Full screen recommended.
Michael Bordenaro, 2/14/26
"You’re Not Imagining It - Everything Really Is Worse"
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So, we rise from the rubble...
StatCounter
Saturday, February 14, 2026
"8000 Major Stores Closing For Good As Retailer Apocalypse Goes From Bad To Worse"
Full screen recommended.
Epic Economist, 2/14/26
"8000 Major Stores Closing For Good As
Retailer Apocalypse Goes From Bad To Worse"
"The retail crisis that many people dismissed as overblown has now wiped out over 8,000 stores across the United States, and we're only getting started. In this video, we take a closer look at what's really happening in the retail industry in 2026, why so many beloved brands are disappearing, and what it all means for everyday shoppers and workers who are caught in the middle of it all.
Over the past few years, we've watched major retailers file for bankruptcy one after another. Some of them tried to recover. Some of them promised they'd bounce back. But the truth is, many of those brands are now closing their doors for good. Forever 21, Big Lots, Amazon Fresh locations, Francesca's, and even luxury names like Saks Fifth Avenue are either gone or hanging on by a thread. What used to feel like isolated incidents now looks like a full blown collapse that's only picking up speed.
One of the biggest stories this year has been Target. A brand that was once considered the gold standard of affordable, aspirational shopping has fallen behind in ways that are hard to ignore. Messy stores, unhappy employees, layoffs, and a shopping experience that just doesn't feel the same anymore. Target isn't alone in this, but it's become one of the clearest examples of how even the biggest names in retail can lose their way when they stop putting the customer first.
And that's really the core of the problem. The in store shopping experience has deteriorated across the board. Employees are being stretched thin, shelves are understocked, and customer service has become almost nonexistent in many places. Workers are being pressured to sell more to customers who simply don't have the money to spend. It's a frustrating cycle that's pushing more and more people toward online shopping, and it's one of the main reasons why malls across the country are emptying out.
Speaking of malls, the decline of American malls is something we also explore in this video. With anchor stores closing and foot traffic dropping, many malls have become shadows of what they once were. The brands that are thriving right now are the ones offering something different, whether that's the treasure hunt experience of thrift stores and resale platforms or the excitement of brands like Pop Mart. The old model of rows and rows of the same mass produced products just isn't cutting it anymore.
On top of all that, product quality has taken a nosedive. Consumers are paying more than ever and getting less in return. And thanks to social media, people are talking about it openly. They're sharing their experiences, comparing prices, and calling out brands that are cutting corners. That kind of transparency is something the retail industry has never had to deal with before, and it's changing the game completely.
This video is a deep dive into all of these issues and more. If you've noticed changes at your favorite stores or have thoughts about where retail is headed, drop a comment below. We'd love to hear your perspective."
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"US Is One Military Decision Away From A Regional War"
Full screen recommended.
Snyder Reports, 2/14/26
"US Is One Military Decision Away From A Regional War"
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"A Look to the Heavens"
"It’s always nice to get a new view of an old friend. This stunning Hubble Space Telescope image of nearby spiral galaxy M66 is just that. A spiral galaxy with a small central bar, M66 is a member of the Leo Galaxy Triplet, a group of three galaxies about 30 million light years from us. The Leo Triplet is a popular target for relatively small telescopes, in part because M66 and its galactic companions M65 and NGC 3628 all appear separated by about the angular width of a full moon.
The featured image of M66 was taken by Hubble to help investigate the connection between star formation and molecular gas clouds. Clearly visible are bright blue stars, pink ionized hydrogen clouds - sprinkled all along the outer spiral arms, and dark dust lanes in which more star formation could be hiding."
"One Needs To Learn..."
"One of life's best coping mechanisms is to know the difference between an inconvenience and a problem. If you break your neck, if you have nothing to eat, if your house is on fire – then you’ve got a problem. Everything else is an inconvenience. Life is inconvenient. Life is lumpy. A lump in the oatmeal, a lump in the throat and a lump in the breast are not the same kind of lump. One needs to learn the difference."
- Robert Fulghum
"There’s a New Kind of Stress to Living in America"
Full screen recommended.
