Nanjing, 1937, and Damien Grey

On this day:

1545
Council of Trent begins.
1577
Sir Francis Drake sets out from Plymouth, England, on his round-the-world voyage.
1643
English Civil War: The Battle of Alton takes place in Hampshire.
1862
American Civil War: At the Battle of Fredericksburg, Confederate General Robert E. Lee defeats the Union Major General Ambrose E. Burnside.
1937
Nanjing Massacre. Japanese troops begin carrying out several weeks of raping and killing of civilians and suspected Chinese resistance after the fall of Nanjing.
1939
World War II: Battle of the River Plate – Captain Hans Langsdorff of the German Deutschland class cruiser (pocket battleship) Admiral Graf Spee engages with Royal Navy cruisers HMS Exeter, HMS Ajax and HMNZS Achilles.
1972
Apollo program: Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt begin the third and final Extra-vehicular activity (EVA) or “Moonwalk” of Apollo 17. To date they are the last humans to set foot on the Moon.
2003
Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is captured near his hometown of Tikrit

***

Most of the propositions I’m interested in have been kidnapped and dressed up by academic philosophy, but they are in fact the kind of proposition that would occur to any intelligent person in his bath.--Stoppard

***

According to a new investigation by Rachel Aviv in The New Yorker, many of the vivid details in Sacks's beloved case studies were fabrications — embellishments designed to make better stories. This is written with disapproval, but should it be?

***

“One day, we might even have a ministry run entirely by AI,” Prime Minister Edi Rama said at a July press conference while discussing digitalization. “That way, there would be no nepotism or conflicts of interest.”

***


Nanjing, 1937, and Damien Grey

Japan's organized expansion into the Asin mainland began in Manchuria in 1932, but cohesive Chinese resistance did not begin until 1937. (War--the Second Sino-Japanese War, conventionally dated 1937-1945--was not declared until 1941.)

On December 13, 1937, 50,000 Japanese troops entered the city of Nanjing, the beautiful, ancient, and one-time capital of China, on the Yangtze River. Many of the city residents had fled, but refugees from the recent capitulation of Shanghai poured north into the city with thousands of defeated soldiers who had de facto surrendered and were left abandoned by their command. The Japanese had received the order to "kill all the captives, " and so began one of the modern world's strangest and most vicious events. 

In the next four days--which trailed into the next weeks--the city was put to the sword. The death rate was conservatively estimated at 270,000 and likely closer to 400,000. Rapes numbered about 80,000. The attack resembled a feeding frenzy. Torture and mutilation were the norm. Killing and maiming "games" and "competitions" developed. The local Nazi representative was so horrified, he set up an attempt at a 'safety zone.'

The average Japanese soldier had become a demon.

What they did is hard to imagine. The historian Iris Chang was said to be driven mad by her studies of it. No one was spared the innovative tortures and deaths. The horrors of war pile up--Auschwitz et al at 6 million, Stalin in Russia 40 million, 400,000 Bengali women raped by Pakistanis in 1971, Timor Lenk killed 100,000 prisoners at Delhi. The Romans killed 150,000 at Carthage. Hitler's air attacks killed 61,000 British. The Netherlands lost 242,000 civilians. Dresden's casualties numbered about 60,000. Air raids on Tokyo killed between 80,000 and 120,000. Hiroshima deaths were 140,000, Nagasaki, 70,000. But nobody killed with the concentrated ferocity of the Japanese at Nanjing.

Strangely, Nanjing and similar events are not talked about much. Churchill doesn't mention Nanjing in his history of WW11. Perhaps it's because of its common thread.

Us.

 

Plymouth Plantation

On this day:

1792
French Revolution: King Louis XVI of France is put on trial for treason by the National Convention.
1927
Guangzhou Uprising: Communist militia and worker Red Guards launch an uprising in the Chinese city of Guangzhou, taking over most of the city and announcing the formation of a Guangzhou Soviet.
1936
Abdication Crisis: Edward VIII’s abdication as King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the British Dominions beyond the Seas, and Emperor of India becomes effective.
1941
World War II: Germany and Italy declare war on the United States, following the Americans’ declaration of war on Japan in the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The United States, in turn, declares war on Germany and Italy.
1948
The United Nations passes General Assembly Resolution 194, which established and defined the role of the United Nations Conciliation Commission as an organization to facilitate peace in the British Mandate for Palestine.
1964
Che Guevara speaks at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.
1972
Apollo 17 becomes the sixth and last Apollo mission to land on the Moon.
2008
Bernard Madoff is arrested and charged with securities fraud in a $50 billion Ponzi scheme.

***

Q: What did you learn about college football this year?
A: I learned the difference between a team and a gang.

***

So, are we attacking the boats from Venezuela because they are intruding on our turf?

