to articulate my thoughts this clearly, but these very thoughts run through my mind continually. I despair for the ruination being brought onto our countries through reflexive Anti-Americanism

From Martin Iles, reposted: Having lived in the USA for nearly two years, I've realised something. The USA and the remainder of the Western world are no longer aligned. We all laugh and mock when the Americans say, "Freedom!" because we truly think we're as free as they are. Wrong. We're not. Not even close. The laws, the mindset, and the behaviour, is totally different in this regard. Most of all, the governments are totally different. The USA's convictions around core freedoms are on a scale we do not share. Meanwhile, Donald Trump wins the popular vote, the electoral college, the House, and the Senate... a man who, in every other Western country, is held in open derision, if not contempt. For these and other reasons, we are not the same. Yet the West, including Australia, fully expect to rely on the USA for our very survival. If the world turns bad (which will happen - only a question of time), then the whole West, without America, is toast. So, you may ask - if we're not very aligned ideologically, then it must be that we bring something to the party militarily? Well, no... actually... we don't matter that much militarily. The USA has about 470 ships in its navy, including 11 aircraft carriers, 69 submarines, 75 destroyers... plus 110 new ships in the pipeline. Australia has about 30, including 3 destroyers, 7 frigates and 7 outdated submarines. The UK does a little better, with about 60. Meanwhile, the US has over 14,000 military aircraft. A staggering number. Australia has 252 military aircraft. The UK has 556. The US army has just shy of 1,000,000 uniformed personnel in its military. Australia has about 45,000. The USA spends 3.4% ($968 billion) of its GDP on defence. Australia spends 2% ($36.4 billion). The US spends as much as the next 15 largest military-spending countries (including China) combined. The USA has a fighting culture. The men shoot things (a lot) and hunt things, the veterans get favoured in everything from parking spots to boarding planes. A uniformed young man is thanked in the street a dozen times a day. "Oh, the Americans and their guns!" we say, in our smug way. Yes, they have a warrior culture. We do not. We don't have to, because we're a leech on theirs. How many young British men are willing to fight for their country? Now ask the same regarding young American men. The difference is about as wide as it could be. Militarily, we don't offer squat. Meanwhile, look at the way Australia works against America's interests by loving on China. China made us rich and we stay close. This is a Marxist regime with expansionist aims. Again, you have to spend time in the USA to realise just how vast a gulf there is between us on China. Europe, too. They let China have their way everywhere from Germany to Greenland, all the while importing Islam and sending their own people to court for saying hurty words. Somehow, we have landed the deal of a lifetime with the USA that says, "when the baddies come, you'll save us ok?" Because we can't save ourselves. And we live in peace. But we keep gnawing away at freedoms, keep enabling China, and get flabby and disinterested about our military because Uncle Sam's got it. And, let's be honest, Americans are widely looked down on. To add insult to injury, we don't think that highly of our protectors. So, the USA is finally saying "enough." I am here, I can tell you what the vibe is, and that's it. Trump is doing what people want in this regard. They're over it. And we come across all shocked and hard done by. We behave like people with no self-insight at all. Yes, the global alliance system is all over the place now. From America's perspective, it's about time. And I must say, though I be a proud Australian, I am forced to agree. Something has to change.

@ConceptualJames I lived in downtown Toronto for 5 yrs in my 20's, and have spent the rest of my life in the suburbs of the city, watching her antics and those of her followers. Check out the history of her and her (now departed) husband, living in subsidized housing while local politicians

Wait, the mayor of Toronto, in CANADA, wants to "block ICE," which is an American law enforcement arm with jurisdiction only in America? Their whole Leftist hate religion is based on standing up against symbols that represent concepts they've trained people to reflexively hate.

@HansMahncke Recency bias. Also explains how so many of the accomplishments of our forefathers (loaded word, that) have come to not only be disregarded, but denigrated. We stand on the shoulders of giants. The fact they may have had some imperfection of character or behaviour is abhorrent now

Seeing a lot of tweets that show people don’t realize everything Artemis 2 is doing, including calculating slingshot trajectories with no margin for error, was already done in 1968 and repeated multiple times afterward, including in 1970 when they had to recalculate and execute a new trajectory 150,000 miles from Earth with engines that weren’t designed for it because part of the spacecraft had exploded. All of this was done with computers that had 100,000 times less memory and 1,000 times less processing power than an iPhone. It’s great that it’s being done again, but the real mind blowing thing is that the exact same thing was done 58 years ago with far less technology.

@ConceptualJames I've struggled with the concept of Critical Theory (I can fairly easily identify the grifters and charlatans), and have had some difficulty internalizing what you've been saying (while intuitively sensing you're on the right path). This post clearly spells out what's going on.Thx

What you see almost endlessly from Tucker Carlson, "Comic" Dave Smith, Theo Von, etc., and the rest of the blackpillers amounts to a Critical America Theory. I'm not making this up. I'm explaining. Critical Theory was developed by neo-Marxist Max Horkheimer of the Frankfurt School in 1937. In an interview in 1969, Horkheimer explained what the Critical Theory is. He said (closely paraphrasing): "I developed the Critical Theory because we [Western neo-Marxists] realized we cannot articulate the good or ideal society on the terms of the existing society. What we can do is criticize those aspects of the existing society that we wish to change." In other words, a Critical Theory believes everything is so captured and corrupted by power and those who benefit from systems of power that it isn't even possible to talk about a better situation in clear terms. All that's available is criticism of why the system/society isn't better than it is. This activity has come to be known as identifying or "making visible" the various "problematics" in the existing system. A Critical Theory OF SOMETHING would focus this general mode of engagement into a particular domain. For example, a Critical Theory of Race in America would believe that racism is so endemic to a society and embedded within its systems to the benefit of whites that we cannot articulate a true "antiracist" vision on the terms available to us. All we could do is identify where "racism" manifests and criticize it for being there. We call that program "Critical Race Theory" because it is a Critical Theory of Race. What it does in practice is (1) identifies "hidden racism" in everything (criticizing those elements of the existing (racial) system they wish to change), called "identifying problematics"; (2) induces more people to think this way; nothing else. What a Critical America Theory would look like is not being able to articulate what a good or ideal America would look like on the terms of the existing America but criticizing those elements of America as it exists that we wish to change. That is, it would look for everything America isn't doing perfectly according to some ideal standard that doesn't exist, probably cannot exist, and cannot even be articulated and "make those problematics visible" in the hopes of changing the system. Leftists, including the whole of Critical Race Theory, do this endlessly. From Derrick Bell's (founder of CRT) 1970 book, Race, Racism, and American Law, forward, it is a relentless racial Critical America Theory. That's why it exported poorly and often hilariously to other countries that don't have the same law or racial history. Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States (1980) is another example, a very naked example, of a work of Critical America Theory. Specifically, this book goes through every chapter of American history, from pre-founding (Christopher Columbus) to the present (1980 at the time) and catalogues how America cheated "the people," mainly workers, indigenous, racial minorities, and women (the intersectional coalition). What I'm telling you is that the blackpillers of Podcastistan and X, etc., very notably including Tucker Carlson, are doing a socially conservative variation on Critical America Theory. Whether Carlson or "Auron MacIntyre" (nhrn) from The Blaze, the undertone of every message is plainly "you don't hate your (real) country enough" as compared against an imaginary ideal that doesn't, can't, and won't ever exist. The Blackpill Comics all do the same thing, relentlessly identifying "problematics" and alleged hidden systems of control that delegitimize the country as it actually is against a standard that isn't even real. The thing is, Critical America Theory is a Critical Theory of America. That is, it is a Critical Theory. That is, when you participate in this slop, you are taking on a critical consciousness about America. Having a critical consciousness is being WOKE, by definition (of Woke). This slop is Woke. When this Critical America Theory slop takes on a socially Leftist slant, we call it Woke Left (or just Woke). When this Critical America Theory slop takes on a socially conservative or Rightist slant, we call it Woke Right (which is just Woke too). They are both Woke. They are both toxic. They are both false enlightenment into a kind of terrible darkness, entitlement, malice, despair, hatred, and failure. Reject Critical America Theory. Love your country. It's great, and it's worth it.

@IMAO_ I think this is not only an accurate read of the mindset you're describing, but also touches on the fundamental insecurities and resentment that drives so much of the criticism of not only successful individuals like Elon, it's also shown in their hatred of Western Civilization

This sounds like the criticism of Elon Musk where they make what he does sound super simple ("He's not even an engineer; he just tells other people to make him electric cars and space rockets!"), and yet no one else has been able to replicate his success. "Oh, that's how you become one of the best-selling authors of all time: write a book full cliches. So easy. Basically, anyone could be a record-setting, best-selling author." I'm just going to use basic logic to conclude you're missing something crucial.

Cheer everyone up with a gorgeous aircraft photo below this post, let’s go!

I don't know who else has been shunning the "For You" feed like the plague, but whatever switch got flipped a couple days ago, it's gone from useless AI slop to really interesting. I'm still waiting for the awesome Japanese posts to hit my feed, but so far, so good. Big upgrade.

@IAmSteveHarvey Drops of God. Phenomenal show

What's one TV series that's a 10/10? Convince me to give it a shot even though I mostly just like action.

@johnondrasik No list like this should exclude Boz Scaggs

Steve Perry is a better singer than all of these icons with the possible exception of Freddie and Plant. David Byrne?🙄

@GasPriceWizard My friends used to joke that they could run faster than our 12.3, but I never got bogged down in the powder snow like they did in their Alouettes and Arctic Cats

That’s it! Loved the lightness of that little peppy monster in heavy snow. It never sunk like the faster twins/Olympics Austria’s Rotax engines were awesome and reliable

@GasPriceWizard Hey, don't you be knockin' the 12.3. Ha. My 11 year old self had a blast on ours.

Faster than our ski doo 12.3 🤣

I get the enjoyment of finding those gems to explore, however I've gone a somewhat different direction... I'm more a buyer and seller of audio equipment than I am a collector of physical media, these days (although even that is slowing down... four separate systems is enough. Ha)

@PBriggs41 @direstraitshq I had a handful of vinyles (Thriller, Flashdance...) then my dad purchased a CD player in the mid 80's. I bought plenty CD the 90's then stopped when MP3 came up. And off course I'm now fan of streaming platforms but I still enjoy unearthing cheap CD (no one buy then anymore)

On This Day: In 1978 'Sultans Of Swing' had its official major label release. Which is your favourite performance? Check out the new release of the live recording from the band's San Antonio 1985 show, out now: spoti.fi/45nRwuK

@Toubisoux @direstraitshq Nice... I was a vinyl guy back in the day, then cassettes (which I recorded... whole albums, and mix tapes I used DJ'ing in the early 80's). I didn't make it to 800 albums, but am really enjoying the streaming age. I've got a streaming HiFi system that matches my best analog gear

@PBriggs41 @direstraitshq Thanks for sharing Peter, BIA was my first CD ever, my collection grew up to 800 and I still buy some at flea markets. By the way the WWE version on the San Antonio Live is awesome!

@Toubisoux @direstraitshq I came to my Dire Straits fandom in a roundabout kind of way. I was a fan back in the day, but when my son played Wild West End at our Christmas Eve Spotify Jam in 2022 I went way down the rabbit hole. This is my first time hearing the San Antonio versions. Excellent, for sure

@PBriggs41 @direstraitshq Hey Peter since you seems a huge fan of Dire Straits I have a question for you: the sound of the San Antonio Live just published is just awesome. This live was published as bootleg in the past, did your notice major gap in sound quality vs the 40th Anniversary Edition ?

@GadSaad @PierrePoilievre @realDonaldTrump @elonmusk This. Unequivocally... this. Time is short... here's hoping this advice is heeded, and quickly

My unsolicited advice to @PierrePoilievre: Fence-sitters do not shape history. Bold honey badgers do. @realDonaldTrump won the US presidency twice because he does not give a f**k. @elonmusk is the greatest entrepreneur and technologist because he does not give a f**k. @joerogan is the greatest podcaster because he does not give a f**k. They do not equivocate. They do not listen to consultants. They do not play it safe. They see a trajectory and they move forward fearlessly and with orgiastic authenticity. You have stolen defeat from the jaws of victory because you are being too measured and tepid. Get out there. Don't play it safe. Signal to Canadians that you will be a cataclysmic agent of change to restore Canada to its former glory, and this includes stopping mass immigration, deporting people who do not share Canadian values, reducing Canadians' tax burden by a sizeable amount, rejecting the welfare state. Stop equivocating. Be bold. Be a honey badger. Best of luck in the upcoming election.

@ImMeme0 Truth

Elon Musk could have easily stayed out of it—just building rockets, cars, and robots while enjoying his billions and a peaceful life. If he had, the left and the media would have adored him. But instead, this immigrant gave up his comfort because he genuinely cares about the U.S.—more than I can say for many Americans and the people elected to represent them. The attacks on him, his companies, and his products aren’t organic. They’re part of a well-funded operation designed to punish him for disrupting the propaganda machine and the taxpayer-funded gravy train that benefits people who couldn’t care less about America or its citizens. I stand and support @elonmusk and DOGE.

@KurtSchlichter I've never understood the big deal... change your clocks and get on with life. Other than a topic for vapid, breathless "news articles" about the "dangers" of Daylight Savings (more car crashes, people getting sick... huh?), nobody I know irl has ever had a concern about it.

I’m not. I don’t understand the weird obsession with changing daylight savings time. It’s a commonsense solution to the problem of the earth rotation not precisely matching our clocks. It has no negative effects on my life. In fact, it’s kind of a reassuring the occurrence twice a year. I like it and don’t wanna change.