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So, we rise from the rubble...
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Friday, February 13, 2026
"10 States Collapsing Fastest in America Due to Poverty and Homelessness Crisis"
Full screen recommended.
Across The States, 2/13/26
"10 States Collapsing Fastest in America
Due to Poverty and Homelessness Crisis"
"America’s crisis is accelerating - and the *U.S. states collapsing fastest* aren’t always the ones people expect. This video breaks down where poverty, housing pressure, and job losses are hitting hardest right now. Here’s the thing - the story isn’t just about rising rent or inflation. It’s about how everyday life is quietly getting harder in certain states, from shrinking local businesses to families being forced to move again and again just to stay afloat. You’ll see which regions are losing residents, where homelessness is growing fastest, and why some local economies are struggling to recover at all. What most people miss is how hidden pressures like medical costs, insurance spikes, and student debt are speeding up the decline. We also look at how rural towns and smaller cities are being affected differently than big metro areas. The reality is simple: this isn’t politics - it’s about people trying to survive changing conditions. This video reflects publicly available data and real-world trends, not individual financial advice."
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"Millions Can't Afford Rent So They're Living In Sheds And Storage Units"
Full screen recommended.
Across The States, 2/13/26
"Millions Can't Afford Rent So
They're Living In Sheds And Storage Units"
"Rent has gotten so high that millions of working Americans are now living in storage units, sheds, cars, and RVs just to survive. This isn't about bad choices - it's about housing costs rising faster than paychecks can keep up. In this video, we break down how rent went from affordable to impossible in just a few years. Studio apartments that used to cost $800 now go for $1,800. Mobile homes sell for over $250,000. Even storage units rent for $200 a month. Meanwhile, wages barely moved. We look at the real data behind America's housing crisis and why so many full-time workers, seniors, veterans, and families can no longer afford a place to live. The system wasn't designed for this. The math just doesn't work anymore. If you've noticed rent getting out of control or know someone struggling to stay housed, this video explains what's really happening and why it's only getting harder."
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"The Biggest Housing Bubble In The Entire History Of The United States Is In The Process Of Bursting"
by Michael Snyder
"The housing bubble that burst during the Great Recession was enormous, but it was nothing compared to what we are facing now. Two decades ago, the average price of a home in the United States was about $140,000. Today, the average price of a home in the United States is above $500,000. We have literally never seen anything even close to a housing bubble of this magnitude. Unfortunately, what comes up must eventually come down.
Just like we witnessed during the Great Recession, home sales have started to crash. In January, sales of previously owned homes were 8.4 percent lower than they were in December…"Sales of previously owned homes in January dropped a much wider-than-expected 8.4% from December to a seasonally adjusted, annualized rate of 3.91 million, according to the NAR. Sales were 4.4% lower than January 2025. That is the slowest pace since December 2023 and the biggest monthly drop since February 2022.
This count is based on closings, so contracts that were likely signed in November and December, when the average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage didn’t move much before dropping slightly in January. That rate is now 6.1%, according to Mortgage News Daily."
Regionally, sales fell across the nation month to month but were down the most in the South and West. Sales of previously owned homes have been at a depressed level for years, and now things are getting even worse. It is a really bad time to be a real estate agent in America. So many really good agents are deeply struggling right now.
One of the primary reasons why home sales are so low is because home prices are way too high. Over a 20 year period, the average price of a home in the United States increased from about $140,000 to more than $503,000… While there have been periods of rising and falling home values, the end result is this: In the past 20 years, the average home price in the U.S. has grown from about $140,000 to about $503,800 as of 2025. That is what a bubble looks like.
If you can believe it, the median value of a home in Montana grew by two-thirds in just four years…"Montana’s typical home value has increased by two-thirds in four years, according to new valuations published this month by the Montana Department of Revenue. The department estimates that the median residential property in Montana was worth $378,000 as of the beginning of last year. Four years previously, before the state housing market blew up during the COVID-19 pandemic, the median value was $228,000 - meaning values have increased 66%."
What we have witnessed this decade has been absolutely insane. As a result, 64 percent of all single Americans are now struggling to make their monthly rent or mortgage payments…"Nearly two-thirds (64%) of single people struggle to afford their regular rent or mortgage payments, compared with 39% of married people, according to a recent Redfin survey conducted by Ipsos. These survey results in this report are from a Redfin survey conducted by Ipsos in November 2025, fielded to 4,000 U.S. residents. We consider survey respondents to struggle with housing payments if they selected “I struggle greatly to afford them,” “I regularly struggle, but sometimes okay,” or “I sometimes struggle, but generally okay.”
This state of affairs couldn’t persist indefinitely. It was just a matter of time before something started to give, and now we are being told that home prices are falling in 26 of the 50 largest metro areas in the United States…The sales slump comes as home prices are now falling in 26 of the country’s 50 biggest metro areas, according to recent report from Realtor.com.
This reminds me so much of what we experienced just before the crash of 2008. And as I discussed yesterday, last month the number of foreclosure filings was 32 percent higher than it was during the same month one year earlier…"With the number of Americans losing their homes to banks rising for an eleventh straight month, it’s clear the housing crisis is getting worse rather than better. US foreclosure activity jumped again in January 2026, with a total of 40,534 properties facing foreclosure filings – a 32 percent increase from the same time last year. Foreclosure filings cover every stage of the process, from the moment a lender issues a legal warning to the point a home is formally seized after missed mortgage payments."
Do you remember what happened the last time that foreclosures spiked dramatically? It is starting to happen all over again. Every economic bubble bursts eventually. Sadly, we live at a time when multiple bubbles appear to be bursting simultaneously.
