"This Isn’t Just A Temporary Supply Chain Crisis, Its The Beginning Of A Global Supply Chain Collapse"

Full screen recommended.

"This Isn’t Just A Temporary Supply Chain Crisis, 

Its The Beginning Of A Global Supply Chain Collapse"

by Epic Economist

"All around the planet, inflation is rapidly spiraling out of control. And the worst supply chain crisis in modern history is only adding fuel to the fire. With each passing day, more disruptions emerge and more price hikes are announced while the global population continues to struggle to get by. The vast majority of us are just barely scraping by from month to month. And this means that we have never been more vulnerable than we are right now.

In the United States, an alarmingly high rate of Americans literally lives on the brink of financial disaster. A survey released in recent days has found that seven out of ten Americans are living paycheck to paycheck right now. Researchers also highlighted that 63 percent of adult Americans don’t see themselves reaching a level of financial security that will allow them to live the lifestyle they want. Amongst their biggest financial concerns were rising credit card debt, cited by 58 percent of the respondents, declining credit scores, with 54 percent, and unaffordable housing, noted by 51 percent of the surveyed. Even in the world’s leading economic superpower, the largest portion of the population doesn’t have a financial cushion to fall back on. Even after politicians and policymakers have absolutely flooded the system with printed money over the past two years, more than two-thirds of Americans are struggling to make ends meet.

When we consider the global outlook we can rapidly realize that it is only a matter of time before another major crisis of some sort erupts to make things even more chaotic. The ongoing global supply chain crisis is at risk of evolving into a global supply chain collapse that will ultimately affect everyone on the entire planet. Problems have been piling up for a long time now, and one industry CEO is warning that more trouble is ahead. The Chief Executive Officer of the world’s largest container shipping company is saying that the supply chain crisis that have been slowing down the global economy and spurring inflation are not getting any better, “Right now the situation does not appear to be getting significantly better,” Skou said in a recent interview. “I wish I could say that things are getting better, but right now there’s nothing in the numbers to suggest so.”

Demand for goods remains Strong, but "global trade is constrained by the shipping capacity that's available," he explained. "We still see this long queue in the U.S., particularly in Los Angeles, not really moving, only very slowly," he added. Given that we’re extremely reliant on this network that allows the flow of goods around the globe, his statement is a very big deal. Some of us may not realize it yet, but this means that the economic difficulties we have been facing won’t go away any time soon. The breakdown of global supply chains will only accelerate and add immense stress to our lives.

According to The National Federation of Independent Businesses, a Tennessee-based association of small business owners, the rate of small business owners in the country that is currently raising prices is the highest that it has been in almost 50 years. The organization found that the percentage of small business owners raising average selling prices jumped to 61% in last month, a four-point increase from the previous month and the highest reading since the fourth quarter of 1974. Just as a reminder, 1974 was definitely not a good year for the U.S. Apparently, 2022 won’t be a good year for us either.

Our system is extremely corrupt, but most people can’t see this reality. Most of us are just going to keep “consuming” and “consuming” until the whole system finally collapses all around us, which will not take too long since the U.S. economy has already started to implode. Global trends show that our crisis will only accelerate in 2022, and we should wake up and stand up for ourselves before it’s too late because most of the global population is still numb and waiting for everything to come back to normal."

- https://www.epiceconomist.com​

Gerald Celente, "Covid War Ending, Economic Calamity Coming"

Gerald Celente, 2/10/22:

"Covid War Ending, Economic Calamity Coming"

"The Trends Journal is a weekly magazine analyzing global current events forming future trends. Our mission is to present Facts and Truth over fear and propaganda to help subscribers prepare for What’s Next in these increasingly turbulent times."

- https://trendsresearch.com/

The Daily "Near You?"

Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada. Thanks for stopping by!

"Laguna Beach Is On Fire - The Misery Index is Climbing"

Full screen recommended.

Dan, iAllegedly PM 210/22:

"Laguna Beach Is On Fire - The Misery Index is Climbing"

"Laguna is on Fire. The CPI just got announced and we are supposed to believe that inflation is only at 7.5%. The misery index is climbing when people are fully employed. No one believes that the economy is great."

Bill Holter: "We Are In Serious Trouble - 'It Will Be All Over'"

Bill Holter: 

"We Are In Serious Trouble - 'It Will Be All Over'"

- http://bit.ly/CompactFinancialNews-subscribe

"Now The Mainstream Media Is Telling Us That “More Trouble Is Ahead” For the U.S. Economy"

"Now The Mainstream Media Is Telling Us 

That “More Trouble Is Ahead” For the U.S. Economy"

by Michael Snyder

"The last couple of years have not been pleasant, and so nobody wants to hear that more trouble is ahead for the U.S. economy. Unfortunately, that is precisely what the mainstream media is telling us right now. A year ago, so many of the talking heads on television were assuring us that a new golden era of prosperity was right around the corner, but of course that wasn’t true at all. The dismal performance of the economy has been mirrored by Joe Biden’s rapidly declining approval numbers, and at this point there is a tremendous amount of pessimism about the remainder of 2022. But is that pessimism warranted?

CNN just interviewed the CEO of Maersk about the horrific supply chain crisis that is gumming up the entire global economy, and the news wasn’t good. In fact, we are being told that “more trouble is ahead”… "Maersk has a front-row seat to global supply chains. It says more trouble is ahead. Needless to say, the CEO of Maersk is in a position to understand the current state of global supply chains far better than you or I do."

