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Saturday, April 26, 2025

"Los Angeles is Collapsing, Nationwide Disaster Begins!"

Full screen recommended.
Steven Van Metre, 4/26/25
"Los Angeles is Collapsing, Nationwide Disaster Begins!"
"Global trade is plunging, confidence is crashing, and you won't believe what's going to hit next - this trade war crisis is just beginning as Los Angeles looks to be the epicenter."
Comments here:

"Walmart Issues Warning As Consumers Finance Groceries; The Next Global Financial Crisis Has Begun"

Jeremiah Babe, 4/26/25
"Walmart Issues Warning As Consumers Finance Groceries; 
The Next Global Financial Crisis Has Begun"
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Musical Interlude: The Moody Blues, "This Is The Moment"

Templo de Zeus Olímpico (Temple of Olympian Zeus) - 
Atenas - Grécia (Athens - Greece)
The Moody Blues, "This Is The Moment"

"A Look to the Heavens"

“The beautiful Trifid Nebula, also known as Messier 20, is easy to find with a small telescope in the nebula rich constellation Sagittarius. About 5,000 light-years away, the colorful study in cosmic contrasts shares this well-composed, nearly 1 degree wide field with open star cluster Messier 21 (top right).
Trisected by dust lanes the Trifid itself is about 40 light-years across and a mere 300,000 years old. That makes it one of the youngest star forming regions in our sky, with newborn and embryonic stars embedded in its natal dust and gas clouds. Estimates of the distance to open star cluster M21 are similar to M20's, but though they share this gorgeous telescopic skyscape there is no apparent connection between the two. In fact, M21's stars are much older, about 8 million years old.”

The Poet: Dylan Thomas, "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night"

"Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night"

"Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

- Dylan Thomas
The Marmalade, "Reflections Of My Life"
"The world is a bad place, a bad place, a terrible place to live,
oh, but I don't want to die..."

"I Wish You Enough"

"I Wish You Enough"
by Bob Perks

"I never really thought that I'd spend as much time in airports as I do. I don't know why. I always wanted to be famous and that would mean lots of travel. But I'm not famous, yet I do see more than my share of airports. I love them and I hate them. I love them because of the people I get to watch. But they are also the same reason why I hate airports. It all comes down to "hello" and "goodbye." I must have mentioned this a few times while writing my stories for you.

I have great difficulties with saying goodbye. Even as I write this I am experiencing that pounding sensation in my heart. If I am watching such a scene in a movie I am affected so much that I need to sit up and take a few deep breaths. So when faced with a challenge in my life I have been known to go to our local airport and watch people say goodbye. I figure nothing that is happening to me at the time could be as bad as having to say goodbye. Watching people cling to each other, crying, and holding each other in that last embrace makes me appreciate what I have even more. Seeing them finally pull apart, extending their arms until the tips of their fingers are the last to let go, is an image that stays forefront in my mind throughout the day.

On one of my recent business trips, when I arrived at the counter to check in, the woman said, "How are you today?" I replied, "I am missing my wife already and I haven't even said goodbye." She then looked at my ticket and began to ask, "How long will you... Oh, my God. You will only be gone three days!" We all laughed. My problem was I still had to say goodbye. But I learn from goodbye moments, too.

Recently I overheard a father and daughter in their last moments together. They had announced her departure and standing near the security gate, they hugged and he said, "I love you. I wish you enough." She in turn said, "Daddy, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Daddy." They kissed and she left. He walked over toward the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see he wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on his privacy, but he welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say goodbye to someone knowing it would be forever?" "Yes, I have," I replied. Saying that brought back memories I had of expressing my love and appreciation for all my Dad had done for me. Recognizing that his days were limited, I took the time to tell him face to face how much he meant to me. So I knew what this man was experiencing.

"Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever goodbye?" I asked. "I am old and she lives much too far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is, the next trip back would be for my funeral," he said. "When you were saying goodbye I heard you say, 'I wish you enough.' May I ask what that means?" He began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone." He paused for a moment and looking up as if trying to remember it in detail, he smiled even more. "When we said 'I wish you enough,' we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them," he continued and then turning toward me he shared the following as if he were reciting it from memory...

"I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish enough "Hello's" to get you through the final "Goodbye."

He then began to sob and walked away. My friends, I wish you enough!"- - http://www.gaia.com/quotes/topics/life?page=33

"Fools And Knaves..."

