Harare, Zimbabwe. Thanks for stopping by!
So, we rise from the rubble...
Tuesday, November 28, 2023
"Fate. Luck. Chance."
“That is life, isn’t it? Fate. Luck. Chance. A long series of what-if’s that lead from one moment to the next, time never pausing for you to catch your breath, to make sense of the cards that have been handed to you. And all you can do is play your cards and hope for the best, because in the end, it all comes back to those three basics. Fate. Luck. Chance.”
- Kelseyleigh Reber
“Unless, of course, there’s no such thing as chance… in which case, we should either - optimistically - get up and cheer, because if everything is planned in advance, then we all have a meaning and are spared the terror of knowing ourselves to be random, without a why; or else, of course, we might - as pessimists - give up right here and now, understanding the futility of thought-decision-action, since nothing we think makes any difference anyway, things will be as they will. Where, then, is optimism? In fate or in chaos?”
- Salman Rushdie
"One Step Away From the Biggest Oil Shock in History"
"One Step Away From the Biggest Oil Shock in History"
by Nick Giambruno
"The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow strip of water that links the Persian Gulf to the rest of the world. It’s the world’s single-most important energy corridor, and there’s no alternative route. Five of the world’s top 10 oil-producing countries—Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait - border the Persian Gulf, as does Qatar, the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter. The Strait of Hormuz is their only sea route to the open ocean… and world markets. At its narrowest point, the space available for shipping lanes is just 3.2 kilometers wide.
According to the US Energy Information Administration, more than 40% of global oil exports (around 21 million barrels) transit the Strait daily. That’s more than $1.5 billion worth of oil every day. And that’s not considering the immense amount of LNG - about 33% of the world’s daily LNG exports - and other goods transiting the Strait.
It’s hard to overstate the importance of the Strait of Hormuz to the global economy. If someone were to disrupt the Strait, it would cause immediate global economic chaos as energy prices skyrocket. Thanks to its commanding geography and expertise in unconventional and asymmetric warfare, Iran can shut down the Strait, and there’s not much anyone can do about it. It’s Iran’s geopolitical trump card.
Analysts believe it would take weeks for the US military to reopen it, but nobody really knows if it would ultimately be successful. The Millennium Challenge 2002 war game suggests it wouldn’t be. Military strategists have known about this situation for decades. But no one has found a realistic way to neutralize Iran’s power over the Strait. Iran has been crystal clear that it will close the Strait in the case Israel or the US attacks it. In other words, Iran holds a knife to the throat of the global economy.
The US has sought to overthrow the Iranian government since the 1979 Revolution - for over 40 years. Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz has always served as a big deterrent to US regime change ambitions and invasion plans. Now, Iran and the US are headed toward a confrontation that will almost certainly disrupt the Strait.
The potential outbreak of an enormous regional war in the Middle East, with the prospect of the destruction of Israel and the collapse of the petrodollar system, could force the US to act against Iran this time. If war breaks out between the US and Iran - an increasingly likely outcome - I have no doubt that Iran will close the Strait of Hormuz. To call that a severe oil supply disruption would be a major understatement.
Consider this…During the first oil shock in 1973, about 5 million barrels were removed from the global oil market. Daily global oil production was approximately 56 million barrels per day at the time, which means about 9% of the supply vanished.
Oil prices roughly quadrupled. During the second oil shock in 1979, about 4 million barrels were removed from the global oil market. Daily global oil production was approximately 67 million barrels per day at the time, which means about 6% of the supply vanished.
Oil prices nearly tripled. During the third oil shock in 1990, about 4.3 million barrels were removed from the global oil market. Daily global oil production was approximately 66 million barrels per day at the time, which means about 7% of the supply vanished. Oil prices more than doubled.
If Iran were to shut down the Strait of Hormuz, it would remove a whopping 21 million barrels of oil from the global market. Today, global oil production is approximately 94 million barrels per day, which means about 22% of the worldwide oil supply could disappear. As we can see in the chart below, it would be the largest oil supply shock the world has ever seen… by far.
If war with Iran proceeds and Tehran closes the Strait of Hormuz, I think the effect on the price of oil will be at least as severe as it was during the 1973 oil shock, which saw oil prices go up 4x. A similar move today could see oil prices above $300 a barrel. However, I consider that a conservative estimate because closing the Strait of Hormuz would cause a much larger supply shock than the 1973 OPEC oil embargo. I think the market doesn’t appreciate how close we are to a war with Iran and the implications of it. The oil price has barely moved despite the imminent danger to supplies.
We haven’t returned to pre-2014 levels yet, let alone the 2008 peak of over $140 per barrel. But this anomaly in the oil market is a blessing because it’s handing us a golden opportunity with oil stocks. I’m certainly not cheering for war. I despise war, which is the health of the State. Regardless, a big war is highly likely, with significant implications that would be foolish to ignore."
Bill Bonner, "Revolt of the Masses II"
"Revolt of the Masses II"
The empire's edges tear and fray in
a fiery clash of cultures and ideas...
by Bill Bonner
Youghal, Ireland - "A rhythmic chant…savages bedaubed with paint…feathers in their hair…and scalps at their waists…They dance wildly around a fire, as if under the spell of a demon…or a god. Perhaps they are celebrating the capture of new slaves…perhaps they are preparing their captives for a feast…at which, they are the main course…Or maybe they are just celebrating a change in the seasons….making a plea for rain…an appeal to the stars…the forces of nature over which they have no control…But wait…these savages are us…
We are looking at ourselves. Perhaps not as we would like to be. Certainly not as the elite would want us to be. But we are not clay…to be molded by 21st century policy makers and influencers. Instead, we were shaped by millions of years of trial and error…and fired in a white-hot oven of episodic disaster – famine, war, drought, flood, cold and pestilence. The results – the cracked pots – are all around us.
