"The World Wants to Be Deceived"

"The World Wants to Be Deceived"

by Brian Maher

“Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur.” - 

the world wants to be deceived, so let it be deceived.

"We believe there is vast justice here. The world yearns to be deceived, eternally and infinitely deceived. Why else - sisters and brothers - do people attend magic shows… consult psychics… or read New York Times editorial columns? Why, indeed, do people vote? The answer, so far as we can discern, is because they wish to be deceived. The human craving to be deceived appears as natural as the human craving to exist. And we agree - if the world wants to be deceived, let the world be deceived.

Nasty, Brutish and Short: Life is “nasty, brutish and short,” in the words of Mr. Thomas Hobbes. He must grab something - anything  to soothe him and to ease his way across the perilous valley. As we have noted before: Like gazing into the midday sun, the normal human being cannot long gaze directly into reality. He can only approach it from an angle.

Hence the world’s desperate, eternal plea for soothing deception. Hence its iron embrace of frauds and pitchmen eager to gratify it. Hence the world’s infinite supply of frauds and pitchmen rising forth to meet the impossible demand. And the grimmer the reality… the greater man’s desperation to be conned, foxed and deceived. Consider his lot…

Cold, Hard Reality: A man is thrown unaskingly and unwillingly into this wicked and wrathful world. He is then dangled cruelly between two infinities - one behind him, one ahead of him - knowing his earthly candle will flicker, fade and fizzle. While he lives, he careens through space aboard an inconsequential chunk, wheeling around an inconsequential star, itself occupying an inconsequential corner of an inconsequential galaxy. That inconsequential galaxy is cast among an infinity of inconsequential galaxies.

Sit down momentarily with these bleak realities - if you can summon the steel. If you do not run a razor across your wrists within 30 seconds, you - friend - are one stoutheart. Believe it!

Next man confronts this elemental fact: Come his demise, the odds are excellent he will boil in pitch for all eternity. This we have on infallible authority - 1 Corinthians 6:9–10: "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters… nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." Ninety-nine percent of humanity thus stands condemned - and 100% of the District of Columbia. Your editor is of course among them. He is guilty on five counts at least. Perhaps all counts.

Happy Delusions: Here are certain deceptions men cherish — cherished because they help him through this sorrowful vale…

That wise and learned experts from ivied institutions can repeal the granite laws of economics…

That deficits do not matter, that the ledgers need never square…

That prosperity springs from the printing press, that money and wealth are identical twins, to have money is to have wealth. That the examples of Zimbabwe, Venezuela, Argentina, Weimar Germany, post-WWII Hungary - to name some - count nothing…

Relatedly, that the addition of water to wine yields more wine instead of less wine. That is, that diluting the purchasing power of money yields not less money but more money…

Relatedly, that a man can lunch cost-free…

That plunging the nation into debt will raise it up into wealth…

That the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts out truthful labor statistics…

That honest government exists…

That man can cook and cool Earth…

That negative interest rates are positives…

That democracy - the theory that the individual may be a dunce but that 330 million dunces are Einsteins - is a superior form of government…

And perhaps the most enchanting and permanent of all the world’s delusions:

That this time is different.

How many stock market evangelicals, presently aflame with zeal for artificial intelligence stocks, are infested by this belief? We hazard the answer is handsome. How many cryptocurrency crusaders are similarly aflame with a parallel zeal? Again, we hazard the answer is handsome.

“Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur.” Not All Lies and Delusions Are Bad: Do we denounce the world in its cowardly resort to delusion and deception? Not in the least. As we have asked before: Why must the world peer defiantly into the fathomless pit? Why must it take the cold bath stoically and bravely?

Who can denounce the former beauty, presently wrecked with age, who wishes the mirror would show her a fabulous fiction? A full and honest trial of the facts would send the world forever under the bed, hopeless and resigned. No one would budge a jot in the course of his day. To what point?

And let it go into the record: Your editor is not exempt from this immemorial human need for delusion. He cherishes certain beliefs particular to his station and circumstances. Go at them honestly - he must concede - and they may fail rigorous scientific audit.

More Lies and Delusion: Among these are the beliefs…

That he is vastly undersalaried and underappreciated for the exquisite labor he performs for his abominable employer…

That he is wiser than 1,000 Solomons roped together…

That he stands eight feet in height…

That every maiden - from ocean to ocean - rolls her eyes yearningly at the thought of him….

Most delusionally of all, and against all reason: He cherishes the gorgeous fiction that the New York Metropolitan Baseball Club will seize another World Series title before he sinks unrighteously into the cauldron… to roast forevermore.

Thus your editor is in deepest sympathy with the world and its ceaseless quest to be deceived. For he shares the identical passion. The world would simply be unendurable without comforting fictions to stroke our hair, caress our gills and hold our hand.

Confronting Reality Is Far Worse Than a Stock Market Crash: Might some of the world’s delusions invite calamity? Almost certainly. We have the stock market and the economy close in mind. But whatever miseries collapse may inflict… they cannot approach the miseries of unceasing warfare with grim reality. Thus we speak our piece for delusion.

