"Back To The Stone Age"

President John F. Kennedy and 

Air Force General Curtis Lemay, April 1962

"Back To The Stone Age"

by Bill Bonner

Youghal, Ireland - "The big news came this morning. Huffington Post: "Donald Trump has announced a ceasefire between Israel between Iran is “now in effect” after days of intense bombardments. It comes after the US waded into the regional conflict, siding with Israel by launching strikes on Iran’s three nuclear facilities on Saturday. The US president wrote on Truth Social at 6:08 BST... “THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!”

But wait…Minutes later… was this fake news? The Tehran Times: "Iran has not agreed to a ceasefire. Trump is lying again. The president appears to be making up a new lie to force the Iranian government into accepting a ceasefire, believing that the move could pit the Iranian people against the officials and create domestic dissent. 

How much of this war is real? How much is fake? The US attack came while the two sides were in active – but apparently fake – negotiations. Then, sources claim the Iranians were warned of the incoming US bombers (if there were any). They say the Iranians were given time to move people and valuable research supplies out of the target area. Iran returned the favor – intentionally not hitting the US base in Qatar – in its counterattack. And now…a fake ceasefire?

Bunkers busted...people killed...tempers running hot; what was the point? There are only two ways forward...either peace or war. Either you stick to negotiation, courts, laws, rules, customs...and the common, vernacular decency of civilized people. Or, you bomb the hell out of them.

Everybody has his reasons. Ask a murderer why he killed; he’ll have a perfectly sound reason: “He was messing with my girl,” for example. Liars tell their tall tales for a purpose. And every thief needs the money...even if only to prove he can get it. Russia says it is trying to protect the Russian speaking population of Ukraine...is that a good reason? The US invaded Iraq because it said it was ‘fighting terrorism’ or ‘nation building.’ (Cynics said it was just protecting its cheap oil...or providing profits to the firepower industry.) Which of those were good reasons? But even good reasons are often misunderstood.

In 1965, President Johnson launched Operation Rolling Thunder. The objective, nicely summed up by General Curtis LeMay, was to ‘bomb them [North Vietnam] back to the stone age.’ At the time, North Vietnam was seen as the major sponsor of communist aggression in South Vietnam. Operation Rolling Thunder was intended to raise the stakes...force the North Vietnamese to drop out...and thereby protect the South from communism. Was that a good reason?

Long after the war was over, an historic meeting was held in Hanoi. Former US Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, then 79, met with Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap, 83. The purpose: to try to understand ‘what went wrong.’ “Didn’t you understand? When we bombed Hanoi; we were trying to send you a message.” “I guess we didn’t understand that,” replied Giap. “We thought you were just trying to kill us.” Later, in a press conference back in the US, Mr. McNamara did one of the classiest things ever done by a US public official. With tears in his eyes, he said he was sorry.

Some reasons are better than others. Mr. Trump has bombed Iran because, he says, “they can’t have nuclear weapons.” Senator James Lankford says we need to protect the thousands of American citizens who live in Israel. And Senator Lindsey Graham says we were “fighting for our freedom.” None of those ‘reasons’ have the ethereal majesty of ‘making the world safe for democracy’ in 1917 or the visual simplicity of blocking the ‘domino effect’ in Vietnam.

Probably, it was Rep. Pat Harrigan, channeling Curtis LeMay, who came up with the best reason to bomb Iran. He said we needed to turn up the heat on the Iranians, “in order to lower it.” Or as Donald Trump himself put it. Yes, we punched you in the nose. But... “NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE.”

- https://www.bonnerprivateresearch.com/

"Alert! 'Ceasefire' Is Likely A Fake Ploy, Very Dangerous Days Ahead!"

Prepper News, 6/23/25

"Alert! 'Ceasefire' Is Likely A Fake Ploy, 

Very Dangerous Days Ahead!"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

"U.S. and Israel Forced Into Ceasefire – Iran Stands Tall Without Backing Down!"

Full screen recommended.

OpenmindedThinker Show, 6/23/25

"U.S. and Israel Forced Into Ceasefire – 

Iran Stands Tall Without Backing Down!"

