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Sunday, October 5, 2025

"Why Things Feel Worse Than We’re Being Told"

Full screen recommended.
Michael Bordenaro, 10/5/25
"Why Things Feel Worse Than We’re Being Told"
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Full screen recommended.
Snyder Reports, 10/5/25
"Starbucks Closing 100's Of Stores 
Has Americans Extremely Concerned"
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Jeremiah Babe, "I'm Too Poor For The California Lifestyle, The Real Reason I Moved"

Full screen recommended.
Jeremiah Babe, 10/5/25
"I'm Too Poor For The California Lifestyle, 
The Real Reason I Moved"
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The Daily "Near You?"

Troy, Virginia, USA. Thanks for stopping by!

The Poet: William Butler Yeats, "The Second Coming"

"The Second Coming"

"Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the center cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?"

- William Butler Yeats, January 1919

"Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world," indeed...

"You May Think..."

"To show mercy is not naive. To hold out against the end of hope is not stupidity or madness. It is fundamentally human. Of course... we are all doomed; we are all poisoned from our birth by the rot of stars. That does not mean we should succumb to the seductive fallacy of despair, the dark tide that would drown us. You may think I'm stupid, you may call me a madman and a fool, but at least I stand upright in a fallen world."
- Rick Yancey

"The Lost Society: The Age of Decay and Mental Collapse"

Full screen recommended.
The Psyche, 10/5/25
"The Lost Society: The Age of Decay and Mental Collapse"
"In this video, we explore 'The Lost Society: The Age of Decay and Mental Collapse' - a powerful journey into the hidden forces shaping our time. Drawing on the wisdom of Nietzsche, Jung, Frankl, Camus, and other great thinkers, this reflection reveals how civilizations collapse not only through politics or economics, but through the erosion of meaning, authenticity, and inner strength.

Are we living in an age of silent collapse? Why do anxiety, loneliness, and burnout rise in a world of endless comfort and information? And most importantly - how can we resist despair and transform decay into renewal? Through history, philosophy, and psychology, this video uncovers: Why societal decline begins in the human spirit. How distraction, conformity, and loss of meaning fuel collapse. What timeless wisdom can teach us about resilience and rebirth. Practical steps to reclaim authenticity, community, and purpose. This is not just a story of collapse - it is also a story of rebirth. Renewal begins with you.
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"How It Really Is: A Book I Want!"

 
I want this book! 

Dan, I Allegedly, "Retail Is Doomed - The Truth About Early Black Friday Sales"

Full screen recommended.
Dan, I Allegedly, 10/5/25
"Retail Is Doomed - 
The Truth About Early Black Friday Sales"
"Retail is doomed, and the truth behind these early Black Friday sales says it all. Big names like Amazon, Walmart, and Target are starting holiday sales weeks ahead of schedule, but is this really about competition or a sign of desperation? In today’s video, I break down why retail is struggling, the impact of inflation, consumer shifts, and how AI and e-commerce are reshaping the shopping experience. Between the rising costs for retailers, shifting consumer priorities, and the looming influence of AI, it’s clear that the landscape is changing fast. I’ll also touch on the skyrocketing number of store closures, supply chain issues, and the ways companies are scrambling to stay relevant. Is this the end of traditional retail as we know it? Let’s dive in."
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Adventures With Danno, "Shocking Prices at Dollar General"

Full screen recommended.
Adventures With Danno, 10/5/25
"Shocking Prices at Dollar General"
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Travelling with Russell, "I Went On Russia's Brand-New Train: Ivolga 4.0"

Full screen recommended.
Travelling with Russell, 10/5/25
"I Went On Russia's Brand-New Train: Ivolga 4.0"
"What is it really like to travel on Russia's newest train? The Ivolga 4.0 has just launched a limited edition model named "The Black Mamba" Released and put into service in 2025, the Ivolga 4.0 is the latest electric train to join the Russian Railways fleet."
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Incredible the things a sane, civilized society can achieve...

Saturday, October 4, 2025

"I'm Leaving California Forever Tomorrow, Careful What You Wish For"

Full screen recommended.
Jeremiah Babe, 10/4/25
"I'm Leaving California Forever Tomorrow, 
Careful What You Wish For"
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Musical Interlude: Mario Frangoulis and Justin Hayward, "Nights In White Satin"

Full screen recommended.
Mario Frangoulis and Justin Hayward, "Nights In White Satin"
"Nights in White Satin" in an Italian version "Notte di luce", from a special
 performance in 2002 at Thessaloniki with Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues.