Hooligans and Miscreants: Last week, here in Ireland, we saw the mischief we humans get up to, from time to time. The Washington Examiner. "Irish police have arrested 34 people for participating in riots that broke out after an Algerian-born immigrant stabbed five people, including three children."
Prosecuting those who broke the law, including the Algerian immigrant who stabbed five people, should have been the end of the matter. But the Irish government is sensitive about the fact that their immigration policies, which have led to almost 20% of the country’s population being foreign-born, are unpopular. The pace of mass migration has been particularly dramatic in Ireland, with almost half of all migrants in the country entering in just the past five years.
The rioters are easily dismissed as hooligans and miscreants. But is that all there is to it? Is it just about immigration? Does anger increase, until the riff-raff erupts…or the ‘deplorables’ vote for Geert Wilders or Donald Trump? That’s what the press and the politicians tell us. In the simpleminded approach of the propaganda press, immigration = good; those who oppose it = bad.
Unmentionable Origins: The Financial Times, a reliable mouthpiece for the global elite, was quick to see the challenge. In the Netherlands, Geert Wilders won a solid victory by running for Prime Minister with an anti-immigrant message. His “victory is a warning for Europe,” says the FT. A warning of what? The FT: "…a political earthquake…[Wilders’] success will embolden other anti-immigration, Eurosceptic populists who are hoping for big gains in European parliamentary elections in June…" That is, politicians might begin to care what the masses really think!
The Prime Minister of Ireland (Taoiseach), however, hopes they don’t think at all. He intends to use the riot as an opportunity to crack down on ‘hate speech.’ Rather than address the problem, he proposes to make it unlawful to say anything about it.
Already, the press here in Ireland goes to great lengths to avoid mentioning that the person who set off the Dublin riots was an immigrant. Here, as in the US and most of Europe, the elites in the government as well as those in the media, regard it as unthinkable that immigrants could pose a problem. Giving his immigration status would be like reporting that he was overweight or liked chocolate pudding – totally irrelevant.
But immigration is a problem. And not the only one. The Western Elites have created a very uncomfortable and unsustainable world. Their governments spew out ‘printing press money’ and are almost all going broke – rapidly building up more debt than they can service, let alone pay. They are also setting much of the rest of the world against them – the “Global South,” the BRICS – with their financial sanctions and high-handed military policies. Their ‘green agenda’ too, along with immigration, debt and petty-fogging regulation, almost guarantee that younger generations of native-born citizens will not enjoy the same freedom and prosperity as their parents.
The Frayed Edges of Empire: We count on our civilized elite to guide us away from our primitive instincts to a more enlightened world. And we expect our democracies to enable the wisdom of the masses to (eventually) express itself. But what if politicians were beholden to big money lobbyists rather than the voters who elect them? And what if they were just rigging the system to suit themselves and their sponsors?
Since WWII, ‘The West’ led the world. The West was led by America. And America was led by its elites. While pretending to do good, these elites actually did very well for themselves. The rich got richer and richer. By contrast, since what the French call the “the 30 glorious years” – the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s – the working classes have made little material progress.
Insisting on obedience, the elites stirred up wars and caused misery at the edges of the empire. Nicaragua, Honduras, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Serbia, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Ukraine, Israel – the wars seemed endless and senseless. Millions of people died. While millions more refugees – immigrants – sought a better life in Europe and America.
Western elites – particularly in the US – profited by selling firepower to keep the wars going. Then, a tide of immigrants lowered wage costs…leading to higher profits for elite capitalists. They own the assembly lines; they don’t work on them. The new immigrants competed for jobs – but not with the elite, whose jobs at the top were generally safe from foreign competition.
New refugees needed housing too. But they didn’t put the rich out on the streets; they competed for housing mainly in the marginal neighborhoods, not the good ones. And finally, immigrants vote, as soon as they are able. And whom do they vote for? Do we have to ask? Yes, they vote for the elites who favor further immigration. But wait. This is not just about immigration. It’s about the Revolt of the Masses. Stay tuned…"
Dan, I Allegedly, "Wendies Out Of Business? Ransomware Attacks - No Water or Money Access?"
Full screen recommended.
Dan, I Allegedly, AM 11/28/23
"Wendies Out Of Business?
Ransomware Attacks - No Water or Money Access?"
"The financial world is reeling from ransomware attacks, with critical infrastructure and companies like Loan Care and Fidelity National falling victim. Plus, the looming threat of more businesses closing their doors by the end of 2023 With this economy, we are seeing businesses that have been around for decades closing. Insiders tell all."
Comments here:
Jim Kunstler, "An Alt Christmas Carol"
"An Alt Christmas Carol"
by Jim Kunstler
“You can start being normal and stop being
unhinged anytime you want. Try it. I dare you.”
- Aimee Terese on X
"The White House, Christmas Eve, 2023. Imagine the painfully lugubrious scene…“Joe Biden” rattles around in the upstairs “residence” like a BB in a packing crate. Nobody is around besides a few secret service agents, so still at their posts they might as well be statuary. The Big Guy is all alone. His spouse, Dr. Jill, had enough of pretend caretaking quite a while ago, and flew off to Oprah’s place in Santa Barbara for counseling and commiseration. Hunter is Gawd-knows-where doing Gawd-knows-what.
“JB” shuffles out of the residence kitchen, where he just demolished a half gallon of Ben & Jerry’s Americone Dream® ice cream, against his doctor’s orders. His gall bladder writhes in revolt, sending a distress signal up the vagus nerve to the shriveled hypothalamus in his brain. A jumbled fugue of emotions - rage, fear, sexual arousal - quickens his step as he navigates by dead reckoning to the executive bedroom where he hurries to bed and falls into leaden slumber - only to be awakened by a cacophony of ringing bells. His eyelids roll open like shades in the windows of a skid row hotel room. Plangent moaning resounds as a mist emerges through the bedroom door and resolves into a mysterious figure garbed in the raiment of the Ku Klux Klan.
