Saturday, October 14, 2023

Musical Interlude: Medwyn Goodall, “Eyes of Heaven”

Full screen recommended.
Medwyn Goodall, “Eyes of Heaven”

"A Look to the Heavens"

“Namibia has some of the darkest nights visible from any continent. It is therefore home to some of the more spectacular skyscapes, a few of which have been captured in the below time-lapse video. We recommend watching this video at FULL SCREEN (1080p), with audio on. The night sky of Namibia is one of the best in the world, about the same quality of the deserts of Chile and Australia.
Full screen recommended. 
Visible at the movie start are unusual quiver trees perched before a deep starfield highlighted by the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy. This bright band of stars and gas appears to pivot around the celestial south pole as our Earth rotates. The remains of camel thorn trees are then seen against a sky that includes a fuzzy patch on the far right that is the Large Magellanic Cloud, a small satellite galaxy to the Milky Way. A bright sunlight-reflecting satellite passes quickly overhead. Quiver trees appear again, now showing their unusual trunks, while the Small Magellanic Cloud becomes clearly visible in the background. Artificial lights illuminate a mist that surround camel thorn trees in Deadvlei. In the final sequence, natural Namibian stone arches are captured against the advancing shadows of the setting moon. This video incorporates over 16,000 images shot over two years, and won top honors among the 2012 Travel Photographer of the Year awards.”

"Man's Nature..."

"Man has one name, and many more than two natures. 
But the essential two are these:
that he shall strive to impose order on chaos, 
and that he shall strive to take advantage of chaos…
A third element of man's nature is this: 
that he shall not understand what he is doing."
- John Brunner

Chet Raymo, “Mortal Soul: The Great Silence”

“Mortal Soul: The Great Silence”
by Chet Raymo

“If there is one word that should not be uttered, it is the name of – no, I will not say it. Any name diminishes. In the face of whatever it is that is most mysterious, most holy, we are properly silent. It is appropriate, I think, to praise the creation, to make a joyful noise of thanksgiving for the sensate world. But praising the Creator is another thing altogether. When we make a big racket on His behalf we are more than likely addressing an idol in our own image. What was it that Pico Iyer said? “Silence is the tribute that we pay to holiness; we slip off words when we enter a sacred place, just as we slip off shoes.” The God of the mystics whispers sweet nothings, as lovers do.

In a diary entry for “M.”, near the end of his too-short life, Thomas Merton wrote: “I cannot have enough of the hours of silence when nothing happens. When the clouds go by. When the trees say nothing. When the birds sing. I am completely addicted to the realization that just being there is enough.” The natural world was for Merton the primary revelation. He listened. He felt a presence in his heart, an awareness of the ineffable Mystery that permeates creation. It was this that drew him to the mystical tradition of Christianity, especially to the Celtic tradition of creation spirituality. It was this that attracted him to Zen.

There come now and then, perhaps more frequently in late life than previously, those moments of being (as Virginia Woolf called them) when creation grabs us by the shoulders and gives us such a shake that it rattles our teeth, when love for the world simply knocks us flat. At those moments everything we have learned about the world – the invaluable and reliable knowledge of science- seems a pale intimation of what is. In Virginia Woolf’s novel “The Waves”, the elderly Bernard says: “How tired I am of stories, how tired I am of phrases that come down beautifully with all their feet on the ground! Also, how I distrust neat designs of life that are drawn upon half sheets of notepaper. I begin to long for some little language such as lovers use, broken words, inarticulate words, like the shuffling of feet on the pavement.”

In moments of soul-stirring epiphany, it is reassuring to feel beneath our feet a floor of reliable knowledge, the safe and sure edifice of empirical learning so painstakingly constructed by the likes of Aristarchus, Galileo, Darwin and Schrodinger. But at the same time we are humbled by our ignorance, and more ready than ever to say “I don’t know,” to enter at last the great silence. Erwin Chargaff, who contributed mightily to our understanding of DNA, wrote: “It is the sense of mystery that, in my opinion, drives the true scientist; the same blind force, blindly seeing, deafly hearing, unconsciously remembering, that drives the larva into the butterfly. If the scientist has not experienced, at least a few times in his life, this cold shudder down his spine, this confrontation with an immense invisible face whose breath moves him to tears, he is not a scientist.”

The whole thrust of the mystical tradition, the whole thrust of science, is toward the great silence- an awareness of our ignorance and a willingness to say “I don’t know.” A lifetime of learning brings one at last to the face of mystery. We live in a universe of more than 2 trillion galaxies. Perhaps the number of galaxies is infinite. And the universe is silent. Achingly, terrifyingly silent. Or, rather, the universe speaks a little language such as lovers use, broken words, inarticulate words, like the shuffling of feet on the pavement.”

The Poet: Robinson Jeffers, "We Are Those People"

"We Are Those People"

"I have abhorred the wars and despised the liars,
laughed at the frightened
And forecast victory; never one moment's doubt.
But now not far, over the backs of some crawling years, the next
Great war's column of dust and fire writhes
Up the sides of the sky: it becomes clear that we too may suffer
What others have, the brutal horror of defeat -
Or if not in the next, then in the next - therefore watch Germany
And read the future. We wish, of course, that our women
Would die like biting rats in the cellars,
our men like wolves on the mountain:
It will not be so. Our men will curse, cringe, obey;
Our women uncover themselves to the grinning victors
for bits of chocolate."
- Robinson Jeffers

"War..."