This is a world that he is immersed in every single day, and right now he sees “nothing in the numbers” that indicates that things are going to turn around any time soon… "The supply chain issues that have walloped the global economy and spurred inflation during the coronavirus pandemic are not getting much better, Maersk CEO Søren Skou told CNN Business on Wednesday. “Right now the situation does not appear to be getting significantly better,” Skou told Alison Kosik on First Move. “I wish I could say that things are getting better, but right now there’s nothing in the numbers to suggest so.”

Meanwhile, CNN is also reporting that inflation at fast food restaurants continues to hit consumers really hard… "Buying a burrito bowl or a burger will hit your wallet a lot harder these days. What’s happening: An order at Chipotle (CMG) costs about 10% more than it did one year ago, the restaurant chain said when reporting earnings on Tuesday. That means that if a steak burrito cost $8 this time in 2021, it’s now $8.80."

Of course it isn’t just the price of fast food that is going up dramatically. According to a brand new survey that was just released, the percentage of small business owners in America that is raising prices is the highest that it has been since 1974… "The National Federation of Independent Businesses, a Tennessee-based association of small business owners, found that the net percent of owners raising average selling prices rose to 61% in January, a four-point increase from the previous month and the highest reading since the fourth quarter of 1974."

1974 was not a good year for our country. And 2022 will not be a good year for us either. I must admit that the economy in 2022 is the weirdest economy that I have ever seen in my entire lifetime. For example, even though we are facing a severe labor shortage, the number of homeless people continues to explode higher as well.

In the San Francisco area, the number of homeless is growing so rapidly that many private homeowners are now being encouraged “to give their spare rooms over to the homeless” to help fight the problem… "Homelessness in the Bay Area has become such a problem people are being urged to give their spare rooms over to the homeless. Some charities have urged local families – who are sick of seeing the homeless crisis on their doorsteps – to do something about it personally by taking unhoused people into their own homes and spare rooms – and some schemes have little to no compensation."

Sadly, most of the homeless in California are drug addicts, so it isn’t exactly safe to have them bunking with your children. Of course most Americans are addicts of one form or another at this point. Instead of focusing on what we can contribute to society, most of us have been trained to consume, consume and then consume some more. I really like how Charles Hugh Smith made this point in his most recent article…

"One aspect nobody seems to notice is the transformation from a society that once drew its identity from producing quality goods and services to a society that draws its identity from consuming crapified goods and services. Now that Americans define themselves by consuming, they are enslaved to consumption: to limit consumption is to disappear–and ‘spending time” on social media is a form of consumption, even if no goods or services are purchased directly, as one’s attention / time are valuable commodities."

In other words, Americans have been trained like Pavlov’s dogs to consume, no matter how poor the quality and service. We just buy it anyway, and grumble over the decaying quality and service–but we won’t take the only action that would impact corporations and the government: stop buying the products and services. Opt out, drop out, make it at home, cancel the service, just stop buying abysmally made junk and pathetically poor services.

Most of us don’t even realize that we are just cogs in the machine. When we aren’t working or shopping, many of us are plugged in to some form of entertainment that is filled with ads encouraging us to “consume” even more. The more we consume, the deeper we go into debt. And once we get really deep into debt they know that they have got us trapped in the system indefinitely.

The only people that win in this twisted game are those at the very top of the pyramid. They milk us for everything that we have got, and then they laugh all the way to the bank. Just consider how much cash Pfizer is raking in. This year, it is expected that Pfizer will have a whopping 54 billion dollars in revenue from selling COVID vaccines and pills… "Pfizer projects it will generate record-high revenue in 2022, saying Tuesday it expects to sell $32 billion of its Covid-19 shots and $22 billion of its antiviral coronavirus treatment pill Paxlovid this year."

That is one big pile of money. And needless to say, they will continue to fund the campaigns of politicians that will make sure that they will continue to be able to make that sort of money for many years to come. Our system is so corrupt, but most Americans don’t seem to care. Most Americans are just going to keep “consuming” and “consuming” until the whole system finally collapses all around them. Unfortunately, the U.S. economy has already started to implode, and many believe that 2022 is going to greatly accelerate that process."

- http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/

"How It Really Is"

 

“The Immutable Laws of Nature, and Murphy’s Other 15 Laws”

“The Immutable Laws of Nature, and Murphy’s Other 15 Laws”

by Peter McKenzie-Brown

“The Immutable Laws of Nature”

• Law of Mechanical Repair: After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch and you’ll have to pee.

• Law of Gravity: Any tool, nut, bolt, screw, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible place.

• Law of Probability: The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.

• Law of Random Numbers: If you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal; someone always answers.

• Law of Variable Motion: If you change traffic lanes or checkout queues, the one you were in will always move faster than the one you are in now.

• Law of the Bath: When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone will ring.

• Law of Close Encounters: The probability of meeting someone you know increases exponentially when you are alongside someone you don’t want to be seen with.

• Law of the Damned Thing: When you try to prove to someone that a machine or device won’t work, it will.

• Law of Biomechanics: The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.

• Law of the Spectator: At any theatrical, musical or sporting event, the people whose seats are furthest from the aisle always arrive last. They are the ones who will leave their seats several times to go for food, for beer, or to the toilet and who leave before the end of the performance or game. Those who occupy the aisle seats come early, never move once, have long gangly legs or big bellies and stay seated beyond the end of the performance. The aisle people also are very surly folk.

• Law of Coffee: As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your partner will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.