“All are lunatics,” said the great scalawag Ambrose Bierce… “but he who can analyze his delusion is called a philosopher.” And who wants to analyze his delusion? Who wants to be a philosopher? Yours in hopeless and eternal delusion..."

- https://dailyreckoning.com/

"Iran - Israel Conflict 4/6/24"

Full screen recommended.

Hindustan Times, 4?6/24

"Iran Army Chief's Chilling Warning After

 Readying 'Revenge Plan' Against Israeli, U.S. Assets"

"Iran's Army Chief has issued a fresh warning to Tehran's 'enemies' during a ceremony to commemorate Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who was killed in a suspected Israeli air strike on Iran's embassy compound in Damascus on April 1. General Mohammad Bagheri confirmed that Iran's plan was ready and that it will strike enemy targets with precision to make them regret the attack in Syria. This comes after U.S. intelligence suggested that Iran could target Israeli diplomatic facilities or consular buildings in retaliation as it blames Israel for the Syria strikes. The U.S. is also on high alert, and fears Iranian attack on its troops in the Middle East."

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

o

Full screen recommended.

Larry C. Johnson, 4/6/24

"IDF Attacks Iran - Direct Confrontation Between Iran and Israel?"

"Larry C. Johnson is a veteran of the CIA and the State Department’s Office of Counter Terrorism. He is the founder and managing partner of BERG Associates, which was established in 1998. Larry provided training to the US Military’s Special Operations community for 24 years. He has been vilified by the right and the left, which means he must be doing something right."

Comments here: 

- https://www.youtube.com

o

Full screen recommended.

Col. Douglas Macgregor, 4/6/24

"Israel's Post-Ramadan Invasion Plan w/ US' 

Blind Support & WW3 Is Trigger"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

o

Full screen recommended.

Scott Ritter, 4/6/24

"Hezbollah & Iran's Three Big Options 

To Take Revenge On Israel And The US Factor"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

o

Col. Douglas Macgregor states that Hezbollah has 150,000 missiles, massive artillery resources, as well as over 100,000 extremely well trained and equipped professional soldiers, many battle-hardened by 10 years in the Syrian civil war. If Israel declares war, as threatened, The Israeli Occupation Force will be crushed. Hezbollah will take all of northern Israel and Syria will retake the occupied Golan Heights. Gaza will be swiftly resolved...

o

Israel will cease to exist. So be it...

Adventures With Danno, "Stocking Up At Aldi!"

Full screen recommended.

Adventures With Danno,AM 4/6/24

"Stocking Up At Aldi!"

"In today's vlog, we are at Aldi and are stocking up on some of these great deals on groceries. Aldi is having some great sales, and we all need to be taking advantage of this opportunity. We take you with us and show all of these great deals going on!"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

Canadian Prepper, "Alert! Israel Is Starting A Nuclear War With Iran!"

Full screen recommended.

Canadian Prepper, 4/5/24

"Alert! Israel Is Starting A Nuclear War With Iran! 

People Are Panic Buying!"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

"The World Has Finally Turned Against Israel"

"The World Has Finally Turned Against Israel"

Health Ranger Report, 4/5/24

- Israel's actions in Gaza and calls for international intervention. (0:03)

- Israel's actions and potential consequences. (4:39)

- Israel's actions in Gaza and criticism of their actions. (9:09)

- Potential war between Israel and Iran with nuclear implications. (13:18)

- Preparedness for potential global catastrophes. (17:18)

View video here:

- https://www.brighteon.com/

"World War III Is Now Inevitable – Here's Why It Can't Be Avoided"

"World War III Is Now Inevitable – 

Here's Why It Can't Be Avoided"

by Brandon Smith

"If you’re getting the feeling like the globalists are really pushing hard for WWIII these days, you’re not alone. In the past few months there has been multiple instances of European and US officials hinting at the possibility of a new military draft, the EU has talked openly about boots on the ground in Ukraine, NATO officials have stated unequivocally that they WILL NOT accept a loss in Ukraine to the Russians and the Kremlin has warned once again that nuclear weapons are on the table if western troops enter the war. The US government has recently asserted that Ukraine will be joining NATO, a red line in the sand for Russia.

Then there’s Israel and Gaza. I warned months ago in my article ‘It’s A Trap! The Wave Of Repercussions As The Middle East Fights “The Last War”’ that the war in Gaza would expand into a multi-front conflict that would probably include Iran. I also warned that it would be to Israel’s benefit if Iran entered the war because this would force the US to become directly involved. To be sure, Iran has already been engaging in proxy attacks on Israel through Lebanon, but Israel’s attack on the Iranian “embassy” or diplomatic station in Syria basically ensures that Iran will now directly commit to strikes on Israeli targets.

In other words, much like WWI, the situation is being escalated by the political elites despite the fact that the general public in the west is increasingly opposed to participating in the conflict. The globalists want to send us to war whether we like it or not. Every decision they have made so far makes peaceful resolution impossible.

One saving grace that is perhaps new in the entire history of geopolitics is that the public is far more awake and aware of the fact that it’s not necessarily their “duty” to blindly go fight when their government calls on them to do so. Social media has also given a platform for people to widely voice their concerns about war, whereas in the past objectors felt isolated.