Former U.S. Representative Ron Paul is warning that the entire system is on the verge of collapsing…"Former Texas Representative Ron Paul said the U.S. economic order rests on “fraud” rooted in the 1971 break from gold and warned that the current system is nearing its end, in a wide-ranging 90th-birthday interview on The Tucker Carlson Podcast released Thursday. Paul, a Republican-turned-Libertarian-turned-Republican, tied his warning to the end of dollar convertibility into gold under President Richard Nixon, calling it the nation’s “first declaration of bankruptcy,” and argued that persistent money printing and deficits have created a brittle order primed for a severe correction."
In 1971, the median price of a home in the United States was $25,200. In those days, just about anyone that was willing to work hard could afford a home. At the end of 1971, the U.S. national debt was sitting at 398 billion dollars. Now it is sitting at 38.5 trillion dollars. Do you understand what that means? The size of our national debt will soon be 100 times larger than it was in 1971. Just think about that for a moment.
We really are in the end game. We have destroyed the value of our currency and we are absolutely drowning in debt. Now the economic bubbles that we have inflated are starting to burst all around us, and the days ahead are going to be filled with a tremendous amount of pain."
Dan, I Allegedly, "The Great Cutback Has Begun!"
Full screen recommended.
Dan, I Allegedly, 2/13/26
"The Great Cutback Has Begun!"
"Why are billionaires cutting expenses right now? Why are major corporations laying off thousands of workers, closing plants, and selling properties at massive discounts? In today’s video, we break down the growing signs of economic slowdown — from struggling municipalities and foreclosure auctions to massive job cuts at global companies and declining consumer spending. When even the wealthiest households start tightening their budgets, it’s a signal that something bigger may be coming. We also cover rising household debt, shrinking profit margins, streaming shutdowns, auto plant closures, premium brands losing customers, and what this means for everyday Americans. If you’re concerned about layoffs, inflation, debt-to-income ratios, or protecting your financial future, this is a must-watch breakdown of the economic warning signs happening right now. "
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"Most People..."
"Most people are good and occasionally do something they know is bad. Some people are bad and struggle every day to keep it under control. Others are corrupt to the core and don't give a damn, as long as they don't get caught. But evil is a completely different creature. Evil is bad that believes it's good."
- Karen Marie Moning
"Friday The 13th"
"Friday The 13th"
by History.com
"Long considered a harbinger of bad luck, Friday the 13th has inspired a late 19th-century secret society, an early 20th-century novel, a horror film franchise and not one but two unwieldy terms - paraskavedekatriaphobia and friggatriskaidekaphobia - that describe fear of this supposedly unlucky day.
The Fear of 13: Just like walking under a ladder, crossing paths with a black cat or breaking a mirror, many people hold fast to the belief that Friday the 13th brings bad luck. Though it’s uncertain exactly when this particular tradition began, negative superstitions have swirled around the number 13 for centuries.
While Western cultures have historically associated the number 12 with completeness (there are 12 days of Christmas, 12 months and zodiac signs, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 gods of Olympus and 12 tribes of Israel, just to name a few examples), its successor 13 has a long history as a sign of bad luck.
The ancient Code of Hammurabi, for example, reportedly omitted a 13th law from its list of legal rules. Though this was probably a clerical error, superstitious people sometimes point to this as proof of 13’s longstanding negative associations. Fear of the number 13 has even earned a psychological term: triskaidekaphobia.
Why is Friday the 13th Unlucky? According to biblical tradition, 13 guests attended the Last Supper, held on Maundy Thursday, including Jesus and his 12 apostles (one of whom, Judas, betrayed him). The next day, of course, was Good Friday, the day of Jesus’ crucifixion. The seating arrangement at the Last Supper is believed to have given rise to a longstanding Christian superstition that having 13 guests at a table was a bad omen - specifically, that it was courting death.
Though Friday’s negative associations are weaker, some have suggested they also have roots in Christian tradition: Just as Jesus was crucified on a Friday, Friday was also said to be the day Eve gave Adam the fateful apple from the Tree of Knowledge, as well as the day Cain killed his brother, Abel.
The Thirteen Club: In the late-19th century, a New Yorker named Captain William Fowler (1827-1897) sought to remove the enduring stigma surrounding the number 13 - and particularly the unwritten rule about not having 13 guests at a dinner table - by founding an exclusive society called the Thirteen Club.
The group dined regularly on the 13th day of the month in room 13 of the Knickerbocker Cottage, a popular watering hole Fowler owned from 1863 to 1883. Before sitting down for a 13-course dinner, members would pass beneath a ladder and a banner reading “Morituri te Salutamus,” Latin for “Those of us who are about to die salute you.” Four former U.S. presidents (Chester A. Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison and Theodore Roosevelt) would join the Thirteen Club’s ranks at one time or another.
Friday the 13th in Pop Culture: An important milestone in the history of the Friday the 13th legend in particular (not just the number 13) occurred in 1907, with the publication of the novel "Friday, the Thirteenth" written by Thomas William Lawson. The book told the story of a New York City stockbroker who plays on superstitions about the date to create chaos on Wall Street, and make a killing on the market.
The horror movie "Friday the 13th", released in 1980, introduced the world to a hockey mask-wearing killer named Jason, and is perhaps the best-known example of the famous superstition in pop culture history. The movie spawned multiple sequels, as well as comic books, novellas, video games, related merchandise and countless terrifying Halloween costumes.