A Homestead Journey, 2/14/26
"There’s a New Kind of Stress to Living in America"
"There’s a new kind of stress to living in America with the cost of living crisis, inflation in America, rising food prices, middle class decline, economic uncertainty, and financial stress in 2026 are creating a new kind of pressure that Americans feel every single day. Something has shifted. Even people who are working full-time, budgeting carefully, and trying to stay ahead are feeling overwhelmed in ways that didn’t exist just a few years ago. In this video, we talk about the deeper reality behind America’s changing mood. From inflation and housing costs to burnout, debt, layoffs, and the disappearing middle class, many Americans sense that the system is strained. The economy looks stable on the surface, yet families are cutting back, skipping restaurants, delaying major purchases, and preparing quietly.
Why does daily life feel heavier? Why are so many Americans exhausted, anxious, and pulling back? We break down what’s happening beneath the headlines, how the cost of living crisis is reshaping behavior, and why more people are turning toward preparedness, self-sufficiency, frugal living, and financial resilience. If you’ve felt this new kind of stress living in America, you’re not alone. Let’s talk about it."
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“Nine Meals from Anarchy”
“Nine Meals from Anarchy”
by Jeff Thomas
“In 1906, Alfred Henry Lewis stated, “There are only nine meals between mankind and anarchy.” Since then, his observation has been echoed by people as disparate as Robert Heinlein and Leon Trotsky. The key here is that, unlike all other commodities, food is the one essential that cannot be postponed. If there were a shortage of, say, shoes, we could make do for months or even years. A shortage of gasoline would be worse, but we could survive it, through mass transport, or even walking, if necessary.
But food is different. If there were an interruption in the supply of food, fear would set in immediately. And, if the resumption of the food supply were uncertain, the fear would become pronounced. After only nine missed meals, it’s not unlikely that we’d panic and be prepared to commit a crime to acquire food. If we were to see our neighbor with a loaf of bread, and we owned a gun, we might well say, “I’m sorry, you’re a good neighbor and we’ve been friends for years, but my children haven’t eaten today – I have to have that bread – even if I have to shoot you.”
So, let’s have a closer look at the actual food distribution industry, compare it to the present direction of the economy and see whether there might be reason for concern.
The food industry typically operates on very small margins – often below 2%. Traditionally wholesalers and retailers have relied on a two-week turnaround of supply and anywhere up to a 30-day payment plan. But an increasing tightening of the economic system for the last eight years has resulted in a turnaround time of just three days for both supply and payment for many in the industry. This is a system that’s already under sever pressure, and has no further wiggle room should it take significant further hits.
If there were a month where significant inflation took place (say, 3%), all profits would be lost for the month, for both suppliers and retailers, but goods could still be replaced and sold for a higher price next month. But, if there were three or more consecutive months of inflation, the industry would be unable to bridge the gap, even if better conditions were expected to develop in future months. A failure to pay in full for several months would mean smaller orders by those who could not pay. That would mean fewer goods on the shelves. The longer the inflationary trend continued, the more quickly prices would rise to hopefully offset the inflation. And ever-fewer items on the shelves.
From Germany in 1922, to Argentina in 2000, to Venezuela in 2016, this has been the pattern, whenever inflation has become systemic, rather than sporadic. Each month, some stores close, beginning with those that are the most poorly-capitalized. In good economic times, this would mean more business for those stores that were still solvent, but, in an inflationary situation, they would be in no position to take on more unprofitable business. The result is that the volume of food on offer at retailers would decrease at a pace with the severity of the inflation.
However, the demand for food would not decrease by a single loaf of bread. Store closings would be felt most immediately in inner cities, when one closing would send customers to the next neighborhood, seeking food. The real danger would come when that store had also closed and both neighborhoods descended on a third store in yet another neighborhood. That’s when one loaf of bread for every three potential purchasers would become worth killing over. Virtually no one would long tolerate seeing his children go without food because others had “invaded” his local supermarket.
In addition to retailers, the entire industry would be impacted and, as retailers disappeared, so would suppliers, and so on, up the food chain. This would not occur in an orderly fashion, or in one specific area. The problem would be a national one. Closures would be all over the map, seemingly at random, affecting all areas. Food riots would take place, first in the inner cities, then spread to other communities. Buyers, fearful of shortages, would clean out the shelves.
Importantly, it’s the very unpredictability of food delivery that increases fear, creating panic and violence. And, again, none of the above is speculation; it’s an historical pattern – a reaction based upon human nature whenever systemic inflation occurs.
Then… unfortunately… the cavalry arrives. At that point it would be very likely that the central government would step in and issue controls to the food industry that served political needs, rather than business needs, greatly exacerbating the problem. Suppliers would be ordered to deliver to those neighborhoods where the riots were the worst, even if those retailers were unable to pay. This would increase the number of closings of suppliers. Along the way, truckers would begin to refuse to enter troubled neighborhoods and the military might well be brought in to force deliveries to take place.