"In a stunning turn of events, the United States and Israel have been forced to halt their military aggression as Iran stands firm and unshaken. Former President Donald Trump has just announced a "complete and total" ceasefire - shocking the world and sending ripples through global politics. After launching intense airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, the plan has crumbled under pressure. Markets soared as the truth emerged: the so-called “peace” is nothing short of a surrender. Iran didn’t back down. It didn’t dismantle its nuclear program. And it didn’t fold under Israeli and American threats. Instead, it strategically resisted and exposed the weakness of its aggressors. Now the world is watching as Washington and Tel Aviv scramble to save face."

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

o

Full screen recommended.

Times Of India, 6/23/25

"Iran REJECTS Israel Ceasefire; Launches Big Attack,

 Crushes Iron Dome, Beersheba Pounded"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

Jeremiah Babe, "Are We In The End Times?"

Jeremiah Babe, 6/23/25

"Are We In The End Times?"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

Musical Interlude: Leonard Cohen, "Anthem"

Full screen recommended.

Leonard Cohen, "Anthem"

"A Look to the Heavens"

“To some, the outline of the open cluster of stars M6 resembles a butterfly. M6, also known as NGC 6405, spans about 20 light-years and lies about 2,000 light years distant. M6 can best be seen in a dark sky with binoculars towards the constellation of Scorpius, coving about as much of the sky as the full moon. 

Like other open clusters, M6 is composed predominantly of young blue stars, although the brightest star is nearly orange. M6 is estimated to be about 100 million years old. Determining the distance to clusters like M6 helps astronomers calibrate the distance scale of the universe.”

- http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110906.html

"A Kind Of Stubborn, Unrecognized Courage..."

"For many great deeds are accomplished in times of squalid struggle. There is a kind of stubborn, unrecognized courage which in the lowest depths tenaciously resists the pressures of necessity and ill-doing; there are noble and obscure triumphs observed by no one, unacclaimed by any fanfare. Hardship, loneliness, and penury are a battlefield which has its own heroes, sometimes greater than those lauded in history. Strong and rare characters are thus created; poverty nearly always a foster-mother, may become a true mother, distress may be the nursemaid of pride, and misfortune the milk that nourishes great spirits."

- Victor Hugo

The Universe

“There are no accidents. If it's appeared on your life radar, this is why: to teach you that dreams come true; to reveal that you have the power to fix what's broken and heal what hurts; to catapult you beyond seeing with just your physical senses; and to lift the veils that have kept you from seeing that you're already the person you dreamed you'd become. There are no accidents. And believe me, that was one heck of a dream.”

“Tallyho,”

The Universe

“Thoughts become things... choose the good ones!”

- www.tut.com

"I Asked For..."

“In my youth I respected the world and life,

I needed nothing but peace of heart;

And yet I changed despite myself and believed in Iktomi's lies.

He seemed to know all the truth, he promised to make me happy.

He made me ask Wakan Tanka for wealth, that I might have power;

I was given poverty, that I might find my inner strength.

I asked for fame, so others would know me;

I was given obscurity, that I might know myself.

I asked for a person to love that I might never be alone;

I was given a life of a hermit, that I might learn to accept myself.

I asked for power, that I might achieve;

I was given weakness, that I might learn to obey.

I asked for health, that I might lead a long life;

I was given infirmity, that I might appreciate each minute.

I asked Mother Earth for strength, that I might have my way;

I was given weakness, that I might feel the need for Her.

I asked to live happily, that I might enjoy life;

I was given life, that I might live happily.

I received nothing I asked for, yet all my wishes came true.

Despite myself and Iktomi, my dreams were fulfilled,

I am richly blessed more than I ever hoped,

I thank you, Wakan Tanka, for what you've given me.”

- Billy Mills, Oglala Lakota (1938-)

○

"In Lakota mythology, Iktomi is a spider-trickster spirit, and a culture hero for the Lakota people. Alternate names for Iktomi include Ikto, Ictinike, Inktomi, Unktome, and Unktomi. These names are due to the differences in tribal languages, as this spider deity was known throughout many of North America's tribes. Iktomi can be compared to the African trickster figure Anansi, and to some extent, the transculturated Yoruba Ellegua, also depicted as a trickster disguised in red. Due to his nature as a Trickster as well as patronage of communication, Iktomi is also comparable to the Greco-Roman Hermes/Mercurius (Mercury)."