What Bad Things Happened on Friday 13th? On Friday, October 13, 1307, officers of King Philip IV of France arrested hundreds of the Knights Templar, a powerful religious and military order formed in the 12th century for the defense of the Holy Land. Imprisoned on charges of various illegal behaviors (but really because the king wanted access to their financial resources), many Templars were later executed. Some cite the link with the Templars as the origin of the Friday the 13th superstition, but like many legends involving the Templars and their history, the truth remains murky.
In more recent times, a number of traumatic events have occurred on Friday the 13th, including the German bombing of Buckingham Palace (September 1940); the murder of Kitty Genovese in Queens, New York (March 1964); a cyclone that killed more than 300,000 people in Bangladesh (November 1970); the disappearance of a Chilean Air Force plane in the Andes (October 1972); the death of rapper Tupac Shakur (September 1996) and the crash of the Costa Concordia cruise ship off the coast of Italy, which killed 30 people (January 2012)."
Adventures With Danno, "Shocking Good Prices At Aldi"
Full screen recommended.
Adventures With Danno, 2/13/26
"Shocking Good Prices At Aldi"
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Jim Kunstler, "Sure, Take That Time-Out"
"Sure, Take That Time-Out"
by Jim Kunstler
“Crisis is when brittleness meets shock.“
- Yuri Bezmenov’s Ghost on X
"By shutting down the government for a minimum of ten days supposedly over funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Wile E. Coyote Democratic Party is about to blow up another Acme bomb in its mangy muzzle. I will tell you why. First, this DHS business is just a stupid prank to bamboozle the public. It will not shut down ICE operations, as Chuck Schumer pretends. ICE was already funded with $75-billion in last year’s Big Beautiful Bill. The shutdown will only defund the Coast Guard and airport security. (Does that sound smart?)
Second, senators will be leaving the DC swamp and going home to their states where, it turns out, polls show that voters of both parties combined overwhelmingly favor election reform by 84-percent. The House has passed the SAVE Act onto the Senate for action, up or down. For at least ten days of the shutdown, the senators will have to explain why proving that you are a citizen to vote is a bad idea - or conversely, why allowing non-citizens to vote is a good idea. So, thanks, Democrats, for sending the senators home to face their voters.
Eventually, senators will have to return to the US Capitol and take up the SAVE Act. The act will require proof of citizenship to register, photo ID to vote in person and for requesting an absentee ballot. The bill would prohibit universal mail-in voting, require absentee ballots be received by election day, impose a five-year prison sentence for helping anyone to register without correct documents, and provisions to clean up the states’ voter rolls.
Additional legislation still in the House, introduced by Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI), would provide for Election Day only in-person voting by paper ballots, and yet other bills awaiting action would eliminate electronic vote-tallying machines. All the provisions above are common in most other civilized nations (and even a few that are not, such as Afghanistan). The Democratic Party is against all of it because they can only win national elections by deceit and chicanery.
When Senators return to DC, they will have to overcome the filibuster in its current mode, which is the silent or so-called “zombie” filibuster. You see, in the old days, before 1972, if senators wanted to filibuster, they had to actually hold the Senate floor and keep talking - bringing all Senate business to a complete halt until either they gave up or the majority could gather enough votes for cloture (ending debate). It was physically very hard on the senators, an ordeal, and to get through the hours of mindless blather, they would read the phone book, or the World Almanac, or a Sunday newspaper from page one to the obituaries, which subjected them to ridicule.
After 1972, the Senate introduced what they called “the two-track” system, which allowed the body to move on to other business under a filibuster, without requiring a member to stand and speak. All that was needed was for a senator to inform the leadership that he intended to block a vote, with the backing of 40 other senators. This led to a dramatic increase in the use of filibusters - transforming them from a rare, physically demanding gambit into a routine procedural threat.
Now, the catch is that this change in procedure was never formally voted on. Going from “talking” filibusters to “silent” filibusters didn’t happen through a deliberate decision by the full Senate to change the rules - it emerged in 1972 from a procedural workaround that then Majority Leader Mike Mansfield introduced. It’s just a custom masquerading as a rule, and one that now Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) could declare null and void.
Doing so would bring back the old talking filibuster. Opponents of a given bill, such as the SAVE Act, would have to step into the well of Senate and offer arguments against election reform, or they could read through the Chicago phone book. In either case, they’d expose themselves to ridicule. Perhaps those ten days at home during the present government shutdown will lead to an attitude change.
If that doesn’t do it, consider that sometime in the weeks and months ahead, you will be seeing some results from the seizure of the Fulton County, GA, 2020 voting records that took place in January. Since the FBI went in there on a warrant - meaning a judge saw probable cause of voter fraud - the country will likely be exposed to real evidence, for the first time, that one crucial swing state ran a corrupt election operation, and it will no longer be possible for the Democrats to yell that such claims are “baseless” or “debunked.”
It’s an astonishing sign of cultural decay that we are even arguing over election reform at this point. The measures introduced during the dastardly Covid-19 trip - unlimited mail-in balloting, organized “ballot harvesting,” counting ballots for weeks after Election Day, doing so with Dominion / Smartmatic machines connectable to the Internet, and ignoring chain-of-custody requirements - these operations were patently and obviously dishonest. That’s what got you four years of “Joe Biden,” a walking-talking lie. Is there anything that the Democratic Party doesn’t lie about? I’ll wait for your answer."
Bill Bonner, "Paper Privilege"
Click image for larger size.