“In the mass of mankind, I fear, there is too great a majority of
fools and knaves; who, singly from their number, must to a certain
degree be respected, though they are by no means respectable.”
- Philip Stanhope

“There are more fools than knaves in the world,
else the knaves would not have enough to live upon.”
- Samuel Butler

The Daily "Near You?"

Weatherford, Texas, USA. Thanks for stopping by!

"Remember..."

“Remember, we all stumble, every one of us.
That’s why it’s a comfort to go hand in hand.”
- Emily Kimbrough

"It's Over! But Most Don't Know It Yet..."

Full screen recommended.
LifeWorthLiving, 4/26/25
"It's Over! But Most Don't Know It Yet..."
"Richard D. Wolff is an American economist and professor emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is known for his critiques of economic inequality and his advocacy for worker cooperatives as a way to empower individuals and address systemic issues within the economy. Through his books, lectures, and public appearances, Wolff explores topics such as economic democracy and alternative economic models."
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o
Full screen recommended.
TNN News, 4/26/25
"Auto Industry Crisis - Jeep, Dodge And 
Chrysler Shut Down Factories Due To Tariffs"
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"What Scientists Discovered Beneath Arizona Has Shocked the Entire World"

Full screen recommended.
Discover Tribe, 4/15/25
"What Scientists Discovered Beneath Arizona 
Has Shocked the Entire World"
"In this video, we dive into a shocking geological discovery unfolding beneath Arizona's desert floor - a mysterious rift silently tearing through the Earth. What began as strange soil cracks near farms and suburbs has revealed a massive, unexplained fault-like structure stretching for miles and possibly linked to deep mantle activity. Scientists now believe this could be the early stages of a new tectonic rift system - or even the rebirth of volcanic forces long thought dormant."
00:00 Intro
01:04 The First Signs in the Soil
04:18 The Rift That Shouldn’t Exist
07:35 A Pattern Across the Southwest
11:05 The Volcano Connection
15:42 What Happens If It Spreads?
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"How It Really Is"

"It's a Big Club, and you ain't in it. 
You and I are not in the Big Club."
- George Carlin

"Something Like Reverence..."

"When I see the blind and wretched state of men, when I survey the whole universe in its deadness, and man left to himself with no light, as though lost in this corner of the universe without knowing who put him there, what he has to do, or what will become of him when he dies, incapable of knowing anything, I am moved to terror, like a man transported in his sleep to some terrifying desert island, who wakes up quite lost, with no means of escape. Then I marvel that so wretched a state does not drive people to despair." 
- Blaise Pascal

Ahh, but it does...
“When the pain of leaving behind what we know outweighs the pain of embracing it, or when the power we face is overwhelming and neither flight nor fight will save us, there may be salvation in sitting still. And if salvation is impossible, then at least before perishing we may gain a clearer vision of where we are. By sitting still I do not mean the paralysis of dread, like that of a rabbit frozen beneath the dive of a hawk. I mean something like reverence, a respectful waiting, a deep attentiveness to forces much greater than our own.”
- Scott Russell Sanders

I fear our time for such reverence is upon us,
and this is only beginning....

Jeremiah Babe, "People Are Living In Their Own Bubble And It's About To Burst"

Full screen recommended.
Jeremiah Babe, AM 4/26/25
"People Are Living In Their Own Bubble 
And It's About To Burst"
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Adventures With Danno, "Massive Price Increases At Walmart"

Full screen recommended.
Adventures With Danno, AM 4/26/25
"Massive Price Increases At Walmart"
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Dan, I Allegedly, "Everyone’s Reached Their Breaking Point"

Full screen recommended.
Dan, I Allegedly, 4/26/25
"Everyone’s Reached Their Breaking Point"
"Banks are hiding something big, and it’s time to pull back the curtain! In this video, I break down the shocking truth about how major financial institutions like Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and JPMorgan Chase are stockpiling cash in preparation for bad loans and credit card debt. What does this mean for you, your money, and the economy? Let’s talk about it. We’ll also dive into the state of the real estate market, including unbuilt homes hitting record numbers since 2007 and the challenges faced by home builders like DR Horton. With interest rates climbing and home sales slowing, it’s a buyer’s market - if you know where to look."
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Friday, April 25, 2025

"Alert! New Major WW3 Front Opens! Top Russian General Assassinated! Peace Talks Collapsing!"