• Murphy’s Law of Lockers: When only 2 people are in a locker room, they will have adjacent lockers.

• Law of Plane Surfaces: The chance that a slice of marmalade toast will land face down on a floor is directly correlated to the newness and cost of the carpet or rug.

• Law of Logical Argument: Anything is possible when you don’t know what you are talking about.

• Law of Physical Appearance: If clothes fit, they’re ugly.

• Law of Public Speaking: A closed mouth gathers no feet

• Law of Commercial Marketing: As soon as you find a product that you really like, it will cease production or the store will stop selling it.

• Law of Psychosomatic Medicine: If you don’t feel well, make an appointment to see to the doctor and by  the time you get there, you’ll feel better. If you don’t make an appointment you’ll stay sick.

“Murphy’s Other 15 Laws”

1. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

2. A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.

3. He who laughs last, thinks slowest.

4. A day without sunshine is like, well, night.

5. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

6. Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don’t.

7. Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.

8. The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there’s a 90% probability you’ll get it wrong.

9. It is said that if you line up all the cars in the world end-to-end, someone would be stupid enough to try to pass them.

10. If the shoe fits, get another one just like it.

11. The things that come to those who wait may be the things left by those who got there first.

12. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

13. Flashlight: A case for holding dead batteries.

14. God gave you toes as a device for finding furniture in the dark.

15. When you go into court, you are putting yourself in the hands of twelve people who weren’t smart enough to get out of jury duty.”

- http://www.24hgold.com/

"You Only Live Once..."

 

"Grocery Prices Are Skyrocketing At Kroger! What's Next?!"

Full screen recommended.

Adventures with Danno, 2/10/22:

"Grocery Prices Are Skyrocketing At Kroger! What's Next?!"

"In today's vlog we visit Kroger, and witness grocery prices are skyrocketing. With stores struggling to get in products, we are also dealing with a major issue of soaring prices. We will also check out the shelves as stores all across the country are having trouble."

Gregory Mannarino, "Inflation Worse Than Expected. Duh! Really?"

Gregory Mannarino, AM 2/10/22:

"Inflation Worse Than Expected. Duh! Really?"

- https://traderschoice.net/

Greg Hunter, "Fed Rate Hike Will Cause Hyperinflationary Great Depression"

"Fed Rate Hike Will Cause Hyperinflationary Great Depression"

By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com

"Economist John Williams says the economy is in deep trouble, and the Fed knows it. Williams says the Fed talking up “robust economic growth” that is causing inflation is “nonsense.” Williams explains, “The one thing that is not causing inflation is ‘robust economic growth.’ So, when they talk about raising interest rates to kill this robust economic growth that’s triggering the inflation, that’s absurd, and the Fed knows it. If the Fed foolishly raised rates as reflected in the payrolls as not being fully recovered, you are going to have a sharp downturn, a double dip depression here. At the same time, you are still going to have the inflation. You are going to end up with an inflationary depression or a hyper-inflationary Great Depression.”

According to Williams’ forecast, “In terms of a crash, I am looking for much higher inflation, maybe hyperinflation, and I am looking for the economy to crash. You can address the inflation by personally holding physical gold and silver.”

So, jobs are going to disappear? Williams says, “They already have, but hopefully all the effects of the pandemic will disappear, and people will get back to work, but that is not happening now. There is no sign of it getting better. In fact, the numbers are indicating it’s getting worse. The holiday retail economy in November and December declined at the worst pace since the Great Recession. You had a negative holiday shopping season. That’s not a booming economy.”

On top of that, Williams says the real inflation rate is 14.8 %, if you disregard all the gimmicks the government uses to make inflation look less than what it really is. Williams says, “That’s the highest inflation rate since the Truman Administration.”

In short, Williams points out, “The Fed has to keep the system liquid. So, the money is going to continue to flow, and they cannot afford to raise interest rates. If the Fed raises interest rates, it’s going to crash the economy from where it is now, and the economy is not healthy.” Williams says buy physical gold and silver and hold it against the inflation that is here to stay and will get worse."

- https://usawatchdog.com/

Join Greg Hunter on Rumble as he goes One-on-One with John Williams, 

founder of ShadowStats.com, as he explains how bad the economy really is."

- https://rumble.com/

Musical Interlude: Little River Band, "Cool Change"

Full screen recommended.

Little River Band, "Cool Change"

"The Economic Collapse Is Accelerating; $11 Trillion Illusion; Substantial Financial Pain Ahead"

Jeremiah Babe, PM 2/9/22:

"The Economic Collapse Is Accelerating; 

$11 Trillion Illusion; Substantial Financial Pain Ahead"

"Rats in a Cage"

Full screen recommended.

"Rats in a Cage"

by Peak Prosperity, Chris Martenson

"We are all rats in a cage who are being shocked. A very well-studied form of psychological warfare is being waged against us, and it's designed to encourage us to overlook where the shocks are originating and fight amongst each other. Knowing that this is running is your first step towards freedom.

Police fighting people is an example of "rats in a cage." People fighting over relatively meaningless things is an example of acting like rats in a cage. People arguing over Joe Rogan’s prior podcast series (while having practically no objections to zero “Johns” being named in Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial) is an example of rats in a cage.

The shocks being administered are anything but accidental: Student debt growing a trillion dollars in the past decade, while being the only non-dischargeable form of debt in bankruptcy court, is shocking.

The Federal Reserve printing up and expanding the nation’s money supply by 300% in the past 2 years is shocking.