“Joe Biden” shrinks under the luxury Boll & Branch signature duvet - acquired when the agriculture minister of Ukraine slipped him an envelope stuffed with 100 hryvnia notes. The spirit wails something that resembles the old Confederate anthem Eatin’ Goober Peas.
“Who are you spirit?” the quaking president asks.
“Why, I am your old pard from the Senate,” the ghost of Robert Byrd declares, removing the pointed hood to reveal his leonine head of hair and scowling face. “Why have you thrown our sacred borders wide open, suh? I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels.”
“Y-y-you don’t uh-uh-understand,” “JB” says, his childhood stutter returning. “They are muh-muh-migrants from oppression and vuh-vuh-very fine people.”
“Fine people, my ass,” the former Senator from West Virginia cries and clears the dust of the sepulcher from his throat. “I will send three spirits to you this night as a review of what has been and what shall become, so beware….” And with that the spirit returns to mist and slips back out through the keyhole. . . .
“Joe Biden” is shocked from slumber again as an attractive blond female ghost floats through the bedroom window.
“Don’t I know you?” he asks.
“Cad! That is the very line you used to pick me up on spring break in Nassau, 1966,” says “JB’s” first wife, Neilia Hunter. “Shall I show you the meretricious spectacle you made of our family after that truck driver on Limestone Road ended my life and your little daughter’s too!”
“No-o-o-o-o,” the president moans, but is magically transported to the Wilmington Hospital room where his banged-up boys, Beau and Hunter, are recovering from their injuries. A TV crew is present as “JB” emotes for the camera, a cruel victim of fate, he blubbers, who will yet conquer his grief and go on to forty years of electoral victories and the sedulous gathering of tribute from “donors” far and wide to soften the blow of his loss. The room dims….
He wakes up startled to a thunderation of rap music. An African American giant sits on a gilded throne with a 40 oz bottle of Colt 45 in one huge hand and a little glass pipe smoldering at his lips. “JB” isn’t sure who this is.
“Is that you, Corn Pop?” he asks.
“Corn Pop, my ass. Don’t you remember me, George Floyd?”
“Oh, that boy who -”
“Boy…!” the ghost fumes. “Get yo’ cracker ass out da bed, right now, and put your limp little privileged paw in my hand!” Suddenly they are transported on a cold wind to the concrete apron of the colossal obelisk behind the White House.
“Didn’t you tell congressman Clyburn you was gonna rename this thing the George Floyd monument?
“Wuh-whu-well it was a suh-suh-suggestion, not a promise -”
“Suggestion, my ass,” the ghost snorts and cuffs “JB” upside his head. “I’m the baby-daddy of this country now. You best see that it get done!”
“Joe Biden” awakens yet again as more cold wind bearing the fetid odor of swamp blows through the still-opened window. He is yet muttering “yu-yuh-yuh-yessir, yessir,” when a shrouded, hooded figure materializes in the gloom.
“You are… Cuh-Cuh-Christmas Future,” “Joe Biden” says.
“You’re catching on,” says the ghost, holding out his fleshless, bony hand. “Come!”
They are transported to the hearing room of a House committee. Hunter Biden sits at the witness table, tears streaking his face, apparently in mid testimony. “And then my dad says to Mr. Zlochevsky, ‘one-million? C’mon man, I’ve got a beach house to renovate’...and Mister Z says, ‘okay I give you one-point-five-mil’...and my dad cracks up laughing...‘that won’t even cover the area rugs I ordered from Iran’ he says. . . .”
Suddenly the room vaporizes and “Joe Biden” stands next to the inaugural dais on the US Capitol’s west-facing front. Tucker Carlson has just stepped away after being sworn in as vice president and the massive, gold-headed, once-and-future president lumbers up to the Chief Justice, placing his hand on a Bible.
“Oh, n-n-n-no-o-o-o-o...” “JB” wails and wakes up in the presidential bed, panting and sweating.
“Are you all right sir?” A marine standing at his bedside says.
“I had a terrible dream. Trump got back in.”
“That was no dream, sir. You’ve been in a coma since just before Christmas last year when you stroked out on ice cream. It’s Wednesday, November 6, 2024. Welcome back to reality, sir.”
“Reality?” “Joe Biden” says. “We make our own reality.”
“Not anymore, sir,” the lance corporal says.
“Tell me, son, please! Did I manage to pardon my family? And myself?”
“Uh, well, sir, you were in a coma. Anyway, your attorneys wish to see you now...”
o
Freely download "A Christmas Carol", by Charles Dickens, here:
Adventures with Danno, "Stock Up On These Deals At Meijer!"
Full screen recommended.
Adventures with Danno, AM 11/28/23
"Stock Up On These Deals At Meijer!"
"My shopping vlog showing different grocery sale prices at Meijer, including hamburger, chicken, turkey, coffee, deli meats, and many other deals. Stock up on these deals before they're gone. Get your notepad ready as I take you shopping with me to find the best prices at Meijer!"
Comments here:
Gregory Mannarino, "Alert! Dozens Of Banks File To Shut Down - Is Yours Next?"
Your guide...
Gregory Mannarino, 11/28/23
"Alert! Dozens Of Banks File To Shut Down - Is Yours Next?"
Comments here:
Monday, November 27, 2023
Canadian Prepper, "Alert! Emergency Shutdown, Huge Cyberattack!"
Full screen recommended.