Obviously, some of this is based purely on fear – A large percentage of Gen Z is unequipped mentally or physically to go to war, which is why more than 70% of potential military recruits today are rejected before they even get to boot camp. These are many of the same young people who post Ukrainian flags to their social media profiles and jump headfirst into anti-Russian rhetoric, but now that they are faced with the possibility of having to sacrifice themselves for Ukraine they are angry and terrified.

However, there is also a large contingent of capable (and mostly conservative) men with the background and the aptitude for combat that still want nothing to do with Ukraine. The reason is simple: They believe that far-left western governments and globalists want to use them as cannon fodder to get rid of them. Once they are used up in war, there will be no one left to oppose the leftist takeover at home.

For most of us in America, Ukraine is irrelevant and we grow tired of wars in the Middle East. Whether left or right, we have no interest in fighting for them. But that’s not going to matter much, at least in terms of preventing a global war.

European Fear Mongering: War with Russia will depend more on European involvement than US involvement. While the US has been the largest provider of armaments to Ukraine by far, the ultimate goal I believe is to integrate European troops into the Ukrainian front, which would be an automatic declaration of global war.

The basis for mobilization of troops from Europe is “domino theory” propaganda. We’ve heard some of it here in America but nowhere near the same level as the EU populace. Governments assert that Russia’s goal is to clear Ukraine as a pathway to invade the rest of Europe. This is the same claim used as justification for the US war in Vietnam: “If we let one country fall to the enemy, all the surrounding countries will fall also.”

Both Ukrainian and NATO leadership suggests that war must continue in Ukraine in order to contain it. There has been no serious discussion of diplomacy, which is utterly bizarre considering the stakes involved. A peace proposal should have been broached the moment the war kicked off and there should have been ongoing efforts to come to an agreement. Instead, even limited peace talks have been thwarted before they truly begin.

A military draft in Europe is far more likely to succeed, given the socialist nature of the population and the fact that only a tiny percentage of civilians are armed to defend themselves. Even with a public protest movement I have little doubt EU governments will be able to secure a large enough force to send into Ukraine and escalate the war.

According to the evidence, it’s clear that some NATO troops have already been deployed to Ukraine and have been there for some time. As I’ve noted in past articles, the strategies used during the first Ukrainian counter-attack were far too advanced for Ukrainian troops and leadership to pull off without help. Anti-armor tactics in particular were very familiar; similar in execution to tactics used by US and British special forces. Not surprisingly, as soon as foreign mercenary recruit rates dropped off, Ukraine’s momentum fizzled.

The Russians are likely well aware of this situation, but as long as smaller groups of soldiers can be sent under the guise of mercenary forces, there’s not much they can do about it. It’s the open deployment of NATO battalions that is cause for greater worry.

There is zero basis for the domino narrative. Not once has Russia indicated since the start of the conflict that they intend to invade the EU. In fact, Putin has long stated that the war in Ukraine is about protecting the separatists of the Donbas region from Ukrainian reprisal, and about the continued escalation of NATO armament.

My suspicions about Putin’s connections to the globalists aside, if we look at the war from a basic cost/benefit analysis there is really nothing for Russia to gain by threatening Europe. Then there’s the problem of logistics. If Russia is supposedly struggling in Ukraine, how could they have the means to fight on an expanded front against the combined military might of Europe and the US? The only end result would be nuclear war, which both sides would lose. But if you look at the situation objectively, there is a group of people out there that have a lot to gain…

Attacks On Russian Interior Accelerate: Smaller attacks on Russian supplies as well as civilians have been escalating in the past month. The terror attack in Moscow (which US intel blames on ISIS) resulted in the deaths of at least 130 people and drone attacks are threatening oil depots along with other resources. In the grand scheme of the war these attacks are inconsequential, but they will undoubtedly lead to extensive bombardment of Ukrainian cities and the further disablement of Ukrainian infrastructure. Power, water and other utilities will be destroyed and a resource crisis will ensue.

Compared to the US invasion of Iraq, Russia has managed to keep civilian casualties in Ukraine very low. But, each new attack on Russian soil instigates a larger Russian retaliation. And maybe this is the goal – To get the Russians to crater a larger Ukrainian population center thereby giving NATO an excuse to send troops to the region.

Iran And The Oil Imperative: In the Middle East the primary driver for international involvement is oil. We all know this. But oil access is not the end goal to the war in Gaza, just a mechanism for getting the US involved.

I’ll reiterate here that I don’t care which side started the fight or how far back the conflict supposedly goes in history. This is irrelevant. What I do know is that Hamas started this particular war by killing civilians in Israel and you should not start a war unless you’re willing to accept the consequences. That said, I do find it suspicious that Israel’s defensive measures were so useless that they were completely unaware of the Hamas incursion until it was too late.

In any case the conflagration is guaranteed to bring in other larger military elements. Iran is going to enter the fray now, there’s no way around it. This might happen first in the form of economic warfare, and the Strait of Hormuz is the most likely target. Shutting down 30% of the world’s oil traffic would be disastrous for the west. So, America’s entry is thus also guaranteed.