Full screen recommended.
Canadian Prepper, 4/25/25
"Alert! New Major WW3 Front Opens! 
Top Russian General Assassinated! Peace Talks Collapsing!"
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Musical Interlude: 2002, “Cycle Of Time”

Full screen mode recommended.
2002, “Cycle Of Time”

"A Look to the Heavens"

"Many spiral galaxies have bars across their centers. Even our own Milky Way Galaxy is thought to have a modest central bar. Prominently barred spiral galaxy NGC 1672, featured here, was captured in spectacular detail in an image taken by the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope. Visible are dark filamentary dust lanes, young clusters of bright blue stars, red emission nebulas of glowing hydrogen gas, a long bright bar of stars across the center, and a bright active nucleus that likely houses a supermassive black hole.
Light takes about 60 million years to reach us from NGC 1672, which spans about 75,000 light years across. NGC 1672, which appears toward the constellation of the Dolphinfish (Dorado), has been studied to find out how a spiral bar contributes to star formation in a galaxy's central regions."

"We Never See..."

“You know, we never see the world exactly as it is. We see it as we hope it will be or we fear it might be. And we spend our lives going through a sort of modified stages of grief about that realization. And we deny it, and then we argue with it, and we despair over it. But eventually - and this is my belief - that we come to see it, not as despairing, but as vitalizing. We never see the world exactly as it is because we are how the world is.”
- Maria Popova

"Your Wages Will Be Garnished, Time To Pay Those Student Loans; Store Shelves Could Be Empty Soon"

Jeremiah Babe, 4/25/25
"Your Wages Will Be Garnished, Time To Pay Those Student Loans; 
Store Shelves Could Be Empty Soon"
Comments here:
o
Orlando Miner, 4/25/25
"Student Loans Are Taking Paychecks, Borrowers Panic"
Comments here:

"Walmart Warns: Empty Shelves in 2 Weeks"

Full screen recommended.
City Prepping, 4/25/25
"Walmart Warns: Empty Shelves in 2 Weeks"
Comments here:

Full screen recommended.
Epic Economist, 4/25/25
"An Industry Insider Explains Why 
The Coming Shortages Are Going To Be So Crazy"

"The United States imported 438 billion dollars worth of goods from China in 2024. All of a sudden, most of that trade is being cut off. Tariffs on Chinese goods are now so high that it no longer makes economic sense for Chinese companies to export products to us, and it no longer makes economic sense for U.S. companies to import products from China. As a result, container bookings are absolutely plummeting, and retail CEOs are warning that store shelves all over America will “soon be empty”. Yes, retailers will attempt to find replacement items from other sources when it is possible to do so. But in many cases, things that are made in China are not made anywhere else. As retailers run through existing inventory levels, shortages will begin to emerge.

I do not believe that we should have ever started trading with China. And I would love to see a day in the future when we no longer trade with China. But at this moment we are deeply, deeply dependent on China. Nobody can deny this. Our economy literally cannot function normally without Chinese imports, and now most of those imports will no longer be coming across the ocean."
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"MH370 Disappearance Solved! Teleportation Proof Finally Reveals What Really Happened"

Full screen recommended.
Redacted, 4/25/25
"MH370 Disappearance Solved! 
Teleportation Proof Finally Reveals What Really Happened"
"The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 led to a multinational search effort in Southeast Asia and the southern Indian Ocean that became the most expensive search in aviation history."
Comments here:

The Daily "Near You?

La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA. Thanks for stopping by!

"The Free and the Brave"

"The Free and the Brave"
by Todd Hayen

"Whatever happened to that (the free and the brave)? Whatever happened to the attitude that had Patrick Henry at the Virginia convention in 1775 say “give me liberty, or give me death”?

Whatever happened to the patriotic fervor and the uncanny commitment to face suffering and death that resulted in over two million young men volunteering for service in World War I, and five times that number volunteering to serve in World War II?

Whatever happened to the ability to conquer fear and ride on the excitement for adventure and potential for immeasurable success that drove hundreds of thousands of men and women into the wild, and dangerous, frontiers of the American West?

Whatever happened to the spirit that filled the souls of those that faced stark adversity, danger to life and limb, that lead over 50,000 hapless men and women (mostly men) into the jungles of Central America to build the Panama Canal? - ultimately killing over 5,000 of them as a result of accidents, all manner of diseases including malaria and dysentery?

What happened?

Yeah, this is about us, guys (me included!) Sure, women can be brave - any biological sexual orientation can activate the warrior archetype - but more commonly it is the gendered male that falls into this archetypal constellation. Bravery - a compulsion to protect those he loves, have a critical and logical assessment of a difficult situation, and the force and power, at the very least a potential force and power, ready to inflict whatever necessary to protect partner and family, community and nation. We, us men, have seemed to have lost much of that. Have we become a bunch of puss-balls?