Canadian Prepper, 11/27/23
"Alert! Emergency Shutdown, Huge Cyberattack;
NATO/Finland Preparing Insane Blockade Of Russia!"
Comments here:
Scott Ritter, "Lebanon Will Enter If Israel Doesn't Listen!"
Full screen recommended.
Scott Ritter, 11/27/23
"Lebanon Will Enter If Israel Doesn't Listen!
Palestine Has Played The Right Cards"
Comments here:
Jeremiah Babe, "Talking To A Zombie While Shopping At Ross; People Hate Their Job; New Home Prices Collapse"
Jeremiah Babe, 11/27/23
"Talking To A Zombie While Shopping At Ross;
People Hate Their Job; New Home Prices Collapse"
Comments here:
"Peak Focus Soft House Study Music with Beta Isochronic Tones"
Full screen recommended
"Peak Focus Soft House Study Music
with Beta Isochronic Tones"
by Jason Lewis
Headphones Are Not Required
"What does this track do? A soft house upbeat study music mix with beta wave isochronic tones. Part of my peak focus for complex tasks series.Designed to produce a deep focus mental state while studying or working. This session stimulates Beta, SMR and Alpha, alternating in 2 minute increments to help keep the user relaxed and engaged. Note: SMR (sensorimotor rhythm) relates to the frequency range between 12 – 15Hz. It’s associated with sensory processing and motor control. Stimulating this can result in relaxed focus and improved attention. This session is meant to speed up the brain while keeping the left hemisphere dominant (good for attention, concentration and reducing emotional response and hyperactivity). ADD and similar disorders are often characterized by “slow-wave” EEG patterns, particularly in the left frontal region. As such, this session stimulates the left brain hemisphere with Beta frequencies and the right with SMR.
Can it be used to help with studying and if so, when should you listen to it? Yes, it can be helpful to use while studying, and if you read through the many comments about this track, you’ll see that many people have successfully used it for studying. You can either listen to it while you are studying, to get your brain into a good mental state when you need it. Or if you are someone that gets a bit distracted by music while studying, listen to it just before you begin.
How Loud Should The Volume Be? There is varying advice and opinions on the impact of volume with brainwave entrainment, with some saying the louder it is the more impact it has. From my own experience, my advice is to play it at a volume level you feel comfortable with. The main thing to consider is that it should be loud enough to hear the repetitive isochronic tones, so you don’t want it so quiet you can hardly hear them. But you also don’t want it so loud that its uncomfortable for you. Somewhere in the middle is my recommendation.
Use this session in the morning or afternoon, to train your brain for better cognition, such as clearer and faster thinking. You can either sit somewhere quiet and comfortable with your eyes closed and give your brain a nice workout, or you can also listen to this while doing an activity that requires a boost in concentration, like studying.
How long should you listen for to get a good effect? It takes around 6 minutes for your brainwaves to fall in step with the tones and become entrained. It then takes time to be guided along the frequency range used in the track. Listening to about half way through is the minimum in my opinion, but 30 minutes is the optimum and preferred length to listen for.
IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS:
• Drink some water – Make sure you are well hydrated before listening to brainwave entrainment.
WHY? Your brain is made up of around 75% water, so it needs plenty of water to function well. When you stimulate your brain in this way, you’re increasing electrical activity and blood flow in the brain and giving your brain a good workout, so it can be a good idea to drink before listening, so that your brain can fire on all cylinders.
• It is not recommended to listen to this while driving or operating machinery.
WHY? Brainwave entrainment involves a process of stimulating your brainwaves and changing your mental state. While this is safe to do and use in normal situations, it can sometimes zone you out during the track, as you focus in on the sound of the tones. This could result in you being distracted temporarily, which is not a good thing while you’re driving or operating machinery. Some people also experience tingling and other sensations from the stimulation. While that might feel quite nice sitting in a comfortable chair at home, it could cause you to be distracted while driving and result in an accident.
• It is not recommended to listen to this while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or any mind altering substance.
WHY? When your brain is under the influence of drugs or alcohol it’s not operating to it’s full capacity, and you react differently to stimulation and situations, compared to when you are sober. So as a precaution and because I don’t know how you will react in that situation, I recommend you do not use it in that situation.
• Who should NOT listen to this audio? Those who should not listen to this video/audio include: Those who are prone to or have had seizures, epilepsy, pregnant or wear a pacemaker should NOT listen to this video/audio.
WHY? There is insufficient research data in this area, so as a precaution, if you are among the categories listed above, I would recommend you consult a doctor or medical professional before listening to this video/audio.”
○
○
Whether you want to know it or not we're all in the fight of our lives, for our lives. Some of you reading this will not survive, and I may not either, so I for one will take any edge I can get, and so should you. This works, I suggest you use it.
- CP
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Sharpless 115 stands just north and west of Deneb, the alpha star of Cygnus the Swan in planet Earth's skies. Noted in the 1959 catalog by astronomer Stewart Sharpless (as Sh2-115) the faint but lovely emission nebula lies along the edge of one of the outer Milky Way's giant molecular clouds, about 7,500 light-years away.
Click image for larger size.
Shining with the light of ionized atoms of hydrogen, sulfur, and oxygen in this Hubble palette color composite image, the nebular glow is powered by hot stars in star cluster Berkeley 90. The cluster stars are likely only 100 million years old or so and are still embedded in Sharpless 115. But the stars' strong winds and radiation have cleared away much of their dusty, natal cloud. At the emission nebula's estimated distance, this cosmic close-up spans just under 100 light-years.”