The US is on pace to run another $2 trillion annual deficit, one third of
the way through the fiscal year. Source: Monthly Statement of the US Treasury
"Paper Privilege"
by Bill Bonner
Normandy, France - "First, what’s this? Barron’s reports: "Federal deficit shrinks for the fourth straight month. The gap between government revenue and spending has narrowed for four straight months, helped by President Donald Trump’s tariffs and major cuts in spending on education and other departments. Data disclosed Wednesday by the Treasury Department showed the federal government spent $30 billion more in January than it brought in. That compares with the gap of $82 billion notched in January 2025."
The Trump cheerleaders on Fox news this morning were positively in Rapture. The latest growth and employment numbers suggest that “this could be a very good year,” said Larry Kudlow. “Growth,” they all agreed, will surprise everyone.
The voters may be in a gloomy mood now, the Fox finance team admits, but ‘everything will change’ as soon as Kevin Warsh opens his mouth in his confirmation hearings before the Senate Finance committee. He’ll explain that ‘growth’ changes the picture dramatically...and that he will cut interest rates to give growth a leg up. ‘Don’t worry about inflation,’ he’ll add. ‘Greater output will take care of that.’
And so, to win the mid-term elections...“All they have to do is to get the word out,” they chanted. As always, however, ‘the word’ is more ambiguous than Fox News pretends. Next week, we’ll listen to it more carefully.
Today, let’s keep our eye on the golden ball. The South China Morning Post reports: "China wants its banks to hold fewer US Treasuries. China is urging its biggest banks to curb their exposure to US Treasuries, a calculated intervention in the plumbing of global finance that reveals something uncomfortable about where Asia believes risk now sits. Chinese regulators have instructed large banks to stop adding to already heavy positions in US government debt and to reduce exposure where it has become excessive.
This is the problem that the new man at the Fed, Warsh, will face. Even with improving monthly deficits, he’ll have about $10 trillion in debt to finance or roll over in the next twelve months. And he’ll have fewer people who want it to roll over on them. Gussied up in the mumbo jumbo of modern economics, Warsh can say whatever he wants. But it hardly matters. He’s playing the cards dealt him by History. US debt is rising. Confidence in the dollar is falling. Where did these cards come from?
The post-WWII rules-based orders put rules on money too. The US broke them in two important ruptures. To keep the chronology straight, first, the US reneged on its promise to exchange dollars for gold in August of 1971. Thereafter, dollars were still the world’s reserve currency, but nobody had any guarantee that they would remain limited and valuable.
As one might have expected, the quantity of dollars - via fractional reserve banking - did increase, relative to supply of goods and services they could buy. As we saw yesterday, an F-150 was $1,200 in 1971. It’s $40,000 today. An average house, meanwhile, was $28,000 in 1971. Now, it’s $460,000. The average wage this year is about $33 an hour, compared to just $4 an hour 55 years ago.
It might have been worse. Even with these huge price increases at home, the US was exporting much of its inflation overseas. That was the “exorbitant privilege” that Giscard d’Estaing noticed. Foreigners took US IOUs and never cashed them in. Instead, they put them in their vaults as ‘reserves.’
But for 70 years, the world took the rip-off with good grace. What it took less well was the second breach of the rules--turning the US money system into a hammer. Beginning in the Biden Administration, the world realized that the US would use its control of the dollar system to whack foreign countries, often for what seemed like fickle or unreasonable purposes. If the US disapproved of the foreigners’ policies, it would hit them with ‘sanctions.’ Or seize their assets. Or cut them off from the international banking system. Voice of America: "Biden Slaps 500 New Sanctions on Russia Over War, Navalny Death."
This was not the first time the US had used trade for foreign policy purposes. The Roosevelt Administration had cut off Japan from US exports, which - arguably - led to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. But the Biden and Trump regimes took it to a whole new level. They removed any pretense of neutrality for the US money system. The dollar was no longer trustworthy. And thereby America gave up the exorbitant privilege of providing the world’s reserve money. What comes next? Stay tuned."
John Wilder, "Happiness, Desire, Whiskey, and Purpose"
"Happiness, Desire, Whiskey, and Purpose"
by John Wilder
“Happiness is all that it wants, and resembling the well-fed,
there shouldn’t be any hunger or thirst.”
– Epictetus
"Think back to the moment that you were really content. Happy. Maybe it was after a nice steak. Maybe it was after a draw on a good cigar. Maybe it was in on the bench seat of a 1978 GMC® truck on a warm summer night. Whenever it was, in moments of true contentment, true happiness, you don’t want or need anything. The moment is complete. It is as it is. I feel that way after I write a post I’m especially happy with. I feel that way most mornings after the first sip of coffee. In those moments, in those times, I simply don’t need anything more.
This is why I say that happiness is the easiest thing for most people, most of the time. It’s simple. Stop wanting what you don’t have. Done. Easy. Unless it’s air. I need that most of the time and get quite cross and panicky when I don’t have it. And water, yeah, I need that on occasion. Food? Not an issue. Like most people in current-day USA, I could skip a meal or a few dozen meals and still be physically fine.
So, happiness is easy. Why then, are most people unhappy? They want what they don’t have. In some cases, they want what they can never have. Some mid-tier 8 who spends a night banging Brad Pitt now wants a Brad Pitt type guy to love her. That’s simply not going to happen in this universe because Brad Pitt has all the twenty-year-old 10s he wants to have, and one of them might be a keeper.
So, our mid-tier 8 is unhappy. If she didn’t think she deserved Brad Pitt, well, she might have a chance to be happy. But, no, she’s made herself unhappy. And, she’s made herself unhappy in the stupidest way possible: she’s pining for something she will never ever be able to have. In her case, it’s confusing being Mrs. Right Now with being Mrs. Right.
