Political Violence Goes Ballistic (USA)

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Some commonalities are now taking shape when it comes to political violence in the US. The shooters of Trump and Kirk were locals, which means the politicians came to them, and the shooters found a local, easier possibility to act out. Allegedly the Trump assassin-wannabe would have also taken aim at Biden if he was handy.

Given the the right love rallies more than the left, they will be more targeted, especially during the lead up to the 2026 mid-terms. We might even see the end of outdoor rallies.

The other commonality that is emerging is that aside from the well-established race and religion motives, we also have gender identity in the mix, driven by the hate speech from MAGA. Many transgender folk already have mental health issues and they are often marginalised young people.

The biggie is simply the nature of copycats. When you are close to doing a terrible thing, and you see someone else do it, and in your eyes they are famous, heroic or a martyr, then that can tip you over the edge.

The solution is to stop hate speech, and end all the radical division, being pushed by MAGA. But as long as you have a president who spews out hate speech, and uses the language of violence and threats, it will keep getting worse.

I predict a major domestic terrorist bomb event, before 2026 is over, and hopefully it gets thwarted. It will target authority. Almost certainly it will be rural and involve a U-Haul.

Robots and Drones to Protect Native Animals

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In New Zealand, a land that until a few hundred years ago had no mammals, there is a bold plan to remove every predator that threatens native species, via eradication. They are doing it via small areas at a time, with concerted efforts from locals.

Except, not unsurprisingly, feral cats. People don’t feel okay with killing those mammals. And there are way too many to catch, neuter and realise, even if it was affordable.

There might be a solution. Small, autonomous robots, flying or not, and solar powered, might be about to wander about the wilderness with very simplistic, repeated tasks.

It needs to:

  • be small enough to be cost efficient and energy efficient
  • be rechargeable by returning to a solar-powered dock
  • know roughly where it is, I think GPS is inevitable
  • be a bit randomised in where it goes
  • make sound or light sufficient to scare off a nearby cat
  • not get stuck!

I think it is all doable, and potentially not too expensive. Studies can find out what scares cats best.

Use groups of drones to herd the feral cats away from birds and towards a place where you have installed some serious fencing. Lock them away. Tell the public they can feed them if they wish, or let them starve from over-crowding.

UFOs and EMPs

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This is an odd prediction to make, because if it comes true I won’t be able to show anyone…

There has been a lot of fiction regarding alien invasions, and mostly, for dramatic purposes, they don’t just wipe out all humans with the press of a button.

But they would most likely have access to a relatively modest weapon that could send us back to the dark ages – and EMP. Well, a number of them, around the world, detonated high above us, and taking out every single electronic device, including computers, cars, satellites and so on.

They might do so for legal or ethical reasons, as in a mandate to not directly kill any living things.
They could do it for our own good, before we blow each other up.
They could do it as a science experiment, or for fun.

Our enemies (Russia, China, Iran etc) could also find away to achieve an EMP. It would possibly be hard to trace, hard to retaliate, and make a country very vulnerable to a traditional invasion.

So, keep you car and computer in a Faraday Cage at all times!

Carbon Fibre Rocket Curtains for Defence

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There are similar ideas, like the Iron Curtain and Bullet Curtain, which both use a lot of tiny missiles to interfere with an incoming missile.

My idea is a mile high curtain, like a fishing net, woven from carbon fibre, as thin as possible.

It lies folded on the ground (maybe there are rows of them, miles apart…) and when activated it is sent skyward by rockets on each end of it. The rockets are angled slightly away from the curtain so that when the curtain is drawn tight horizontally, the rockets self-straighten.

Balloons are released when it reaches full height to keep the curtain up for a while. Afterwards, balloons and rockets are refreshed and the curtain can be re-used.

The netting of the curtain simply needs to be tight enough to probably stop whatever is incoming.

Conceivably it would be cost-effective relative to other systems, and a good part of required redundancy.

The Law of Autonomy

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Every country should enact a law, in which all products sold must be able to perform their standard functions without any connection back to the manufacturer.

For example, smartphones would qualify. While OS updates are preferable, the phone will keep operating without them, or offline.

