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THE TYRANNY OF CHINA’S HISTORY

Dr. Jack Wheeler March 24, 2025

[This Monday’s archive was originally published on December 1, 2004 – While the news is fixated on Europe and the Middle East these days, China is always the threat looming in the background. The old saying comes to mind: The more things change, the more they stay the same. This is peculiarly true for China.]

Chinese, written and spoken, is my candidate for the weirdest major language on earth. At the Monterey Institute, where US diplomats are taught foreign languages, it takes on average 600 hours of instruction to be fluent in a European language such as French or German, 1200 for Arabic - and 2400 in Chinese. (This means, of course, that for China and the world to communicate, Chinese must speak English, as the world will never speak Chinese).

Beyond the technical difficulties lie far deeper problems, resulting in a grossly myopic view of China’s history and future. The one buried most deeply is the way Chinese grammar reverses time: the past, in Chinese, is in front of or before you, while the future is behind you. Chinese culture is oriented towards the past, reading Chinese history through a distorted lens, and stubbornly attempting to apply illusory lessons to the present.

This is precisely what China’s military and government leaders are doing with their strategy towards America.

FLASHBACK FRIDAY – WITH THE ANTI-COMMUNIST GUERILLAS IN CAMBODIA

Dr. Jack Wheeler March 21, 2025

July, 1984. The KPNLF – Khmer People’s National Liberation Front – was the Anti-Communist guerrilla movement fighting the Soviet-backed Vietnamese Communists in Cambodia. When I was first there in 1961, Cambodia was then a land of serenity, with a gentle and tranquil people who were at peace with themselves and the world. Now it was a land of indescribable Communist horror.

It was such a privilege to be with these brave men willing to wage war against that horror and bring freedom to their country. I told their tale in Turning Back the Terror, the February 1985 cover story for Reason magazine. (Glimpses of Our Breathtaking World #20 photo ©Jack Wheeler)

THE ROOT CAUSE

ToThePoint March 21, 2025

HALF-FULL REPORT 03/21/25

Guest Author March 21, 2025

Thank You, Elon

Many people suggested negotiating with Russia to end the war in Chechnya in the 1990s. The Chechens attempted this approach multiple times, making peace deals with Russia. However, each time, Russia used the 'peace' to prepare for its next, more devastating military offensive while still waging a hybrid war. In reality, Russia's war against the Chechens never ceased until their territory and people were consumed and weaponized for Russia's next war against other nations.

If Ukrainians stopped resisting, they would face the same fate as the Chechens. Moreover, the children of Ukrainians being attacked and stolen today could be used in future conflicts against other nations. The world tried to justify looking away in the 1990s by claiming that Chechnya was part of Russia. Now, the argument has shifted to "Ukraine was part of the Russian empire." Imperial logic can lead anywhere, and Russia will always find a pretext to advance. Sacrificing one more nation to Russian aggression will never make it stop.

This brings us to the ceasefire negotiations underway in Saudi Arabia between the United States and Russia. A 30-day ceasefire against energy infrastructure was reached this week and promptly violated as someone attacked a natural gas metering station near Kursk last night. Russia and Ukraine continue to slug it out as before, with neither side willing to show their cards.

Russia is estimated to have taken 900,000 military casualties, which includes killed and wounded, and these losses are not included in the population pyramid. If the war continues, the slight Russian teenager population bulge will be killed, and Russia will effectively lose its domestic workforce.

Putin does not need Ukrainian land, he needs warm bodies for their labor. Ukrainians understand this, and like their kidnapped children, they do not want to become Russian slaves.

President Trump continues to expose Russian economic limitations as the State Department under Marco Rubio continues to negotiate a ceasefire. Russia is demanding that land now occupied belongs to Russia, and there will be no concessions.

Come on over to this week’s HFR. The world is changing rapidly. Not everyone supports human freedom and flourishing. A new terrorist group stepped out of the shadows this month and they are burning down Tesla dealerships. The USA announces a sixth generation fighter aircraft and more…

THE ROCK-HEWN CHURCHES OF LALIBELA, ETHIOPIA

Dr. Jack Wheeler March 20, 2025

900 years ago, the Church of Saint George (Bete Giyorgis in Amharic) was not built – it was hand carved downwards from a horizontal rock ledge. There is nothing like the rock-hewn churches in Lalibela anywhere else in the world.

Christianity was established in Ethiopia in 330 AD and has flourished ever since. Experiencing the devotion still so very much alive in one of the oldest Christian countries on earth is inspiring. (Glimpses of Our Breathtaking World #26 photo ©Jack Wheeler)

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE TRY TO CHANGE SOMEBODY

Guest Author March 20, 2025

One of the most common questions I get in my coaching practice goes something like this:

“My (husband, wife, son, daughter, friend, neighbor, etc.) has this behavior, or belief, or way of doing things… How can I get them to change it?”