"War does not determine who's right... only who's left."
- Bertrand Russell

"The tragedy of modern war is that the young men die fighting
 each other - instead of their real enemies back home in the capitals."
- Edward Abbey

The Daily "Near You?"

Sand Springs, Oklahoma, USA. Thanks for stopping by!

Jeremiah Babe, "The Party Is Over, Consumers Reach Breaking Point"

Jeremiah Babe, 10/14/23
"The Party Is Over, Consumers Reach Breaking Point"
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"Ancient Solar Storm Discovered In Tree Rings Reveals 'Catastrophic' Event 14,000 Years Ago"

"Ancient Solar Storm Discovered In Tree Rings
Reveals 'Catastrophic' Event 14,000 Years Ago"
by Tyler Durden

"A new study, based on the analysis of growth rings in ancient trees, suggests that the most powerful solar storm on record slammed into Earth approximately 14,300 years ago. Should a storm of that intensity strike today, modern society would instantly collapse.

Researchers from the Coll̬ge de France, CEREGE, IMBE, Aix-Marseille University, and the University of Leeds published the new study in the Royal Society A journal. They measured radiocarbon levels in ancient trees preserved within the eroded banks of the Drouzet River near Gap, in the Southern French Alps, and found "tree trunks, which are subfossils Рremains whose fossilization process is not complete Рwere sliced into tiny single tree-rings. Analysis of these individual rings identified an unprecedented spike in radiocarbon levels occurring precisely 14,300 years ago."

They said, "By comparing this radiocarbon spike with measurements of beryllium, a chemical element found in Greenland ice cores, the team proposes that the spike was caused by a massive solar storm that would have ejected huge volumes of energetic particles into Earth's atmosphere."

They said, "By comparing this radiocarbon spike with measurements of beryllium, a chemical element found in Greenland ice cores, the team proposes that the spike was caused by a massive solar storm that would have ejected huge volumes of energetic particles into Earth's atmosphere."

"Radiocarbon is constantly being produced in the upper atmosphere through a chain of reactions initiated by cosmic rays." Edouard Bard, lead author of the study, said in a statement. Bard said, "Recently, scientists have found that extreme solar events including solar flares and coronal mass ejections can also create short-term bursts of energetic particles which are preserved as huge spikes in radiocarbon production occurring over the course of just a single year." The researchers warned if "similar massive solar storms" slammed into Earth today, it would be "catastrophic for modern technological society, potentially wiping out telecommunications, satellite systems and electricity grids."

The study's co-author, Tim Heaton, a radiocarbon expert at the University of Leeds in England, explained, "Extreme solar storms could have huge impacts on Earth. Such super storms could permanently damage the transformers in our electricity grids, resulting in huge and widespread blackouts lasting months. They could also result in permanent damage to the satellites that we all rely on for navigation and telecommunication, leaving them unusable. They would also create severe radiation risks to astronauts."

Researchers said nine extreme solar storms - known as Miyake Events - have been identified over the last 15,000 years. The last known major solar storm fried telegraph machines in 1859 - has been called the "Carrington Event."

Solar Cycle 25 has been underway since April 2019 and might peak sometime in 2025. In December 2022, the total number of sunspots was at its highest in eight years, indicating solar activity has ramped up. Earlier this year, scientists observed twice as many sunspots -- red flags that solar maximum could be nearing.
Readers have been well-informed about what an 'X-class' flare could do to modern society: "The Next Big Geomagnetic Storm Poses An Astronomical Risk To Modern Man Digital Economy Disruption Possible As "Terminator Event" Suggests Strongest Sunspot Cycle On Record Imminent." Forget the climate change narrative pushed by corporate media. Focus on how to protect the grid from major solar storms...
The world needs to prepare for the next big solar storm. Remember, in 2016, former President Obama signed an executive order titled "Coordinating Efforts to Prepare the Nation for Space Weather Events."

"How It Really Is"

 

Judge Napolitano, "Is Israel Committing War Crimes?"

Judge Napolitano - Judging Freedom, 10/14/23
"Is Israel Committing War Crimes? w/Matthew Hoh"
"Matthew Hoh is a former State Department official and Marine Corps commander who resigned in protest from his post in Afghanistan over US strategic policy and goals in Afghanistan in September 2009. Prior to his assignment in Afghanistan, Matthew served in Iraq, first in 2004–2005 in Salah ad-Din Province with a State Department reconstruction and governance team and then in 2006–2007 in Anbar Province as a Marine Corps company commander."
Comments here:
o
Full screen recommended.
Associated Press, 10/14/23
"Bodies line up outside Gaza hospital as Israeli airstrikes continue. Dead bodies continue to pile up outside Gaza's largest hospital as the Israel-Hamas war enters its seventh day."
Comments here:
o
Full screen recommended.
Democracy Now! 10/14/23
"Gaza’s Health System at a “Breaking Point”
 Amid Israeli Siege & Bombing"

"The World Health Organization warns Gaza’s healthcare system is at a “breaking point” under Israel’s unabated bombing of civilians, and its blockade of resources and medical supplies. The WHO also reports dozens of attacks on hospitals and ambulances. We speak with Dr. Zaher Sahloul, a physician specializing in disaster relief with the international medical nonprofit MedGlobal, which is supporting doctors in Gaza. He calls the situation there “beyond catastrophic” as the number of critically injured patients far outstrips available hospital beds. Sahloul says the U.S. must tell Israel to stop the “hell that is raining on Gaza.”
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"Global Economic Meltdown Coming As $500 Trillion Perfect Storm Approaches"