So what would it take for the above to occur? Well, historically, it has always begun with excessive debt. We know that the debt level is now the highest it has ever been in world history. In addition, the stock and bond markets are in bubbles of historic proportions. They are most certainly popping.
With a crash in the markets, deflation always follows, as people try to unload assets to cover for their losses. The Federal Reserve (and other central banks) has stated that it will unquestionably print as much money as it takes to counter deflation. Unfortunately, inflation has a far greater effect on the price of commodities than assets. Therefore, the prices of commodities will rise dramatically, further squeezing the purchasing power of the consumer, thereby decreasing the likelihood that he will buy assets, even if they’re bargain-priced. Therefore, asset-holders will drop their prices repeatedly, as they become more desperate. The Fed then prints more to counter the deeper deflation and we enter a period when deflation and inflation are increasing concurrently.
Historically, when this point has been reached, no government has ever done the right thing. They have, instead, done the very opposite – keep printing. Food still exists, but retailers shut down because they cannot pay for goods. Suppliers shut down because they’re not receiving payments from retailers. Producers cut production because sales are plummeting.
In every country that has passed through such a period, the government has eventually gotten out of the way, and the free market has prevailed, re-energizing the industry and creating a return to normal. The question is not whether civilization will come to an end. (It will not.) The question is the liveability of a society that is experiencing a food crisis, as even the best of people are likely to panic and become a potential threat to anyone who is known to store a case of soup in his cellar.
Fear of starvation is fundamentally different from other fears of shortages. Even good people panic. In such times, it’s advantageous to be living in a rural setting, as far from the centre of panic as possible. It’s also advantageous to store food in advance that will last for several months, if necessary. However, even these measures are no guarantee, as, today, modern highways and efficient cars make it easy for anyone to travel quickly to where the goods are. The ideal is to be prepared to sit out the crisis in a country that will be less likely to be impacted by dramatic inflation – where the likelihood of a food crisis is low and basic safety is more assured.”
"Grocery Bills Have Tripled - Americans Are Going Bankrupt Buying Food"
Full screen recommended.
Across The States, 2/14/26
"Grocery Bills Have Tripled -
Americans Are Going Bankrupt Buying Food"
"Grocery prices in America are out of control - and this food inflation breakdown explains why your grocery bill feels impossible right now. Here’s the thing… food inflation isn’t just about higher prices on the shelf. In this video, I show how grocery stores are quietly changing package sizes, cutting quality, and shifting costs onto shoppers while the cost of living crisis keeps getting worse for everyday families. What most people miss is how rising grocery prices connect to the labor market, trucking shortages, interest rates, and corporate pricing strategies - not just supply problems. You’ll see how these behind-the-scenes moves are pushing more households toward credit cards, buy-now-pay-later apps, and even food banks just to stay afloat. The reality is that paychecks can’t keep up with basic food costs anymore. We also look at how rural areas and smaller cities are being hit harder than big metro regions - a side of the grocery crisis most reports ignore."
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"The Web Gallery of Art"
"The Web Gallery of Art"
"The Web Gallery of Art is a virtual museum and searchable database of European painting and sculpture of the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassicism, Romanticism and Realism periods (1100-1850), currently containing over 52,867 reproductions. It was started in 1996 as a topical site of the Renaissance art, originated in the Italian city-states of the 14th century and spread to other countries in the 15th and 16th centuries. Intending to present Renaissance art as comprehensively as possible, the scope of the collection was later extended to show its Medieval roots as well as its evolution to Baroque and Rococo via Mannerism. More recently the periods of Neoclassicism and Romanticism were also included.
The collection has some of the characteristics of a virtual museum. The experience of the visitors is enhanced by guided tours helping to understand the artistic and historical relationship between different works and artists, by period music of choice in the background and a free postcard service. At the same time the collection serves the visitors' need for a site where various information on art, artists and history can be found together with corresponding pictorial illustrations. Although not a conventional one, the collection is a searchable database supplemented by a glossary containing articles on art terms, relevant historical events, personages, cities, museums and churches.
The Web Gallery of Art is intended to be a free resource of art history primarily for students and teachers. It is a private initiative not related to any museums or art institutions, and not supported financially by any state or corporate sponsors. However, we do our utmost, using authentic literature and advice from professionals, to ensure the quality and authenticity of the content.