Now, if it’s a very specific behavior, and changing it would make a big difference in your relationship, it’s always worth just simply asking, for example, “When you talk with your mouth full it really bothers me, could you please do your best to not talk while you’re chewing?”

But often what we want the other person to change is much bigger and more abstract than that.

Of course, we’ve all felt this at some time or other – “If only this person we care about would just stop being so negative, or change this one belief… then they’d be so much better off.” (It’s always something that seems so obvious and simple to us.)

The big problem with this is that it’s hard enough to change a big habit or belief within ourselves, when we want to. Trying to get somebody else to change a habit or belief, that maybe they don’t want to change, is really a long-shot.

I’ve been working with people to – in part – help them change their beliefs and habits for over 40 years. But it’s not easy. It takes time and energy – and often a good deal of courage – to face our troubling behaviors, and the fears that sometimes accompany them.

THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH? NITRIC OXIDE – A “MIRACLE MOLECULE”

Guest Author March 20, 2025

[As you know, Durk and Sandy have passed on. Durk as “Skye” was beloved on TTP. We are preserving his and Sandy’s legacy through these “Live Long and Prosper” TTP columns. —Greg and Michelle Pryor of Life Priority]

After I retired from a 16-yr career in pro baseball at age 37, it seemed like the aging process started to speed up.

During my career, I was paid to stay in shape to perform on the field and it was a great way to make a living.

I was able to stay younger physically and mentally. But when I turned 40, reality set in

and the aging process became a big concern.

In 1991, at age 42, I was fortunate to attend an anti-aging seminar in Dallas. The scientists who spoke at the convention, Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw, wrote a NY Times best-seller specifically for doctors entitled, Life Extension, A Practical Scientific Approach.

At the seminar, Durk and Sandy explained how the use of certain nutrients in adequate amounts could slow up aging. One of the nutrients that they discussed was L-arginine (arginine).

THE SANDS OF THE TAKLA MAKAN

Dr. Jack Wheeler March 19, 2025

When Marco Polo crossed the Tien Shan mountains and reached the Silk Road oasis of Kashgar in 1273, he faced an enormous desert of endless dunes called the Takla Makan, meaning “You go in, you don’t come out.”

To avoid this fate, the Silk Road at Kashgar splits in two – above to the north of the dreaded sand sea via the oases of Aksu and Turfan, and underneath to the south via the oases of Yarkand, Khotan, Charchan and Charklik. The two routes came together beyond Lop Nor, the eastern extension of the Takla Makan, at the oasis of Dunhuang.

His father Niccolo and uncle Maffeo had earlier taken the northern route to first meet Mongol Emperor Kublai Khan, but now with Marco they took the southern route. They traveled in caravans of two-humped Bactrian camels, often crossing dunes on the edge – just like the photo you see. In 2008, I retraced Polo’s route along the southern route – part of it by motorized hang glider. He would be fascinated, I’m sure, to see what a camel caravan looks like from the air! (Glimpses of Our Breathtaking World #13 photo ©Jack Wheeler)

ARREST ALL THEIR DEUCES

Guest Author March 19, 2025

We continue our examination of how to cope with civil disorder that might arise from the Donald, Elon, Kash, and Pam taking a carpet beater to the arse of the Federal Deep State.

There is no doubt that they are having an effect and that for the Left, this is going to be a very, very long four years.

We’ve looked at the dark side of riots and protests and how to cope with them— or at least try to—from the perspective of the civilian underdog.

Some may have regarded the tone as overly pessimistic, and for the record I am willing to be proven wrong if the Left and globalists do indeed collapse like a deflated balloon in the face of our efforts without any of the violence that I think might be coming.

But in this article, we are going to examine what a response could be with the stars lining up in earthshattering fashion—if it does play out like I think it might.

First, the elected officials will have huevos and stand up against the rioters.

Two, the local prosecutors and police will too.

And three—with the Federal government under new management and with more and more of the bad actors both administrative and commissioned being made to walk the plank, the intriguing possibility that the Federal government might be part of the solution and not the problem this time.

So here we go…..

ROBED RADICALS

Guest Author March 19, 2025

When he took office two months ago, President Trump broke the shackles on our Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials.

He ordered a major nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration, beginning with violent gang members who have been terrorizing American citizens coast to coast.

To expedite the process of removing these vicious gang members, President Trump declared two of the worst illegal alien gangs, Tren de Aragua (TdA) and MS-13, to be terrorist organizations. He then invoked the Alien Enemies Act, which authorizes the president to remove foreign nationals.

More than 260 illegal alien gang members were loaded onto airplanes and deported over the weekend. But some leftists evidently want these violent gang members to stay in the country.

The left went to a well-known leftist judge and he did not disappoint them. He actually ordered President Trump to turn the planes around and bring these thugs back to America. This is part of the ongoing effort to cripple Trump’s presidency.

Thankfully, the judge’s order was issued too late, and these animals are locked up in a maximum-security prison in El Salvador.

Who is this crazy judge? He is Judge James Boasberg, currently serving on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He is an Obama appointee. And the judge has a history.