Inflation exploding to levels not seen since the 1970’s is shocking.

The wealthy becoming grotesquely more wealthy and powerful as a result of the Fed’s reckless printing is shocking.

Insects disappearing so comprehensively and suddenly is shocking.

The list of shocks is a mile long and ten feet deep. Given that, it’s not at all surprising that people are turning on each other. But it’s a shame. Their ire really ought to be directed at the architects of the shocks. There are people in power who are both conscious of this dynamic and actively engineering more shocks simply so that people remain befuddled and harmlessly fighting amongst each other. Well, harmless to the powerful, that is.

If we do not recognize this and turn the righteous anger towards the rightful targets, our lives will continue to erode and, eventually, this all devolves into a major social, political, economic, and ecological storm."

- https://www.peakprosperity.com/

"Panic Buying Sweeps Across China As Food Shortage Leaves Millions With No Food"

Full screen recommended.

"Panic Buying Sweeps Across China As 

Food Shortage Leaves Millions With No Food"

by Epic Economist

"A new panic-buying wave is rapidly spreading across China as food shortages get significantly worse amid new movement restrictions and the beginning of Beijing’s Winter Olympics. Millions of Chinese residents are currently facing a shortage of food and other daily essentials and having to pay some exceedingly expensive prices for what they can still find in stock. In Hong Kong, a new set of movement restrictions is preventing the entrance of truck drivers responsible for delivering supplies to local grocery stores. Recent mandates issued by authorities in mainland China are forbidding truckers to re-enter the territory after they leave to pick up supplies at distribution centers. And after some drivers tested positive for the virus, the Chinese government reimposed mass testing and isolation measures, exacerbating delivery delays.

Since Saturday, food supplies in the area have dropped as much as 70 percent, with supplies fresh produce and fruit being the hardest hit, according to Chamber of Hong Kong Logistics Industry vice chairman Chan Fu-chuen. The region relies on mainland China for more than 90 percent of its needs, and at this point, most vegetables and fish cannot be found anywhere. At the same time, prices of food staples have seen massive spikes, going up 30 to 50 percent in less than a week, while some perishable products, such as pea sprouts, faced even sharper increases, said Hong Kong Food Council chairman Thomas Ng. As fears of extensive shortages and new lockdowns emerged, residents have engaged in a new panic buying wave, further aggravating the situation. Local officials say that the new panic buying frenzy resembles what happened in 2020 when shoppers emptied store shelves in record time. Only this time, it is coming at a time when food supplies are already tight all across the nation. Demand usually peaks around the Lunar New Year Holiday and prices are typically higher as grocers struggle to restock inventories.

On top of that, the flow of goods has been slower as key ports have been closed or operating at lower capacity in recent weeks. On social media, Hong Kongers have been expressing their growing dissatisfaction. “We have done all you ask, we sat quietly as mental health takes a toll, as families are torn apart and as businesses close down because it is all in the hope of China reopening our borders," wrote one resident in an open letter that went viral. "You have tried for two years, and failed," it continued. "When will you stop holding the citizens of this city hostage?" he asked.

Many other regions of the country are also suffering from food shortages. Apparently, the situation is getting so out of control that it has been affecting athletes who are going to compete in Beijing’s Winter Olympics. This week, the Chinese government faced lots of criticism for not offering adequate food supplies for Olympic athletes. Supply chain experts say that port shutdowns in China are expected to aggravate the ongoing shortage of commodities in the next few weeks. Several shipping lines have suspended operations as at least three Chinese ports, including Shanghai and Shenzhen, remain partially closed.

In a recent note, HSBC’s head of shipping warned that “China’s restrictions will impact global supply chain recovery as any small disruption in the country will likely trigger shockwaves all across the world.” The health crisis has exposed “how lean the supply chain has become. And there is little margin of error,” said Parash Jain, global head of shipping and ports equity research at HSBC. “The sheer importance of China when it comes to global trade means that any small disruption in China, will have a ripple effect across the supply chain,” Jain said, adding that “the chaos created because of these restrictions will eventually have an impact on the other side of the ocean. That’s why, as long as China maintains this very strict zero-tolerance stance, we cannot rule out a disruption time to time as the year progress,” he added.

Our increased reliance on China is a disaster from the perspective of economic security and leadership in production. Now that the Eastern superpower is experiencing extended disruptions, each and every one of them will be magnified and rattle around the world, creating volatility and instability that will ultimately show up in shortages and price increases in our stores. In other words, China’s supply chain mess is about to disturb the American status quo in ways we could never imagine. And what we witnessed so far is the very tip of the iceberg."

- https://www.epiceconomist.com​

Gregory Mannarino, "Markets: Something Is About To Happen...Be Ready For It!"

Gregory Mannarino, PM 2/9/22:

"Markets: Something Is About To Happen...Be Ready For It!"

- https://traderschoice.net/

Celente & The Judge: "Freedom of Speech Dead in America…Unless You Can Pay for It"

Celente & The Judge: 

"Freedom of Speech Dead in America…Unless You Can Pay for It"

"The Trends Journal is a weekly magazine analyzing global current events forming future trends. Our mission is to present Facts and Truth over fear and propaganda to help subscribers prepare for What’s Next in these increasingly turbulent times."

- https://trendsresearch.com/

"Do You Want..."

"Do you want to live life, or do you want to escape life?"