- http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130614.html
Paulo Coelho, "Heaven and Hell"
"Heaven and Hell"
by Paulo Coelho
"A man, his horse and his dog were traveling down a road. When they were passing by a gigantic tree, a bolt of lightning struck and they all fell dead on the spot. But the man did not realize that he had already left this world, so he went on walking with his two animals; sometimes the dead take time to understand their new condition…
The journey was very long, uphill, the sun was strong and they were covered in sweat and very thirsty. They were desperately in need of water. At a bend in the road they spotted a magnificent gateway, all in marble, which led to a square paved with blocks of gold and with a fountain in the center that spouted forth crystalline water. The traveler went up to the man guarding the gate.
“Good morning. What is this beautiful place?” “This is heaven.” “How good to have reached heaven, we’re ever so thirsty.” “You can come in and drink all you want.” “My horse and my dog are thirsty too.” “So sorry, but animals aren’t allowed in here.”
The man was very disappointed because his thirst was great, but he could not drink alone; he thanked the man and went on his way. After traveling a lot, they arrived exhausted at a farm whose entrance was marked with an old doorway that opened onto a tree-lined dirt road.
A man was lying down in the shadow of one of the trees, his head covered with a hat, perhaps asleep. “Good morning,” said the traveler. “We are very thirsty – me, my horse and my dog.” “There is a spring over in those stones,” said the man, pointing to the spot. “Drink as much as you like.” The man, the horse and the dog went to the spring and quenched their thirst. Then the traveler went back to thank the man.
“By the way, what’s this place called?” “Heaven.” “Heaven? But the guard at the marble gate back there said that was heaven!” “That’s not heaven, that’s hell.” The traveler was puzzled. “You’ve got to stop this! All this false information must cause enormous confusion!” The man smiled: “Not at all. As a matter of fact they do us a great favor. Because over there stay all those who are even capable of abandoning their best friends…”
The Poet: William Stafford, "The Gift"
"The Gift"
"Time wants to show you a different country. It's the one
that your life conceals, the one waiting outside
when curtains are drawn, the one Grandmother hinted at
in her crochet design, the one almost found
over at the edge of the music, after the sermon.
It's the way life is, and you have it, a few years given.
You get killed now and then, violated
in various ways. (And sometimes it's turn about.)
You get tired of that. Long-suffering, you wait
and pray, and maybe good things come - maybe
the hurt slackens and you hardly feel it any more.
You have a breath without pain. It is called happiness.
It's a balance, the taking and passing along,
the composting of where you've been and how people
and weather treated you. It's a country where
you already are, bringing where you have been.
Time offers this gift in its millions of ways,
turning the world, moving the air, calling,
every morning, "Here, take it, it's yours."
- William Stafford
"World War III Prelude: Update 11/27/23"
Judge Napolitano - Judging Freedom, 11/27/23
"Alastair Crooke (fmr British Diplomat):
Is Israel Losing the War?"
Comments here:
o
Full screen recommended.
Judge Napolitano - Judging Freedom, 11/27/23
Col. Douglas Macgregor,
"Examining the Ethical Gray Areas in Modern Warfare"
"On October 7th, a major mishap occurred that can arguably be traced back to an over-dependence on technology. Rather than relying on traditional military presence and old-fashioned human reliance, the incident saw an overuse of surveillance techniques. This shift towards a reliance on technology in warfare brings into focus the potential perils associated with it.
One of the most poignant parts of our discussion focused on the Israeli conflict with Hamas. The controversy surrounding the strategic choices Israel faces emphasizes the complexities inherent in ethical warfare. Balancing potential gains against potential losses, the conversation spotlights the consequences of various strategies, including some incredibly contentious ones.
Interestingly, the discourse is not just confined to contemporary events. We delved into history, examining the standoff between Teddy Roosevelt and John D. Rockefeller over oil fields in the Middle East. This historical episode underscores the moral lines that ought not to be crossed, irrespective of perceived necessity. Rockefeller’s ruthless plan to seize oil fields and Roosevelt's subsequent refusal presents a moral lesson for all times. Roosevelt’s stance is a stark reminder that vengeance, however tempting, is not the answer to conflicts.
Drawing parallels between historical and current events, the podcast emphasizes the need for Israelis, and indeed everyone, to recognize the moral lines that should not be crossed, even in times of conflict and warfare. The case of Teddy Roosevelt and John D. Rockefeller serves as a mirror, reflecting back the ethical questions we must all ask ourselves as we navigate this era of technological warfare.
To conclude, the episode does not merely dwell on the dilemmas but also calls for introspection and action. It is a wake-up call for us to re-evaluate our reliance on technology in warfare, urging us to reassess the ethical implications of our choices. The podcast episode underscores that in the quest for victory, we must not lose sight of our humanity. It urges us to remember that while technology can give us an edge in warfare, it should not be allowed to blur the ethical boundaries that underpin our moral compass."
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o
Full screen recommended.
Scott Ritter, 11/27/23
"IDF Are Panicked Conscripts, They Suck,
They Can't Fight A Real Military Like Hamas"
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o
Full screen recommended.
Scott Ritter, 11/27/23
"100,000 Hezbollah Missiles Will Blow Up Israel's
Iron Dome If Gaza Conflict Escalates"
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"It Will Happen Suddenly"
"It Will Happen Suddenly"
by Jeff Thomas
"As the Great Unravelling progresses, we shall be seeing many negative developments, some of them unprecedented. Only a year ago, the average person was still hanging on to the belief that the world is in a state of recovery, that, however tentative, the economy was on the mend. And this is understandable. After all, the media have been doing a bang-up job of explaining the situation in a way that treats recovery as a general assumption. The only point of discussion is the method applied to achieve the recovery, but the recovery itself is treated as a given.
However, as thorough a distraction as the media (and the governments of the world) have provided, the average person has begun to recognize that something is fundamentally wrong. He now has a gut feeling that, even if he is not well-versed enough to describe in economic terms what is incorrect in the endless chatter he sees on his television, he now senses that the situation will not end well.