This unhappiness didn’t come from outside her: she made it up. So, whenever I’m unhappy, it’s typically because of a really simple reason: reality isn’t conforming itself to the way I want it to be. You know, the post didn’t say what I wanted to say in the way I wanted to say it. The post is outside of me. It’s something I made. I can choose what I can do with it. I can abandon it. I’ve done that about five times, I think. I can decide, “You know what, good enough.” I’ve done that a few times. But most of the time, when I press the button that schedules the post, I’m happy. Very happy. I put in the effort on a cause that was worthy of my time.
If I’m unhappy with a post, it’s because I chose to be unhappy about it. I write because it is something that makes me, on balance, very happy. If it didn’t, I wouldn’t do it.
The problem, though, is happy people don’t get much done. That’s why weed and vidya games are bad. They give bliss without accomplishment. It’s the easy road to happy. But that sort of happiness, for me at least, is without meaning because it’s without accomplishment. I’m unhappy all the time, but I’m unhappy about (mostly) things I choose to be unhappy about. I rarely choose to be unhappy about things I can’t control. If I can’t control it, it’s just the way the world is. But if I’m unhappy, and I think it’s worth the effort, even if it’s big, I’ll choose to be unhappy to try to make it happen.
That’s the definition of purpose. It might be small, like mowing the lawn. It might be big, like changing the world. But I get to choose. It should fit my talents. And, as I’ve been prattling on about them, yeah, it should be in service of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness. It needs to be worth it, and that defines what worth it is. Well, at least to me. YMMV.
I think so many people are unhappy because they simply don’t have a purpose, they don’t see a way that they can be of substance, be of consequence in a world where 8 to 10(!) billion people exist. It’s overwhelming. It makes one feel small, sometimes.
But me? I keep pushing. I’ve even distilled my purpose down to a sentence: “To make visible that which would otherwise not have been seen.” So, the writing is kinda core to a purpose like that, unless I want to sit in the backyard yelling at the squirrels on how they’re being inefficient with their nuts.
Purpose, then, is a double-edged sword. It provokes me to action, and leaves me with a fire inside. But this is one that I choose to carry. It’s one that I wish to have. I control (mostly) my emotions. Being happy means not wanting. Except when I choose what I want. And right now? I want elimination of Evil, a steak and a cigar. In that order. But I’ll work on getting rid of the Evil while I enjoy my steak and cigar."
Thursday, February 12, 2026
"The Economic Collapse Is Coming – 25 Food Hacks You Need Now"
Full screen recommended.
A Homestead Journey, 2/12/26
"The Economic Collapse Is Coming –
25 Food Hacks You Need Now"
"The economic collapse is coming faster than most Americans realize – and if you’re not prepared, you could be left scrambling when shelves go bare and prices skyrocket. In today’s video, I’m sharing 25 food hacks that will help you build a pantry that actually lasts. From simple prepper tips to long-term food storage tricks, these hacks will save you money, keep your family fed, and give you peace of mind no matter what hits our economy next.Most people think they’re ready, but the truth is over 70% of Americans are completely unprepared for an emergency. Don’t be one of them. Learn how to store food the right way, prevent waste, and keep your pantry stocked for the hard times ahead. If you’re worried about rising costs and where this country is headed, this video is for you. Stay prepared, stay informed, and stay strong."
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"Life in America Is About to Change in Ways No One Is Ready For… Including You"
Full screen recommended.
Finance Economist, 2/12/26
"Life in America Is About to Change in
Ways No One Is Ready For… Including You"
"Life in America is changing faster than most people realize. Rising costs, unstable jobs, frozen housing markets, and growing debt are quietly reshaping how Americans live, work, and survive. This video breaks down the real economic shifts happening right now and what they mean for you, your money, and your future."
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Dan, I Allegedly, "Housing Market Collapse, Buyers Disappear!"
Full screen recommended.
Dan, I Allegedly, 2/12/26
"Housing Market Collapse, Buyers Disappear!"
"Breaking news: The housing market is showing serious cracks. January existing home sales plunged 8.4% to their weakest pace in two years, while prices remain near record highs and affordability continues to crush buyers. Homes are sitting on the market longer, pending sales are falling, and only a handful of major metros are seeing any growth at all. Despite claims from the National Association of Realtors that conditions are improving, the numbers tell a very different story. With mortgage rates still near 6%, rising insurance costs, tighter lending standards, and job uncertainty growing, demand is evaporating. Is this the beginning of a full housing market correction? In this breaking news update, we break down the data, the conflicting narratives, and what it really means for buyers, sellers, investors, and anyone watching the economy. Real estate is shifting - and you need to understand what’s happening now."
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Gerald Celente, "Epstein Files = Criminality Of A Government/Corporate Crime Syndicate"
Strong language alert!
Gerald Celente, 2/12/26
"Epstein Files = Criminality Of A
Government/Corporate Crime Syndicate"
"The Trends Journal is a weekly magazine analyzing global current events forming future trends. Our mission is to present Facts and Truth over fear and propaganda to help subscribers prepare for What’s Next in these increasingly turbulent times."
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"The Inevitable Collapse Of America Is Already Happening And People Are Freaking Out About It"
Full screen recommended.