- Macklemore

"Why Dogs Live Less Than Humans"

"Why Dogs Live Less Than Humans"

by Bill Overton

"Here's the surprising response from a 6-year-old. Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little Shane, were very attached to Belker, and were expecting a miracle. I examined Belker and found that he was dying of cancer. I told the family that we couldn't do anything for Belker, and I offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog at his house.

While we were making arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as if Shane could learn something from the experience. The next day, I felt the familiar capture in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within minutes, Belker escaped peacefully.

The boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that dog lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening silently, said, "I know why." Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth afterwards surprised me. I had never heard a more comforting explanation. It has changed the way I try to live.

He said, "People are born so they can learn to live a good life, like loving everyone all the time and being kind, right?" The six-year-old boy continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do it, so they don't have to stay as long as we do."

Live simply.

Love generously.

Care deeply.

Speak kindly.

Remember, if a dog were the teacher you would learn things like:

• When your loved ones return home, always run to greet them.

• Never miss the opportunity to go for a walk.

• Allow the experience of fresh air and wind on the face to be pure ecstasy.

• Take naps.

• Stretch before getting up.

• Running, playing and playing daily.

• Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

• Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

• On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the lawn.

• On hot days, drink plenty of water and lie down under a shaded tree.

• When you are happy, dance and move your whole body.

• Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

• Be faithful.

• Never pretend to be something you are not.

• If what you want is buried, dig until you find it.

• When someone is having a bad day, be quiet, sit nearby, and nuzzle gently.

That's the secret of happiness we can learn from a good dog.”

- https://meawsandwoofs.com/

Musical Interlude: Neil H, "Moonpath"

Neil H, "Moonpath"

"A Look to the Heavens"

“Barred spiral galaxy NGC 1365 is truly a majestic island universe some 200,000 light-years across. Located a mere 60 million light-years away toward the chemical constellation Fornax, NGC 1365 is a dominant member of the well-studied Fornax galaxy cluster.

This impressively sharp color image shows intense star forming regions at the ends of the bar and along the spiral arms, and details of dust lanes cutting across the galaxy's bright core. At the core lies a supermassive black hole. Astronomers think NGC 1365's prominent bar plays a crucial role in the galaxy's evolution, drawing gas and dust into a star-forming maelstrom and ultimately feeding material into the central black hole.”

- http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100820.html

"The Some of Us"

"The Some of Us"

by Bill Bonner

"Yeah yeah, oh hey now little water boy,

Get your butt up offa the ground.

Pick up that bucket of water son.

Bring that bucket around.

Lord if you don't like your job

Then lay that bucket down..."

~ "Blue Yodel #8" by Jimmie Rogers

Youghal, Ireland - "Thanks for staying tuned…Our subject is real work… and why people aren’t so keen on it anymore. And finally, the dots are coming together. Of course people are quitting their jobs… the average Main Street worker has gotten a raise of only 32 cents per hour over the last half century. And now, adjusted for inflation, his earnings are going down.

Of course they want to join the elite – that’s where the money and status are. And of course, the Elite Establishment has become a parasitic burden – its ranks are padded with semi-competent managers, malingerers and hangers-on… over-proud, over-powerful and over-paid.

Of course prices are rising – the Fed is printing money. And of course Wall Street and its clients – the elite – have gotten rich; that’s where the bulk of the new money went.

Of course growth is slowing and the US empire is in decline… its upper classes have been corrupted by power and wealth. And its working classes – despised and ripped off by their ‘betters’ – are putting down their trowels and climbing down from the truck cabs.

The Some of Us: Let’s look at this more closely. It was the ‘culture of work’ that made America such a powerhouse. During WWII German prisoners of war, in America, were often given the opportunity to work on farms. After the war was over, some elected to stay. One explained it: “Here, I can work as much as I want.” But now… it seems fewer people like to work.

You’ll recall our explanation for the decline of the US. Every society has its elites. The government is never “all of us.” It’s some of us. There are those who govern and those who are misgoverned. Naturally, ambitious people aim for the cushy, front-row seats. “If you keep getting grades like that,” mothers warn their children, “you’ll end up like your father, laying bricks.”

Masonry is an honorable profession. It adds to the real wealth of the world. Anyone can do it. But doing it well requires real skill, something you typically learn on the job. You begin as a helper or “mud (mortar) boy” or “hod (a wooden device used to carry bricks on a job site) carrier.” Then, you fill in here and there. And when the boss stops slapping your hand, you can call yourself a mason.

But the young man of today has other opportunities. And thanks to the federal government, he has an astonishing amount of rope to hang himself. Instead of getting paid to learn carpentry, masonry, hospitality, baking or any one of dozens of useful trades, a young man takes out student loans and gets a degree in ‘management’ or ‘communications’ or ‘administration.’ Then, he can take his place among the people who work without getting their clothes dirty – schlepping in an air conditioned office to keep up with student debt, credit card debt, mortgage debt, auto debt… and the US national debt. He may never be among the real elite… or ever join the real ‘deciders,’ but he can still hold his head up… and feel good about himself. His mother will be proud of him.

More Butts: Besides, as a society becomes more regulated and controlled, more and more wannabe elites are needed to ‘manage’ it. While the number of students and teachers may remain more or less steady, for example, the number of ‘educators’ or ‘administrators’ goes up. It’s not enough to teach readin’, writin’ and ‘rithmetic; children also need to be indoctrinated with the elite catechism – that is, that they, the elite, should control the economy, the political structure, and the social and cultural rules of civil society. Anti-racism trainers are required… and experts to explain the need to switch to electric cars… and ‘economists’ who can keep a straight face.