***

In the same vein, what is the world's reaction to the American attack on Iran? Is the world allowing Trump leeway because he is doing things they would never have the strength to do, but they believe the world needs? In essence, is Trump their sin-eater?


***

Plymouth Plantation

In 1620 Plymouth Plantation was founded with a system of communal property rights. Food and supplies were held in common and then distributed based on equality and need as determined by Plantation officials. People received the same rations whether or not they contributed to producing the food, and residents were forbidden from producing their own food. Governor William Bradford, in his 1647 history, Of Plymouth Plantation, wrote that this system was found to breed much confusion and discontent and retard much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort. The problem was that young men, that were most able and fit for labour, did repine that they should spend their time and strength to work for other men’s wives and children without any recompense. Because of the poor incentives, little food was produced.

Faced with potential starvation in the spring of 1623, the colony decided to implement a new economic system. Every family was assigned a private parcel of land. They could then keep all they grew for themselves, but now they alone were responsible for feeding themselves. While not a complete private property system, the move away from communal ownership had dramatic results.


This change, Bradford wrote, had very good success, for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been. Giving people economic incentives changed their behavior. Once the new system of property rights was in place, the women now went willingly into the field, and took their little ones with them to set corn; which before would allege weakness and inability.

Once the Pilgrims in the Plymouth Plantation abandoned their communal economic system and adopted one with greater individual property rights, they never again faced the starvation and food shortages of the first three years. It was only after allowing greater property rights that they could feast without worrying that famine was just around the corner.--Benjamin Powell, “The Pilgrims’ Real Thanksgiving Lesson,” Independent Institute, November 25, 2008.

So incentives matter. This proposition, which seems so reasonable, nonetheless must constantly struggle with the irrational. Incredibly bad ideas always get an open hearing. Defund the police, open borders, 1619, modern monetary theory, and critical racial theory are all presented on an equal footing with sensible, reasonable concepts. So the prima facie is invalid.

In such an atmosphere, vigilance--which seems to be an over-response--is essential.

"Putin is Winning."

On this day:

1531
The Virgin of Guadalupe first appears to Juan Diego at Tepeyac, Mexico City.
1917
World War I: In Palestine, Field Marshal Edmund Allenby captures Jerusalem.
1937
Second Sino-Japanese War: Battle of Nanjing – Japanese troops under the command of Lt. Gen. Asaka Yasuhiko launch an assault on the Chinese city of Nanjing.
1946
The “Subsequent Nuremberg Trials” begin with the “Doctors’ Trial”, prosecuting doctors alleged to be involved in human experimentation.
1950
Harry Gold is sentenced to 30 years in jail for helping Klaus Fuchs pass information about the Manhattan Project to the Soviet Union. His testimony is later instrumental in the prosecution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.
1965
The Kecksburg UFO incident: a fireball is seen from Michigan to Pennsylvania; witnesses report something crashing in the woods near Pittsburgh. In 2005 NASA admits that it examined the object.
1979
The eradication of the smallpox virus is certified, making smallpox the first and to date only human disease driven to extinction.
2008
The Governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, is arrested by federal officials for a number of crimes including attempting to sell the United States Senate seat being vacated by President-elect Barack Obama’s election to the Presidency.

***

“With $1 million, you could earn 50% a year, but you have to be in love with the subject. You can’t just be in love with the money.” --Buffett

***

Ilhan Omar is worth $30 million. Read that again.

***

Looters in politics wearing different uniforms are on the same team: themselves.

***

China just put a 13% VAT on birth control meds and devices.

***

"Putin is Winning"

There is a narrative on the Left that "Putin is winning," in a general, international way. Biden's weird, observant non-response fit well with Europe's dithering. Trump's position is hard to understand, even if you assume he is 'philosophy-unburdened'. 

These are excerpts (sort of) from The Telegraph on their assessment of the situation Russia and Putin are in with their Ukrainian invasion. They think Trump is foolish in his efforts, but their opinion of Putin is worthwhile.

After two years of growth artificially fuelled by higher defence spending, Russia’s oil and gas income, representing up to 50% of state revenue, is down 27% year-on-year, and recession looms. Inflation is up, at 8%; interest rates top 16%. The budget deficit is rising, more than half of Russia’s liquid sovereign wealth fund has been squandered since 2022, state monopolies face huge debts, foreign investment has plunged, import costs of strategic goods have risen by 122%, and consumer taxes are soaring, all to fund Putin’s war. Russians must even pay more to drown their sorrows: the price of vodka is up 5%.

***

Ukraine has identified a weak spot: Russia’s refineries, pipelines and “shadow fleet” of oil tankers carrying illicit exports. A third tanker was set ablaze in the Black Sea last week by naval drone strikes. Kyiv is regularly hitting energy facilities deep inside Russia, causing panic and fuel shortages. Meanwhile, Russia’s two energy giants, Rosneft and Lukoil, are reeling as Asian buyers, including in China’s vital market, rush to avoid secondary US sanctions.