I tend to liken his situation to someone who suddenly finds all the lights off in his house. He stumbles around in the dark, trying to feel his way. Although he can picture in his mind what the layout of his house is, he is having trouble navigating, often bumping into things. This is similar to the attempt to see through the media and government smokescreens during normal times.
But soon, as his government undergoes collapse, he will be getting some bigger surprises. He will find that the furniture has inexplicably been moved around. Objects are not where they are supposed to be, and it is no longer possible to reason his way through the problem of navigating in the dark. Many of those who observe the daily news reports are beginning to figure out that they are being fed misinformation. Many are beginning to recognize that neither political party truly represents them or, for that matter, is even concerned for their welfare. These folks are now navigating in the dark.
But the bigger surprises have not yet occurred. There will be a certain amount of lead-up, plus a great deal of confusion, but the actual occurrences will be sudden. No one will be able to predict the dates on which they occur, except those very few people who control the triggers to these events.
Crashes in the Markets: Major bull markets rarely end with a whimper. They end with a major upside spike. And, unfortunately, brokers and investors alike tend to think that, if the market has been up for the last week, the last month, or the last year, it can be expected to be up again tomorrow. This makes them prime pickings for governments who may choose to falsely inflate a given market, creating an upside spike to encourage investors to toss their last few coins into the pot, just before the bottom drops out.
In previous eras, it could take time for people to sell, and even in panic times, the bloodletting was not instantaneous. However, with the Internet, all that is necessary is a major sell-off by one entity—one that goes through the stops of a large number of investors, and in a flash, the market goes though the floor. (Editor’s note: Stops are orders placed with a broker to sell a security when it reaches a certain price.) The average investor wakes in the morning to find that he has been wiped out.
Commitments by Governments: Should there be a currency crash, as is expected in many countries, promises made by governments will be abandoned suddenly, as though they had never existed. Whilst millions of people will find themselves lost, unable to function without their entitlements, governments will evade their guilt through finger-pointing. Tories will blame Labour; Labour will blame the Tories. (The equivalent will take place in other countries.) The net result will be the disappearance of entitlements, either in part or in total. The public will take out its anger through increased hatred of whichever party it is that they already consider to be the evil one. They will fail to understand that collapse was unavoidable.
Assumed National Strengths Will Vanish: International alliances will fall away. Former allies will suddenly not be at the side of the failing nation. Former friends will sign alliances with the other side. Trade agreements will suddenly cease. Wealth, initiative, and favor will flow to the new foremost country and its allies.
All of the above will happen incrementally - not by any means on the same day - but in each case, the actual occurrence will be sudden. Just as Julius Caesar was at his peak of power when his fellow members of the Senate drew their knives, a powerful nation is coddled right until the time of its fall. In this regard, the US will see the greatest abandonment of loyalties that any nation will experience. (The greater the empire, the greater the pretense of loyalty to it. And the greater the abandonment when the fall comes.)
When an empire collapses, it dies slowly. Unless it comes to an end through conquest, it deteriorates in a series of sudden jolts. Its leaders grasp at anything that might cause a delay, even if this means a worse outcome in the end. The process may take years and even decades. However, it is in the first few years that the major events occur - the events that create the most significant damage.
This occurs for two reasons. The first is that the leaders of the country, believing in their own power, believe that they can maintain control of their trade, their overseas control, their military, etc. and find that, when the crashes come, the rats desert the ship in every area. The second reason is that any empire builds its strength upon lies and exaggeration as much as it builds on its true attributes. After a crash, these lies and exaggerations fall away, and in a short time, it becomes clear that the empire was, in its latter stages, a house of cards.
The warning signs are already taking place but are not heavily publicized. The stage is set, and we are approaching the first major events. The victims in this play are, unfortunately, the average people, who simply hope to have a decent life. They will be caught unawares and unable to even understand what has occurred, let alone take action to save themselves. Those who have not spent the previous years educating themselves and preparing an alternative life will suffer most greatly.
All who live in a country that is undergoing collapse will be negatively affected. Some will do better than others, but to live on this slim hope is much like being fortunate enough to live on the outskirts of Hiroshima in 1945. There is little comfort in being one of the least injured. Better to have been in another country altogether - both during the actual event and during the terrible time that is sure to follow."
"The Worst Part..."
"Our world is not safe. It is a toxic swamp populated by predators and parasites. The odds are stacked against us from the moment of conception. We survive only because we fight the elements, hunger, disease, each other. And, although civilization promises us safe harbor, that promise is a fairy tale. Only the storm is real. It comes for each of us. And we cannot win. We can only choose how we will suffer our defeat. We can meekly take our beatings, and die like lemmings, finding solace in the belief that we shall one day inherit the earth. Or, we can plunge into the chaos with eyes wide open, taking comfort instead from the bruises, scars, and broken bones which prove that we fought to live and die as gods. "
- J.K. Franko, "Life for Life"
○
"The worst part is wondering how you'll find the strength tomorrow to go on doing what you did today and have been doing for much too long, where you'll find the strength for all that stupid running around, those projects that come to nothing, those attempts to escape from crushing necessity, which always founder and serve only to convince you one more time that destiny is implacable, that every night will find you down and out, crushed by the dread of more and more sordid and insecure tomorrows. And maybe it's treacherous old age coming on, threatening the worst. Not much music left inside us for life to dance to. Our youth has gone to the ends of the earth to die in the silence of the truth. And where, I ask you, can a man escape to, when he hasn't enough madness left inside him? The truth is an endless death agony. The truth is death. You have to choose: death or lies. I've never been able to kill myself. "
- Louis-Ferdinand Celineo
"You’re Gonna Have To Serve Somebody"
"You’re Gonna Have To Serve Somebody"
by Addison Wiggin
“Might like to wear cotton, might like to wear silk,
Might like to drink whiskey, might like to drink milk,
Might like to eat caviar, you might like to eat bread,
May be sleeping on the floor, or sleepin' in a king-size bed...”