Epic Economist, 2/12/26
"The Inevitable Collapse Of America Is Already
Happening And People Are Freaking Out About It"
"The signs of America's decline are everywhere, and people across the country are starting to speak up about what they're seeing and feeling. In this video, we take a closer look at what everyday Americans are going through right now as the economy weakens, jobs disappear, healthcare costs skyrocket, and the cost of living continues to spiral out of control. From people working full time who still can't afford to eat on vacation, to families relying on food boxes just to get through the week, the reality on the ground is getting harder to ignore. This isn't about politics or picking sides. This is about real people who are struggling and wondering why nobody seems to care enough to do anything about it.
One of the biggest shifts happening right now is the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and how it's replacing jobs at a pace most people weren't prepared for. January 2025 marked the worst month for workers since 2009, and companies across the country are citing AI as a primary reason for mass layoffs. Meanwhile, there's been no serious conversation from leadership about how to protect workers who are being left behind. People are losing their livelihoods while corporations are posting record profits, and the gap between the wealthy and everyone else keeps growing wider every single day.
Even those who thought they were doing well are starting to feel the pressure. Studies now show that you need at least $131,000 a year just to live comfortably in America without being under constant financial stress. The median income sits at around $84,000, which means a huge portion of the population is falling short. People are skipping doctor visits, delaying dental work, and putting off medical procedures because they simply can't afford them. In the richest country in the world, that should never be the case, but it is, and it's getting worse.
On top of all of that, the healthcare system continues to baffle even the professionals who work inside it. Prescription drug prices make no sense, insurance companies are negotiating rates that are six times higher than what you'd pay out of pocket with a discount app, and proposed healthcare cost increases could push some families to pay $25,000 more per year. People are being squeezed from every direction, and the frustration is boiling over.
What makes this moment different is that people aren't staying quiet anymore. They're sharing their stories online, connecting with others who feel the same way, and demanding better from the systems and leaders that are supposed to serve them. Whether it's the economy, the job market, healthcare, or the overall direction of the country, Americans are waking up to the reality that something has gone seriously wrong. And the question everyone keeps asking is the same. What are we doing about it? If you're feeling this too, you're not alone. Watch the full video, share your thoughts in the comments, and let's have this conversation together."
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An Incredible, Heart-Touching Musical Interlude: Michael Bennett “After I Pass Away”; "Talking To The Wall"
Michael Bennett “After I Pass Away”
"Simon Cowell in tears experiencing a truly unforgettable performance by Michael Bennett on America’s Got Talent. In this moving rendition of “After I Pass Away”, Michael pours his heart and soul into every note, leaving the judges, audience, and viewers around the world in tears. From the first note to the final chord, the emotional depth of this song touches every heart. You will witness the raw power of music as it evokes deep emotions, creating a moment where everyone in the room, including the judges and audience members, is completely overwhelmed by the beauty and sorrow of this heartfelt performance. This video captures the intensity of a performance that proves why Michael Bennett is a truly extraordinary talent. Sit back, watch, and feel every emotion in this breathtaking performance."
Oh my God... feel that...
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Michael Bennett, "Talking To The Wall"
"A 59-year-old homeless man named Michael Bennett steps onto the stage and shares his heartbreaking story before singing a song dedicated to his long-lost daughter. Once a family man, life took everything away - but music brought him back. Watch as silence fills the room and emotions take over in this powerful, soul-stirring moment. Sometimes, the broken have the most beautiful voices.”
Michael Bennett Playlist:
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Magnificent island universe NGC 2403 stands within the boundaries of the long-necked constellation Camelopardalis. Some 10 million light-years distant and about 50,000 light-years across, the spiral galaxy also seems to have more than its fair share of giant star forming HII regions, marked by the telltale reddish glow of atomic hydrogen gas. The giant HII regions are energized by clusters of hot, massive stars that explode as bright supernovae at the end of their short and furious lives.
A member of the M81 group of galaxies, NGC 2403 closely resembles another galaxy with an abundance of star forming regions that lies within our own local galaxy group, M33 the Triangulum Galaxy. Spiky in appearance, bright stars in this colorful galaxy portrait of NGC 2403 lie in the foreground, within our own Milky Way.”
- http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150327.html
Chet Raymo, “At Home In An Infinite Universe”
“At Home In An Infinite Universe”
by Chet Raymo
“They are questions that bedeviled thinkers for thousands of years: Is the universe infinite or finite, eternal or of a finite age? It is certainly hard to imagine a universe that extends without limit in every direction, or a universe without a beginning or end. It is equally difficult to imagine a finite universe; what is beyond the edge? Or a beginning or end in time; how can something come from nothing? How can what is cease to be?
The problems are so intractable philosophically that their resolution has generally been left to the theologians, which from a philosophical (or scientific) perspective offers no solution at all. Giordano Bruno was burned at the stake for proposing a philosophical resolution (an infinite universe) that offended theology.
An escape from befuddlement is provided by Einstein's theory of general relativity, which- for example- can describe a finite universe without a boundary, as the "two-dimensional" surface of a sphere is finite and without an edge. Unfortunately, multi-dimensional curved space-time is so counterintuitive that it is difficult to get one's head around it without mastery of the mathematics. Given a choice between the ancient myths of your local preacher and the obtuse mathematics of the physics professor, it's not hard to guess what most folks will opt for.
Meanwhile, I'm reading a meditation on infinity by physics professor Anthony Aguirre, in a collection of essays called "Future Science." He discusses contemporary cosmological theories based on general relativity, and in particular the rehabilitation of the idea of an infinite and eternal universe, or, more precisely, that our universe might be just one of an infinity of infinite universes. He writes in conclusion: “What seems clear, however, is that infinity can no longer be safely ignored; beautifully constructed, empirically supported, self-consistent theories have brought infinity from idle curiosity to central player in contemporary cosmology. And if correct, the worldview these theories represent constitutes a perspective shift unlike any other: in comparison to the universe, we would be not just small but strictly zero. Well, I can't imagine many folks racing to embrace that conclusion.