Full screen recommended.
The Atlantis Report, 10/14/23
"Global Economic Meltdown Coming
 As $500 Trillion Perfect Storm Approaches"
The secret giant that toppled the economy in 2008 is back for more blood, and no one knows it. If you have been watching this channel consistently for a while now, you most likely already know that the US is deep in a $33 trillion debt, and Americans have racked up a credit card debt of over $1 trillion. However, these figures are nothing compared to what you’re about to hear now. In December 2022, the International Swaps and Derivatives Organization announced that the Interest Rates Derivatives notional outstanding had hit an all-time high of $502.6 trillion, which is a staggering 80 percent of all derivatives in the world.
Comments here:
o
Well, it's really about 5 times $500 trillion...
"$2.5 Quadrillion Disaster Waiting to Happen 
– Egon von Greyerz"
by Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com

Egon von Greyerz (EvG) stores gold for clients at the biggest private gold vault in the world buried deep in the Swiss Alps. EvG is a financial and precious metals expert. EvG is a former Swiss banker and an expert in risk. He says the risk in the global markets has never been this high.

EvG explains, “Credit has increased dramatically through derivatives. All instruments being issued now by banks, pension funds, stock funds, it’s all synthetic. There is no real underlying payments in anything almost. Therefore, my estimate for derivatives would be at least $2 quadrillion, and I think that is probably conservative. Then, we have debt on top of that of $300 trillion, and we also have a couple hundred trillion dollars of unfunded liabilities. So, we are talking about $2.5 quadrillion, and that’s with a global GDP of $80 trillion. So, there is a disaster waiting to happen, and especially because all this created money has created no value whatsoever. 

I always knew this would collapse, and it’s taken longer than I expected, but I think we are at the end of a major era. These derivatives, at some point in the coming few years, will actually turn into debt. Central banks will have to cover all the outstanding liabilities of the commercial banks as we are seeing now with Credit Suisse, Bank of England and etc. This is going to happen across the board. Whether it’s called derivatives or called debt, as far as I am concerned, it’s the same thing. It will have the same effect on the world financial system, which will be disastrous, of course.”

EvG says the derivative markets were simply a way for financial institutions to carry debt and not show it on their balance sheets. In the end, everything will balance out. EvG goes on to say, “Nobody can repay the debt, and they can’t even pay interest. So, therefore, when the debt implodes, so will the assets that were financed by this debt. So, both sides of the balance sheet have to come down. Whether it comes down by 50%, 75% or 90%, I don’t know. All I think about is risk, and the financial system will not survive in its present form. 

Central banks only use one kind of medicine, and that is more printed money. Now, you are getting negative returns on printed money. So, that is not going to save anything. Sadly we are looking at a situation when this system will start to implode. The rich are still rich, but the poor are really poor. Overall in the UK, Germany and most European countries, people don’t have enough money to live. This is a human disaster already. With food costs going up 25% and energy going up the same and gasoline, interest rates and rents, people don’t have enough money, and that is happening now. It’s a human disaster of mega proportions. It’s so sad, and governments will have no chance of doing anything about it.”

In closing, EvG says, “This is why it is getting closer for implosion because the whole system can’t take this. The risk is increasing exponentially. So, I think people should be prepared.  Most asset markets have lost money, and it is going to get worse.” There is much more in the 43-minute interview.

Join Greg Hunter on Rumble as he goes One-on-One with Egon von Greyerz of Matterhorn Asset Management, which can be found on GoldSwitzerland.com
- https://rumble.com/

Dan, I Allegedly, "Uncovered: The Ugly Truth About Ford's Future"

Full screen recommended.
Dan, I Allegedly 10/14/23
"Uncovered: The Ugly Truth About Ford's Future"
"Is Ford heading for disaster? In this eye-opening video, we uncover the ugly truth about Ford's future and the challenges they face, from worker strikes to the rise of electric vehicles. But that's not all! We also discuss the state of the housing market, banks, and other current events that impact our lives."
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Adventures With Danno, "Kroger Deals You Should Be Buying Right Now!"

Full screen recommended.
10/14/23
"Kroger Deals You Should Be Buying Right Now!"
"Our walk through at Kroger as we show some awesome deals everyone should be buying right now before prices go up again! Turkey, Produce, Halloween Candy, Dairy, Baking goods, and many more deals!"
Comments here:
o
Meanwhile, elsewhere...
Full screen recommended.
Travelling with Russell, 10/14/23
"Russian Typical (Inner City) Supermarket Tour: Miratog"
"What does a Russian typical Supermarket look like inside. The first Miratog store of the Miratorg agro-industrial holding was opened in 2010. To date, the retail network includes more than 120 stores and 30 branded burger joints, which are located in 9 regions of Russia."
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Friday, October 13, 2023

Jeremiah Babe, "There's No Going Back"

Jeremiah Babe, 10/13/23
"There's No Going Back,
 These Are Dangerous Times, Don't Be Complacent"
Comments here:

Musical Interlude: Spirit Tribe Awakening, "Raise Positive Vibration"

Full screen recommended.
Spirit Tribe Awakening, "Raise Positive Vibration"
"Peaceful, empowering and soothing music and nature to nurture your mind, body, and soul. Supporting and empowering you on your life journey. 528Hz positive energy healing music with 417Hz Solfeggio frequency. These frequencies have a specific healing effect on your subconscious mind." Be kind to yourself, savor this extraordinarily beautiful video. Headphones recommended, not required.