We are convinced that such a collection of digital reproductions, containing a balanced mixture of interlinked visual and textual information, can serve multiple purposes. On one hand it can simply be a source of artistic enjoyment; a convenient alternative to visiting a distant museum, or an incentive to do just that. On the other hand, it can serve as a tool for public education both in schools and at home."
For those so inclined, this is a treasure trove of material. Enjoy!
"Luminarium"
"Luminarium"
“I have undertaken a labor, a labor out of love for the world, and to comfort noble hearts: those that I hold dear, and the world to which my heart goes out. Not the common world do I mean, of those who (as I have heard) cannot bear grief and desire but to bathe in bliss. (May God then let them dwell in bliss!) Their world and manner of life my tale does not regard: it's life and mine lie apart. Another world do I hold in mind, which bears together in one heart its bitter sweetness and its dear grief, its heart's delight and its pain of longing, dear life and sorrowful death, dear death and sorrowful life. In this world let me have my world, to be damned with it, or to be saved.”
- Gottfried Von Strassburg
"A comprehensive anthology and guide to English literature of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Seventeenth Century, Restoration and Eighteenth Century. This site combines several sites first created in 1996 to provide a starting point for students and enthusiasts of English Literature. Nothing replaces a quality library, but hopefully this site will help fill the needs of those who have not access to one.
Luminarium is the labor of love of Anniina Jokinen. The site is not affiliated with any institution nor is it sponsored by anyone other than its maintainer and the contributions of its visitors through revenues from book sales via Amazon.com, poster sales via All Posters, and advertising via Google AdSense.
For all materials, authorities in a given subject are consulted. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, The Encyclopaedia Britannica, and The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English are some of the general reference works consulted for accuracy of dates and details. Many of the materials collected here reside elsewhere. Quality and accuracy are concerns, and all materials are checked regularly. However, "Luminarium" cannot be held responsible for materials residing on other sites. Corrections and suggestions for improvements are encouraged from the visitors.
The site started in early 1996. I remember looking for essays to spark an idea for a survey class I was taking at the time. It seemed that finding study materials online was prohibitively difficult and time-consuming - there was no all-encompassing site which could have assisted me in my search. I started the site as a public service, because I myself had to waste so much time as a student, trying to find anything useful or interesting. There were only a handful of sites back then (read: Internet Dark Ages) and I could spend hours on search engines, looking for just a few things. I realized I must not be the only one in the predicament and started a simple one-page site of links to Middle English Literature. That page was soon followed by a Renaissance site.
Gradually it became obvious that the number of resources was ungainly for such a simple design. It was then that the multi-page "Medlit" and "Renlit" pages were created, around July 1996. That structure is still the same today. In September 1996, I started creating the "Sevenlit" site, launched in November. I realized the need to somehow unite all three sites, and that led to the creation of Luminarium. I chose the name, which is Latin for "lantern," because I wanted the site to be a beacon of light in the darkness. It was also befitting for a site containing authors considered "luminaries" of English literature."
"Internet Sacred Text Archive"
"About Sacred Texts"
"All ancient books which have once been called sacred by man, will have their lasting place in the history of mankind, and those who possess the courage, the perseverance, and the self-denial of the true miner, and of the true scholar, will find even in the darkest and dustiest shafts what they are seeking for, - real nuggets of thought, and precious jewels of faith and hope."
- Max Müller, "Introduction to the Upanishads" Vol. II.
"This site is a freely available archive of electronic texts about religion, mythology, legends and folklore, and occult and esoteric topics. Texts are presented in English translation and, where possible, in the original language.
This site has no particular agenda other than promoting religious tolerance and scholarship. Views expressed at this site are solely those of specific authors, and are not endorsed by sacred-texts. Sacred-texts is not sponsored by any religious group or organzation.
Sacred texts went live on March 9th, 1999. The traffic started to increase when sacred-texts was listed at Yahoo! under 'Society and Religion|Texts'. In its first year of operation sacred-texts had about a quarter million hits. By 2004, it was receiving well over a quarter million hits per day.
Today, site traffic often exceeds a million hits a day. Sacred texts is one of the top 20,000 sites on the web based on site traffic, consistently one of the top 10,000 sites in Australia, the US and India, and is one of the top 5 most visited general religion sites (source: Alexa.com).
The texts presented here are either original scans from books and articles clearly in the public domain, material which has been presented elsewhere on the Internet, or material included under fair use conditions in printed anthologies.