-Bob Dylan
“Who’s Bob Dylan?” my 17-year old daughter’s friends asked. The day after Thanksgiving her friends were having a party, but she wouldn’t be there. She was attending Dylan’s performance at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Who is Bob Dylan? “Just some ‘oldhead’,” another friend answered.
Lizzie knew who Robert Zimmerman was/is because she’d just taken a class on 1960s literature. We’re aware Dylan is better described to their generation as the “Taylor Swift for Boomers” than the free-wheelin’ polemic who wrote “Knockin’ on Heavens Door,” “The Times They Are A-Changin’” or “All Along the Watchtower”.
We suppose every generation needs a minstrel, a bard. We could leave a blank space here, you could write the name. Dylan at the symphony is a fair distance from the Newport Folk Festival, where he first plugged in his electric guitar in 1965. We had to lock up our phones in a pouch so the show wouldn’t be recorded. On this “Rough and Rowdy” tour, Dylan returned to his roots. Deep and soulful grooves, tight band… more rhythm and roots than jazz, rock or pop. And he sang, we think. He made noises with his mouth that sounded like the resigned moan of Americana.
My mother scoffs when she hears Dylan’s name. More than just his voice, she just doesn’t like the guy. He’s rumored to be cranky with his roadies, rude to hotel employees. No one can really figure out his politics. During the show, my middle son was lulled to sleep in the nosebleed seats where we sat.
Like his personality Bob Dylan’s music is divisive, often subversive. You either like it or you don’t. But it’s hard to ignore he’s been on the road in one way or another since before JFK was assassinated. He was and is still, somehow, a pioneer in the sound copied - and parodied - by a couple generations of distinctly American song-writers. The last time we saw him was at a stadium show he headlined with Tom Petty and the Grateful Dead at Rich Stadium in Buffalo, New York over a 4th of July weekend in the mid-1980s.
For all that time, Dylan was loosely associated with the 1960s counter-culture. “Mention the Counterculture of the 1960s and 1970s,” our friend Charles Hugh Smith wrote last month, “and the memory stored in popular culture is of drug-dazed, half-naked hippies dancing to rock music. There was a slice of that, to be sure, but there was much more that's largely been forgotten.” He continues: "The Counterculture was primarily a response to the meaningless debt-dependent consumerism that had already taken hold of our society and economy. The core values of the Counterculture Everyone Forgot were: 1. Learning how to make and repair things oneself; 2. Frugality; 3. Rejection of debt.”
Dylan’s lyrics carry more of the latter sentiment. For his lyrics, Dylan won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016, the only singer-songwriter to have done so. In iconic form he didn’t show up to receive the award in person, and refused to give the acceptance speech. And it was rumored he turned down the loot that goes along with the prize. A little bit of research proves all of those details to be false. He accepted the prize and the money, privately. He recorded a speech for posterity, but didn’t give it publicly.
On Friday in Baltimore, Dylan played mostly new songs from his 29th studio album, his latest. The band was tight. Then without any fanfare, Dylan began to moan the lyrics of “You Gotta Serve Somebody,” the only classic “hit” he performed that night. Some people say “you gotta serve” is pessimistic; a defeatist statement about the inevitability of servitude. John Lennon famously criticized the song, writing a parody titled “Serve Yourself”. “It may be the Devil or it may be the Lord,” Dylan reminds everyone. “But you’re gonna have to serve somebody!”
Ah well, we’ll get into the markets and politics this week, no worry… Just thought you’d get a kick out of one of America’s more enigmatic artists to get the week started. More to come…Dylan’s refrain rings. Can’t you hear it? You gotta serve somebody..."
P.S. Dylan is 82 years old - a year older than my wife’s mother. They have the same shuffling gait when they walk. During the show he mostly sat and crooned from a grand piano bench. But when he stood to give directions to the band, you’d think the earth itself had moved; the mostly sedate audience clapped and cheered more than during any of his songs. He began the Rough And Rowdy Ways Tour in 2021 at the tail end of pandemic hysteria. Regardless of what you think of him, his endurance and grit are a small evidence there remains gems, wisdom, in the lives of our elders.
Bob Dylan, "Gotta Serve Somebody"
Bill Bonner, "The Revolt of the Masses"
"The Revolt of the Masses"
Pandemonium in Dublin, a city in flames,
and the immigrants at the center of it all...
by Bill Bonner
"From the very opening-out of the world and life for the average man,
his soul has been shut up within him. It is in this obliteration of
the average soul that the rebellion of the masses consists…"
~ Jose Ortega y Gasset
Dublin, Ireland - “Hooligans,” was the judgment of our neighbors. “Resentment,” was the guess of a friend at church. “Thuggery,” was the justice minister’s opinion. Dublin was the scene of inhabitual pandemonium last Thursday. Normally, it is a safe city. A calm city. People are polite. It is not like Baltimore or Paris – where social disturbances are more common. “We’re like the rest of Europe now,” said a friend cheerfully.
We happened to be in town when all Hell broke loose. Souls, shut up for too long, suddenly broke down the door and ran wild in central Dublin. Every policeman in the area was summoned to the downtown. Police helicopters were in the air. Sirens sounded all over town. ‘What was the hubbub all about?’
Running Wild: We turned on the television to discover the city center in flames. Children had been stabbed. Rioters looted dozens of stores and set fire to at least one city bus. What was the cause of the riot? This is where it gets interesting: nobody wanted to say. The police chief announced that there were ‘rumors’ running wild on the internet…and that we should pay them no mind. He went on to say that the ‘person of interest’ (in the stabbing incident) was in custody…and that they were looking for no one else.