Dr Mark McDonald, a prominent medical doctor with a speciality in psychiatry, doesn’t mince words when he says while describing the psychological state of men and women during this crises: "We essentially have men with no balls, and then we have histrionics, women who have no emotional containment, because there are no men to contain them anymore.”

Sexist? Maybe some will think so, but McDonald is not putting all the blame on one sex, or exclusively on the masculine or feminine archetypes, the responsibility here is rather well balanced.

What does this mean? Very basically it means we have created a culture that has done a pretty good job of emasculating men - the radical feminist movement, as well as a general lack of situations where men can express their “man-ness” in a healthy way, has been a big part of the problem.

“Toxic Masculinity” is a phrase and concept that has taken the world by storm, and contributes quite a bit to the confusion that men are experiencing while trying to ascertain what a “real man” is in today’s “anti male” culture. “Oh boo hoo” some of you may be saying. “Men, through their powerful patriarchal history of abusing women and treating them as inferior partners in relationships deserve a little pull back!” There certainly is truth to that, but two wrongs don’t make a right. You can’t carve out an essential part of being a “man” without some collateral damage, all the way around.

So what does being a “real man” have to do with bravery? A lot, actually. Facing adversity and danger, primarily in order to protect the physically weaker, is a very important attribute of the masculine archetype of warrior, or even king if you want to get more detailed about it. Historically and traditionally the man has been the protector, the physical, and sometimes intellectual (intelligence that is present in logic reasoning and critical thinking) found in masculine archetypes (again, archetypes both men and women have access to).

These attributes are primarily directed toward protection and outwardly projected as strength and resolve. This often stabilizes the more emotional feminine archetypal factors that again, typically, are activated by the female, or woman, in a relationship.

As a psychotherapist, and an archetypal psychologist at that, I see these archetypal powers and influences playing out in my clients every day. Most of the problems I find in a couple’s therapy stems from an imbalance, or a dysfunction, in these energies of masculine and feminine. Again, the “man” in a couple can be activating both masculine and feminine archetypes, as well as the “woman.” The problem comes in if the archetypes activated are inappropriate, out of balance, and create a result that is unexpected, undesired, or not beneficial. Most of these influences run in the unconscious, so very seldom are they consciously manipulated.

It wasn’t until I met Dr McDonald that I connected some very important dots. McDonald recently wrote and released a book titled "United States of Fear." The subtitle of the book, “How America Fell Victim to a Mass Delusional Psychosis” is the primary focus.

McDonald holds nothing back when he addresses what he believes to be a fundamental cause of this mass psychosis. He believes that women (feminine archetypes driving the woman’s behavior) need a strong, and masculine man, to contain her emotionality (due to the unfettered expression of her feminine archetypes.) McDonald, in an interview given on Jerm Warfare, said:

"Do you think men with masks on make women feel safe? It only shows they have no balls. I’ve spoken with female police officers who see men in camouflage, tattooed, driving around in trucks with gun racks - wearing masks. They tell me, ‘this does not make me feel safe. This makes me afraid. If they are this scared of a virus, how will they react to a real threat - what’s going to happen when the bear comes out of the woods? What’s going to happen when a rapist tries to attack me? What’s going to happen when my children are going to be kidnapped by the man in the park, what are they going to do? With their mask on are they going to say, “Please stop. Please. Please.” They’re not going to put their lives on the line. They won’t even put their mouth on the line.’”

Harsh words, my brothers. Harsh words, but I think quite on the money. Is this the only thing that is driving the collapse we are seeing in those that cannot stand up to this current tyranny, and say “Enough is enough, step back!” No, of course not, but, in my opinion, it is a large part of the problem.

Our culture, at least in the West, has been set up for this to happen. We have become more and more dependent on government taking care of us, thus losing our own personal drive to develop character and strength. We depend on government and authority to think for us, and tell us what is best for us to, in a word, parent us. We comply, we stay children, and we ultimately suffer.

The brave hold onto what makes them free and are willing to fight for it. Freedom is a God given right, not one bestowed upon us by any other authority. The healthy masculine archetypes of warrior and king have at their side the symbolic sword representing their power over adversity and danger.