***

Syria, a prized Middle East ally, turned to the west and Iran came under US and Israeli attack. Now Venezuela, too, looks in vain for support. Ties with China have been upended, with a humiliated Russia relegated to the role of dependent junior partner. Visiting India last week, Putin cut a needy figure in a country that, following US pressure, now boycotts Russian oil.

***

Despite his surprise, full-scale invasion and overwhelming advantages in manpower and materiel, Putin has utterly failed to subjugate Ukraine – a failure measured in shocking Russian casualty figures: more than 280,000 killed or injured in the first eight months of 2025; about one million in total. The average Russian frontline life expectancy is 12 days.

***

The latest US negotiating fiasco has once again exposed Trump’s idiotically lopsided Ukraine “strategy”. Appeasing Russia from the start, he has undermined Ukraine by attacking Zelenskyy and halting arms supplies. Trump’s egotistic eagerness to play peacemaker and make a quick buck, choice of inept relatives and cronies as amateur envoys, and attempts to sideline and pillory Europe assist and embolden Putin.

***

Trump’s meddling is prolonging the war. He should butt out before he does more damage – and Europe (and Nato) must step in with more weapons for Ukraine, reparation loans using seized Russian assets, fully enforced energy sanctions, tougher kinetic responses to sabotage and cyber-attacks, and a more united determination to help end Putin’s age of terror.

Pearl Harbor

On this day:

1941
World War II: Attack on Pearl Harbor – The Imperial Japanese Navy attacks the United States Pacific Fleet and its defending Army Air Forces and Marine air forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, causing a declaration of war upon Japan by the United States. Japan also invades Malaya, Thailand, Hong Kong and the Philippines at the same time (December 8 in Asia).
1965
Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras simultaneously revoke mutual excommunications that had been in place since 1054.
1972
Apollo 17, the last Apollo moon mission, is launched. The crew takes the photograph known as The Blue Marble as they leave the Earth.
1987
Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771 crashes near Paso Robles, California, killing all 43 on board, after a disgruntled passenger shoots his ex-boss traveling on the flight, then shoots both pilots and himself.

***

The European conservative harbors “fondness for authority” and a “lack of understanding of economic forces.” Although not blind to the potential—nay, likely—problems that attend innovation and change, the American conservative trusts in the largely unmanaged, undirected choices of individuals and institutions of civil society and the market to produce virtue, prosperity, and flourishing better than any state or statesman ever could. American history vindicates this confidence.--Hayek

***

One of the mysteries of political life is that the opposition to Trump's questionable assumptions of power is not led by small-government conservatives but by the powerful central government Left and the totalitarian socialists.

***

The bill that passed the Senate with Vance as the tie-breaking vote will add nearly $4 trillion to the national debt over the next decade.
Yet Vance says, immigration is “the thing that will bankrupt this country more than any other policy.”

***

By as late as 1940, the federal and state governments’ investment in research amounted to only 23 percent of U.S. R&D and 10 percent of U.S. basic science, and the nature of that investment had little or no impact on rates of American economic or health growth: Defense R&D has almost no economic benefit, while the agricultural R&D was surplus to requirement.
As current criticism of Trump's research cuts shows, perhaps as a consequence of its confidence in wealth elsewhere, this country believes money equals progress.

***

Pearl Harbor

2,403 Americans were killed in the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941. The Americans then entered World War 11. One could argue that it pushed a hesitant America onto the world stage.

After Pearl Harbor, the country was terrified, especially along the West Coast. The proximity of the attack was exaggerated by the large presence of the American Japanese in California. Since there was no evidence of any Japanese-American involvement in the attack, the argument was made that the Japanese were lying low, waiting to pounce. 

Critical Race Theory Syndrome: the absence of something is proof it existed.  

Executive Order 9066, ordering the forcible removal of Americans of Japanese descent from the Pacific coast, was signed by the liberal President Roosevelt in 1942. 120,000 American citizens--Americans--were moved out of their homes into squalid camps and ancient Indian reservations.

This is another rule in politics that should caution anyone expecting the government to do the right thing: "When the going gets tough, everyone loses their principles."

Or, there are no countries, only governments.