Musical Interlude: 2002, "The Dreaming Tree"

Full screen recommended.
2002, "The Dreaming Tree"

"A Look to the Heavens"

"Some spiral galaxies are seen nearly sideways. Most bright stars in spiral galaxies swirl around the center in a disk, and seen from the side, this disk can appear quite thin. Some spiral galaxies appear even thinner than NGC 3717, which is actually seen tilted just a bit. Spiral galaxies form disks because the original gas collided with itself and cooled as it fell inward. Planets may orbit in disks for similar reasons.
The featured image by the Hubble Space Telescope shows a light-colored central bulge composed of older stars beyond filaments of orbiting dark brown dust. NGC 3717 spans about 100,000 light years and lies about 60 million light years away toward the constellation of the Water Snake (Hydra)."

The Poet: Robert Bly, "Things to Think"

"Things to Think"

"Think in ways you've never thought before.
If the phone rings, think of it as carrying a message
Larger than anything you've ever heard,
Vaster than a hundred lines of Yeats.

Think that someone may bring a bear to your door,
Maybe wounded and deranged; or think that a moose
Has risen out of the lake, and he's carrying on his antlers
A child of your own whom you've never seen.

When someone knocks on the door,
Think that he's about
To give you something large: tell you you're forgiven,
Or that it's not necessary to work all the time,
Or that it's been decided that if you lie down no one will die."

- Robert Bly, “Morning Poems”

"The Devil’s Work"

"The Devil’s Work"
by The Zman

"There is an old expression that has fallen out of favor in the post-scarcity age, but it may be the key to understanding the current crisis. That expression is, “Idle hands do the Devil’s work.” When people do not have anything productive and useful to do with their time, they are more likely to get involved in trouble and criminality. A variant of this is “The Devil makes work for idle hands.” The idea there is if you want to avoid Old Scratch, then make sure you keep yourself useful to God.

The source of these proverbs is unknown, but variations of them go back to the early middle ages, so it is probable they evolved with Christianity. It is not unreasonable to think the idea is universal to civilization. After all, every human society has had to deal with the idle, lazy, and troublesome. Making sure these people are kept too busy to cause trouble is one of those primary challenges of civilization. Every ruler has known that too many idle young men is bad for his rule.

Even in the smaller context, this is something we instinctively know. In the workplace, people with too much free time get into trouble. If the IT staff has too much free time, they start tinkering around with the stuff that is working and before long that stuff stops working and the system goes down. A big part of what goes on inside the schools is to keep the kids and the teachers busy. Home schoolers have known for years that the learning content is just a few hours a day. The rest is busy work.

The point here is that people of all ages need a purpose, something that occupies their mind and their time. If something useful and productive is not filling that need, then something useless or unproductive will fill the void. For most people this may be a hobby or leisure activity. For others, it often means a useless activity is turned into something important. Elevating the mundane to the level of the critical and then creating drama around the performance of the mundane activity.

This is what we see in our political class. The ruling class of every society has a ceremonial role, a procedural role, and a practical role. Outside of a crisis like a war or natural disaster, the political class is performing its duties in the same way a line worker in a factory preforms his role. In popular government this means the pol shows up at public events. He performs the tasks his office requires like signing papers and casting votes. He helps grease the wheels when they need grease.

Into the 20th century, most of our political offices were part-time jobs. State legislatures met for a short period during the year. Otherwise, the legislators were back home doing their jobs. Executive positions like governor and president were fulltime jobs, as they were in charge of the civil service and in the case of president, commander-in-chief of the military. Within living memory, Washington DC would empty out in the spring and remain empty until the fall when Congress returned.

What we see today is politics at all levels has become a full-time job, but one with less to do when it was considered a part-time job. Congress, for example, is something close to a 24-hour drama now. The politicians and their retinues are now doing politics as a full-time obsession. Yet almost all of what they do is unnecessary. In fact, much of what they do is harmful. Very few things passed by Congress enjoy the support of the majority of the people or even a large plurality.

It is not just that these part-time jobs have been made into full-time obsessions. It is that much of what we used to need from government is now filled by individuals, ad hoc networks, and the private sector. Much of what government does is actually done by private contractors on government contracts. One of the ironies of the post-Cold War world is that the federal workforce has declined relative to the population, while the number of people employed in politics has gone up.

Then there is the fact that much of what government does could be automated or simply eliminated entirely. The services that are required like renewing licenses and paying fees can all be automated. In many cases they have been, but that did not result in fewer people, as we see in the dreaded private sector. Instead, it resulted in more idle hands looking for a purpose. On the political side, much of what Congress does could also be eliminated or automated.