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iktomi

"In Native American mythology, Wakan Tanka (great mystery) is the supreme being and creator of the Lakota Sioux. Sometimes called Great Spirit, he is similar to the supreme beings found in the myths of many other North American peoples. According to Lakota myth, before creation Wakan Tanka existed in a great emptiness called Han (darkness). Feeling lonely, he decided to create companions for himself. First, Great Spirit focused his energy into a powerful force to form Inyan (rock), the first god. Next, he used Inyan to create Maka (earth) and then mated with that god to produce Skan (sky). Skan brought forth Wi (the sun) from Inyan, Maka, and himself. These four gods were separate and powerful, but they were all part of Wakan Tanka.

The first four gods produced four companions - Moon, Wind, Falling Star, and Thunderbird - to help with the process of creation. In turn, these companions created various gods and spirits, including Whirlwind, Four Winds, Buffalo, Two-Legged Creatures (humans and bears), Sicun (thought), Nagi (spirit of death), Niya (breath of life), and Nagila (shadow). All of these beings were aspects of Wakan Tanka. Together, they created and oversee everything that exists."

- http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Tr-Wa/Wakan-Tanka.html

"I Remember..."

"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"

"Buying Time"

"Buying Time"

Author Unknown

"A man came home from work late again, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year-old son waiting for him at the door. "Daddy, may I ask you a question?" "Yeah, sure, what is it?" replied the man. "Daddy, how much money do you make an hour?" "That's none of your business! What makes you ask such a thing?" the man said angrily. "I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?" pleaded the little boy. "If you must know, I make $20.00 an hour." "Oh," the little boy replied, head bowed. Looking up, he said, "Daddy, may I borrow $10.00 please?" 

The father was furious. "If the only reason you wanted to know how much money I make is just so you can borrow some to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. I work long, hard hours everyday and don't have time for such childish games." The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even madder about the little boy's questioning. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?

After an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think he may have been a little hard on his son. Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $10.00, and he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door. "Are you asleep son?" he asked. "No daddy, I'm awake," replied the boy. "I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier," said the man. "It's been a long day and I took my aggravation out on you. Here's that $10.00 you asked for." 

The little boy sat straight up, beaming. "Oh, thank you daddy!" he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow, he pulled out some more crumpled up bills. The man, seeing that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at the man. "Why did you want more money if you already had some?" the father grumbled. "Because I didn't have enough, but now I do,"  the little boy replied. "Daddy, I have $20.00 now. Can I buy an hour of your time?" 

- http://paulocoelhoblog.com/

"The Daily "Near You?"

Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada.Thanks for stopping by!

"25 Life Lessons from the Anglo-Saxons"

Full screen recommended.

RedFrost Motivation, 

  "25 Life Lessons from the Anglo-Saxons"

Narrated by Nicky Rebelo

"The Exeter Book": This is the largest (and perhaps oldest) known collection of Old English poetry/literature still in existence. Freely download "The Exeter Book" here:

- https://ia800703.us.archive.org/

○

“The Durham Proverbs”: “The proverbs are considered to have been used to document everyday business of the people of Anglo-Saxon England.”

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Durham_Proverbs

"Where Your Gaze Lingers..."

“Sometimes fate is like a small sandstorm that keeps changing directions. You change direction but the sandstorm chases you. You turn again, but the storm adjusts. Over and over you play this out, like some ominous dance with death just before dawn. Why? Because this storm isn’t something that has nothing to do with you, this storm is you. Something inside you. So all you can do is give in to it, step right inside the storm, closing your eyes and plugging up your ears so the sand doesn’t get in, and walk through it, step by step. There’s no sun there, no moon, no direction, no sense of time. Just fine white sand swirling up the sky like pulverized bones.

You have to look! That’s another one of the rules. Closing your eyes isn’t going to change anything. Nothing’s going to disappear just because you can’t see what going on. In fact, things will be even worse the next time you open your eyes. That’s the kind of world we live in. Keep your eyes wide open. Only a coward closes his eyes. Closing your eyes and plugging up your ears won’t make time stand still.”

- Haruki Murakami

“Closing your eyes won’t make the awfulness go away. It may be that nothing will. But dwelling on it, dreading the evil, playing out the misery in your head – doesn’t this feed the monster? You can’t close your eyes to life, but you can choose where your gaze lingers.”

- Richelle E. Goodrich

"Then What?"

"Then What?"

by The ZMan

"One of the critical questions in any strategy is “Then what?” This question must be asked with every proposed move and counter move. The question is both a reminder and an assumption that the other players will react to your move. Good strategy focuses on the range of possibilities to each move and is prepared for them. Bad strategy just assumes the move will work and good things will flow from it. This is often referred to as the lack of second-order thinking.