THE ETOSHA PAN

Dr. Jack Wheeler March 18, 2025

No, this isn’t the Serengeti. The Etosha Pan is a huge 2,000 square mile salt pan in northern Namibia that has an amazing abundance of African wildlife that flourishes in a desert – lots of elephants as you see, giant eland, huge oryx, kudu with the males sporting their glorious spiral horns, wildebeest, zebra, all kinds of antelope, plus lions and leopards galore hunting them.

They all thrive on the available river and springs water amidst the surrounding mopane balsam woodlands. It’s one of Africa’s least known yet most astounding wildlife spectacles. Come during the dry winter months of July-September when the animals gather around the waterholes. You’ll never forget it. (Glimpses of Our Breathtaking World #291, photo ©Jack Wheeler)

BE STUNNED BY IMMIGRATION NUMBERS, NOT TRUMP’S ENFORCEMENT

Guest Author March 18, 2025

“All we really needed was a new president,” Donald Trump wryly noted in his recent address to Congress.

He was talking about closing the border, which he and his team have achieved immense success in doing in short order.

With the faucet turned off, so to speak, now the administration must turn its attention to mopping up the floor.

And oh, what a mess it is.

Yes, America is a welcoming place for immigrants, or at least that’s often citizens’ intent.

Yes, many immigrants come here to work hard and build a better life for themselves and their families.

Yes, the legal process is onerous, arguably prompting millions to circumvent it without further law-breaking intent.

We are, however, a nation of laws.

Enforcing those laws may sometimes be unpleasant, not least because of the number of people involved.

Let’s examine some numbers on that latter front.

THE BIRD THAT CAN KILL A LION

Dr. Jack Wheeler March 17, 2025

Yes, an ostrich. Ostriches are the world’s largest, heaviest, and fastest running birds on earth today. A full-grown adult male can weigh over 300 pounds, and it’s kick is so strong it can kill a lion. A pride of lions led by lionesses, or a coalition of adult males, can become skilled at taking down young ostriches, but they know to stay away from the adult big boys, for they are truly lethal. This fellow is still growing so he has to be careful on the plains of the Ngorongoro Crater Floor. (Glimpses of Our Breathtaking World #290, photo ©Jack Wheeler)

BEYOND THE PALE

Dr. Jack Wheeler March 17, 2025

[This Monday’s Archive is TTP’s celebration of St. Patrick’s Day with its “nutshell history” of Ireland, first written in 2006. Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all TTPers!]

Ronald Reagan’s origins are even more humble than Abraham Lincoln’s log cabin.

His great-grandfather, Michael O’Regan, was born in a hut of mud and slats in farmland called Doolis near the village of Ballyporeen, County Tipperary, in 1829.

In June 1984, Ronald Reagan came to Ballyporeen as President of the United States. In his speech to the townspeople in the village square, he said, “I can’t think of a place on the planet I would rather claim as my roots more than Ballyporeen, County Tipperary.”

A friend of mine was there as a member of Reagan’s staff. After the speech, the President commented to him, “I really am proud to be from here.” With a wink, he explained: “You see, I’m from Beyond the Pale.”

HALF-FULL REPORT 03/14/25

Guest Author March 14, 2025

Tariffs, Markets, and Traditions

I'm thrilled to share that St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner on Monday, March 17^th. It's a day when my family, like so many others, absolutely loves getting together with our extended clan. We go the extra mile (quite literally) to join in the fun at various events, parades, and convention-style gatherings. And let me tell you, these get-togethers are more than just a good time. They're a powerful display of the Irish diaspora's political clout. Our leaders definitely take notice when hundreds thousands take to the streets in all types of cities, representing all walks of life.

President Trump recently posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, about communication with Russian President Putin. Diplomats apparently had a productive chat and there might be a chance to pause the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. But, there are thousands of Ukrainian troops currently in a tight spot in Kursk, surrounded by Russian forces. Trump urged Putin to spare their lives to avoid a horrific massacre.

A recent ruling by a federal judge has reinstated a member of the board overseeing personnel disputes for federal workers. The judge ruled that President Donald Trump did not have the authority to remove her without proper justification. This situation highlights a constitutional conflict between the branches of government, as Trump claims the power to hire and fire all members of the executive branch. Congress places limits on the removal of leaders of independent agencies like the Merit Systems Protection Board.

As of publishing time, we have a 25% tariff on goods from Mexico and Canada scheduled to launch next month, except for Canadian energy which has a 10% tariff. These apply to finished products in the automotive, manufacturing, and retail sectors, but not to higher order goods that aren't sold directly to consumers.

The stock market experienced another turbulent day due to new tariff threats and mixed inflation news. The S&P 500 fell by 1.4%, entering its first correction since October 2023, which is a drop of over 10% from its record high on February 19. The NASDAQ Composite went down by nearly 2%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased by 1.3%.

It was a tough week. Next week will surely be better.

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