So, too, are more butts needed in the seats of the medical industry. Again, while the quantity of doctors and nurses may be relatively stable, (many imported from Pakistan or India) somebody has to tell them how to treat their patients. And far more middle-muddlers are needed to master the intricate paperwork and arcane rules of Medicaid, Medicare and Obama Care, into which nearly half the population is currently enrolled.

The CDC has to keep track of who is vaccinated and who is not. The Small Business Administration must know who got PPP loans (a good bet – a high percentage went to the elite.) The SEC must charge someone with insider trading. The FBI must arrest criminals… and frame its political targets. The CIA must provide ‘intelligence’ to justify more ‘defense’ spending.

And so the wheels turn, but more and more slowly. Middle-management gums them up. Even superfluous parts must be greased, tended, connected to crankshafts and flywheels. Some cold and stationary, like a rusty DeSoto… others hot, young and in motion, but for no apparent reason; in the crankcase… in the transmission… more gears to turn… more parts to be oiled…

But none of them provide any motive force. No forward motion. No propulsion. They are ‘free riders’ in the economy who must be paid… whose medical needs must be met… whose retirements must be financed…and who vote for candidates who swear to God that they will never let interest rates go up.

More to come…Tomorrow, we will look at the non-elite… the common man. If he doesn’t work, how does he support himself? Has he been corrupted too? And in his idleness, does he get depressed?"

- bonnerprivateresearch@substack.com

"The Free Lunch Economy is Over - We Are All On Our Own"

Full screen recommended.

Dan, iAllegedly 2/9/22:

"The Free Lunch Economy is Over - We Are All On Our Own"

"There are no more Stimulus or free handouts coming your way. You and your business are on your own. We are told one day that the economy is doing great and then the next we are told that we need to prepare for the worst. Regardless of what they tell us you have to get yourself ready for a downturn."

"Retail Apocalypse & Inflation As The US National Debt Surpasses $30 Trillion For The First Time"

Full screen recommended.

"Retail Apocalypse & Inflation As The US National

Debt Surpasses $30 Trillion For The First Time"

by The Atlantis Report

"For the first time on the 1st February 2022, America’s gross national debt passed over $30 trillion, an apocalyptic fiscal milestone that highlights the fragile nature of the country’s long-term economic health as it grapples with ascending prices and the prospect of higher interest rates.

Wow, $30 trillion! Who could’ve seen this coming? And who is going to pay it back in taxes, debt, and inflation? Hint: they aren’t rich and they aren’t poor. It is the middle class.

If every person in the United States paid an equal part of the national debt it would cost each person about $86,000. How would that go over?

$30 trillion in debt with manufacturing now controlled almost entirely by our greatest 21st century rival, and a level of political corruption that makes this almost impossible to slow, let alone stop. Meanwhile 500 families own a majority of the country’s assets, which are held offshore. The future is bright indeed.

If we don't have the supply side working IE taxes we will indeed have a deficit. Think of the billions that were made during this pandemic .

Maybe we need to raise taxes on the U.S. billionaires whose wealth went up 70% during the pandemic. It does feel like high time our tax policy stops doing the exact opposite of what common sense, economic data, and compassion would dictate.

But how can we raise taxes on U.S. billionaires when they bought Congress a long time ago?

$30 Trillion is a million dollars a day for over 82,000 years. Such a figure could never be repaid. And Biden now wants to increase the deficit by giving Democrats trillions of dollars in additional welfare benefits through Build Back Better. No problem. Biden will inflate us out of anything.

If we use federal funding to put money in the pockets of the working class, it is spent on essentials; and that fuels economic growth and growth in tax revenue. If we spend federal money by giving tax cuts to the rich - as the GOP did in 2017 - it barely moves the needle. The rich simply hoard the money, or spend it on bubbles that do next to nothing to promote a healthy economy or grow tax revenues.

Both sides of the aisle are culpable for seeding this $30Trillion debt… Republicans and Democrats for massive corporate tax relief. A needless and wasteful Middle East war, only enriching the defense contractors. Failure of corporations and government to stem the migration of middle class jobs to the Far East. Corporations eyeing higher profits with minimal investment in offshoring manufacturing and not willing to invest in modernizing their manufacturing plants in the USA. All these have contributed to a higher national debt.

How is this not a central concern for the younger generations who will inevitably foot this bill? Are we so utterly distracted and financially illiterate that we can't see the brick wall we're barreling toward?

The top 10 Americans own nearly one trillion dollars in wealth and the rest of us owe 30 trillion!

It would be interesting to know how much each person in the United States would have to pay to pay off the national debt. This would include every man, woman and child. This would tell us what we are doing to our children and their future.

If you look up the National Debt Clock, you’ll see that we’re currently at $90,000 per citizen, or $239,000 per taxpayer. And the clock keeps on rolling… $136 Trillion is the net household private wealth of the USA to put a number on it. That is more than $30 Trillion. That wealth number increased about $20 Trillion in the past 12 months of the report period to 30 September. The top 1% holds about $43 Trillion, the top 10% holds about $95 Trillion. Most of us, 90% and up, pay ‘wealth’ tax on our principal asset, our house, in our mortgage payment or our rent. Most of us pay *most* of that tax on *somebody else’s* asset - the bank’s or the landlord’s.