"A Look to the Heavens"

“In one of the brightest parts of Milky Way lies a nebula where some of the oddest things occur. NGC 3372, known as the Great Nebula in Carina, is home to massive stars and changing nebulas. The Keyhole Nebula (NGC 3324), the bright structure just above the image center, houses several of these massive stars and has itself changed its appearance.
The entire Carina Nebula spans over 300 light years and lies about 7,500 light-years away in the constellation of Carina. Eta Carinae, the most energetic star in the nebula, was one of the brightest stars in the sky in the 1830s, but then faded dramatically. Eta Carinae is the brightest star near the image center, just left of the Keyhole Nebula. While Eta Carinae itself maybe on the verge of a supernova explosion, X-ray images indicate that much of the Great Carina Nebula has been a veritable supernova factory.”

Canadian Prepper, "Major Red Flags: Something Isn't Right Here..."

Full screen recommended.
Canadian Prepper, 10/13/23
"Major Red Flags: Something Isn't Right Here..."
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"It’s Hell on Earth and World Will Be Annihilated if We Don’t Find Peace, Warns Celente"

Stansberry Research, 10/13/23
"It’s Hell on Earth and World Will Be Annihilated
 if We Don’t Find Peace, Warns Celente"
“When all else fails, they take you to war,” says Gerald Celente, founder of the Trends Journal online magazine. In today's episode, he calls for “every human being that believes in their God to stand up now and do something” as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict unfolds. “If we don't stop this now, if adults don't become adults, it's over,” he says. Gerald argues that given today's heightened geopolitical tensions, “World War III has already begun,” not to mention that the U.S. has been experiencing economic and political turmoil domestically. “The economy is ready to crash. You saw what was going on with the equality markets. The economy is failing. They’re getting people’s minds off with war,” he claims.
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Gregory Mannarino, "World Death Rate To Skyrocket"

Gregory Mannarino, PM 10/13/23
"World Death Rate To Skyrocket,
 Welcome To The New Debt Hyper-Cycle"
Comments here:

"20 Foods To Stockpile For The Imminent Shortages"

 Full screen recommended. 
Epic Economist, 10/13/23 
"20 Foods To Stockpile For The Imminent Shortages"

"A devastating food crisis is rapidly spreading all around the globe, and it is only a matter of time until it hits the United States. Shortages are being aggravated by extreme weather, low fertilizer production, geopolitical conflicts, and supply chain disruptions. Our domestic food systems have never been so vulnerable to external events, and inflation is making the outlook even more worrying as basic grocery items continue to face huge price hikes. U.S. farmers have been reporting alarming crop losses, and it's clearly getting worse with each passing year. Now that we're seeing the economy and financial markets starting to break again, it's important to get ready for the chaos that is coming before things go south. Preparedness takes time and patience, and you'll realize that all the effort you put into this will pay off when the next black swan event hits and everyone starts panicking while you'll already have pretty much everything you need at home.

Today, we decided to compile several products that are key in any pantry, and survival scenario. From the simplest staples to the items people often forget about, this is the most complete list we've ever made on this subject. For instance, supplements are vital when food is scarce. They replace some of the nutrients you would have normally consumed in your regular diet and help to ward off disease. Every person's needs are different, so you may want to check with a doctor about which one is the best for you before you start stockpiling. Also, pay attention to the expiration date and don't ingest more than the recommended amount. 

Moreover, those who take preparedness to the next level always highlight the importance of stocking up on a variety of garden seeds. In 2020, when shortages rumors started to spread, people rushed to buy seeds which then made some varieties very hard to find for a long time. Like with everything else, building a seed stockpile takes time, and most importantly, dedication because at the end of the day, you'll need to learn how to plant them and how to take care of your garden. Seeds are the No. 1 step for you to become self-sufficient. Even though we can on everything we can from a store, most of the items we need will eventually run out, especially during a period of prolonged food shortages. For that reason, we must have a seed supply somewhere in our pantries to be able to grow some of our own food and have a survival plan without relying on the stores that always provided us with the staples we wanted. 

On top of that, many people often forget to add this essential product to their stockpiling list, but it is when you don't have it around, that you realize how important this leavening agent is for lots of recipes. From cakes to bread to muffins and more, baking powder can help you to transform humble ingredients in your pantry into delicious snacks, and dishes. It is very cheap and also easy to store, so don't forget to grab a few extra packs when you go shopping to stock it up for the longer term. At the end of the day, preparedness takes time and patience, and you'll realize that all the effort you put into this will pay off when the next black swan event hits and everyone starts panicking while you'll already have pretty much everything you need at home."
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The Daily "Near You?"

Arvada, Colorado, USA. Thanks for stopping by!

Jim Kunstler, "All This and World War, Too"

"All This and World War, Too"
by Jim Kunstler

“To all scholars who teach jihad… to all who teach and learn, 
this is a moment for the application of theories.” 
- Khaled Meshaal, former Hamas leader.

"It’s less than a week since the skies over the Negev Desert filled with something eerily like the flying monkeys of Oz upgraded to Hamas Road Warriors in motorized paragliders, kicking off that third world war we’ve been hearing about all our lives, and not at all the way we expected either, which was more Dr. Strangelove style, with the mushroom clouds billowing everywhere - though, who knows, it might come to that, too, before long.

This new catastrophe, quickly globalizing, makes the War in Ukraine seem as comfortable as an old sweater. For now, the question of intel failures must be put aside. There will be no official inquiries while US carrier fleets sail into position, and Hezbollah does a war dance on the northern frontier with Syria, and the Israelis struggle to strategize an extremely sticky hostage predicament, even as their air force blows up whole blocks of Gaza City.