A viewer might have been puzzled. It took a local to explain it…almost in whispers. “Oh…there was a long fuse on that one. Dublin has gotten so expensive. It’s hard to find an affordable place to live. And it doesn’t help that there are so many immigrants and refugees coming in. The attacker…according to the internet…but you can’t believe anything on the internet…they say he was an illegal immigrant. People had had enough. We had an incident not long ago when a young woman was killed by an immigrant from Africa. The man got the maximum sentence. But in Ireland, the maximum is only 20 years. People didn’t think that was satisfactory. Nobody wants to say so, but this is about immigrants.”
But if one immigrant was the villain, another was the hero. Caio Benicio, a Brazilian Deliveroo driver, apparently stopped the assault by taking off his helmet and using it to bash the assailant in the head.
What Goes Around: Ireland was once a leading source of immigrants – into England, North America, Australia and much of the rest of the world. They were widely resented as “lawless,” “hard-drinking” and “uncivilized.” “No Irish Need Apply,” was a regular feature in the want ads. But they assimilated well. At least 20 US presidents have had Irish roots. And now, what went around comes around…the Irish no longer suffer as immigrants in foreign countries…now, they suffer immigrants in their own.
And all immigrants are not created equal. The Normans conquered England. Within a few generations they were indistinguishable from the native Anglo-Saxons. But the Moors invaded Spain in the 7th century. They never merged into the local population and were expelled 700 years later. And American Blacks, too, even after hundreds of years, still keep their distance and hold their own culture somewhat apart.
But anger against immigrants is rising. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports: "Far-right party stuns with win in Netherlands." "[People in one] of Europe's most socially liberal countries, woke up to a drastically changed political landscape Thursday after a far-right party swept national elections in a result that has reverberated throughout Europe.
Geert Wilders' Party for Freedom, which advocates banning the Quran, closing Islamic schools and entirely halting the acceptance of asylum-seekers, won 37 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives, making it by far the biggest party, in a clear rebuke of the country's political establishment. "All of Europe wants a political turnaround," said Alice Weidel, the leader of German far-right party AfD, or Alternative for Germany, as she congratulated Wilders on his win."
Urban Mobs: Immigrants are an easy target. They take up space. They compete for housing…jobs… in many countries, they are a burden on the taxpayer. Latinos in the US…North Africans in France…Palestinians, Ukrainians, Syrians, Yemenis – the greater the numbers…and the larger the ‘cultural gap’ with the natives…the greater the trouble.
The resentment builds. Eventually, it finds an outlet. Sometimes it is the natives who protest. Sometimes the immigrants themselves. And not everyone expresses his discontent by writing a letter to the editor. Some prefer to firebomb police cars. But is that all there is to it? Urban mobs letting off steam? Probably not. Stay tuned…more on the Revolt of the Masses…tomorrow."
"A Modern Flâneur in... The Paris of the South"
"A Modern Flâneur in... The Paris of the South"
by Joel Bowman
Buenos Aires, Argentina - "We woke to the horrifying news last week: “1 Billion Argentinians Already Dead After Libertarian Elected.” The (satirical and terminally hilarious) outlet, The Babylon Bee, went on to describe the scenes here on the capital streets in the wake of the recent presidential election…
"BUENOS AIRES - A catastrophic tragedy has befallen the former socialist utopia of Argentina as 1 billion citizens have already died due to Libertarian candidate Javier Milei being elected president. "These deaths occurred just as we had predicted," said smart socialist Juan Taburito while piling corpses into an old-timey corpse cart. "I blame the president-elect for making people think they deserved things like money and rights. Look what it's done!"
As your “man on the ground” down here at the end of the world, we steeled our nerves and headed boldly into the breach, determined to bring you the scenes, however gruesome they may appear. The video above (viewed here) shows the carnage, the despair, the unfettered anarchy, loosed upon the populace…
As dear readers of these pages well know, libertarianism is the radical notion that human beings are not the property of the State… that they are born, dare we utter the word… free. (The word “anarchy” itself derivers from the Greek “an”- without, and “arkhia” - ruler. Without ruler… not, we hasten to add, without rules.)
Long Live Freedom: For nigh on three-quarters of a century, the long-suffering Argentines have labored under the weight of their leviathan government, dragged asunder as it twisted and twirled, winded and coiled. With 40% of the population reduced to poverty and inflation burning at a white hot 200%, it appears the voters have finally had enough of their “socialist utopia.” Today, they rise to stand on their own two feet, to look the world and each other in the eye and say, in the words of their new anarcho-capitalist president: 'Viva la libertad, carajo!' (Long live freedom, goddammit!)
It was the great Argentine author, often quoted in these pages, Sr. Jorge Luis Borges, who once remarked, “I believe that in time we will have reached the point where we will deserve to be free of government.” Almost forty years have passed since that incomparable man of letters graced this earth…but his words are on the minds of millions of his countrymen as they rise to reclaim their liberty at long last.
Saludos!"
Gregory Mannarino, "Nations Are Dumping US Debt, So Who's Buying It? The FED Is Buying It All!"
Gregory Mannarino, AM 11/27/23
"Nations Are Dumping US Debt, So Who's Buying It?
The FED Is Buying It All!"
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Dan, I Allegedly, "A New Scam You Won’t Believe"
Full screen recommended.
Dan, I Allegedly 11/27/23
"A New Scam You Won’t Believe"
"The scammers are getting more brazen as the economy gets worse. We are seeing these people impersonate people and we’re seeing them steal money directly out of peoples bank accounts."
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