There is a time for the warrior to pull the sword from its scabbard just a few inches to allow the sun to glint off of its polished surface, flashing in the eyes of a potential enemy, letting them know who they are dealing with. And then there is the time to pull the sword completely free from its confines and slash what is seriously threatening the warrior and those he loves. Now is the time to fight."
“You cannot kill me here. Bring your soldiers, your death, your disease, your collapsed economy because it doesn’t matter, I have nothing left to lose and you cannot kill me here. Bring the tears of orphans and the wails of a mother’s loss, bring your God damn air force and Jesus on a cross, bring your hate and bitterness and long working hours, bring your empty wallets and love long since gone but you cannot kill me here. Bring your sneers, your snide remarks and friendships never felt, your letters never sent, your kisses never kissed, cigarettes smoked to the bone and cancer killing fears but you cannot kill me here. For I may fall and I may fail but I will stand again each time and you will find no satisfaction. Because you cannot kill me here.”
- Iain S. Thomas

"Unknown Unknowns..."

"There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say, we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns, the ones we don't know we do not know."

"Simply because you do not have evidence that something
 exists does not mean that you have evidence that it doesn't exist."

"Learn to say 'I don't know.' If used when appropriate, it will be often."
- Donald Rumsfeld

Judge Napolitano, "INTEL Roundtable w/Johnson & McGovern: Weekly Wrap 25 April"

Judge Napolitano - Judging Freedom, 4/25/25
"INTEL Roundtable w/Johnson & McGovern: 
Weekly Wrap 25 April"
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"How It Really Is"

 

Gregory Mannarino, "Prepare Now For Supply Shortages, Forced Suffering"

Gregory Mannarino, AM 4/25/24
"Prepare Now For Supply Shortages, Forced Suffering"
https://traderschoice.net/
Comments here:

Dan, I Allegedly, "Something is Very Wrong! Big Shakedown"

Full screen recommended.
Dan, I Allegedly, 4/25/24
"Something is Very Wrong! Big Shakedown"

"Seal Beach, California, is facing a shocking economic collapse, and today, I’m breaking down what I’m seeing firsthand. From record-high business vacancies on Main Street to long-standing shops shutting their doors, this once-thriving vacation town is struggling like never before. Even during the 2008 downturn, things weren’t this bad. I spoke with locals, including an attorney and a landlord, to get their take on the situation, and the stories they shared are eye-opening

We’re also diving into major headlines: a $1 trillion ransomware attack targeting the Department of Government Efficiency, Tesla’s shocking 71% profit drop, and the challenges facing shipping companies as 30% of U.S. orders are canceled. Plus, the latest on Wells Fargo’s dormant account policy, California’s new paid leave changes, and what you need to know about buy-now-pay-later companies like Affirm reporting to credit agencies. "
Comments here:

"Reality Avoidance"

"All of the available data show that the typical American citizen has about
as much interest in the life of the mind as does your average armadillo."
- Morris Berman
Apologies to armadillos for the comparison...

"Reality Avoidance"
by Morris Berman

"It’s quite amazing how the news is endlessly about race, or gender, or other nonsense. Filler, is what I call it. Very little of this has anything to do with reality, which the Mainstream Media and the American people avoid like the plague. What then is real?

1. The empire is in decline; every day, life here gets a little bit worse; all our institutions are corrupt to varying degrees; and there is no turning this situation around.

2. A crucial factor in this decline and irreversibility is the low level of intelligence of the American people. Americans are not only dumb; they are positively antagonistic toward the life of the mind.

3. Relations of power and money determine practically everything. The 3 wealthiest Americans own as much as the bottom 50% of the population, and this tendency will get worse over time.

4. The value system of the country, and its citizens, is fundamentally wrong-headed. It amounts to little more than hustling, selfishness, narcissism, and a blatant disregard for anyone but oneself. There is a kind of cruelty, or violence, deep in the American soul; many foreign observers and writers have commented on this. Americans are bitter, depressed, and angry, and the country offers very little by way of community or empathy.

5. Along with this is the support of meaningless wars and imperial adventures on the part of most of the population. That we drone-murder unarmed civilians on a weekly basis is barely on the radar screen of the American mind. In essence, the nation has evolved into a genocidal war machine run by a plutocracy and cheered on by mindless millions.

Most Americans hide from these depressing, even horrific, realities by what passes for ‘the news’, but also by means of alcohol, opioids, TV, cellphones, suicide, prescription drugs, workaholism, and spectator sports, to name but a few. This stuffing of the Void is probably our primary activity. In a word, we are eating ourselves alive, and only a tiny fraction of the population recognizes this."

John Wilder, "Weapons Of Mass Distraction And Booze Jokes"

Several generations, actually...
"Weapons Of Mass Distraction And Booze Jokes"
by John Wilder

"2025 is the 23rd year of the smart phone, as the CrackBerry® was introduced way back in 2002. To put that into perspective, 23 years before 2002, Jimmy Carter was president and Hillary Clinton had only eaten six children.