Meanwhile, former Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal has called for a worldwide jihad this very day, Friday the 13th, as it happens, by which he means disruption within the entity known as Western Civ, where Jihad’s most dogged enemies dwell. For years, footloose emigres have been flooding into Europe and across America’s border with Mexico, mostly young men, hardly vetted, the sort of humans most likely to act-out warrior scripts in a zeitgeist gone sour, and I guess we’ll find out pretty soon whether some of them were sent to be activated against us.

The world is periodically subject to a mighty release of tensions. That’s why there are great wars. We’ve been well aware of these tensions building into the new millennium and now here it is. The elaborate systems we’ve allowed to evolve - our gigantic manufacturing and resource supply lines, the financial scaffold that has turned capital formation into a freak show of scams and wishes, the grotesque behemoth governments of a zillion regulatory impulses turning more tyrannically against their own citizens every day - all add up to a general condition of fantastic fragility. So, you see, a global release of tensions is liable to bust up a lot of those arrangements.

Western Civ has been expecting this for a while. All the years of clever work-arounds and kicking cans down the road tells you that. The big question is: can we carry on as before? And anyone with half a brain can see the answer is: probably not. That is, not enjoying the many comforts, conveniences, and luxuries we’ve grown used to, all of which hinge on our energy supplies, enough of which is centered in the Ummah of Islam so that when it is interrupted or cut-off, there goes the cushy life for us. (And let’s note that for many in Western Civ life has already and stealthily turned into a serious struggle lately).

So, whichever way these new events may go, things have changed. There will be more intense conflict over the remaining oil in the Middle East. Europe may finally discover that it does not relish being turned into one big mosque. And the USA is so lost in self mind-f**kery that we can’t even get our House of Representatives in order. The American students (and faculty!) cheerleading for Gaza’s Road Warrior executioners might represent the last stand of Woke derangement. This degenerate nonsense has run its course. It may dawn in our centers-of-learning - and every other collaborating institution - that we have more important things to think about than the etiquette around men who dress-up as women.

One naturally wonders what role the shadowy Globalists have played in the build-up to all this, and how things will go with them. I can imagine Europe plunged into political chaos that would lead to scenes like a mob riding Klaus Schwab out of his Swiss redoubt on a rail, and the German government falling, and Paris on fire, and street-fighting in Stockholm. Chaos is as chaos want to do. One thing seems certain: it’ll be a cold winter there for most everybody.

It’s probably safe to say that Mr. Zelensky will not be getting additional bowls of gruel out of Uncle Sam. No one is paying attention to Ukraine now, and that sudden neglect by the once-solicitous NATO alliance could go on indefinitely with wider conflict breaking out elsewhere - meaning that Russia will be left to methodically restore the status quo ante that allowed Ukraine to be a quiet backwater in Russia’s sphere of influence since the end of the previous world war, until our wicked and reckless neocons moved to wreck the joint.

China is the joker in the deck now. There’s plenty of chatter that China’s banking system is toast, with its new and large middle class left holding a giant bag of worthless securities and unsellable real estate, and that when they are sufficiently pissed-off that will be the last round-up for Uncle Xi and his CCP. But then, you can also easily imagine that gang thinking now is the optimum moment to try and grab Taiwan and its riches, with Western Civ all tied up elsewhere. I remind you of China’s “Four Wars” doctrine for bringing us down. There’s Ukraine, now Israel, there’s the internal war of Left versus Right throughout the West, and there’s the massive invasion of Europe and the USA of uninvited mutts. Four wars. The breaking point.

Yet to play out is America’s crisis of leadership. As supply lines break, and the flash mobs loot the luxury shops, and the illegal aliens stream in, and the price of everything goes up-up-up, and the truth about the Covid vaccines is finally grokked, even the dazed-and-confused American public might notice that the White House has become a zombie palace. Politics hates a vacuum and “Joe Biden” begins to look like a black hole that will suck the execrable deep state blob that surrounds him across the event horizon that opens to oblivion. I’d go so far to predict that well before the 2024 election, America will have a new chief executive and that it won’t be Kamala Harris. It could be someone in a uniform, though. Just sayin’. Everything is in flux."

Bill Bonner, "Hate Crimes IV"

"Hate Crimes IV"
Excess spending, futile meddling 
and always, always more war...
by Bill Bonner

"The American people are the ones who choose their government by way of their own free will; a choice which stems from their agreement to its policies. Thus the American people have chosen, consented to, and affirmed their support for the Israeli oppression of the Palestinians, the occupation and usurpation of their land, and its continuous killing, torture, punishment and expulsion of the Palestinians."
~ Osama bin Laden, explaining why it was okay to target civilians.

Poitou, France - "Our beat is money, not politics. The connection is obvious. Spending on public policy hate crime (aka ‘war’) is out of control. Dan reports that total public debt increased $274 billion – this last weekend. Total US debt crossed the $33 trillion mark a month ago; now it is headed to $34 trillion. A trillion here…a trillion there…pretty soon, you can expect bankruptcy, defaults, inflation, political chaos…and war.

Asset values, generally, will fall. Bonds will once again become “certificates of guaranteed confiscation.” And the US will…slowly, and then all of a sudden…sink into banana republic, sh*thole status. Is there any way to change course?

What You Pay For: As Milton Friedman put it, ‘you get what you pay for.’ And the biggest single item of discretionary federal spending pays for war. ‘Tis a pity, because Americans get little value from their wars. But rather than pull the plug on excess spending and futile meddling, America’s leaders – its elites – want more.