For the last five years this has been at the center of American politics. The regime has clearly lost the ability to ask, much less answer the question, “Then what?” The war in Ukraine is in its fourth year because no one in the West could bother to ask the question, much less answer it. President Trump now has himself in a terrible jam because no one on his team thought to ask this question when they were plotting the Pearl Harbor style sneak attack on Iran.

It does not appear that any of them asked the question when planning the operation against the Iranian bunker facilities. By the looks of it, they settled on this attack because they assumed it would satisfy the Israelis, satisfy the crazies in Washington screaming for blood and provide an off-ramp in the conflict. Signaling to Iran that it was a one-time thing was supposed to induce them back to the bargaining table or at least encourage them to seek a cease fire in the war.

The assumed answer to the magic question was all the good things the administration needs to happen in order to wriggle free from this trap. Perhaps sensing that it was not the magic bullet, they immediately started to beg China to pressure Iran into not closing the Strait of Hormuz. Presumably they asked the Russians to do the same thing, as the Iranian foreign minister is in Moscow this week. Closing the strait would bring the whole thing crashing down on Trump’s head.

While the Iranians are prepared to close the strait, they have not done so, but they continue to send missiles at Israel and Israel is firing back. It is clear that the Iranians are not going to come back to the bargaining table, and they have no intention of ending the war with Israel. Of course, Israel is now demanding more strikes because it was never about Iranian nukes for them. It was always about inducing the United States into a ground war to topple the Iranian government.

President Trump is justifiably getting savaged by his voters, but in fairness to him he now lives in a town that operates like Jonestown. Everyone worships Israel or at least pretends they worship Israel. It is beyond creepy to see everyone in Washington act like Israel is the god of the world. Some sort of mass psychosis has swept the ruling class where they are convinced that their purpose in life is to serve the needs of this flyspeck of a country halfway around the world.

That just makes the crisis worse for the Trump administration. Even if they can have a moment of clarity and see the danger, they are limited in their options. If they do no more than provide support for Israel, they remain entangled in a war of attrition, while the crazies scream for blood, holding the domestic agenda hostage. They cannot make a deal with Iran, as the Israel lobby will never permit it. The only way out is to end the Israel lobby and that means tanks in the streets.

That is the thing about the question at the start. It not only forces the person answering it to think about the possible reactions from the other players, but it forces them to think clearly about the other players. If the Trump people had a realistic understanding of Israel and the Israel lobby, they would know they are dealing with hostile aliens who look at the United States as a Walmart during a ghetto riot. They would know how to treat them as adversaries, rather than allies or clients.

The same can be said for the approach to Ukraine. That has been pushed off to the side, but the neocons have not gone away. As things reach a critical point in the war this autumn, they will be back to extort the Trump admin. Given the duplicity of the Republican Party, the big, beautiful bill will probably still be held hostage in the Senate come the autumn, so it will be another round of extortion in order to give the neocons what they want in the war against Russia.

In a way, the crisis engulfing the Trump administration in the realm of foreign policy is a microcosm of what faces America. The MAGA movement finally got their man into the White House with the clear support of the public. There is a team in place that can execute the domestic agenda. Then what? The answer so far has been a revolt in the judiciary against the Trump agenda, the Republican Party holding his legislative agenda hostage, and the usual suspects subverting his foreign policy.

Cancer does not leave the body just because the body voted to live. The cancer must be removed and that is the answer to the question, “Then what?” That appears to be impossible within the current rules, which brings us back to the question that seems to haunt this age. The current crisis is a gordian knot that cannot be untied within the rules of the system, so then what? For now, the Trump people do not have the answer, but the answer is there, just waiting its turn."

- https://thezman.com/

"Closing The Strait Of Hormuz Will Be A Nightmare Scenario For The Global Economy"

"Closing The Strait Of Hormuz Will Be A 

Nightmare Scenario For The Global Economy"

by Michael Snyder

"Our way of life depends on cheap energy. If you remove cheap energy from the equation, our society will be thrown into a state of chaos. The Iranians know that closing the Strait of Hormuz is one of the most powerful forms of leverage that they possess, because the world is deeply dependent on the oil that travels through that waterway. We don’t know exactly how this crisis will play out, because the Strait of Hormuz has never been closed in modern times. But as I pointed out earlier this month, we were warned that Israel would attack Iran, the global price of oil would rise, and the increase in the price of oil would be blamed on Israel. And that is precisely what has happened. Israel has attacked Iran, the global price of oil has been increasing, and many are blaming Israel for what has transpired. Unfortunately, the truth is that this crisis is just getting started.