The Inflation Factor, US Elections And How Globalists Benefit: Joe Biden has been struggling for the past three years to manipulate oil prices down by dumping strategic reserves on the market. By artificially keeping oil prices down he keeps energy prices down, and by keeping energy prices down he reduces the growth of CPI.

The Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil depots have helped to spike gas prices in the past month exactly because Russian oil is still being purchased by western countries through back channels. You can’t just cut off one of the largest energy suppliers in the world without huge effects on prices at the pump. And these attacks are revealing how sensitive the oil market is to the slightest threat to supply.

Any major conflict in the Middle East will seal the deal and gas prices will explode. Inflation is not just going to be the death knell of Biden’s presidency (assuming presidential elections still matter), it’s going to be the death knell of the leftists and globalists overall UNLESS they can delay a larger economic calamity until they have a scapegoat, or, until they can start a massive war.

That scapegoat will either be Trump and conservatives, or, Russia and the BRICS (or both). If Trump replaces Biden in 2025 then a crash will be fast and assured and it will be blamed on conservative movements. If Biden stays in a crash will be slower but will still hit hard after it can be blamed on the widening wars.

Then there’s the scenario of globalists securing a war BEFORE elections take place. Perhaps with the intention of preventing or delaying the vote. Perhaps with the intention of creating enough chaos that the vote can be rigged, or giving the impression that it was rigged, triggering civil unrest. Perhaps with the intention of declaring martial law.

Obviously, this is where the globalists benefit; either by preventing conservatives from taking power or by embroiling conservatives in a global calamity that they eventually get blamed for. Keep in mind that any conservative/independent opposition to the globalist establishment can now be accused of “Russian collusion.”

What’s the value of this? Well, it’s an age-old strategy for demonizing freedom fighters – If they are seen by the public as fellow citizens fighting for their rights, then they might be treated as heroes. But, if they’re painted as foreign assests and terrorists seeking to destabilize society, then the public sees them as villains. It’s just another advantage that explains why globalists seem so intent on creating a world war.

I believe that the reason the establishment is pressing so hard for WWIII is partly because of the upcoming elections and also because their covid agenda failed. Covid lockdowns and the vaccine passport system were their big play to create a permanent authoritarian environment with the ability to crush conservative groups that refused to submit. And no matter how you slice it they didn’t get what they wanted. World war is the natural Plan B.

It’s important to understand that every crisis created by globalists is meant to destroy the freedom minded. The true target is not Russia or Iran; they are peripheral. These events are designed to create an environment conducive to tyranny, they act as cover for engineered economic collapse, and they act as cover for the REAL war against those people that still defend liberty.

You could say that WWIII has already started, at least in economic terms. I also highly doubt that the end game for the globalists is a worldwide nuclear exchange; why spend decades building a massive control grid only to vaporize it all in seconds? I do think the danger of kinetic warfare is skyrocketing and that US and European citizens will be directly affected. It will take a sizable resistance movement to change the path we are being forced to follow, and things will get much worse before they get better."

- https://www.zerohedge.com/

"Iran to Retaliate Against Israel, Warns US to Move Aside"

Full screen recommended.

Richard Medhurst, 4/5/24

"Iran to Retaliate Against Israel,

 Warns US to Move Aside"

"British journalist Richard Medhurst reports on the flare up of tensions between Iran and Israel. To avoid escalation, Iran have informed the US they will strike Israeli targets in response to the embassy bombing in Damascus. Iran told the US to stay out the way, and the US asked them not to strike American targets, in other words: we won't stop you."

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

"Enough Is Enough! People Are Sick Of This Economy!"

Full screen recommended.

Michael Bordenaro, 4/5/24

"Enough Is Enough! People Are Sick Of This Economy!"

"I know everyone's entitled to their opinion, but the media is truly going out of their way now to convince people that the economy is doing good and if you're not on board with that, then the problem is you. But in reality, people are looking around and seeing relatives and friends being laid off or evicted from their homes and people not able to afford their bills and yet they are trying to convince those people that this economy is the greatest ever? Good luck!"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

"In-N-Out Burgers VS Inflation; Recession Lands Death Blow To All 371 99 Cent Stores"

Jeremiah Babe, 4/5/24

"In-N-Out Burgers VS Inflation; 

Recession Lands Death Blow To All 371 99 Cent Stores"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

Judge Napolitano, "INTEL Roundtable w/ Johnson & McGovern: Is/Was WWIII Pre-Planned?"

Judge Napolitano - Judging Freedom, 4/5/24

"INTEL Roundtable w/ Johnson & McGovern: 

Is/Was WWIII Pre-Planned?"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

o

Full screen recommended.

Judge Napolitano - Judging Freedom, 4/5/24

"US Pouring Money On Rogue State Israel;

 Ukraine The Liar"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

"99 Cent Only Stores Closing All 371 Locations! It's Worse Than We Thought!"

Adventures With Danno, PM 4/5/24

"99 Cent Only Stores Closing All 371 Locations!

 It's Worse Than We Thought!"

"It's worse than we thought as more stores continue to close their doors due to inflation and other problems leading up to an all-out collapse of many shops that have been around for decades."