A border war between Russia and the Ukraine? A hundred billion US dollars…and weapons…are on their way. Another flare-up in the fight between Arabs and Jews? Send the Sixth Fleet…and see how it might get involved. What? We are running out of money? We’re bumping into a ‘debt ceiling?’ The US government faces a shutdown? This is no time to count pennies – this is war!

How do ‘hate crimes’ become public policy…and how do the elites benefit? (Dan reports that an ETF of America’s arms suppliers is up 6%...just this week). And how can an advanced, degenerate empire possibly turn away from inflation and war?

People are people. Sometimes good, sometimes bad; always subject to influence. From time to time they are bloody bastards. The job of the elite to restrain them. Statesmen help them see “both sides” of the conflict. Judges listen to witnesses for the prosecution as well as the defense. Priests remind them of the two choices waiting for them – Heaven and Hell. And a wise Council of Elders recalls the errors of the past, introduces question marks…and urges caution.

But when elites become corrupt and incompetent, when the elders drool and forget their own names, the question marks disappear. People take sides, usually without any knowledge of what is really going on.

A Time to Kill: On video screens all over the world, we see pictures of dead children. Surely there’s only one side to this story, as Karine Jean-Pierre says. The Palestinians are evil. No further discussion needed. “Finish them,” says Nikki Haley, apparently calling for genocide. “Eradicate them” say columnists and opinion mongers all over the West, seconding the motion.

But wait. So far this century, for every Jewish child who died at the hands of terrorists…at least 10 Palestinian children have been killed. Does it really make sense to add more? Is that the civilized thing to do?

“Every Hamas terrorist is a dead man,” Netanyahu said at a late-night briefing. “There is a time for war and a time for peace,” said opposition leader Benny Gantz. “Now is a time for war.” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant vowed to “wipe them off the face of the Earth.”

What about the collateral damage; surely it will include scores of children? Already, according to a group called Defense for Children, here’s the body count: "GAZA UPDATE: 447 Palestinian children have been killed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, according to the Ministry of Health. Nonstop Israeli airstrikes forced our field researcher to relocate his family four times yesterday & DCIP has been unable to confirm additional fatalities."

Isn’t that enough? Apparently not.

Putrid and Appalling: Osama bin Laden said it was okay to kill enemy civilians. The Allies killed 25,000 men, women and children in the bombing of Dresden in 1945. Harry Truman was responsible for another 200,000 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Who are the bad guys? How can you tell? Don’t ask. Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar threatened companies that choose the wrong side: "As this conflict unfolds, I remind businesses that my office maintains a list of companies that boycott Israel.” Jewish employers are threatening retaliation too. Fortune: "Bill Ackman wants Harvard to name the students blaming Israel for the Hamas attacks so that he and other CEOs don’t hire them by accident."

Some dear readers think we should throw away the question marks too. Many want a condemnation of Russia, China, Iran, Hamas…white supremacy…sexism…global warming deniers…vaccine doubters…and so on. But here at Bonner Private Research, our aim is not to shape the human clay…nor to judge it…but simply to observe it, and draw whatever lessons we can.

And what we notice is that societies lurch and stumble forward. Most of the time, people get along tolerably well - giving and getting amongst themselves. But once in a while, often stretched out over many decades, a conflict or creed festers…and then erupts, putrid and appalling. And then, caution, prudence, dignity, generosity, kindness, and solvency...all disappear. Not a pretty sight."

"How It Really Is"



Yeah...just wonderful.
Louis Armstrong, "What A Wonderful World"

"Money And Markets, 10/13/23"

Gregory Mannarino, AM 10/13/23
"Be Ready, Another False Flag Is Coming, And Soon"
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o
The Atlantis Report, 10/13/23
"Warning: The Stock Market Crash Is Coming..."
"The Alarms are going off in the stock market. There are echoes of the 1987 Crash. The one that sent shockwaves through to all financial markets. As the Black Monday unfolded, the Prices Skyrocketed, fortunes evaporated, and panic gripped the investors. We're now seeing unprecedented parallels with the previous crash with similar challenges coming our way. It includes a high market volatility with rapid price fluctuations and uncertainty. The price swings are becoming bigger and more frequent. The frequency of intraday swings of the S and P 500 has been extremely elevated. We are also seeing an unparalleled volatility in Treasury bond markets in October 2023. The share market's strength in the current year despite the slowing effects of higher interest rates is a combination that feels awfully similar to the Black Monday. So, Will history repeat itself? Well, It's a question that lingers, a specter that refuses to be ignored."
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o
Lena Petrova, CPA - Finance, Economics & Tax 10/13/23
"Banking Turmoil: U.S. Banks Post Massive Losses"
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Adventures With Danno, "Items At Aldi Everyone Should Be Buying!"

Full screen recommended.
Adventures With Danno, 10/13/23
"Items At Aldi Everyone Should Be Buying!"
"In today's vlog, we are at Aldi and are finding all kinds of their Aldi Saver Deals! As grocery prices continue to rise in most of our main supermarkets, Aldi has put together some pretty amazing sales that we should definitely take advantage of! We show you all of the savings, so get your notepad ready!"
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Thursday, October 12, 2023

Canadian Prepper, "Emergency Alert: UN Given 24 Hour Warning"

Full screen recommended.
Canadian Prepper, 10/12/23
"Emergency Alert: UN Given 24 Hour Warning
Iran Sends Tanks To Border; Syria Airport Bombed"
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Jeremiah Babe, "It's About To Get Very Painful, Inflation Will Only Go Up"