Many of the texts included here were originally posted in ftp archives or on bulletin boards before the growth of the World Wide Web and have been lost. In some cases, the texts were posted in such a form as to make them unusable by non-technically oriented users. Some of these texts were on the web at some point but have completely disappeared because the site they were posted on has closed. Thus the need for an archive which organizes this material in a persistent location.
From the start, we have had a special focus on remedying the under-representation of traditional cultures on the Internet. The site has one of the largest collections of transcriptions of complete books on Native American, Pacific, African, Asian and other traditional people's religion, spiritual practices, mythology and folklore. While many of these pre-20th century books are flawed due to orientalist or colonialist biases, they are also eye-witness accounts by reliable observers, typically at the moment of contact. These texts are crucial to the study of tribal traditions, and in many cases, the only link with the past. Locked up in academic libraries for decades, sacred-texts has made them freely accessible anywhere in the world.
We have scanned hundreds of books which have all been made freely accessible to the world. A comprehensive bibliography of the texts scanned at sacred texts is available here.
We welcome email regarding typographical or factual errors in any file at sacred-texts. Please write us if you spot an error; include the URL and a few lines of context so we can pin down the location.
While all due care has been taken in the reproduction of the texts here, none of the texts or translations here are represented to be sanctioned by any particular religious body or institution. We welcome advice as to errors of fact or transcription.
Some of the material here may be copyrighted. It is our hope that the copyright holders may allow these texts to be posted here in the public interest. If you are the copyright holder of record of a text which you believe has been archived at this site in error, please contact us at the email address listed at the bottom of this page. We have made a good-faith effort to determine the provenance of each text and apologize if we have posted a text in error. Note: If you are requesting the removal of a file, you must be the copyright holder of the file, and you must specify the exact URL of the file.”
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Fabulous, an absolute treasure trove! Enjoy!
"Golden Disobedience"
"Golden Disobedience"
By Sandy Sandfort
"Inertia is a human frailty. Too often, we go along to get along. We conform. Because of this, those who claim authority can get most of us to do their bidding if it comes with a plausible justification and is only incremental. We get nickel-and-dimed to death, the death of a thousand cuts.
Back on April 5, 1933, His Majesty, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), had a pen and a telephone. So he issued Executive Order 6102, which made it a federal crime for Americans to own or trade gold anywhere in the world. There were some minor exceptions for some jewelry, industrial uses, collectors’ coins, and dental gold, but the vast majority of the gold had to be turned in.
My father instantly understood what was going on and he didn’t like it. “They’re going to devalue the dollar!” he predicted. Roosevelt didn’t give much time to comply either. The deadline was May 1. And if Americans did not comply, they faced criminal prosecution under the Trading with the Enemy Act of 1917. Scofflaws were looking at a fine of up to $10,000 (1933 dollars, about a third of a million dollars today) and up to ten years in prison.
My parents made the conscious decision to become outlaws. At every possible opportunity for the next three weeks (and substantially longer), my parents followed Gresham’s law (“Bad money drives out good.”), not federal law. They spent paper and collected gold. My father was a dentist, so he could own some dental gold, but that wasn’t enough. He wanted to covert as much paper into gold as possible. So he gave his patients discounts for payment in gold. “Sam,” a neighbor who was a banker, also helped collect gold for himself and my parents. They would repay his help later when they periodically ‘laundered’ gold for him and themselves.
Even after the deadline, gold still kept coming in. Mostly it was from people who didn’t have the time or the inclination to turn in their gold to the government. However, many feared prosecution and were happy to deal with my parents instead of FDR. Plus they got a better deal.
So where did they launder their tidy little nest egg? Why, “South of the Border, Down Mexico Way,” of course. Mexico had no Executive Order 6102. My mother was born in the mountains above Albuquerque, New Mexico, and spoke fluent Spanish. She and my father loved traveling though the backwaters of Mexico. At first, they traveled alone, and later, after my brother and I came along, the whole family (including the dog) would go exploring in the land of mañana. (Somewhere there is a picture of me, age one, sitting on a portable potty, experiencing my first-ever bout with “Montezuma’s revenge.”)
My parents carried whatever gold they intended to sell, stashed in the car or on their person. The usual routine was to go to the section of town where casas de cambio were found. (Think of it as the “Street of the Money Changers.”) My mother – all 5’1” of her – would go down the street and show a gold double eagle to every money changer at every kiosk and storefront. In Spanish, she would ask, “How much will you pay for these?” When she found the best price, she would give my father the high sign. He would join her and they would conclude the deal. Sometimes the gold was theirs, sometimes, Sam’s. Sometimes they got pesos and sometimes dollars, depending on what they needed at the time. So, the ‘illicit’ gold paid for a fun trip and got converted to ‘clean’ funds for themselves and Sam. What’s the crime in that?