But the BlackBerry© didn’t take over immediately – it was mainly a hit with the executive-set at first, since it allowed them to get emails while they were on the slopes at Gstaad or write ANGRY EMAILS IN ALL CAPS while munching on bigfoot filet roasted over Moonrocks at the beach down in Monaco.

The real killer smart phone, though, was the iPhone©. It was introduced just 18 years ago in 2007. The design standards for the iPhone™ quickly became the standard for cell phones, and it knocked BlackBerry® into oblivion within just a few short years because teenaged girls liked it much better because, selfies. To be fair, it was a pretty big jump in functionality and aesthetics.

The impact, though, of smart phones, however, is undeniable. They became the single most effective way to distract a person. Ever. You’ve seen the effect enough that it’s cliché – walk into a restaurant and it’s not a group of people talking to each other. Instead, it’s a group of people eating near each other while they take in content produced with the explicit objective of taking over their attention.

And, it has certainly worked if the goal was to distract. People now spend more time doomscrolling on their phones than they spend with their children, spouses, and friends. Combined, and Tinder™ has led to more one-night stands than wine coolers.
The reason smartphones grab our attention is somewhat seductive: every time a new notification hits, it sets off a small hit of dopamine in the brain. Just like lab rats, we love our dopamine. And the designers know it. On earlier versions of Twitter©, if I got multiple “likes” on a Tweet®, they would be delayed and doled out so that the action-anticipation-reward loop was optimized to keep me engaged.

And the format of Twitter© (that X™ retained) of scrolling through content, why, something super interesting might be at the bottom of the next swipe of my finger on the screen. So, I’d better just go two more minutes. And then an hour goes by . . .

X© is an attention harvester – they built the perfect trap to stick the rat to the app. And so is Facebook™. And Instagram©. And Snapchat®. These are designed to meld into our nervous system, and keep our eyes focused on the screen, day after day. I know this, because it works, and it worked on me.

After I realized that, though, I decided on a strategy: I would jealously guard my attention like CNN™ guarded information on Joe Biden’s ability to remember, you know, the thing. The reasons are many: Information overload leads to depression and anxiety. I had to ask myself, “Can I do anything about this?” and “Is this something I really care about?”

Here’s where I draw the line: Consciously, I decided I really don’t care about Ukraine and Russia. And you can’t make me care about them. I also decided the same thing with Israel and Gaza. They’re not here, and if I’m going to spend my attention and emotion, I’d rather do something to make the United States better, first – like doing everything I can to get as many illegals deported as possible and shutting down as many H-1B visas as possible so maybe someone at a call center could be intelligible. Or I could spend my time spreading the word about the wonders of PEZ™.

I also make a conscious decision (mostly) on what media I’m going to consume and when. I do personal emails three times a week because my inbox isn’t a slot machine for spam. I browse non-news websites three times a week (mostly – there are exceptions).

I have, at least at my age, also decided that multitasking isn’t something I’m going to count on unless the task is really mindless. I try to focus more on just one thing at a time – then I’m really there. The problem in 2025 isn’t time management, it’s attention management. And I have to have time to:

Think deeply, so I’m not just reacting to stimulus and so I can better see propaganda. Honestly, I’ve gotten to the point that I don’t trust any media unless I can verify the claim.

Relax, so I’m not so wound up about things. Life shouldn’t be so tense. That’s what caffeine is for.

Create, because I really enjoy it, and because that’s the way that maybe I can change the world. Without distractions, I can crush out a first draft of a post in about an hour. Pounding and sanding the result takes one or two more, and then I gotta add memes. To do any of those things requires attention.

We are the sum of what we spend our attention and effort on. If I’m distracted, I know that I simply won’t have the focus I need in order to make the best decisions. Who, indeed, would like the American public distracted and not paying attention to what exactly is going on in the world?

Smartphones have become weapons of mass distraction. Yet each time we’re distracted by one, it’s the result of a choice. So, why let them win? I’ve got to look forward to 2048, 23 years into the future from now. I imagine Barron Trump will be in his third presidential term by then..."
Full screen recommended.
Steve Cutts, "Are You Lost In The World Like Me?"