Oh, but wait. Aguirre adds one final sentence: "Yet here we are, contemplating - if not quite understanding - it all.”
- http://blog.sciencemusings.com/
"We Are Doomed And Challenged..."
"The apple cannot be stuck back on the Tree of Knowledge;
once we begin to see, we are doomed and challenged
to seek the strength to see more, not less."
- Arthur Miller
“There is No Safety You Dumb Bit*h”
“There is No Safety You Dumb Bit*h” -The Hound
By Joe Jarvis
"Take heed of The Hound’s warning, and let it free you. There is no guarantee of a job or safety net, there is no absolute security from evil doers, and there is only so much you can do to prevent accidents and illness. The silver lining is that recognizing this is the best way to cushion yourself from the vulnerabilities of an unpredictable world.
Brienne of Tarth, in "Game of Thrones", nobly intends to uphold an oath she swore to Lady Stark to keep her children safe. But she is also a bit naive about the nature of the world in which she lives. Brienne thinks she can bring Arya to a safe place, wherever that is. But as The Hound so eloquently reminds her: “There is no safety you dumb bit*h. And if you don’t know that by now, you’re the wrong one to watch over her.”
If Brienne thinks she can ever let her guard down, or relax, she will never be safe. There is no destination at which point she and Arya will be ultimately secure. It just does not exist. And Sandor Clegane - The Hound - is right; if Brienne of Tarth cannot understand this basic fact about the world, she is the wrong person to be watching over Arya.
The Hound’s negative view on the danger in the world actually leaves him less vulnerable. He never expects to be safe, and is therefore safer because he is alert to danger.
As rough as the Hound is, Arya was in fact safe the entire time she was with him. This was no guarantee, it’s just how it happened, mostly due to the fact that The Hound knows is being constantly vigilant against danger. And although Brienne’s goal is to make Arya even safer, she instead severely wounds the person protecting Arya. Brienne incorrectly judges The Hound to be a danger to Arya, and then fails to secure Arya, leaving her more defenseless than she had been previously.
Brienne’s actions actually prove The Hound’s point. Brienne’s belief that she could bring Arya to safety created a dangerous situation that could have been avoided if she only realized that safety is a constant effort, and not a destination.
But Should We Really Apply a Lesson From a Fake Story in a Mythical Setting? In the modern world we are much safer than humans were in the middle ages. And in the real world there are certain things we don’t have to worry about, like white-walkers and dragons. But unfortunately we do still have to contend with the likes of Cersi and the Lannisters, the Ramsy Boltons, and the treacherous Freys all playing their part in our world’s own “Game of Thrones”. In our lives, they are usually less murdery and slightly more subtle in their elitist desire for domination.
The lesson however remains: there is no guarantee of safety (you dumb bit*h). But before you think I am being gloomy and pessimistic, consider the gift of understanding this. In the pursuit of the ultimate goal of “safety” we expose ourselves and society to all sorts of dangers.
For instance, even assuming the US government had the best intentions over last two decades of drone bombing the Middle East, to supposedly make us more safe, all it really did was create more terrorists. When innocent civilians get murdered by the USA’s bombs, their friends and family become radicalized. Would there still be terrorists and crazy people without all that provocation? Yes, I’m sure. But the numbers would most likely be lower, and we could focus on actual defense.
And even if we assume, for example, that the PATRIOT Act and indefinite detainment clause in the NDAA were passed with the best intentions of targeting terrorists, they has made our own government a much greater threat with the powers they granted. The people who advocate gun control, strict Covid lockdowns, or a government safety net are like Brienne of Tarth, making us less safe because they misunderstand the inherent danger that life carries with it.
If other people take away our agency to respond decide what are the biggest threats facing us, or force us to respond to those threats in a particular way, they will inevitably put us in more danger. That is especially true if they suffer no consequences for their decisions. For example if the people who ban guns can afford to hire private security, then what difference does it make to them if you can’t protect yourself when your home is invaded?
We like to imagine a perfect society in which we are secure, safe, comfortable, and just generally all set, happily ever after. But the desire for a finish line is elusive. We can make ourselves robust against threats, or even anti-fragile so that we could gain from disorder, as Nicholas Nassim Taleb says. But even this requires maintenance and vigilance. You always have to be understanding new threats, and preparing more options which you can choose to exercise, depending on what happens next.
And this goes as much for economics as for physical safety. Don’t expect Social Security to be there for you, have a backup plan. There is no guarantee that any one currency will always stay stable, valuable, or even continue to exist. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, including streams of income, and the skills you have to earn a living.
At the end of the day, safety comes down to vigilance. Unless you are constantly on alert to those things which threaten your safety, you will be taken by surprise. It doesn’t really matter if the person making you less safe is the well meaning but naive Brienne of Tarth or the calculating power hungry Cersi Lannister.
Cersi, in a sense, is safer to be around, because you understand that she is dangerous, and can protect yourself. But how can you protect yourself from someone who thinks they have your best interests at heart, whether you like it or not?
Some people will have noble goals and try to force you into their “safe” world that they have flawlessly designed for security. Their ignorance makes you just as vulnerable as Cersi’s malevolence. Others will offer us safety, utopia, and ultimate security that we can just accept and then forget about. This will lead us down a path of vulnerability.