Actually, maybe it should be the Law of Offline. The product must specify which functionality will be lost if the product is offline. That could be anywhere from an EV not finding the nearest charging station to a tractor being bricked.

Regardless, we need to protect ourselves from the very real threat of being held hostage. Specifically, I can imagine that all Chinese EVs could be rendered useless by the flip of a switch.

Some Predictions for 2026 and Beyond

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TRUMP

One is blindingly obvious – China won’t back down on tariffs, they will just keep matching any that Trump adds. They will end up back at square one, the bully will be vanquished OR the global economy will be destroyed. There is no win for Trump possible.

Talk of Greenland and Canada will disappear.

The Ukraine war will keep going. The US will end some support, but keep their hand in. The US will end Russia sanctions. Europe will keep giving Ukraine enough money and weapons to keep it at stalemate. That is until they give Ukraine enough to win, in exchange for

  • mineral rights (ha ha Trump)
  • economic agreements
  • no Ukraine in NATO
  • contracts for rebuilding

When the Russians have been pushed back to near their own border, a ceasefire will happen. A DMZ will happen covering both sides of the border, but patrolled by non-NATO international forces like Australia.

The US will of course have a recession by early 2026. The dollar will drop more. Another country or group will make a minor, but meaningful move towards making their currency more global.

CHINA

China will withstand Trump’s shenanigans and become more like a sensible, reliable, trustworthy superpower. They’ll keep expanding overseas economically and start building overseas military bases just as the US starts closing some.

AI and privacy will continue to be huge issues and China will more than ever be shut off from the rest of the world for anything that is more tech than a TV panel. Some countries will ban Chinese EVs because of privacy concerns, and then more countries will, and then sooner-or-later China will start bricking their overseas cars in retaliation. Well, they will do what they call “ending updates” but the cars will stop working.

OTHER

Austria will get a far right-wing government, and they will become good mates with Hungary.

Non-war drone attacks will become a serious problem. Gang fights, assassination attempts (especially officials who do not have high security, and families of officials). Drones will be used for robberies and kidnapping.

Africa will become the place to be. Lots of 100-year-leases to foreign powers. The new land of cheap factory workers. A few private micro-nations.

Universal ID QR Code Phone Numbers

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It is a mouthful, for sure.

I have noticed a trend in Australia. First we had loyalty cards, then we had loyalty apps, and now people just tell the sales clerk their phone number. It saves keep things and remembering things. I expect this to be happening everywhere soon.

However, it is inefficient and tedious. We can make this happen faster. People wear a badge with a QR code on it, containing your phone number. It could be on an actual badge, or on the back of your phone (physically). To indicate to the checkout chick that you want them to know it (because it identifies you for their loyalty scheme), you simply hold it up or point to it – and they scan it.

Another trend is being emailed receipts and warranties instead of paper ones. That can automated in the same movement. If you want a paper receipt, you ask. Otherwise it is emailed.

Before long emails will have some kind of code in the subject line identifying them as a receipt or warranty, from any of your loyalty apps, and will be stored somewhere convenient and backed up elsewhere.

New Country: Northern Land

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Turn the Northern Territory (of Australia) into an autonomous region, owned and operated by all Australian aboriginal people (and Torres Strait folk).

Define them by anyone already (provably) self-identified as aboriginal, and their descendants.

Existing privately owned land remains with the owners. If they want to leave Northern Land, the government will buy their property at a 20% premium.

Expected outcomes will be not dissimilar to native lands in the US:

  • A casino
  • No or low taxes
  • Aborigines choose if anyone can become a citizen, visit or stay temporarily.
  • Own laws regarding drugs, alcohol, education, gambling, crypto, sin taxes, speed limits and so on
  • Potential for things like fringe medical tourism and libertarians
  • Federal Australia has emergency powers

Here’s the bonus feature: The Northern Land has a lot of (seasonal) rain, sunlight and barren land.