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

Musical Interlude: Disturbed "The Sound Of Silence"

Full screen recommended.

Disturbed, "The Sound Of Silence"

987,915,898 views official release.

You will feel this in your soul...

o

Full screen recommended.

Disturbed "The Sound Of Silence"

Singer David Draiman

145,494,991 views

I've listened to this song 100 times, and it still makes me cry.

There's "something" here, and if there are words for it I don't know them...

"A Look to the Heavens"

"Spiral galaxy NGC 4651 is a mere 35 million light-years distant, toward the well-groomed constellation Coma Berenices. About 50 thousand light-years across, this galaxy is seen to have a faint umbrella-shaped structure (right) that seems to extend some 50 thousand light-years farther, beyond the bright galactic disk. The giant cosmic umbrella is now known to be composed of tidal star streams. The streams themselves are extensive trails of stars gravitationally stripped from a smaller satellite galaxy that was eventually torn apart.

Recent work by a remarkable collaboration of amateur and professional astronomers to image faint structures around bright galaxies suggests that even in nearby galaxies, such tidal star streams are common. The result is predicted by models of galaxy formation, including the formation of our Milky Way."

- http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100415.html

Chet Raymo, “The Spark of Life”

“The Spark of Life”

by Chet Raymo

"In a previous post I quoted Teilhard de Chardin referring to the discovery of electromagnetic waves as a "prodigious biological event." A biological event? What could he mean? The universe was awash with electromagnetic waves long before life appeared on Earth, or anywhere else in the universe. The cosmic microwave background radiation- the residue of the big bang- is electromagnetic. Starlight is an electromagnetic wave. You can "discover" electromagnetic waves by opening your eyes.

Of course, what Teilhard referred to was the conscious control of electromagnetic radiation by sentient biological creatures. Electromagnetic waves were predicted theoretically by the Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell in 1864, as he played with equations describing electric and magnetic fields. Then, twenty-two years later, electromagnetic waves were experimentally demonstrated by Heinrich Hertz, who in effect made the first radio broadcast and reception. At Hertz's transmitter a spark jumped back and forth between two metal spheres 50 million times a second. Across the room a similar spark was instantly produced at the receiver. Invisible electrical energy had passed through space at the speed of light.

A spark dancing between two spheres- an unpretentious beginning for the age of radio, television, mobile phones and wireless internet. That first transmitter and receiver had a basement-workshop simplicity about them. Hertz demonstrated the nature of electromagnetic waves with constructions of wood, brass and sealing wax.

Wood, brass, sealing wax and conscious intelligence. Here on Earth- perhaps throughout the universe- stardust gave rise to living slime. The slime complexified, became conscious. Invented mathematics, experimental science. Caused sparks to jump between metal spheres. Sent the signature of biological activity across a room. Across a planet. Across the universe."

"Prodigious!”

- http://blog.sciencemusings.com/

“5 Painfully Obvious Truths We Tend to Forget in Hard Times”

“5 Painfully Obvious Truths

We Tend to Forget in Hard Times”

by Angel Chernoff

“This is going to have a beginning, a middle, and an end.

We are going to get through this, I promise,

and we’re going to get through it together. “

- Dr. Jon LaPook

“You know how you can read or hear something dozens of times in dozens of different ways before it finally sinks in? The little truths listed below fall firmly into that category – timeless life lessons that many of us likely learned years ago, and have been reminded of ever since, yet for whatever reason we tend to forget in the heat of the moment. This, my friends, is my attempt at helping all of us, myself included, “get it” and “remember it” once and for all, especially as we collectively cope with the evolving reality of economic and life circumstances. 

1. Life is short, and nothing is guaranteed. We know deep down that life is short, and that death will happen to all of us eventually, and yet we are infinitely surprised when it happens to someone we know. It’s like walking up a flight of stairs with a distracted mind, and misjudging the final step. You expected there to be one more stair than there is, and so you find yourself off balance for a moment, before your mind shifts back to the present moment and how the world really is.

LIVE your life TODAY! Don’t ignore death – or the imminent dangers now becoming obvious – but don’t be afraid of life either. Be afraid of a life you never lived because you were too afraid to take positive action today. Death is not the greatest loss in life, neither is illness. The greatest loss is what dies inside you while you’re still alive and well. Even in these difficult times, be bold, be courageous, be a scared to death, and then take the next step anyway. Just change the way you do it.

Invest your heart and soul into whatever you have right in front of you. Bring passion into otherwise ordinary moments. You don’t have to be surrounded by lots of people. You don’t have to be going anyplace new. You can distance yourself and still passionately engage in each moment.

2. Everything will change again soon. Embrace change and realize in many ways it’s necessary. It won’t always be obvious at first, but in the end most forms of change are worthwhile because they force us to grow. So keep yourself in check right now.

What you have today may become what you had by tomorrow. You never know. Things change, often spontaneously. People and circumstances come and go. Life doesn’t stop for anybody. It moves rapidly and rushes from calm to chaos in a matter of seconds, and happens like this to people every day. It’s likely happening to someone nearby right now.