On Sunday, it was being reported that the Iranian Parliament “has approved a measure to close the Strait of Hormuz”…"The Iranian Parliament has approved a measure to close the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil choke point, after the United States bombed three nuclear sites in Iran, according to Iranian state media on Sunday. While the Parliament has voted in favor of closing the strait, the final decision rests with the country’s Supreme National Security Council, according to state media. Of course the Iranian Parliament never would have held this vote if the Supreme National Security Council had not already decided what it was going to do At a time when the regime is under threat, there is no way that we are going to be shown any signs of disunity among Iranian leaders.

So what does this mean? It means that the price of oil is going to go higher. A lot higher. JPMorgan is projecting that we could see the price of oil hit $130 a barrel in a “worst-case scenario”…"Investors predict a “knee-jerk” reaction, with oil prices expected to spike due to fears of disrupted Middle East supplies. Brent crude, already up 20% over the past month to $79.04, could climb toward $130 per barrel in a worst-case scenario, according to JPMorgan."

I agree that we could see the price of oil soon hit $130 a barrel. But if the Strait of Hormuz stays closed for an extended period of time, it will go a lot higher than that. In a previous article, I warned that if the price of oil rises above $100 a barrel and stays there, it will immediately push the global economy into a recession. And I also warned that if the price of oil rises above $200 a barrel and stays there, it will immediately push the global economy into a depression. Yes, we really are facing a worldwide economic depression if this crisis is not resolved.

Because of how narrow it is, the Iranians can shut down the Strait of Hormuz quite easily…"The strait connecting the Gulf of Oman with the Persian Gulf is one of the world’s most critical chokepoints - just 20 miles wide at its narrowest point. Shipping lanes in the strait - the area that is deep enough for ships to pass - are even narrower at less than two miles wide in each direction, making them much more vulnerable to attacks and threats of closure." The Iranians have been planning for such a scenario for many years, and they definitely have the resources to pull it off.

The reason why the Strait of Hormuz is so important is because approximately 20 percent of all global oil production travels through it…"About 20% of global oil and gas flow through the strait, which lies between Oman and Iran, and its closure could mean rising fuel prices for American consumers."

How will the world economy function when most oil exports from the Middle East are suddenly cut off? That is a very good question. It is being projected that economies in Asia will be hit the hardest…"The bulk of all oil exported by the regional petro giants, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, all travel through this narrow waterway. Asia is likely to bear the brunt most from any closures to the waterway, with China, India, Japan and South Korea all getting most of their oil imports through the strait."

Thankfully, the U.S. has become a lot less dependent on foreign oil in recent years. At this point we purchase “less than 3 percent of the oil coming out of the Persian Gulf”…"By contrast, the United States buys less than 3 percent of the oil coming out of the Persian Gulf, notably from northern Saudi Arabia. The United States became an overall net exporter of oil in 2020 as fracking technologies enabled a big increase in domestic oil production." But ultimately everyone will be affected because oil is a global commodity.

It will be fascinating to see how this crisis plays out. Even before the Iranian Parliament voted, one oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz suddenly reversed course once news broke that the U.S. had bombed Iran…

I don’t know if I even have the words to describe how serious this crisis could become. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is urging China to convince Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open…"U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday called for China to prevent Iran from closing the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important trade routes for crude oil in the world. “I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them about that, because they heavily depend on the Straits of Hormuz for their oil,” Rubio said in an interview on Fox News. China is Iran’s most important oil customer and maintains friendly relations with the Islamic Republic."

And he is also warning that the U.S. military could get involved if the Iranians really do shut it down…"US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it a “suicide mission,” adding it would be a massive escalation that would merit a response from the US and others. He said: “If they do that, it will be another terrible mistake. It’s economic suicide for them if they do it. And we retain options to deal with that, but other countries should be looking at that as well. It would hurt other countries’ economies a lot worse than ours.”

Of course it would not be easy for the U.S. or any other major power to conduct an operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Any ships that enter the Strait of Hormuz would be sitting ducks for the Iranian missile launchers that have been dug deep into the cliffs that overlook the waterway.