 
Jeremiah Babe, 10/12/23
"It's About To Get Very Painful, Inflation Will Only Go Up"
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Musical Interlude: 2002, “A Year And A Day

Full screen recommended.
2002, “A Year And A Day

"A Look to the Heavens"

"These cosmic clouds have blossomed 1,300 light-years away, in the fertile starfields of the constellation Cepheus. Called the Iris Nebula, NGC 7023 is not the only nebula to evoke the imagery of flowers. Still, this deep telescopic image shows off the Iris Nebula's range of colors and symmetries, embedded in surrounding fields of interstellar dust. 
Within the Iris itself, dusty nebular material surrounds a hot, young star. The dominant color of the brighter reflection nebula is blue, characteristic of dust grains reflecting starlight. Central filaments of the reflection nebula glow with a faint reddish photoluminesence as some dust grains effectively convert the star's invisible ultraviolet radiation to visible red light. Infrared observations indicate that this nebula contains complex carbon molecules known as PAHs. The dusty blue petals of the Iris Nebula span about six light-years."

Chet Raymo,

“Very, Very, Very, Very, Very...”
by Chet Raymo

"In a short story that was published posthumously in the New Yorker, the inestimable Primo Levi meditated on the limits of language. The story was called “The Tranquil Star.” He writes "The star was very big and very hot, and its weight was enormous," and realizes immediately that the adjectives have failed him: “For a discussion of stars our language is inadequate and seems laughable, as if someone were trying to plow with a feather. It's a language that was born with us, suitable for describing objects more or less as large and long-lasting as we are; it has our dimensions, it's human. It doesn't go beyond what our senses tell us.

Until fairly recently in human history, there was nothing smaller than a scabies mite, writes Levi, and therefore no adjective to describe it. Nothing bigger than the sea or sky. Nothing hotter than fire. We can add modifiers: very big, very small, very hot. Or use adjectives of dubious superlativeness: enormous, colossal, extraordinary. But, really, these feeble stretchings of language don't take us very far in grasping the very, very, very extraordinarily diminutive or spectacularly colossal dimensions of atomic matter or cosmic space and time. We can overcome the limitations of language, Levi say, "only with a violent effort of the imagination."

I spent more than forty years trying to find ways to violently stretch the imaginations of my students (and myself) to accommodate the dimensions of the universe revealed by science. I would project onto a huge screen a photograph of a firestorm on the Sun, then superimpose a scale-sized Earth, which fit comfortably inside a loop of solar fire. I would take the class into the College Quad here near Boston, where I had set up a basketball to represent the Sun, then gathered 100 feet away with a pinhead Earth; we walked together with our pin in the great annual journey of the Earth, and looked through a telescope at the marble-sized Jupiter than I had previously installed at the other end of the long Quad (the next closest star system would have been a couple of basketballs in Hawaii). We walked geologic timelines that took us from one end of the campus to the other.

In one of my Globe essays I used this analogy: “Imagine the human DNA as a strand of sewing thread. On this scale, the DNA in the 23 pairs of chromosomes in a typical human cell would be about 150 miles long, with about 600 nucleotide pairs per inch. That is, the DNA in a single cell is equivalent to 1000 spools of sewing thread, representing two copies of the genetic code. Take all that thread - the 1000 spools worth - and crumple it into 46 wads (the chromosomes). Stuff the wads into a shoe box (the cell nucleus) along with - oh, say enough chicken soup to fill the box. Toss the shoe box into a steamer trunk (the cell), and fill the rest of the trunk with more soup. Take the steamer trunk with its contents and shrink it down to an invisibly small object, smaller than the point of a pin. Multiply that tiny object by a trillion and you have the trillion cells of the human body, each with its full complement of DNA.”

Or this description from 'Waking Zero': “The track of the Prime Meridian across England from Peace Haven in the south to the mouth of the River Humber in the north is nearly 200 miles. If that distance is taken to represent the 13.7 billion year history of the universe, as we understand it today, then all of recorded human history is less than a single step. The entire story I have told in this book, from the Alexandrian astronomers and geographers to the present-day astronomers who launch telescopes into space, would fit neatly into a single footprint. If the 200 miles of the meridian track is taken to represent the distance to the most distant objects we observe with our telescopes, then a couple of steps would take us across the Milky Way Galaxy. A mote of dust from my shoe is large enough to contain not only our own solar system but many neighboring stars.”
But as hard as one tries, the scale of these things escape us. If one could truly comprehend what we are seeing when we look, say, at the Hubble Ultra Deep Field Photo above, which I have done my best to convey to myself and others in a dozen ways, it would surely shake to the core some of our most cherished beliefs. Just as our language is contrived on a human scale, so too are our gods.”

"Don’t Waste Time, That’s All You Have"

"Don’t Waste Time, That’s All You Have"
by John Wilder

"One of Seneca's (Dead Roman Philosopher Dude) most famous quotes is, "It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it." What surprises me is that Seneca wrote this before Twitter® existed. But even back in the time of Rome, there were ways to waste time. I’m thinking Facebook® might be that old.

Regardless, his message is timeless: every moment that we’re breathing here on Earth is precious. We may not always get a choice as to how we spend our time (Ted Kaczynski seems to be booked every day) but the true crime is to waste time. Oh, and blowing people up.

I have been as guilty as anyone of wasting time. And one of the biggest wastes of time is to become consumed by negative thoughts and emotions. In reality, most of the time (most) the things that irritate me are small. How small? So small that if I pack up my emotions, and really assess as to why I’m mad, it just looks silly. When Hillary reflects on why she’s mad, well, she calls the Suicide Hotline and places an order.