How much of this increased debt is due to tax breaks for the very wealthy 1% that will not go away when breaks for ordinary Americans do? And they were telling us not to worry about debt because: "Interest rates are much lower than they were in the past, and all indications are that they’ll stay low for years to come" (thereby keeping the cost of servicing the debt low)."

- https://www.youtube.com/user/TheSchiffReport

Musical Interlude: Celine Dion & Josh Groban, "Live, "The Prayer"

Full screen!

Celine Dion & Josh Groban, "Live, "The Prayer"

The Daily "Near You?"

Marysville, Ohio, USA. Thanks for stopping by!

"Get Your Stuff Together...:

“We all got problems. But there’s a great book out called “Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart.” Did you see that? That book says the statute of limitations has expired on all childhood traumas. Get your stuff together and get on with your life, man. Stop whinin’ about what’s wrong, because everybody’s had a rough time, in one way or another.”

- Quincy Jones

"Too Soon, Too Soon..."

"I remember my youth and the feeling that will never come back any more – the feeling that I could last for ever, outlast the sea, the earth, and all men; the deceitful feeling that lures us on to joys, to perils, to love, to vain effort – to death; the triumphant conviction of strength, the heat of life in the handful of dust, the glow in the heart that with every year grows dim, grows cold, grows small, and expires – and expires, too soon, too soon – before life itself."

- Joseph Conrad, 1857-1924, English writer, "Youth"

"In Memory of Those Who Have “Died Suddenly” From February 1st to 7th, 2022"

"In Memory of Those Who Have “Died Suddenly”

 From February 1st to 7th, 2022"

by Mark Crispin Miller

"We now know, from the statistics, that all-cause mortality has been skyrocketing in countries with the highest COVID “vaccination” rates. Such numbers also tell us that more people all around the world have “died of COVID” than did (reportedly) in all of 2020. (396,837 Americans reportedly “died of COVID” under Trump, while 528,379 have so far “died of COVID” under Biden, whose term started with the US “vaccination” drive.) We also know, from the statistics, that children have been dying in greater numbers since they started getting “vaccinated” - as have professional (and non-professional) athletes the world over, and US military personnel.

Meanwhile, honest witnesses in medicine and the mortuary business, and also first responders, have been telling us they’ve seen a huge increase in sudden and untimely deaths, especially from heart attack, blood clot(s), stroke and cardiac arrest. British undertaker John O’Looney notes an increase of “500 to 600%” in deaths due to thrombosis. Such testimony adds dramatically to our general awareness that this “vaccination” drive is killing people in unprecedented numbers - and clearly by design, or else they would have halted it a year ago, when such grim numbers were already worryingly high.

Such statistics are invaluable; and yet, of course, they’re also too abstract to make us properly aware of the true toll that those “vaccines” are taking on humanity, and in the name of “saving lives.” This is why we need, as much as possible, to demonstrate that countless individuals are dying suddenly and, all too often, prematurely, every day. Only when enough of us have fully recognized this toll will it be possible for us to stop this second, incremental, scattered global Holocaust.

Here are those who have “died suddenly” or “unexpectedly” just this past week, either with no cause given (which is most unusual, even for the elderly), or from a heart attack, blood clot(s), stroke or cardiac arrest, or a very sudden and aggressive cancer (an “adverse event” whose increase has been noted by practitioners like Dr. Ryan Cole). Bear in mind that most of these are deaths that made the news in one way or another, whereas the vast majority of such surprising deaths go unreported."

Please view this complete article, with linked headlines, here:

- https://www.theburningplatform.com/

○

Hat tip to the Burning Platform for this article.

https://www.theburningplatform.com/

○

Related:

"The Die-Off Is Here: Life Insurance Payouts Skyrocket 

258% As Post-Vaccine Deaths Rapidly Accelerate"

"What We Choose..."

"Take risks! That is really what life is about. We must pursue our own happiness. Nobody has ever lived our lives; there are no guidelines. Trust your instincts. Accept nothing but the best. But then also look for it carefully. Don't allow it to slip between your fingers. Sometimes, good things come to us in a such a quiet fashion. And nothing comes complete. It is what we make of whatever we encounter that determines the outcome. What we choose to see, what we choose to save. And what we choose to remember. Never forget that all the love in your life is there, inside you, always."

- Linda Olsson

"Empty Shelves Everywhere At Meijer, And Grocery Prices Are Rising!"

Full screen recommended.

Adventures with Danno, 2/9/22:

"Empty Shelves Everywhere At Meijer, And Grocery Prices Are Rising!"

"In today's vlog we visit Meijer, and witness a lot of soaring prices. With stores struggling to get in products we are also dealing with another issue of skyrocketing prices. We will also check out the shelves as stores all across the country are having trouble."

Gregory Mannarino, "Fake Out: The FED Is Buying The Market - New Record Highs Coming"

Gregory Mannarino, AM 2/9/22:

"Fake Out: The FED Is Buying The Market - 

New Record Highs Coming"

- https://traderschoice.net/

"Rampant Drug Shortages! Right Now There Are Shortages Of 116 Different Pharmaceutical Drugs In The United States"

"Rampant Drug Shortages! Right Now There Are Shortages

 Of 116 Different Pharmaceutical Drugs In The United States"

by Michael Snyder

"Global supplies of pharmaceutical drugs are getting tighter and tighter, and this has very serious implications for 2022 and beyond. If you depend upon a certain pharmaceutical drug in order to stay alive, I would recommend doing whatever you can to make sure that you have as much of that drug stockpiled as possible, because a day may come when you are unable to get any more for an extended period of time. Much of our drug production has been outsourced to China, and our relations with China are not going so well right now. In fact, the moment that China invades Taiwan we are going to have a major league national crisis on our hands.