Sometimes the shortest split second in time changes the direction of our lives. A seemingly innocuous decision rattles our whole world like a meteorite striking Earth. Entire lives have been swiveled and flipped upside down, for better or worse, on the strength of an unpredictable event. And these events are always happening – as they are right now.

So just remember, however good or bad a situation is now, it will change. That’s the one thing you can count on. Accept it. Breathe. Be where you are. You’re where you need to be right now. There’s a time and place for everything, and every hard step is necessary. Just keep doing your best, and don’t force what’s not yet supposed to fit into your life. When it’s meant to be, it will be.

3. Changing your response is what puts you back in control. Have patience with everything that remains unresolved in your head and heart. And realize that patience is not about waiting, but the ability to keep a good attitude while working hard to stay true to your intuition and values. This is your life, and it is governed by your choices. May your actions speak louder than your words. May your daily choices preach louder than your lips. May your inner sense of satisfaction be your noise in the end.

And if your present life only teaches you one thing, let it be that taking a passionate leap is always worth it. Even if you have no idea where you’re going to land – even when there are so many unknowns – be brave enough to stand up and listen to your heart. Remember that the most powerful moments in life happen when you find the courage to let go of what can’t be changed. Because when you are no longer able to change a situation, you are challenged to change yourself – to grow beyond the unchangeable. And that changes everything! (Marc and I discuss this in more detail in the “Passion and Growth” chapter of “1,000 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do Differently.“)

4. Life’s storms can be a great source of strength. Hard times are like strong storms that blow against you. And it’s not just that these storms hold you back from places you might otherwise go. They also tear away from you all but the essential parts of your ego that cannot be torn, so that afterward you see yourself as you really are, and not merely as you might like to be.

Ultimately, you realize you are here to endure these storms, to sacrifice your time and risk your heart. You are here to be bruised by life. And when it happens that you are hurt, or betrayed, or rejected, let yourself sit quietly with your eyes closed and remember all the good times you had, and all the sweetness you tasted, and everything you learned. Tell yourself how amazing it was to live, and then open your eyes and live some more.

Because to never struggle would be to never grow. You must let go of who you were so you can become who you are. Again, it is within the depths of the strongest and darkest storms that you discover within you an inextinguishable light, and it is this light that illuminates the path forward.

5. You don’t need all the answers right now. Accept the feeling of not knowing exactly where you are going, and train yourself to love and appreciate this sensation of freedom. Because it is only when you are suspended in the air, with no destination in sight, that you force your wings to open fully so you can fly. And as you soar around you still may not know where you’re traveling to. But that’s not what’s important. What’s important is the opening of your wings. You may not know where you’re going, but you know that so long as your wings are spread, the winds will carry you forward.

Truth be told, some of the greatest outcomes that transpire in your life will be the ones you never even knew you wanted. As long as you keep your mind open to new perspectives and yourself moving forward, there really are no wrong turns in life, only paths you didn’t know you were meant to travel. And you never can be certain what’s around the corner. It could be everything, or it could be nothing. You keep gliding steadily forward, and then one day you realize you’ve come a long way from where you started.

All details aside, someday all the pieces will come together. Unimaginably good outcomes will likely transpire in your life, even if everything doesn’t turn out exactly the way you had anticipated. And you will look back at the hard times that have passed, smile, and ask yourself… “How in the world did I get through all of that?”

- https://www.marcandangel.com/ 

"What The Herd Hates The Most..."

 

"Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth, more than ruin, more even than death. Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible, thought is merciless to privilege, established institutions, and comfortable habit. Thought looks into the pit of hell and is not afraid. Thought is great and swift and free, the light of the world, and the chief glory of man."

- Bertrand Russell

"If you're going to tell people the truth make them laugh, or they'll kill you."

- Oscar Wilde

Free Download: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, "The Little Prince"

Free Download:

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, "The Little Prince"

by Kirstie Pursey

“‘The Little Prince’, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, is a children’s story with some very profound meanings and some quotes that will really make you think. I have to admit that I never read the ‘Little Prince’ as a child. I think I wouldn’t have known what to make of it if I did. Even reading it as an adult I didn’t know what to make of it!

However, it is clear that “The Little Prince” touches on some very deep themes about the nature of life, love, friendship and more. The following Little Prince quotes show just how many philosophical themes are discussed in this small, but profound work.

The story tells of a pilot who crashes into the Sahara desert. He is attempting to fix his damaged plane when a little boy appears as if from nowhere and demands that he draws him a sheep. Thus begins a strange, enigmatic friendship that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. The Little Prince, it turns out, comes from a small asteroid where he is the only living being apart from a rather demanding rose bush. The Little Prince decides to leave his home and visit other planets to find knowledge. The story tells of these encounters with rulers of strange worlds and de Saint-Exupéry has opportunities to demonstrate some philosophical themes that will make readers think.

On earth, as well as meeting the pilot, The Little Price meets a Fox and Snake. The fox helps him to truly understand the rose and the snake offers him a way to return to his home planet. But his return journey comes at a high price. The book’s bittersweet ending is both thought-provoking and emotional. I would definitely recommend that you read “The Little Prince” if you haven’t already.