Let me add another layer to all of this. A tremendous amount of fertilizer also travels through the Strait of Hormuz, and that has very serious implications. The following comes from a Zero Hedge article entitled “Global Fertilizer Market Thrown In Chaos After Mideast War Shutters Iran Urea Production”…“Iran was the third-largest urea exporter in 2024, according to StoneX, with export volumes of around 4.5 million tons – about the size of China’s. The country has a production capacity of around 8.9 million tons a year, Milam added, serving markets in Turkey, Brazil and Argentina, among others. It is also an exporter of ammonia.”

“In addition to knocking Iranian urea production offline, the attacks also brought Egypt’s operations to a standstill,” Ward reported. “Israel reduced its natural gas flows to the country on Friday, prompting Egypt to cease production.”

AgWeb’s Margy Eckelkamp reported that “Linville’s colleague at StoneX, Arlan Suderman, details why this conflict is being watched so carefully if the concern isn’t in those two countries’ production. ‘There’s a lot of other producers of fertilizer in the Middle East and a lot of it also passes through the Strait of Hormuz, which will be at risk going forward now,’ Suderman says. From a global supply standpoint, Suderman also points out the Ukrainian attack of one of Russia’s largest nitrogen fertilizer plants two weeks ago.”

Global fertilizer production was already being squeezed in a number of different ways even before Iran was attacked. If fertilizer exports are not allowed to travel through the Strait of Hormuz, that could trigger famines in many areas of the planet. Needless to say, famine is another one of the major themes that we have been anticipating.

We really are living in unprecedented times. Now that missiles are flying and bombs are being dropped, there will be no going back to the way that things were."

- https://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/

"How It Really Is"

"Moral compass?!" 

 Surely you jest., fool... This is 'Murica!'

Bill Bonner, "Lost Generations"

An oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz

"Lost Generations"

by Bill Bonner

"Bomb, bomb, bomb…bomb, bomb Iran."

- John McCain

Youghal, Ireland - "Steve Bannon alerted his War Room audience on Saturday: ‘the party is on.’ Reuters: "Oil prices jumped on Monday to their highest since January as Washington's weekend move to join Israel in attacking Iran's nuclear facilities stoked supply worries. Brent crude futures rose $1.88 or 2.44% at $78.89 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude advanced $1.87 or 2.53% at $75.71."

Yes, the US is at war! CBS: "The president described the strikes on Iranian nuclear sites as a "spectacular military success." He warned of "far greater" attacks if Iran does not "make peace." "There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days," Mr. Trump said. "Remember, there are many targets left."

Fox News’ Kayleigh McEnany said that now “every dictator in the world is on notice.” Trump had sent them a “powerful message.” But it may not have been the message most Americans would want them to hear. The bombers say they are only trying to keep Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. But Iran had already agreed not to make a nuke. And it had gone along with diplomatic negotiations…rules…inspections…non-proliferation treaties — all intended to keep it from doing so.

But it got bombed anyway. The lesson is clear: The only way to protect yourself is to get nukes fast…and be ready to use them. Or, partner up with a credible nuclear protector - perhaps Russia or China.

Since WWII, there have been plenty of wars…but few victory parades. Korea, Vietnam, Honduras, Nicaragua, Grenada, Kuwait, Kosovo, etc. etc. Iraq, and Afghanistan. But Mr. Trump must have felt left out. He was the only US president in the 21st century who had not started a costly, pointless war. And who knows, maybe this one will turn out better than all the others. But ours is not to reason why. Ours is merely to get out of town while we still can. At least that’s what a lot of Americans are thinking. The Financial Times:

"A growing number of Americans are quietly assembling a contingent plan for life abroad in case the US becomes too uncomfortable. Home is where the heart is. But history tells us that there are good times to be somewhere else. The French in 1914…the Russians in 1917…Germans in 1933. The French suffered a “lost generation” in the Great War. More than one million young men were killed. Ten million Russians died in the Bolshevik Revolution and its aftermath; the other spent the next 70 years trapped in a sad, dreary place. And between WWII and the intentional murder of gypsies, Jews, homosexuals, and communists - the Germans lost eight million or so.