Let me try to explain this one step at a time. The FDA regularly keeps a list of pharmaceutical drug shortages. According to that list, there were 112 drug shortages in the U.S. in November, and there were 114 drug shortages in the U.S. as of January 11th… "Nationwide, more than 100 drugs are in short supply, including antibiotics, diuretics, opioids and heart failure medications, FDA data shows. As of Jan. 11, 114 drugs were in shortage, according to the FDA’s database of current and resolved drug shortages, which is updated daily. The current tally is a continuation of shortage levels seen last year. In November 2021, the FDA reported 112 drug shortages."

I wanted information that was more up to date than that, so I went over and checked out the latest FDA drug shortage list for myself. There are 165 entries on the list right now, but 49 of them have been resolved. Subtracting 49 from 165 gives us a total of 116 pharmaceutical drug shortages in the United States at this moment. That is shocking. What are people supposed to do if they can’t get the drugs that they need?

Unfortunately, this is another area where we have outsourced a tremendous amount of production to China. Today, a whopping 97 percent of all antibiotics purchased in the United States come from China. Just think about that. If our supplies of antibiotics were suddenly cut off, a whole lot of Americans would die.

And it isn’t just antibiotics that we are talking about. According to one expert, if China suddenly cut off the flow of pharmaceutical drugs many of our hospitals “would cease to function within months, if not days”…

As the U.S. defense establishment grows increasingly concerned about China’s potentially hostile ambitions, the pharmaceutical supply chain is receiving new scrutiny. “If China shut the door on exports of medicines and their key ingredients and raw material, U.S. hospitals and military hospitals and clinics would cease to function within months, if not days,” said Rosemary Gibson, author of a book on the subject, “China Rx.”

Wow.

This is another example that shows why it was so foolish to become so dependent on manufacturing in China. For years, I railed against all of the outsourcing that was going on. But our politicians in Washington didn’t want to listen to voices such as mine.

And so now we are in a very precarious position. If China invades Taiwan, either we have to stand aside and let it happen or we give up most of our medicine. At this point, things are so bad that we don’t even have a single penicillin plant in the United States anymore… "Other generic drugs whose key ingredients are manufactured in China include medicines for blood pressure medicine, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, epilepsy and depression, Gibson says. “We can’t make penicillin anymore,” said Gibson. “The last penicillin plant in the United States closed in 2004.”

Isn’t that crazy? The Chinese have the ability to bring us to our knees without firing a single shot. For a very long time I have been warning my readers that the U.S. has been playing checkers while China has been playing chess. They have outmaneuvered our clueless leaders every step of the way, and most Americans didn’t even realize what was happening.

Of course it isn’t just pharmaceutical drugs that are the problem. Western nations have outsourced the production of nearly everything, and now we are facing widespread global shortages that are unlike anything we have ever seen before. I included the following quote in an article that I posted yesterday, but I think that it is so important that I am going to share it again… 

"In a time when social networks have been swamped with photos of empty shelves from across the nation, Goldman’s head commodity strategist and one of the closest-followed analysts on Wall Street, said he’s never seen commodity markets pricing in the shortages they are right now. “I’ve been doing this 30 years and I’ve never seen markets like this,” Currie told Bloomberg TV in an interview on Monday. “This is a molecule crisis. We’re out of everything, I don’t care if it’s oil, gas, coal, copper, aluminum, you name it we’re out of it.”

I don’t know if I have sufficient words to express the seriousness of what we are now facing. A horrifying global meltdown has already begun, and it is only going to get worse.

Earlier today, I came across a video clip in which former BlackRock executive Edward Dowd warned that “we are at the end days here”. “We are at end days here” Former Executive of BlackRock Edward Dowd:

Sound ON

pic.twitter.com/gCUnxdJcFU

- Wall Street Silver (@WallStreetSilv) February 6, 2022

Needless to say, he was specifically addressing the state of the financial markets, but his statement could definitely be applied on a much broader basis. We have entered a period of great crisis, but many people still don’t understand this.

A lot of times, people don’t grasp what is taking place until it affects them personally. In recent weeks, I have gotten emails from numerous readers about the issues that they are encountering at their local pharmacies. In the old days, getting drugs that were prescribed was a snap, but now there are times when people have had to wait weeks or even months to get their drugs.

If you still believe that this is “temporary”, you haven’t been paying attention. Our entire system is melting down, and what we have experienced so far is just the beginning."

- http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/

"How It Really Is"

“We are in the process of creating what deserves to be called the idiot culture. Not an idiot sub-culture, which every society has bubbling beneath the surface and which can provide harmless fun; but the culture itself. For the first time, the weird and the stupid and the coarse are becoming our cultural norm, even our cultural ideal.”

- Carl Bernstein

“Tough Times Are Here, Economy In Shambles; System Has Failed”

Full screen recommended.

Jeremiah Babe, PM 2/8/22:

“Tough Times Are Here, Economy In Shambles; 

System Has Failed”

Gerald Celente, "Covid-19 Made In China"

 

Gerald Celente,"Trends Journal":
"Covid-19 Made In China"

"The Trends Journal is a weekly magazine analyzing global current events forming future trends. Our mission is to present Facts and Truth over fear and propaganda to help subscribers prepare for What’s Next in these increasingly turbulent times."

- https://trendsresearch.com/