It is one of the most beautiful and profound children’s books there are. If you have older children, then you might like to read it with them as it can be a little overwhelming for them to read alone. In the meantime, here are some of the best and most thought-provoking Little Prince quotes:

• “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”

• “A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.”

• “All grown-ups were once children… but only a few of them remember it.”

• “Well, I must endure the presence of a few caterpillars if I wish to become acquainted with the butterflies.”

• “Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.”

• “The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart.”

• “It is much more difficult to judge oneself than to judge others. If you succeed in judging yourself rightly, then you are indeed a man of true wisdom.”

• “It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.”

• “I am who I am and I have the need to be.”

• “No one is ever satisfied where he is.”

• “One day, I watched the sun setting forty-four times……You know…when one is so terribly sad, one loves sunsets.”

• “People where you live, the little prince said, grow five thousand roses in one garden… Yet they don’t find what they’re looking for… And yet what they’re looking for could be found in a single rose.”

• “But the conceited man did not hear him. Conceited people never hear anything but praise.”

• “What matters most are the simple pleasures so abundant that we can all enjoy them…Happiness doesn’t lie in the objects we gather around us. To find it, all we need to do is open our eyes.”

• “Where are the people?” resumed the Little Prince at last. “It’s a little lonely in the desert…” “It is lonely when you’re among people, too,” said the snake.”

• “What makes the desert beautiful,’ said the Little Prince, ‘is that somewhere it hides a well…”

• “For me, you are only a little boy just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you have no need of me, either. For you, I’m only a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, we’ll need each other. You’ll be the only boy in the world for me and I’ll be the only fox in the world for you.”

• “To forget a friend is sad. Not everyone has had a friend.”

• “Only the children know what they are looking for.”

• “Sometimes, there is no harm in putting off a piece of work until another day.”

• “I should have judged her according to her actions, not her words.”

• “Nevertheless he is the only one of them all who does not seem to me ridiculous. Perhaps that is because he is thinking of something else besides himself.”

• “The one thing I love in life is to sleep.”

• “The machine does not isolate man from the great problems of nature but plunges him more deeply into them.”

• “And when your sorrow is comforted (time soothes all sorrows) you will be content that you have known me.”

Closing thoughts: I hope you have enjoyed these ‘Little Prince’ quotes. Admittedly, they are sometimes difficult to fathom at first. However, like many things in life, the more you think about them, the more they begin to make sense. This is not an easy book to read and the bittersweet ending may leave you feeling a little heartbroken. However, the book offers so many insights into the human condition that it is well worth the time spent thinking about the philosophical ideas contained between the covers.”

- https://www.learning-mind.com/

○

Freely download “The Little Prince”, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, here:

- https://blogs.ubc.ca

"Is There An Answer..."

"Is there an answer to the question of why bad things happen to good people? The response would be to forgive the world for not being perfect, to forgive God for not making a better world, to reach out to the people around us, and to go on living despite it all, no longer asking why something happened, but asking how we will respond, what we intend to do now that it has happened."

- Harold S. Kushner

The Daily "Near You?"

San Jose, California, USA. Thanks for stopping by!

"What If..."

"What if when you die they ask, "How was Heaven?"

~ Author Unknown

A truly terrifying thought...

Col. Douglas Macgregor, "Israel's All or Nothing Strategy On Iran, Faces Annihilation"

Full screen recommended.

Col. Douglas Macgregor, 4/4/24

"Israel's All or Nothing Strategy 

On Iran, Faces Annihilation"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

"A Genocide Foretold" (Excerpt)

"A Genocide Foretold"

The genocide in Gaza is the final stage of a process begun 

by Israel decades ago. Anyone who did not see this coming

 blinded themselves to the character and ultimate goals of the apartheid state.

by Mr. Fish

Excerpt: "There are no surprises in Gaza. Every horrifying act of Israel’s genocide has been telegraphed in advance. It has been for decades. The dispossession of Palestinians of their land is the beating heart of Israel’s settler colonial project. This dispossession has had dramatic historical moments - 1948 and 1967 - when huge parts of historic Palestine were seized and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were ethnically cleansed. Dispossession has also occurred in increments — the slow-motion theft of land and steady ethnic cleansing in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

The incursion on Oct. 7 into Israel by Hamas and other resistance groups, which left 1,154 Israelis, tourists and migrant workers dead and saw about 240 people taken hostage, gave Israel the pretext for what it has long craved - the total erasure of Palestinians.

Israel has razed 77 percent of healthcare facilities in Gaza, 68 percent of telecommunication infrastructure, nearly all municipal and governmental buildings, commercial, industrial and agricultural centers, almost half of all roads, over 60 percent of Gaza’s 439,000 homes, 68 percent of residential buildings - the bombing of the Al-Taj tower in Gaza City on Oct. 25, killed 101 people, including 44 children and 37 women, and injured hundreds - and obliterated refugee camps. The attack on the Jabalia refugee camp on Oct. 25 killed at least 126 civilians, including 69 children, and injured 280. Israel has damaged or destroyed Gaza’s universities, all of which are now closed, and 60 percent of other educational facilities, including 13 libraries. It has also destroyed at least 195 heritage sites, including 208 mosques, churches, and Gaza’s Central Archives that held 150 years of historical records and documents.