And the Beat Goes On…My family never showed much respect for government laws, per se. No victim, no crime, even if the government disagreed. The general ethical belief of the Sandfort family was pretty much in harmony with the Golden Rule. It had worked for cultures and religions for thousands of years and it worked for us. That was our law. Man-made laws either adhere to the Golden Rule (don’t murder people, duh) and so are unnecessary, or they violate it, such as “The War on (Some) Drugs,” so they were nominally complied with, ignored, or circumvented.
So, when wartime laws said that a seller had to follow certain rationing rules to sell his own products, many buyers and sellers simply conspired to make their own decisions. When my parents needed and could afford a new car for business, the local Chevy dealer was happy to ‘cook the books,’ take their money, and give them a new sedan.
Later, when my family traveled in that car and others, my mother would prepare food for us to eat as we drove. We stopped only for gas… and the agricultural inspection station at the California state line. Of course, we had items that we were required by law to declare, but if you hide them in your backpack or under the car seat and lie, you can save a lot of time and keep from having to throw away perfectly good food.
And then there was the time we smuggled a live Mexican iguana in a cigar box, but don’t get me started…"
"Burnout"
"Burnout"
by Charles Hugh Smith
"At least once a year, I completely burn out: exhausted, I no longer have the energy or will to care about anything but the bare minimum for survival. Everything not essential for survival gets jettisoned or set aside. This goes with the territory if you're trying to accomplish a lot of things that are intrinsically complex and open-ended - for example, running a business, being a parent, juggling college, work, family, community commitments, etc.
I am confident many if not most of you have experienced burnout due to being overwhelmed by open-ended, inherently complex commitments.
I don't think burnout is limited to individuals. I think entire organizations and institutions can experience burnout, especially organizations devoted to caring for others or those facing long odds of fulfilling their core purpose. I even think entire nations can become exhausted by the effort of keeping up appearances or navigating endless crises. At that point, the individuals and institutions of the nation just go through the motions of coping rather than continue the struggle. Perhaps Venezuela is a current example.
I have long suspected that in many ways America is just going through the motions. John Michael Greer (the Archdruid) has brilliantly described a process he calls catabolic collapse, which I would characterize as the stairstep-down of overly complex, costly systems as participants react to crises by resetting to a lower level of complexity and consumption.
Just as ecosystems have intrinsic carrying capacities, so too do individual humans and human systems. When our reach exceeds our grasp, and the costs of complexity exceed the carrying capacity of the underlying systems, then we have to move down to a lower level of complexity and lower cost-structure/energy consumption.
This sounds straightforward enough, but it isn't that easy in real life. We can't offload our kids and downsize to part-time parenting or magically reduce the complexities of operating a small business (or two). These tasks are intrinsically open-ended. Reductions in stress and complexity such as quitting a demanding job (and earning one-third of our former salary) require long years of trimming and planning.
So what can we do to work through burnout? Since I'm designed to over-commit myself, burnout is something I've dealt with since my late teens. I like to think I'm getting better at managing it, but this is probably illusory. (It may be one of those cases where the illusion is useful because it's positive and hopeful.) I find these responses helpful:
1. Reduce whatever complexity can be reduced. Even something as simple as making a pot of chili or soup to eat for a few days (minimizing daily meal prep) helps. Reduce interactions and transactions.
2. Daily walks - two a day if possible. If there is any taken-for-granted magic in daily life (other than sleep, dreaming and playing music), it's probably walking - especially if you let your mind wander rather than keep working.
3. More naps, more sleep.
4. Avoid the temptations of overly fatty/sweet/carbo comfort food, digital distractions, etc.
5. Keep to positive routines (stretching, walking, etc.), no matter how tired and down you feel.
6. Set aside time to play your musical instrument of choice, preferably improvisation rather than practice.
7. Do whatever calms your mind, even if it requires effort.
8. Do stuff you enjoy and set aside as much of the stuff you actively dislike doing as possible.
9. Set aside solitary time to "do nothing." Lowering the barriers raised by conscious effort, focus and thought may well be critical to our well-being.