Bill Bonner, "Unfinished Business"

"Unfinished Business"
by Bill Bonner

Buenos Aires, Argentina - "Many times in the past, Donald Trump was reportedly ‘finished.’ His many gaffes, faux pas and foibles would have destroyed a lesser figure. But he survived…and grew stronger than ever. And now…once again, the press is running hopeful obituaries. The Washington Post leads with a “It might be falling apart for Trump” headline: "Multiple polls this week showed Trump hitting new lows. His approval rating has been double-digits underwater in surveys from the Pew Research Center (minus-19), Economist-YouGov (-13), Reuters-Ipsos (-11) and now Fox News (-11)."

Trump was already more unpopular at this point in his presidency than any modern president not named Trump; he’s now flirting with falling below where he was at this point in his first term. Perhaps more troublingly for Trump, most of his major policies are even more unpopular than he is.

On Tuesday, the Trade War, the signature policy of the Trump II administration, came to what appeared to be a whimpering end. First, Trump’s Secretary of the Treasury admitted to the whole world that his proposed Liberation Day tariff proposals were “unsustainable.” The trade war was sending Wall Street into a tizzy; the Wall Street Journal ran damning editorials; Republicans were threatening to revolt. Trump had no choice. He had to flip flop. Since then, the Dow has recovered more than 2,000 points. But with no further risk from the Trade War, the foreigners have little incentive to make dramatic changes to their export policies. The Independent:

Trump keeps claiming he’s working on a deal with China. Beijing says that it is all in his mind “There are no negotiations going on with the Trump Administration regarding lowering tariffs between the two countries,” adds the South China Morning Post. Whatever the state of play, the effect will probably enrich the insiders close to the Trump administration and otherwise leave trade much as it was. Mediaite: "Fox Reporter Says the Trump White House Is Giving Wall Street Executives Inside Info on Tariff Negotiations."

Then, on Wednesday, as expected, another key Trump program - the Department of Government Efficiency - bit the dust. Politico: "DOGE loses its biggest advocate as Musk exits Washington."

Elon Musk’s claim that his job in Washington is “mostly done” may calm Tesla shareholders - but his departure could sap the Department of Government Efficiency of its disruptive energy even as it continues to make major cuts to the federal workforce. In an effort to reassure rattled Tesla shareholders after a bruising first-quarter earnings call, Musk told investors this week that his around-the-clock involvement in DOGE will soon be scaled back to just a day or two per week.

The DOGE campaign made no more headway than the trade war. The problem was spending…not how the money was spent. And spending levels are determined by Congress, not by an independent, quasi-governmental agency led by a billionaire. Is there waste and inefficiency that should be cut? Of course, there is. But every penny goes into someone’s pocket, though not always the pocket Congress intended for it to go into. And that pocket almost surely has political connections. Trying to cut the ‘waste’ without the support of Congress was always a fool’s errand.

Musk initially said he would cut $2 trillion from the budget - thereby eliminating the deficit. Then, he said the $2 trillion figure was ‘aspirational;’ it would be more like $1 trillion in savings. Finally, the DOGE website claims $160 billion in savings…most of which is probably illusory. Poor Elon, he didn’t seem to understand what a nasty business he had gotten himself into. And now his cars are scratched. His showrooms are picketed. Tesla’s profits are down 71% and his own fortune diminished almost as much as DOGE claimed to save. For most of us, even a loss of $1 billion would be troubling. Elon has lost $148 billion since January 17th.

The Trump collapse, however, is not limited to Trade Policy and DOGE. A former insider at the Pentagon told Politico that the military had become largely dysfunctional: The last month has been a full-blown meltdown at the Pentagon - and it’s becoming a real problem for the administration. Returning to the budget, the aforementioned Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent, claimed that the Trump administration was trying to wean the economy off government spending so that it would return to the private sector.

Bad news for him! During the first six months of the current fiscal year, deficits already total $1.3 trillion - a figure worse than any since FY 2021, a Covid year with DJT fingerprints all over it. No reciprocal tariffs. No Liberation Day. No DOGE dividend checks. Chaos in the military. And we're still going broke. A normal mortal would probably resign and retire. But is The Donald really finished? Probably not. His real mission remains unaccomplished. Stay tuned."

Jim Kunstler, "Where Things Stand"

"Where Things Stand"
by Jim Kunstler

“In order for a system to be stabIe, it requires 
negative feedback, also known as consequences.” 
- Barrie Drain

Click here to play video.

“Fighting fascism,” for the American Jacobins who lead the Democratic Party, means opposing any attempt to flush the corruption out of the entrenched bureaucracy, just as their pet phrase “our democracy” actually refers to the matrix of grift and despotic activism that drives their political operating system. That is exactly how and why the USAID was so crucial to spread captured taxpayer spoils as NGO salaries for the gender studies grads to play “activist,” so as to inflict their special brand of sadistic power madness over the land — to keep the game going.