And now Americans are beginning to squirm. And wonder. Twice as many Americans as Chinese have applied for Portugal’s Golden Visas; are they twice as eager to leave home? Applications for passports from Ireland increased 60% in January and February. “The American professional classes” says Alastair Bonnett, quoted by the FT, are “joining the super-rich Chinese, Russians and others who have long sought an insurance policy against an unsympathetic government who might imprison them or seize their property.”

Your editor is, of course, way ahead on this trend - both personally and professionally. He began a magazine in 1979 - "International Living." Back then, we had no fear of the US government. Habeas corpus still protected Americans from their own government; today, merely having a tattoo may be enough to get you disappeared into a Central American prison. And if the feds wanted a war, they had to at least pretend to have a casus belli, such as the phony Tonkin Gulf incident. No more…politics and violence are on the rise; it’s the Primary Political Trend.

So far, we Americans probably have little to worry about. After all, the Iranians don’t have B-2 bombers! But people (including whole nations) go crazy from time to time. All you can do is to avoid getting caught up in the madness - either as a participant or a victim. The FT quotes a couple who recently moved to Panama: ‘It’s something we never thought we’d have to think about, let alone do. There’s a growing sadness about what is going on out there…’

- https://www.bonnerprivateresearch.com/

Dan, I Allegedly, "Are Sleeper Cells Ready to Strike? What You Must Do"

Full screen recommended.

Dan, I Allegedly, 6/23/25

"Are Sleeper Cells Ready to Strike? What You Must Do"

Are sleeper cells ready to strike? In today’s video, I cover the serious aftermath of recent events involving Iran, their nuclear facilities, and the ripple effects that could impact all of us. With heightened tensions globally, it's more important than ever to prepare and protect your family. From food storage to safety plans, I’ll share everything you need to know to stay ready for any situation. We talk about the U.S. military presence in the Middle East, Iran’s leadership, and the potential threats we face, including the activation of sleeper cells. This isn’t about fear - it’s about being informed and ready. I share personal stories, insights from experts, and tips on how to create a safety plan that works for you and your loved ones."

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

Judge Napolitano, "Alastair Crooke: Trump's Grave Miscalculations"

Judge Napolitano - Judging Freedom, 6/23/25

"Alastair Crooke: Trump's Grave Miscalculations"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

o

Judge Napolitano - Judging Freedom, 6/23/25

"Ray McGovern: What President of Peace?"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

"Larry C. Johnson: U.S. Attacks Iran, And Triggers Massive Response!"

Dialogue Works, 6/23/25

"Larry C. Johnson: U.S. Attacks Iran, 

And Triggers Massive Response!"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

"Iran Hits Israel's Power Station, Yemen 'Chips In'; Israel Desperate To End War"

Full screen recommended.

Mahmood OD, 6/23/25

"Iran Hits Israel's Power Station, Yemen 'Chips In';

 Israel Desperate To End War"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

Gregory Mannarino, "A Grand Deception: 'The Enemy' Is Not Overseas, It's Right Here"

Gregory Mannarino, 6/23/25

"A Grand Deception:

 'The Enemy' Is Not Overseas, It's Right Here"

- https://traderschoice.net/

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

Adventures With Danno, "Massive Price Increases At Walmart"

Full screen recommended.

Adventures With Danno, AM 6/23/35

"Massive Price Increases At Walmart"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

"Economic Market Snapshot 6/23/25"

"Economic Market Snapshot 6/23/25"

○

Down the rabbit hole of psychopathic greed and insanity...

Only the consequences are real - to you!

○

"It's a Big Club, and you ain't in it. 

You and I are not in the Big Club."

- George Carlin

o

Market Data Center, Live Updates:

- https://www.marketwatch.com/market-data 

○

- https://www.asktraders.com/analysis/

○

Financial Stress Index

"The OFR Financial Stress Index (OFR FSI) is a daily market-based snapshot of stress in global financial markets. It is constructed from 33 financial market variables, such as yield spreads, valuation measures, and interest rates. The OFR FSI is positive when stress levels are above average, and negative when stress levels are below average. The OFR FSI incorporates five categories of indicators: credit, equity valuation, funding, safe assets and volatility. The FSI shows stress contributions by three regions: United States, other advanced economies, and emerging markets."

○

- https://www.dailyjobcuts.com/

Job cuts and much more.