This is one conclusion from research cited by Sherry Turkel in "Scientific American": "For the first time in the history of our species, we are never alone and never bored. Have we lost something fundamental about being human?"
I think the answer is an unequivocal yes. Our minds need periods of solitude, aimless wandering (i.e. boredom), time to integrate thoughts and feelings, time to question things and time for introspection. Without these restorative periods, we end up just going through the motions, on an autopilot setting of keeping overly complex lives and systems duct-taped together. This leads to burnout, and eventually to some measure of catabolic collapse/system reset.”
Related:
"One Question..."
"There's only one question that matters, and it's the one you never get around to asking. People are capable of varying degrees of truth. The majority spend their entire lives fabricating an elaborate skein of lies, immersing themselves in the faith of bad faith, doing whatever it takes to feel safe. The person who truly lives has precious few moments of safety, learns to thrive in any kind of storm. It's the truth you can stare down stone-cold that makes you what you are. Weak or strong. Live or die. Prove yourself. How much truth can you take?"
- Karen Marie Moning
"How 99% of Humanity Pays to Be Enslaved"
Full screen recommended.
The Psyche, 2/14/26
"How 99% of Humanity Pays to Be Enslaved"
"Most people believe they are free…but what if that belief is the greatest illusion of all? In this video, we dive into one of the most uncomfortable truths about modern society: 99% of humanity is unknowingly paying - financially, emotionally, and psychologically - to remain enslaved. From invisible economic systems to cultural conditioning, from consumer identity to mental programming, this video uncovers the hidden mechanisms that shape human behavior without our awareness. Throughout history, philosophers like Plato, Foucault, Jung, Huxley, Rousseau, and Krishnamurti have warned us about invisible forms of control. Today, these mechanisms are more sophisticated than ever - and most people defend them without realizing why. This is not just a video - it is an invitation to self-awareness, inner liberation, and conscious living. If you have ever felt that something in society is deeply wrong…if you sense that life should be more than routine, pressure, and survival…if you are on a journey of awakening…This video will speak directly to you. The final revelation may change the way you see the world forever."
Comments here:
"It's Over: $34 Trillion Collapse: Ray Dalio's Final Warning To America"
Full screen recommended.
Finance Expert, 2/14/26
"It's Over: $34 Trillion Collapse:
Ray Dalio's Final Warning To America"
"Ray Dalio has issued a terrifying warning: The US Empire is in the late stage of the "Big Debt Cycle" and we have only 18 months left before a historic financial reset. In this video, we expose why the US government paying $1.1 Trillion in interest is the signal to exit the dollar. We break down Dalio's "Holy Grail" portfolio and the only 4 investments that will survive the coming stagflation: Gold, Commodities, International Markets, and Innovation. We analyze why the 60/40 portfolio is a death trap in 2026 and how the "Bond Vigilantes" are forcing the Fed to print money. From the weaponization of the dollar to the rise of the BRICS nations, we cover the geopolitical shifts the media ignores. If you hold cash, bonds, or S&P 500 index funds, you need to understand why "Cash is Trash" and how to diversify into hard assets before capital controls lock you in. Learn how to protect your wealth with the strategies of the world's largest hedge fund."
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"US Debt Clock, Real Time"
Full screen recommended.
"We're so freakin' doomed!"
- The Mogambo Guru
Dan, I Allegedly, "The Great Rip Off - Homes, Cars & Your Money"
Full screen recommended.
Dan, I Allegedly, 2/14/26
"The Great Rip Off -
Homes, Cars & Your Money"
"In today’s episode of I Allegedly, we break down how everyday Americans are getting ripped off from every direction. From a California homeowner losing a $1.5 million property to sophisticated fraud, to double-escrow scams that funded two fake loans on the same condo, the system is being exploited in ways most people never imagined. We also cover a Colorado dealership that sold 48 vehicles without proper titles, leaving buyers stuck with cars they legally can’t drive. These aren’t isolated cases - they’re warning signs. Meanwhile, inflation may be “cooling” on paper, but try buying groceries, meat, or a combo meal and tell me things are affordable. Cable companies are bleeding customers, people are cutting back everywhere, and even privacy is disappearing with AI traffic cameras scanning inside your vehicle. The question is simple: are we being protected - or are we being played? Watch this before you make your next financial decision"
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"It's Getting Ugly Fast! Debt Defaults are Surging"
Full screen recommended.