Australia needs more industry for when our fossil fuels no longer make us rich

Refugees are a growing issue globally

  • Many people would choose to live in Australia, even if it was not idyllic.
  • Refugees can come to Northern Land as provisional Australian citizens, who cannot yet visit wider Australia.
  • The person, or one person from the family, must have the ability to do factory or farm work.
  • They are supplied rudimentary refugee accommodation and supplies. Better than where they come from, but still very basic.
  • Anyone who wants a job can have one. Not unlike factories in China with bunk beds. Hours would not be as extreme.
  • By Australian standards, pay will be low. There will be no minimum wage but companies (already paying little or no tax) will compete for workers.
  • After 5 years of work, they (and their family) can become full Australian citizens

The state wants such citizens, and will do their best to make fair but legitimate pathways to get there.

I figure this is win-win-win. 

New Country: Oceans

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There are great expanses of oceans not owned or controlled by any nation, they are literally the open sea, free for anyone to fish in or sail across. It is an oddity in a world where even Antarctica has degrees of ownership.

I’m not going to bother with numbers, but the oceans are massively populated by beings who are not us. They are mostly undisturbed and barely notice our traverses. But our fishing and pollution cause immense harm and those species have no way of stopping us. Well, until now.

Introducing the newest nation on Earth, simply called Oceans. Its citizens are the birds, mammals, fish, molluscs, plants and anything else that is alive. Because they cannot speak for themselves (yet), we will nominate humans to speak for them – one reverse diplomat from every country.

A reverse diplomat advocates for the country they are allocated to, not the country they represent, but obviously there will be some allegiances.

In case of apathy, doing nothing to fix any oceanic issue is not an option, the only decision is how much do we help.

The good news is that container shipping is bad for the environment, so they can be taxed according to emissions x miles. Initially the numbers involved won’t matter much at all to each ship, but will add up to worthy amounts.

Fishing is much harder to police and tax, but there will be ways, including good nations voluntarily paying up.

As a nation, Oceans will have its own seat in the UN, it will have finances and a rudimentary navy, possibly using volunteers, or training exercises.

As a nation, Oceans will provide research grants. That would include great efforts to communicate with dolphins and whales.

Being an absurd idea, there will be pushback, and many poorer countries will decide not to recognise it as a state. Which means they do not get a reverse diplomat.

I would like to see a UN Ocean council, like the UN Security Council, with Oceans as a permanent member. It could resolve differences regarding, for example, who gets to have trade routes through the Arctic ocean. Something like this already exists, but it is more akin to COP

With time I would want the ocean perimeters of countries to be reduced, and seceded to Oceans. That would involve grandfathering in things like fishing rights.

How to end MAGA madness

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I actually have a soft spot for some of Trump’s initiatives, but with caveats!

  • Trans children is so wrong. But soon Trump will be demonising gays.
  • Smaller government is good. But DOGE is outright lying about its wins
  • Getting rid of illegal immigrant gang members is good, if done correctly

But his tariffs and bullying are counter-productive, globally, frankly, at levels nobody has seen before. Both within the US and in other lands, Donald Trump is a disturbance that almost everyone would prefer no longer existed.

Unlike the UK, Australia and so on, there is no mechanism for ditching the president of the US, as long as he has the support of his party. And the Republican politicians are, almost everyone, scared of going against Trump because their precious jobs would be at risk. They are spineless.

His numerous current crimes, especially enriching himself and others, don’t matter, he has the immunity from SCOTUS. So prison cannot happen.

To my mind, that leaves three options:

Embarrassment – this is a stretch, but potentially something so bad emerges (perhaps Epstein related, or released by Putin), that he cannot continue.

Health – he is remarkably healthy considering his diet and age, and very on the ball, doing amazing hours of work. But he is old, and almost certainly on Viagra (can I say the word Loomer), and not necessarily going to stay alive for the full term.

Assassination – maybe that is why he is so cozy with Russia and Israel, the GOATs of murdering opponents. Of course he does have enemies overseas, but his murder would almost certainly come from within. A lone wolf (at least two have tried already), a rogue unit of the FBI or CIA, a disgruntled employee, or JD Vance – I wouldn’t put it past him. Trump is very careful with his food – he orders McDonalds for a reason – safer. But someone with Israel/Russia experience in the chain of food/drink custody could easily poison Trump.

Unfortunately, that would leave us with Vance, so he needs to go as well. That would make Mike Johnson president, which would be sane and tolerable