STATS

 

On this day:

1240
Mongol invasion of Rus': Kiev under Danylo of Halych and Voivode Dmytro falls to the Mongols under Batu Khan.
1648
Colonel Pride of the New Model Army purges the Long Parliament of MPs sympathetic to King Charles I of England, in order for the King’s trial to go ahead; came to be known as “Pride’s Purge”.
1865
The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, banning slavery.
1907
A coal mine explosion at Monongah, West Virginia kills 362 workers.
1917
Halifax Explosion: In Canada, a munitions explosion kills more than 1,900 people and destroys part of the City of Halifax, Nova Scotia.1941
World War II: The United Kingdom declares war on Finland in support of the Soviet Union during the Continuation War.
1957
Project Vanguard: A launchpad explosion of Vanguard TV3 thwarts the first United States attempt to launch a satellite into Earth orbit.
1969
Meredith Hunter is killed by the Hells Angels during a The Rolling Stones’s concert at the Altamont Speedway in California.
1973
The Twenty-fifth Amendment: The United States House of Representatives votes 387 to 35 to confirm Gerald Ford as Vice President of the United States (on November 27, the Senate confirmed him 92 to 3).
1989
The École Polytechnique Massacre (or Montreal Massacre): Marc Lépine, an anti-feminist gunman, murders 14 young women at the École Polytechnique in Montreal.

***

You are angry that the current administration has not brought down prices attributed to the previous administration's deficit spending and artificially high energy prices, so you're going to vote for the previous administration?

***

The thesis is that politicians, especially the modern Left, campaign on providing things in unlimited supply; is affordability one of those things?

***

Somehow, the forgiving and optimistic Left who see in the women-burning, subway-rider-stabbing, habitual recidivist, the flag-waving, street-demonstrating homicidal nationalist bigot, and the cold Bundy-charming CEO back-shooter an element of the divine but can discern the heart of darkness in soldiers one thousand miles away trying to fight child-killing drug entrepreneurs.

***

There are more than 80--80!!--large poverty programs in the United States.

***

MIT engineers have designed an aerial microrobot that can fly as fast as a bumblebee

***

STATS

Every Western European country scores higher on the global ranking of freedom and democracy than the U.S. does, according to Freedom House, a U.S.-based nonprofit that ranks countries according to measures such as election process, rule of law, and individual rights.

*

'Autism Centers' in Minnesota grew 700% 2018 to 2023. Funding for them increased 3000% from $6 million to $192 million.

*

About 28% of oxygen on Earth comes from rainforests. The majority of it — somewhere between 50% and 85% — actually comes from marine plants, like kelp and phytoplankton in the ocean.

*

NYC's budget includes $7.4 billion in federal dollars. That's 6.4% of the budget.

*

The restrike rate of attacks like the one in the Caribbean is about 25%.

*

China’s fertility rate has fallen to one.

*

Among people 45-plus, the rates of loneliness have increased from 35% in 2018, to 40% now.

*

Financial fraud has affected 29% of checking, savings or debit account holders and 24% of credit card customers in the past 12 months.

*

The 2025 hurricane season is drawing to a close without a single one making landfall in the continental United States — for the first time in a decade.

*

IBIT has lost $1.4 billion over five trading days—the highest total for any consecutive-day stretch in its 22-month history.IBIT manages more than $73 billion in assets, the most of any of the spot Bitcoin ETFs.

*

The penalty of Bad Stats: In 1937, Olimpiy Kvitkin, a statistician, was executed by firing squad. His crime? Producing inconvenient census numbers, which showed the Soviet Union contained about 6 million fewer residents than Joseph Stalin had claimed, probably because of that little famine the country had just been through.

*

The digital marketing firm Graphite recently published a study showing that more than 50% of articles on the web are being generated by artificial intelligence.

*

Palidromes
If a number is not a palindrome, follow these steps to make it a palindrome:
Example: 76
Reverse the digits.
67
Add the reverse number to 76, the original number.
76+67=143
Continue to reverse and add until the sum is a palindrome. 341
143+431=484
If you follow these steps, all the numbers from 1 to 100 will eventually become palindromes, and you will find unity and peace.

*

Percent of young adults who say they are likey to leave their city. (This occurs for a number of reasons, but mostly, "It's about being engaged in your city, feeling pride in your city, as well as having this growing sense of belonging," Sofia Song, 'global leader of cities research' at Gensler's Research Institute said.)

Moving out
1	Baltimore	61.6%
2	Charlotte, N.C.	58.3%
3	Miami	51.8%
4	Detroit	51.6%
5	Atlanta	50%
6	Nashville, Tenn.	49.4%
7	Portland, Ore.	48.8%
8	Houston	47.8%
9	Philadelphia	45.7%
10	Tampa, Fla.	45.2%
11	Columbus, Ohio	45%
12	San Francisco	45%
13	San Antonio	44.4%
14	New York	44.1%

Bottom half of the rankings

Rank	City	Moving out
15	Phoenix	42.6%
16	Washington, D.C.	42.2%
17	Raleigh, N.C.	41.9%
18	Los Angeles	41.4%
19	Minneapolis	41.4%
20	Dallas	41%
21	Seattle	39.8%
22	Austin, Texas	38.9%
23	Las Vegas	37.9%
24	Denver	37%
25	Chicago	36.1%
26	Boston	27.8%
27	San Diego	27.1%

'Global leader of cities research'!