Michael Bordenaro, 2/14/26
"It's Getting Ugly Fast! Debt Defaults are Surging"
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"Iran Feeling Its Oats"
"Iran Feeling Its Oats"
by William Schryver
"Former UK ambassador and intelligence officer Alastair Crooke, on Geopolitika, writes as follows: "Over the past two weeks, two important messages were conveyed to Iran, both of which were rejected. One came from the U.S. and the other from Israel. The former was: “We [the U.S.] will carry out a limited attack and you should accept it; or at least, give only a symbolic response.” Tehran rejected this request, saying that it would consider any attack to mark the beginning of a full-scale war.
Israel’s message, delivered through one of the various mediators, was: “We will not participate in the American attack.” It asked Iran therefore, to not target Israel. This request also met with a negative response, together with the explicit clarification that were the U.S. to commence military action, Israel would be immediately attacked. In parallel, Iran informed all states in the region that any attack launched from their territory or airspace, would result in an Iranian attack on whomsoever facilitated such U.S. military action."
These reports are actually quite astounding, for not only do they parallel perfectly what happened in the final 48 hours of the 12-Day War, but they reveal a profound degree of self-doubt and hesitation percolating in Washington and Tel Aviv. The Pentagon and the Israel Defense Forces are coming face to face with something I have been shouting from the house tops for several years now: There are no easy wars left to fight.
And, contrary to the perceptions of most Americans and others around the world, making war against Iran in its own backyard here in 2026 is all but certain to produce disastrous results for both the US and Israel - and has pronounced potential to spark a regional war, spiral out of control, and ultimately draw in Russia, China, and North Korea.
In any case, it must be understood that, in firmly rejecting US/Israel demands, Iran is effectively dictating terms - and this strongly confirms what many of us have argued since last summer: Iran was the clear winner of the 12-Day War. Israel knows it, the US knows it, and Iran knows it. If the reports above are more or less accurate, then it is undeniably evident that Washington is angling for an exit from this march to madness.
But, given that the Iranians are now dictating the terms of that exit and will not agree to a reprise of the orchestrated Operation Midnight Hammer, and its fictitious B-2 bunker-busting strike, and given the massive concentration of American military power in the region, and given the huge investment in menacing bravado Trump has already made in this ill-conceived adventure, war may now be unavoidable."
Friday, February 13, 2026
"Alert!: Nuclear Strike Carrier on Move, 600 Warplanes, 150 Cargo Planes, THAAD! Total War Brewing!"
Full screen recommended.
Prepper News, 2/13/26
"Alert!: Nuclear Strike Carrier on Move, 600 Warplanes,
150 Cargo Planes, THAAD! Total War Brewing!"
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o
A comment: One Iranian hypersonic missile, with a range of 11,000 miles and travelling at 17,000 MPH, tracked, targeted and precisely guided by Russian and Chinese advanced surveillance satellites, would destroy the flight deck of this carrier - nothing could take off or land, rendering this a defenselessly floating sitting-duck bullseye for an Iranian missile swarm which will rapidly sink it. There is no defense against this, and nowhere to hide...
Judge Napolitano, "INTEL Roundtable w/Johnson & McGovern: Weekly Wrap 13-Feb. (Fri. the 13th!)"
Judge Napolitano - Judging Freedom, 2/13/26
"INTEL Roundtable w/Johnson & McGovern:
Weekly Wrap 13-Feb. (Fri. the 13th!)"
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"Larry C. Johnson & Col. Larry Wilkerson, 2/13/26
"Russia + Iran + China:
War Shield That Changes the World"
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Danny Haiphong, 2/13/26
"Alexander Mercouris: Iran & Russia Flip
Trump's War Ultimatum into Stunning Victory"
"Alexander Mercouris of The Duran joined the show to discuss the bunker buster bombshell dropped by Iran and how both reverse engineering of this weapon and the conflict between the surging Iran-Russia partnership and the Trump administration has already led to massive losses set to get worse."
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o
Full screen recommended.
Money Over History, 2/13/26
"Iran's Trap: America’s New
$13 Billion Carrier Was a Huge Mistake"
"America’s $13 Billion Mistake in the Middle East could cost the world $200 per barrel in oil. The USS Gerald Ford has been deployed, but is it walking into Iran’s trap in the Strait of Hormuz? In this video, we break down the hidden financial war behind the military buildup. While the world watches the aircraft carriers, a silent economic weapon is being loaded that could crash the global economy. Is the US Navy ready for a conflict where missiles aren't the only threat? We analyze the potential blockade, the impact on oil prices, and why this deployment might be a historic blunder."
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