○

- https://www.zerohedge.com/

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- https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/

○

- https://wallstreetonparade.com/

○

- https://www.whatreallyhappened.com/

○

- https://jessescrossroadscafe.blogspot.com/

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Commentary, highly recommended:

- https://www.theburningplatform.com/

○

"The more I see of the monied classes,

the better I understand the guillotine."

- George Bernard Shaw

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Oh yeah... beyond words. Any I know anyway...

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And now... The End Game...

o

"Alert! Iran Has Emergency Meeting With Putin Before Retaliation Against U.S., Nukes 'On The Table'"

Prepper News, 6/22/25

"Alert! Iran Has Emergency Meeting With Putin

 Before Retaliation Against U.S., Nukes 'On The Table'"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

"Ominous Events Coming To America, We're On The Brink Of Global Chaos"

Jeremiah Babe. 6/22/25

"Ominous Events Coming To America, 

We're On The Brink Of Global Chaos"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

Musical Interlude: 2002, "Stillpoint"

Full screen recommended.

2002, "Stillpoint"

"A Look to the Heavens"

"Why doesn't the nearby galaxy create a gravitational lensing effect on the background galaxy? It does, but since both galaxies are so nearby, the angular shift is much smaller than the angular sizes of the galaxies themselves. The featured Hubble image of NGC 3314 shows two large spiral galaxies which happen to line up exactly. The foreground spiral NGC 3314a appears nearly face-on with its pinwheel shape defined by young bright star clusters. Against the glow of the background galaxy NGC 3314b, though, dark swirling lanes of interstellar dust can also be seen tracing the nearer spiral's structure. Both galaxies appear on the edge of the Hydra Cluster of Galaxies, a cluster that is about 200 million light years away.

Gravitational lens distortions are much easier to see when the lensing galaxy is smaller and further away. Then, the background galaxy may even be distorted into a ring around the nearer. Fast gravitational lens flashes due to stars in the foreground galaxy momentarily magnifying the light from stars in the background galaxy might one day be visible in future observing campaigns with high-resolution telescopes."

- https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

The Poet: Margaret Atwood, "The Moment"

"The Moment"

"The moment when, after many years
of hard work and a long voyage
you stand in the centre of your room,
house, half-acre, square mile, island, country,
knowing at last how you got there,
and say, I own this,
is the same moment when the trees unloose
their soft arms from around you,
the birds take back their language,
the cliffs fissure and collapse,
the air moves back from you like a wave
and you can't breathe.

No, they whisper. You own nothing.
You were a visitor, time after time
climbing the hill, planting the flag, proclaiming. 
We never belonged to you. 
You never found us.
It was always the other way round."

- Margaret Atwood
"Morning in the Burned House"

"Iran Closes Strait Of Hormuz? Iran’s BIG Revenge Move After U.S Bombs Nuclear Sites"

Full screen recommended.

Oneindia News, 6/22/25

"Iran Closes Strait Of Hormuz? 

Iran’s BIG Revenge Move After U.S Bombs Nuclear Sites"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

o

Full screen recommended.

NDTV, 6/22/25

"Iran Parliament Approves Closure

 Of Hormuz Strait, A Key Oil Corridor"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

Do you understand what $200 to $300 a barrel oil would do to 

the entire world economy, if it were available at all?

"Iran Will Have Nuclear Bombs; Israel Begs; Hormuz Strait"

Full screen recommended.

Mahmood OD, 6/22/25

"Iran Will Have Nuclear Bombs;

 Israel Begs; Hormuz Strait"

Comments here:

- https://www.youtube.com/

The Daily "Near You?"

Lorain, Ohio, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"The Cloak Of The Past..."

“The cloak of the past is cut from patches of feeling, and sewn with rebus threads. Most of the time, the best we can do is wrap it around ourselves for comfort or drag it behind us as we struggle to go on. But everything has its cause and its meaning. Every life, every love, every action and feeling and thought has its reason and significance: its beginning, and the part it plays in the end. Sometimes, we do see. Sometimes, we see the past so clearly, and read the legend of its parts with such acuity, that every stitch of time reveals its purpose, and a kind of message is enfolded in it. Nothing in any life, no matter how well or poorly lived, is wiser than failure or clearer than sorrow. And in the tiny, precious wisdom that they give to us, even those dread and hated enemies, suffering and failure, have their reason and their right to be.”

- Gregory David Roberts, “Shantaram”

"It May Be Necessary..."

"You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated.  

In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, 

so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it." 

 - Maya Angelou