Israel’s warplanes, missiles, drones, tanks, artillery shells and naval guns daily pulverize Gaza - which is only 20 miles long and five miles wide - in a scorched earth campaign unlike anything seen since the war in Vietnam. It has dropped 25,000 tons of explosives - equivalent to two nuclear bombs - on Gaza, many targets selected by Artificial Intelligence. It drops unguided munitions (“dumb bombs”) and 2000-pound “bunker buster” bombs on refugee camps and densely packed urban centers as well as the so-called “safe zones” - 42 percent of Palestinians killed have been in these “safe zones” where they were instructed by Israel to flee. Over 1.7 million Palestinians have been displaced from their homes, forced to find refuge in overcrowded UNRWA shelters, hospital corridors and courtyards, schools, tents or the open air in south Gaza, often living next to fetid pools of raw sewage.

Israel has killed at least 32,705 Palestinians in Gaza, including 13,000 children and 9,000 women. This means Israel is slaughtering as many as 187 people a day including 75 children. It has killed 136 journalists, many, if not most of them deliberately targeted. It has killed 340 doctors, nurses and other health workers - four percent of Gaza’s healthcare personnel. These numbers do not begin to reflect the actual death toll since only those dead registered in morgues and hospitals, most of which no longer function, are counted. The death toll, when those who are missing are counted, is well over 40,000.

Doctors are forced to amputate limbs without anesthetic. Those with severe medical conditions - cancer, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease - have died from lack of treatment or will die soon. Over a hundred women give birth every day, with little to no medical care. Miscarriages are up by 300 percent. Over 90 percent of the Palestinians in Gaza suffer from severe food insecurity with people eating animal feed and grass. Children are dying of starvation. Palestinian writers, academics, scientists and their family members have been tracked and assassinated. Over 75,000 Palestinians have been wounded, many of whom will be crippled for life.

“Seventy percent of recorded deaths have consistently been women and children,” writes Francesca Albanese, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, in her report issued on March 25. “Israel failed to prove that the remaining 30 percent, i.e. adult males, were active Hamas combatants - a necessary condition for them to be lawfully targeted. By early-December, Israel’s security advisors claimed the killing of ‘7,000 terrorists’ in a stage of the campaign when less than 5,000 adult males in total had been identified among the casualties, thus implying that all adult males killed were ‘terrorists.’”

Full article here:

- https://informationclearinghouse.blog/

Americans! Hang your goddamned heads in eternal shame and disgrace for allowing and supporting these psychopathic, blood thirsty monsters! YOU are paying for every bomb and bullet, all of it! That blood's on all our hands too... - CP

"Iran Unleashes Biggest Revenge Threat With Deadly Weapons That Could Hit Tel Aviv in Minutes"

Full screen recommended.

Notify, 4/5/24

"Iran Unleashes Biggest Revenge Threat With

 Deadly Weapons That Could Hit Tel Aviv in Minutes"

"Explore the escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, as Tel Aviv faces unprecedented threats from Iran's vow of revenge. Discover how Israel's bustling metropolis scrambles its navigational signals in anticipation of potential attacks, and delve into the technological advancements behind Iran's latest hypersonic missile. This documentary sheds light on the strategic measures taken by Israel to defend against Iran's capabilities to strike swiftly and with precision. Join us for an in-depth analysis of what these developments mean for regional stability and the delicate balance of power in the Middle East."

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

Dan, I Allegedly, "AM/PM 4/5/24"

Full screen recommended.

Dan, I Allegedly, AM 4/5/24

".99 Cent Store Going Out of Business!"

"One of the most iconic stores in the entire country is going out of business. The store that started it all is a victim of the current marketplace. The 99 Cents store is done. It’s going to liquidate. They are blaming low sales, crime, and the current marketplace."

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

o

Full screen recommended.

Dan, I Allegedly, PM 4/5/24

"Foreclosure Frenzy - Why Your City's Next!"

"We are starting to see the banks running out of patience. They are starting to call loans in. We are also seeing restaurants and businesses close as a result of the wage increases. This is coming to a city near you."

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

"How It Really Is"

"Life's Funny..."

"Life is painful and messed up. It gets complicated at the worst of times, and sometimes you have no idea where to go or what to do. Lots of times people just let themselves get lost, dropping into a wide open, huge abyss. But that's why we have to keep trying. We have to push through all that hurts us, work past all our memories that are haunting us. Sometimes the things that hurt us are the things that make us strongest. A life without experience, in my opinion, is no life at all. And that's why I tell everyone that, even when it hurts, never stop yourself from living."

- Alysha Speer

"The joke was thinking you were ever really in charge of your life. You pressed your oar down into the water to direct the canoe, but it was the current that shot you through the rapids. You just hung on and hoped not to hit a rock or a whirlpool."

- Scott Turow

"Life's funny, chucklehead. You only get one and you don't want to throw it away. But you can't really live it at all unless you're willing to give it up for the things you love. If you're not at least willing to die for something - something that really matters - in the end you die for nothing."

- Andrew Klavan