Now, USAID is scattered to the winds and all they have left is their installed base of federal judges and the horde of lawfare lawyers who feed them bogus cases to halt the remaining work of Mr. Trump’s executive branch clean-up operation. Remember: Robespierre, leader of the Jacobins in the French Revolution, was a lawyer. Their version of defending “our democracy” in 1793 was the Reign of Terror that sent at least 17,000 political opponents to the guillotine.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD)

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) is the Democrats’ Robespierre. He is promising his own reign of terror when his party recaptures Congress in the 2026 “midterm” election. Norm Eisen is his chief lawyer and legal strategist. His sole aim is recapture power in order to restore the Democrats’ sadistic regime of thought-control and the money-flows that feed it. That’s where things stand for the moment. You can sense how this tension is tending toward something that looks like civil war."

Canadian Prepper, "'Peak Oil' And WW3: Who Is Telling The Truth?"

Full screen recommended.
Canadian Prepper, 4/24/25
"'Peak Oil' And WW3: Who Is Telling The Truth?"
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Thursday, April 24, 2025

"US Economy Heading Into The Abyss; Credit Cards Maxed Out; More Doom Spending"

Jeremiah Babe, 4/24/25
"US Economy Heading Into The Abyss;
 Credit Cards Maxed Out; More Doom Spending"
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"10’s of Millions Americans Face Unthinkable Crisis - Worse Than Pandemic!"

Full screen recommended.
Steven Van Metre, 4/24/25
"10’s of Millions Americans Face Unthinkable Crisis - 
Worse Than Pandemic!"
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Gerald Celente, "Global Chaos: Maniacs In Charge, War Hawks On Parade"

Strong language alert!
Gerald Celente, 4/24/25
"Global Chaos: 
Maniacs In Charge, War Hawks On Parade"
"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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Musical Interlude: Deuter, "Music of the Night: East of The Full Moon"

Deuter, 
"Music of the Night: East of The Full Moon"

"A Look to the Heavens"

“From Sagittarius to Carina, the Milky Way Galaxy shines in this dark night sky above planet Earth’s lush island paradise of Mangaia. Familiar to denizens of the southern hemisphere, the gorgeous skyscape includes the bulging galactic center at the upper left and bright stars Alpha and Beta Centauri just right of center. About 10 kilometers wide, volcanic Mangaia is the southernmost of the Cook Islands. Geologists estimate that at 18 million years old it is the oldest island in the Pacific Ocean.
Of course, the Milky Way is somewhat older, with the galaxy’s oldest stars estimated to be over 13 billion years old. (Editor’s note: This image holds the distinction of being selected as winner in the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition in the Earth and Space category.)“

Chet Raymo, “A Few Words Inspired By The Tomato Plant”

“A Few Words Inspired By The Tomato Plant”
by Chet Raymo

"Mostly we think of life in terms of individuals - this person, this tomato plant, this frog, this oak tree, this gnat. And we talk about birth and death as the beginning and ending of life. But there is another sense in which life is just one thing, whose beginning is lost in the depths of time and whose end is not in sight. Life in this sense embodies itself in matter, temporarily, as a tomato or a frog, puts on matter and puts off matter as we might don or doff clothes. By this account, I am an ephemeral conglomeration of atoms that life is using to perpetuate itself.

But what is this thing called life? It cannot exist except as embodied form, but it maintains a continuity independent of any particular embodiment. It is a strange enduring wave that stirs the material world into purposeful and directed avenues. With Johannes Kepler we might call it the facultas formatrix of nature, the formative faculty, but giving something a name doesn't explain it. Whatever life is - in the unitary, enduring sense - it would be surprising if it only existed here on Earth. If I were a betting man I would bet that life is as pervasive as matter itself, or energy. Matter, energy and complexification. We have lots left to learn.

But let's be cautious. There are lots of folks out there with half-baked biocentric theories of the universe. Someone once chided the philosopher W. V. O. Quine with a quote from Shakespeare: “There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” To which Quine is said to have responded: “Possibly, but my concern is that there not be more things in my philosophy than are in heaven and earth.”

"Never..."

“Never has our future been more unpredictable, never have we depended so much on political forces that cannot be trusted to follow the rules of common sense and self-interest - forces that look like sheer insanity, if judged by the standards of other centuries.”
 - Hannah Arendt, "The Origins of Totalitarianism"
Freely download "The Origins of Totalitarianism" here: