FYI: those overseas demonstrations are not spontaneous but paid for by Democratic party

 I got an email from Democrats Abroad, an organization that mainly helps us vote (the law to vote for ex pats vary from state to state).

And they are planning demonstration in Manila, and have instructions on how to organize one in your area.

As Democrats abroad, we know the importance of standing up for democracy before it’s too late. 

That’s why on June 14, Democrats Abroad members in more than 40 cities around the world will be joining a global day of defiance. While Trump stages a multimillion-dollar military parade in Washington, D.C., we’ll be out in our communities, standing shoulder to shoulder with Americans back home to say: We reject authoritarianism. We reject fear. We reject tyrants. 

Find a No Tyrants protest near you or help organize one. More than 40 events are already planned by Democrats Abroad—from Prague to Puerto Vallarta. Check with your local country committee or visit democratsabroad.org/da-resist_events to get involved.

Unable to join a protest? Call your rep and senators and demand they stand up to the Tyrant in the White House. Capitol Switchboard: +1(202) 224-3121

Why now?

• ICE tactical teams have begun operating in Los Angeles, targeting immigrants and political activists in sweeping raids that appear designed to bypass local oversight.
• Trump has called in the National Guard and even U.S. Marines to confront protests in several cities.
• And while he spends millions on a vanity military parade, Americans are struggling under his billionaire budget—and his regime is escalating attacks on civil rights, immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, and anyone who stands in their way.

“Over the last few months we’ve seen the resistance to MAGA authoritarianism emerge and strengthen,” said Democrats Abroad International Chair Martha McDevitt-Pugh. “It will only continue, as more people see how cruel and destructive Trump’s big bad billionaire budget will be to them… Courage is contagious.”

This June 14 - be seen. Be heard. Be brave.
Join the No Tyrants global day of action and let the world know - this is what democracy looks like.

Make sure you're ready to vote from abroad: www.votefromabroad.org
Share your protest photos and videos with us: email comms@democratsabroad.org

Wherever you are, rise up.

------------------- 

update: My email today was one with the story of that innocent Senator who didn't identify himself and lunged toward the podium and was arrested. Their story is the same as the MSM who only show the arrest outside, not the lunge. So my impression is that this was also planned theatre. 

another day another movie sequel

 

I told you we’d be back pic.twitter.com/RnoklPqBX6

— Mel Brooks (@MelBrooks) June 12, 2025

heh.

Now do Blazing Saddles 2

I actually first saw Blazing Saddles when I was working in Liberia. People would tape movies and then exchange them with each other. And I laughed, but had to explain all the jokes to the others watching it with me....you know, it is hard to explain humor which is embedded into a culture (e.g. many of the references not just to racism but references to other movies like Destry Rides again).

Well, anyway, the humor about a black sheriff in those days was a joke. But since then, history is being rewritten, or I should say some forgotten stories are now noticed.

and history has not remembered the black Marshall: Bass Reeves.

One day in the life....

 This is about the construction of the Great Wall of China: But it reminds me of the book One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich.

,,,

...

....

....

....

summer of love redux

the world seems to be going to hell as usual. It's 1968 redux. 

been there, done that.

But has anyone noticed that it took Datarepublican to search and figure out where their money is coming from? 

We just watched the Accountant 2: a lot of the backstory is that he is able to connect the dots. (The rest of the movie is a shoot bad guy cliche film)

in contrast to Mayor Adams of NYC, the cops in LA are standing back and the mayor is pretending nothing is wrong.  

and LaughingWolf says follow the money

In point of fact, DataRepublican (small r) has an excellent series of posts on X detailing who is behind the riots, organizing and coordinating, that it’s not limited to California, information on the real Karen Bass, and much more. As usual, she brings receipts. Between her and Mike Benz, who also has up some good info (see this one for example), lots of data and some very good analysis. I sincerely hope they both have good personal security.

A number of NGOs have been implicated in this. Foremost is Coalition for Humane Immigration Rights or CHIRLA, and the photos of signs show they were printed by PSLWEB / Party for Socialism and Liberation. pic.twitter.com/yS7jXkHGJ8

— DataRepublican (small r) (@DataRepublican) June 8, 2025

more here at the Daily Signal ( a Repub site) 

this is of course 1968 redux. And this is their religion.

The bad news is that, by stopping the exporting of criminals and scofflaws, there will be no compromise with those who came simply for jobs and were lured by the NGOs to migrate with promises that the NGOs would "help" them until they got settled. And Biden of course did not bother to screen for criminals, and ignored the Fentanyl crisis and the crime waves that were exacerbated by the same gangs who trafficked humans as a sideline to cover up their crimes.

personally I support these immigrants, but every time I read about the huge number of young men that seem to be taking advantage of this, it reminds me of the Goths. who were fleeing the Huns, and the Romans, knowing they couldn't take all of them, made the mistake of letting some across the river into Roman territory. But then, thanks to corruption, they were exploited, so rebelled....

when the Gothic tribes - the Tervingi and Greuthungi - sought refuge from the marauding Huns, the Romans contemplated the options and eventually allowed them to settle on the Balkan frontier, of course, at a cost. Alliances were made and alliances were broken. Many in Rome remained unhappy with the decision and viewed the Goths as nothing more than barbarians although most of them were, in fact, Christian. Unreasonable demands were made of the new settlers, and they suffered at the hands of unscrupulous commanders. Facing starvation due to inadequate provisions and a lengthy famine, the Goths rose up against the Romans and began a long series of raids and pillaging of the countryside.  

remembering D Day

Philippine nostalgia

we have several of these paintings on the wall, bought by Lolo to decorate his house.

Paintings of the rural Philippines. With wonderful Guitar music to accompany the paintings.

,,

from wikipedia:

Fernando Amorsolo 

Nicknamed the "Grand Old Man of Philippine Art,"[2] he was the first-ever to be recognized as a National Artist of the Philippines.[3] He was recognized as such for his "pioneering use of impressionistic technique" as well as his skill in the use of lighting and backlighting in his paintings, "significant not only in the development of Philippine art but also in the formation of Filipino notions of self and identity." 

The war on drugs: ignoring the fentanyl deaths weren't a priority

Before there were AirCons, there were fans

  Medievalist net has an article on fans: Mainly Chinese fans, which were flat. 

And yes these palm fans are mentioned (we have one hanging on our wall to use when the electricity is off).

A modern palmetto fan from southern China. Photo by WikiCantona / Wikimedia Commons

but what about those folding hand fans?

According to Wikipedia:

The folding fan (Chinese: 折扇), invented in Japan...In 988 AD, folding fans were first introduced in China by a Japanese monk from Japan as a tribute during the Northern Song dynasty; these folding fans became very fashionable in China by the Southern Song dynasty....

While the folding fans gained popularity, the traditional silk round fans continued to remain mainstream in the Song dynasty.   

 

,,,,

but folding fans have also been used as weapons. 

and fans are also used in the war of the sexes:

BeriBeri: Yup a real health problem

 Most Americans are vaguely familiar with scurvy in sailors (the citrus used by the Brits to prevent this is why they are called Limeys).

And of course Pellegra from corn was a major health problem in the southern USA.

we saw this in our heavy drinkers in Africa, who ate local corn sazda but not much else.

But BeriBeri? Various epidemics here including in the Philippines where imported polished rice was given out to local during famine after the clueless Yanks took over.

But I am doing an investigation into ancient Japan, the Heian period, and medical articles suggest deaths from that.

So I asked Grok:

In Heian Japan (794–1185), the diet of the aristocracy, heavily reliant on polished white rice, led to beriberi, a disease caused by vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency. White rice, stripped of its nutrient-rich husk, was a status symbol, but its lack of thiamine caused symptoms like fatigue, nerve damage, heart failure, and death.

 

Commoners, who ate less processed grains like barley or millet, were less affected. Historical records, like court diaries, note unexplained illnesses and deaths, especially among elites, likely linked to beriberi. For example, the disease may have contributed to the high mortality rates in the imperial court, though exact figures are scarce due to limited medical understanding.

 

By the Edo period, beriberi was better documented, but in Heian times, its cause was unknown, and no effective treatments existed. Dietary diversification or unpolished rice could have mitigated it, but social preferences delayed such changes.

one article I read said 20 percent of the deaths back then    And at least one death Kashiwagi , in Gengi was probably partly due to beriberi, since his legs got weak.

...................,  

modern story of how a Japanese military doc found how to stop beriberi from killing their sailors in the Japanese Russia war in the early 1900s. 

  

I should note at this time that white rice has a longer shelf life than brown or partially polished rice. Our organic brown rice is healthier, but the germ etc. has oil and gets racid after six months.

So what about the Philippines? At least one book on the multiple epidemics of people and animals (Foot and mouth disease killed the waterbuffalo so people couldn't plow), mentioned deaths because the Yanks supplied imported polishe Rice.

So I asked Grok:.....

Beriberi, caused by vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency, was a significant health issue in the Philippines, particularly due to the widespread consumption of polished white rice, which lacks the thiamine-rich husk. 

 

Historically, the disease was prevalent in rice-dependent regions like the Philippines, where milling practices removed essential nutrients. Historical Context and Impact Early 20th Century: Beriberi was a major public health problem in the Philippines, especially among populations relying on polished rice. Research from the period, such as a 1911 study, highlighted its preventability through dietary changes.

Infantile Beriberi: A critical issue in the Philippines, infantile beriberi affected babies of thiamine-deficient mothers, leading to high mortality rates.

 

Studies from 1947 estimated 12,000–20,000 deaths annually in the 1920s–1930s, with symptoms like heart failure and cyanosis in infants aged 2–6 months. Colonial Period:

 

During the Spanish and American colonial eras, beriberi was noted among soldiers and prisoners. For instance, in 1898, Spanish soldiers in Baler suffered from beriberi due to poor diet during a siege, with 12 deaths reported. 

Japanese Occupation (1942): Malnutrition, including beriberi, surged due to food shortages, affecting both civilians and prisoners in camps like Santo Tomas. Symptoms and Types Dry Beriberi: Affects the nervous system, causing numbness, weakness, and potential paralysis.

 

Wet Beriberi: Impacts the cardiovascular system, leading to edema, heart failure, and high mortality if untreated. Infantile Beriberi: Seen in breastfed infants of deficient mothers, causing rapid heart failure and death if not addressed.

 

Causes and Risk Factors Dietary Cause: Polished white rice, stripped of thiamine, was the primary culprit.

 

The shift to milled rice in the late 19th century, driven by taste and economic factors, increased beriberi cases.

 

Other Factors: Alcoholism, bariatric surgery, and conditions like hyperemesis gravidarum increased risk. Breastfeeding mothers with low thiamine intake endangered infants. Interventions and Decline Early Interventions: By 1910, American researcher Robert R. Williams in Manila identified rice bran extract as a cure, leading to thiamine’s isolation in 1935.

 

Rice Enrichment: Post-World War II, enriched rice programs in the Philippines significantly reduced beriberi incidence. By the 1950s, death rates dropped in areas using enriched rice, with costs as low as 35 cents per person annually. Tikitiki Treatment: Filipino physician Proceso Gabriel developed a tikitiki extract (from rice bran) for beriberi treatment, a notable contribution to local medicine.

 

Modern Status Beriberi is now rare in the Philippines due to improved diets, food fortification, and awareness of thiamine-rich foods (e.g., whole grains, meat, beans). However, it persists in vulnerable groups, such as alcoholics or those with restrictive diets. Diagnosis involves blood/urine tests and neurological exams, with treatment using thiamine supplements (oral or intravenous). Early intervention reverses most symptoms, though severe cases may leave permanent damage. For further details on historical beriberi in the Philippines, see studies like Acta Medica Philippina (1947) on infantile beriberi. For current prevention, consult resources like the Philippine Department of Health or WHO guidelines on nutrition.

asphalt? They used it

 I am continueing to read about Ancient Japan

I downloaded the book from Scribd: 

 Japan to 1600

A S OCIAL AND E C O N O M I C HISTORY

  WI L L I A M W A Y N E F A R R I S

I am still in the first 100 pages, and the author is discussing trade, and mentions asphalt.

Asphalt?  CiNii research   

During the Jomon period asphalt was used as a binder to fix a harpoon or a fishspear in its shaft, to tie a sring with a spoon-shaped lithic knife or a stone weight, and to mend broken pottery

 

The use of asphalt began about 3, 300 B. C., saw its climax in the latter part of the Late Jomon and Final Jomon periods (about 1, 500-300 B. C.), and was suddenly abandoned in the Yayoi period.During the Jomon period, asphalt was collected only in the oil-fields along the Japan Sea side areasof the Tohoku district where it came out to the surface. Tukinoki and Komagata in Akitaprefecture and Yunodai in Yamagata prefecture are well-known locations of the surface asphalt. InNiigata prefecture oil-layers lie near the surface and, therefore, crude oil came out to accumulate inponds located on foothills and is found half-soild along the pond shore. During the Jomon period, the asphalt collected in the oil-producing areas was distributed in the whole Tohoku district alongseveral trading routes

Grok says the same thing, so I guess they found the same article and summarized it nicely,

But Grok mentions the oil fields of Akita and western Japan. 

Oil fields? I wasn't aware that Japan had oil fields, but apparently they do.

and since Gork noticed I was asking about the Jomon period added the history as above, including mentioning the trade 

• Trade Networks: Asphalt from Akita was traded across the Tohoku region and as far as the Kanto region, indicating a sophisticated exchange system. Archaeological evidence from 67 sites confirms its widespread use, peaking in the Late and Final Jomon periods (c. 1,500–300 BCE).

    ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Bitumen vs asphalt: almost the same thing, but not quite:

Asphalt is a composite of aggregates, sand, and bitumen; where bitumen acts as a liquid binding material that holds asphalt together.

Actually there was a trade in bitumin in the Middle East that goes back 40 000 years: as a glue to fix flint to their tools, and much later to waterproof things, and also a glue in construction.

more HERE.

and get out your Herodatus and your Livy and your Bible: Bitumen was why King Sargon (and Moses and Romulus/Remus) didn't sink into rivers and drown.

An ancient legend tells that, as a baby, King Sargon of Accad was placed in a reed basket coated with asphalt by his mother, Itti-Bel, and set adrift on the waters of the Euphrates river around 3800 B.C. This legend corresponds closely with the story of Moses being set adrift in the Nile river in an asphalt-coated basket.

Cynics who hate the idea that the Bible might be accurate would say that this proves the Bible is just made up. But I would say that women would place unwanted babies in such boats (or in the case of Moses, hide him in the rushes from inspector searching houses looking for illegal kids). 

In ancient times, infanticide happened, but too many legends suggest it was looked down upon:  often unwanted babies were left at crossroads (or in baskets on rivers), so the parents could  say they didn't kill the kid, but that they left it to the gods if the kid should live or die. But legends of heroes saved by ordinary folk (Sargon, Moses, Romulus and Remus, Oedipus) were probably told to caution against the practice. 

well, anyway: Bitumen in the middle East was used for construction, 

The early uses of asphalt include cementing bricks together for the construction of buildings and pavements and for protecting exterior masonry surfaces. It was also used for trowling the surface of interior floors and stair treads, and for waterproofing baths and drains.

  not only traded, but the ability to waterproof boats led to the ability to trade.

 

Grok also has a long essay on the use of asphalt/bitumen in ancient South America, but I will have to read that later.

.................

update: There is something in the bible about Sodom and tar pits. But this article is about Bitumen from the Dead Sea are found in Nubia.1300 BC

and what about those tar pits in California?

The Chumash and Tongva people used tar from the pits to build plank boats by sealing planks of California redwood trunks and pieces of driftwood from the Santa Barbara Channel, which they used to navigate the California coastline and Channel Islands.[5]

Bog Iron?

Since I am retired, it gives me time to dig into history stuff out of pure curiosity.

 Sometimes what sets me off is a TV show or book I am reading.

 
Right now, I am digging into ancient Japan before 1000 AD, inspired by the Tale of Genji. 

This has led me into all sorts of side roads: Feminism including the loss of rights for women as the Heian period evolved into the Samurai culture, psychiatry ( conversion reaction for frustrated women), silk and other textile history, beriberi (nobility ate polished rice...hmm did Kashiwabi die of beri beri?) and other nutritional diseases (from the low protein diet thanks to Buddhism... This lowers your ability to fight off TB and other infectious diseases, and the character Murasaki probably had TB), and the various epidemics that ravaged Japan in those days (the husband of the author of Tale of Genji died of smallpox). 

But it also brings up non medical questions: No mention of technology so how did they get their iron pots etc?

 So today, as an aside while digging into the pre Heian period, i.e. the Kufun period keyhole shaped burial sites I ran into a discussion of Iron. 

Technology borrowed from Korea, and using the older technology using a bloomery instead of a blast furnace, which required a bellows and was used by that time in China.

series of videos on bloomery vs blast furnace:

 

Wikipedia even has an article on this. 

The traditional Japanese furnace, known as a tatara, was a hybrid type of furnace. It incorporated bellows, like the European blast furnace, but was constructed of clay; these furnaces would be destroyed after the first use.

but what is that about bog iron? Here is a video about one way to find it (from water, but in some bogs it is in the sand).....

.

...a series of videos on how to do this from scratch:...

,,,,,,,

I am posting here because I will follow up a lot of this on my tablet that I use for reading.

I enjoy digging into these things: but of course, now adays I don't have to do all that surfing: Grok can dig a lot of this up quickly but it's not so much fun.

In ancient Japan, smelting bog iron was a key process for producing iron, particularly during the Yayoi (c. 300 BCE–300 CE) and Kofun (c. 300–710 CE) periods, when iron tools and weapons became widespread. '

 

Bog iron, a type of iron ore found in wetlands and marshes, was a primary source due to Japan’s limited high-grade iron ore deposits.

 

Here's a concise overview based on available evidence:

Process of Smelting Bog Iron in Ancient Japan Collection of Bog Iron: Bog iron, formed by iron oxides precipitated in bogs or swamps, was gathered from wet lowlands. It appeared as rusty, nodular deposits and was relatively accessible compared to mined ores.

 

Tatara Furnace: The primary smelting method involved the tatara, a traditional Japanese furnace. This was a low, rectangular clay furnace fueled by charcoal and air-blown using bellows. The process, known as tatara sei-tetsu (tatara iron-making), combined bog iron with charcoal in the furnace, heated to around 1,200–1,500°C. Air was blown in to raise the temperature and reduce the ore to iron.

 

Bloomery Smelting: Ancient Japan used a bloomery process, producing a spongy mass of iron called a "bloom." The bloom contained iron and slag (impurities), which was later hammered to remove slag and consolidate the iron into workable metal.

 

This was distinct from later, more advanced methods like blast furnaces, as it didn’t fully melt the iron, keeping the process labor-intensive but suited to small-scale production.

 

Fuel and Materials: Charcoal was the primary fuel, sourced from abundant forests. Its high carbon content was crucial for reducing iron oxides. Sand or clay was sometimes added to create slag, aiding in separating impurities from the iron.

 

Historical Context Yayoi Period: Iron use began with imported tools from the Korean Peninsula, but local smelting likely started as communities learned to exploit bog iron. Archaeological sites, like those in northern Kyushu, show evidence of early iron-working.

Kofun Period: Iron production expanded, supporting the creation of weapons, armor, and agricultural tools. The tatara system became more refined, with regional centers of production.

 

Cultural Significance: Iron was vital for agriculture (e.g., plows, sickles) and warfare, contributing to social stratification and the rise of elite classes, as seen in Kofun burial goods. Limitations and Challenges Low Yield: Bog iron was impure and yielded less iron compared to mined ores, requiring significant labor. Environmental Impact: Charcoal production led to deforestation in some areas, as smelting consumed large amounts of wood. Technological Constraints: The bloomery process limited output, and high-quality steel (like that used in later samurai swords) required advanced forging techniques developed in later periods. Archaeological Evidence Excavations, such as at sites in Okayama and Shimane, reveal tatara furnace remains, slag heaps, and iron tools, indicating widespread bog iron smelting. The San’in region (modern Tottori, Shimane) was a hub due to its bog iron deposits and proximity to forests for charcoal. Additional Notes While bog iron was critical in early Japan, by the Heian period (794–1185 CE), iron sand (satetsu) became more prominent, refined through advanced tatara techniques to produce high-quality steel for swords. If you want more details, such as specific archaeological finds or comparisons with Korean or Chinese smelting, I can search X or the web for recent discussions or studies. Alternatively, I can generate a diagram of a tatara furnace if you’d like a visual (please confirm). Would you like me to dive deeper into any aspect or provide a visual aid?

Maybe Later Grok.

I have enough to read/study at present.

..............

update:

  Jesse Cunningham has an article on the modern tatara furnace to make steel. 

The problem with the Saudis

Trumpieboy is a businessman so can make deals with the Arab world who are also business oriented.

But one reason Biden insulted the Saudis did not persue a close releationship was civil rights: The lack of rights of women in that country.

Years ago I read this book by Jean Sasson that inspired this film: there are a series of books about her life: Amazon link.

  ...

a short narration from the book:

,,,

..a CSPAN interview about the original book (there are a series of books about Princess Sultana's life)

......

The irony of the book is that at least women in Saudi are allowed to be educated and have some rights (especially if the men in charge of them allow them freedom).

But in one of the later books, they discuss the Houthis whose attitude toward women is worse as is the Taliban of course).

I lived enough in Africa to recognize the tribal reasons for things like forced marriages, veiling/modest clothing, keeping women from being independent: Because in a time when women could not support themselves independently, it is only the family who is able to protect them, and for older women that means the protection of a father, husband, or son... that is why in a poor and primitive world, widows and single moms face starvation, where wars allow the equivalent of tribal raids, kidnapping, slavery, and criminals in charge women are not safe. Hence laws to limit women's freedom are about keeping her safe.

But yes it is a prison.

But in a modern world, is such protection needed? Especially in an affluent world? 

You can see the need for women's education, and why caution is needed for those who speak out against these restritcions.

Mary Wollstonecraft call your office.  

It's June