But that reflection is crucial. It’s called self-control, and although it appears to be unfashionable in certain locations (Chicago, I’m looking at you) it is the only way to be successful. If I threw a temper tantrum when (spins wheel) I drop a sock on the floor, I think there’s a simple word for that in the English language: Leftist feminist the ATF unstable.

No, when I’m upset I stop. I take a deep breath. I ask myself, “Does it matter?” Most of the time, it doesn’t. At all. Very few of the things that have irritated me matter at all over any rational timeframe. The old two rules apply: 1. Don’t sweat the small stuff. 2. It’s all small stuff.

The second question is, can I control whatever the situation is or influence it? If the answer is no, then that’s like being mad that the Sun is coming up in the morning. Even if it’s my mistake, it’s sillier than being angry over the English coal minimum price subsidy in the 1800s or...anything that happened in 1619.

One concept I’ve come across recently is "amor fati," which is Latin for “put armor on fat people”. Oh, wait, my translator was wrong. It really means, "love your fate." I think I first heard a variation of this when I was a kid: “You get what you get, and you’ll like it, and grease up the fat people so we can put plate mail on them.”

The reality of amor fati is this, though: I am where I am, and I have a choice. I can get up every morning and be mad, or I can be happy where I am. Does that mean I’m content? No. Does that mean I’m not going to fight like hell? No. Does that mean I’m not going to try to change certain things with the fire of a thousand suns? No.

It does mean that if life sucks, I can still find meaning, still find purpose, and still try to create the change that I seek to create. It’s not complacency. Heck, Seneca himself was one of the richest dudes in all of Rome. That didn’t just happen. He didn’t just wake up one morning, and say, “Holy crap, I have an amazing amount of money. How did that happen?” Seneca embraced what he had, and tried to better himself, and change himself. He did okay.

Our choices are our choices, but even more than that, we always have the choice how we feel, even Ted Kaczynski. We may have lost everything else, but we always retain that. We should not be overcome by fear or despair. To be clear – those are just about the most negative things we can let into our lives, unless you know one of the women on 'The View.'

The only proper way to deal with tough times is to face into them. Our obstacles make us stronger. Each obstacle we face with virtue and excellence improves us. Except for bullets. Those sound like they really suck.

Regardless of all of that, the first point is still the most important: our lives aren’t too short – our lives are exactly as long as they are. Deal with it. Love it. Use your time – every minute. Every second you waste? It’s wasting your life. Now, go make something happen."

Gerald Celente, "Global Meltdown: Markets, War and Terror"

Very strong language alert!
Gerald Celente, Trends Journal, 10/12/23
"Global Meltdown: Markets, War and Terror"
"In today's TITN broadcast, Gerald Celente, discusses the global meltdown plaguing the Earth. Markets are crashing, war is heating up and global terror skyrockets. 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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Gerald's in exceptionally fine form today...

The Daily "Near You?"

Round Rock, Texas, USA. Thanks for stopping by!

"People Will Panic This Winter As Energy Prices Hit Astronomical Levels"

Full screen recommended.
Epic Economist 10/12/23
"People Will Panic This Winter As Energy 
Prices Hit Astronomical Levels"

"Imagine being forced to turn off the heat during a cold winter night because you can not afford expensive energy prices. That’s the struggle millions of American families are going to face in the months ahead, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association. With the cost of domestic and global energy supplies starting to spike earlier than expected, U.S. consumers are in for another tough winter. New reports by Reuters and Bloomberg predict that a large share of U.S. households will have to pay significantly more to heat their homes amid colder weather forecasts for the 2023-2024 winter season. With increasingly more people already falling behind their utility bills this fall, they may have their power shut off right as we move towards the chilliest period of the year.

Earlier this week, NEADA released a report in partnership with the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program in which experts said "prices for home heating this coming winter will remain at record levels," and families should start bracing for another financial shock.

Domestic supplies will be tighter than expected for the second consecutive year, and we’re about to feel the impact on our wallets. This week, U.S. natural gas futures rose to an eight-month high due to a drop in daily output and rising exports. According to EIA’s Short Term Energy Outlook, despite higher nat gas production throughout the year, higher demand at home and squeezed supplies tied to the Middle East crisis can add up to $250 to Americans' heating bills this winter. That’s very worrying considering that in 2023 about 61% of U.S. households use natural gas to heat their homes.

As colder months approach, energy insecurity is a growing issue being closely monitored by governments, advocates, and other watchdogs. That’s a major concern now that extreme weather events are becoming more intense and more frequent, experts say. A new survey conducted by Hop Energy found that 69% of Americans have reported higher energy bills in 2023 than in past years. Survey respondents say their monthly electric bills this year averaged $263, up from $201 last year, and $168 before the pandemic.

No wonder 1 in 3 U.S. adults are currently struggling to pay for energy bills, and about 1 in 4 have missed a utility payment over the past 60 days. Researchers with the company also highlighted that many plans to keep their homes at a different temperature to avoid higher costs in the coming winter: 56% said they will keep their home temperatures lower than their preferred temperature to save money in the months ahead.

It goes without saying that shouldn’t be happening in a developed nation. Without protections in place preventing these families from losing access to this basic necessity, millions will have to live in very precarious conditions if nothing is done to reverse this impending crisis.

Perhaps now this scenario seems too far removed from our reality. Or, maybe you do not yet believe that we are facing the worst energy crisis in U.S. history. If that is the case, give it a few months. By the end of the fall, everyone will surely understand that we truly have entered a nightmare with no end in sight."
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