Whether those who lure you into the false sense of security are doing so because their goals are noble, or because their motives are nefarious hardly matters. We must each be at liberty to look after our own safety.
Arya, for example, had chosen to stick around The Hound and benefit from the safety he provided. When he was incapacitated, she could have chosen to be protected by Brienne, but instead she chose to go it alone, and protect herself. She ultimately became much more capable for it. And that is essentially the option we all need if we hope to make the world a safer place.
We should be able to choose our own government - and not just from the 200 or so very similar, subpar options currently available. And we should also be able to choose to go it alone, or create our own society, if we don’t like the options available. The ability to take our business elsewhere, without threat or force, will create a market for the best protection against various threats, which will improve the variety and quality of the services offered."
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Strong language alert.
The Poet: James Baldwin, "Amen"
"Amen"
"No, I don't feel death coming.
I feel death going:
having thrown up his hands,
for the moment.
I feel like I know him
better than I did.
Those arms held me,
for a while,
and, when we meet again,
there will be that secret knowledge
between us. "
- James Baldwin
"Why the Most Intelligent People Escape Social Life"
Full screen recommended.
The Psyche,
"Why the Most Intelligent People Escape Social Life"
"Why do the most perceptive minds often withdraw from social life - not out of fear or arrogance, but out of necessity? In this video, we explore a profound psychological and philosophical truth first articulated by Arthur Schopenhauer: intelligence naturally gravitates toward solitude. Drawing from philosophy, neuroscience, and modern psychology, this reflection reveals why deep thinkers often feel drained by social environments and why silence becomes essential for clarity, creativity, and self-understanding. This is not about antisocial behavior. It is about mental depth.
From Schopenhauer and Nietzsche to Jung, Kierkegaard, and modern neuroscience, this video explains why solitude has always been the silent companion of the world’s greatest thinkers. If you’ve ever felt out of place in crowds, exhausted by small talk, or more alive in silence than in noise, this video will help you understand why. Once you recognize this pattern, you’ll never see solitude the same way again."
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"The Mark Of Him..."
“The barbarian hopes, and that is the mark of him, that he can have his cake and eat it too. He will consume what civilization has slowly produced after generations of selection and effort, but he will not be at pains to replace such goods, nor indeed has he a comprehension of the virtue that has brought them into being. We sit by and watch the barbarian. We tolerate him in the long stretches of peace, we are not afraid. We are tickled by his irreverence; his comic inversion of our old certitudes; we laugh. But as we laugh we are watched by large and awful faces from beyond, and on these faces there are no smiles.“
- Hilaire Belloco
"It Is Common To Assume..."
"It is common to assume that human progress affects everyone - that even the dullest man, in these bright days, knows more than any man of, say, the Eighteenth Century, and is far more civilized. This assumption is quite erroneous. The great masses of men, even in this inspired republic, are precisely where the mob was at the dawn of history. They are ignorant, they are dishonest, they are cowardly, they are ignoble. They know little if anything that is worth knowing, and there is not the slightest sign of a natural desire among them to increase their knowledge."
- H. L. Mencken, 1929
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"It is extraordinary how we go through life with eyes half shut,
with dull ears, with dormant thoughts. Perhaps it's just as well;
and it may be that it is this very dullness that makes
life to the incalculable majority so supportable and so welcome. "
-Joseph Conrad, "Lord Jim"
"Major Cities On High Alert, US Airspace Shutdown"
Full screen recommended.
Snyder Reports, 2/12/26
"Major Cities On High Alert, US Airspace Shutdown"
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"The 'Painful Betrayal' That Made Russia Give Up on Trump"
Judge Andrew Napolitano, 2/12/26
"The 'Painful Betrayal' That Made Russia Give Up on Trump"
"In a stunning and detailed analysis, former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter joins Judge Andrew Napolitano to dismantle the official narratives surrounding US foreign policy towards both Russia and Iran. Ritter reveals the deep bitterness in the Kremlin following Trump's abandonment of a hard-won agreement in Alaska, and argues that the US is not a trustworthy or serious negotiating partner. He further contends that, contrary to popular belief, Benjamin Netanyahu's primary goal is to stop Trump from launching a premature war with Iran that Israel knows it cannot survive."
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Scott Ritter, 2/12/26
"How U.S.- Israel Pressure Could Ignite World War III"
"This interview examines rising tensions as Israeli leaders meet U.S. officials in Washington and media narratives frame Iran as weak. The guest argues the 12-day war did not end in Israeli victory, claiming Iran restored control quickly and strengthened its deterrence through missile power. He says U.S. policy is focused on regime change, not diplomacy, and that real de-escalation would require shifts on Palestine and regional occupations. The discussion also explores Iran’s military capabilities and its evolving ties with Russia and China."
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Full screen recommended.
Judge Andrew Napolitano, 2/12/26
"Prof. Jeffrey Sachs:
US & Israel are Rejecting Peace to Plot War with Iran"
"In this bombshell analysis, Professor Jeffrey Sachs joins Judge Andrew Napolitano to reveal how the United States and Israel may be actively ignoring and sabotaging Iran's repeated offers for a comprehensive peace settlement in the Middle East. Professor Sachs breaks down an "intelligent, coherent" speech by Iran's foreign minister that laid out a clear path to peace - including a two-state solution for Palestine - which was met with a complete media blackout in the West. He argues this is part of a "bloody-minded" determination by Israel and the US to reject diplomacy in favor of conflict."
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Dialogue Works, 2/12/26
"Alex Krainer: Iran Vows to Open The Gates Of Hell
Going On ‘Offensive Air Defense’"
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