What has happened in the last 30 years is we have grown the idle class at the top of our society and while decreasing their necessity. Much of what goes on in our politics is make work designed to get public attention. Think about it. If the cable news channels were shuttered and the social media platforms run by the oligarchs were closed, what would change in America? Nothing of practical importance. Our world would get quieter and there would be a boom in forgotten hobbies.

American political culture evolved during the Cold War to fight communism and prevent a nuclear war. Those were important tasks that occupied the minds and hands of the political class. Once those things went away, those idle hands searched about for a new crisis. Health care, Gaia worship, Islam and now invisible Nazis have been used to keep the idle hands of the political class busy. In the process, the political class has been driven mad and is threatening the rest of society."

"Trump Panics as Walmart Walks Out of U.S. Over Tariffs – Food Crisis Erupts"

Full screen recommended.
Richardson News Desk, 10/4/25
"Trump Panics as Walmart Walks Out of U.S. Over Tariffs – 
Food Crisis Erupts"
"What happens when the world's largest retailer, Walmart, is pushed to the brink? This video explores the shocking chain reaction sparked by President Trump's tariffs, forcing the retail giant to close hundreds of stores and abandon its promise of low prices. We uncover the inside story of how this crisis began, tracking the fallout from the moment Walmart warned it could no longer absorb the costs. From empty shelves and soaring prices on everyday goods to the devastating impact on 50,000 Walmart employees, this is a deep dive into a retail nightmare. The collapse of the Walmart supply chain triggered a global shockwave, affecting everyone from Target to small businesses. Discover the full story behind the Walmart crisis and its devastating consequences for the American economy."
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Richardson News Desk, 10/3/25
"Amazon Quits America Over Trump’s Tariffs -
 $13B Supply Chain Shock!"
"Discover the unprecedented economic battle between Amazon and Trump's tariffs. In 2025, a massive trade directive triggers a crisis, forcing the world's largest online retailer into a fight for survival. This video exposes how the conflict between Amazon and Trump's tariffs led to a stunning $13 billion supply chain pivot away from China to Mexico, Vietnam, and India. What are the devastating consequences for American jobs and small businesses? We unpack the harsh realities of Amazon and Trump's tariffs, showing how this clash is already raising prices for everyday families. The story of Amazon and Trump's tariffs is a critical look at who really wins and loses in a trade war. Understand the full impact of Amazon and Trump's tariffs right here. Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more in-depth analysis that matters!"
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Richardson News Desk, 10/4/25
"Trump Melts Down As Boeing Shuts Down U.S. Production"
"A crisis is unfolding at Boeing as the aerospace giant faces unprecedented challenges. Following a series of alarming incidents, Boeing announced a plan to move production, only to be met with a staggering 200% tariff threat from the White House. This video dives deep into the high-stakes confrontation between the iconic American manufacturer and the government. We explore the global fallout, from China halting orders to the ripple effects on thousands of suppliers, and how the leadership at Boeing is navigating this storm. Is this a bold move for survival, or a critical mistake for a company already haunted by past safety failures? The future of Boeing hangs in the balance. If you find this analysis insightful, don't forget to like this video and subscribe for more deep dives! Let us know your thoughts on the Boeing situation in the comments below."
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"15 Things The Middle Class Can No Longer Afford"

Full screen recommended.
Epic Economist, 10/4/25
"15 Things The Middle Class Can No Longer Afford"
"The American middle class is drowning. What used to be the backbone of our economy, the symbol of prosperity and stability, is now struggling to survive. Things that were once considered basic middle-class standards are now luxury items that most families simply cannot afford. Today, we're going through 15 things that have become impossible for the average middle-class family. And trust me, by the end of this video, you'll understand just how broken our system really is. Let's start with the foundation of the American dream itself."
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A video metaphor of the American economy
 and society as the band, drowning ...
Full screen recommended.
"We're so freakin' doomed!" - The Mogambo Guru

"The Job Market Collapse is Getting Worse in America"

Full screen recommended.
A Homestead Journey
"The Job Market Collapse is Getting Worse in America"
"The job market in America is collapsing, and it’s getting worse by the day. Layoffs are spreading, hiring freezes are everywhere, and millions of hardworking Americans are struggling to make ends meet. Families are facing the brutal reality of inflation, the cost of living crisis, skyrocketing rent, and rising food costs - all while jobs disappear. Even people with good credit and stable work histories are being hit hard. We’re entering a new era where job security is gone, savings are drying up, and debt is piling higher than ever. This isn’t just an economic downturn - it’s the unraveling of the American dream. If you’ve been wondering why it feels impossible to keep up, you’re not alone. In this video, we’ll break down the latest layoffs, the collapse of the job market, and what it means for ordinary Americans trying to survive. It’s time to prepare, take action, and protect your family in these uncertain times."
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God help us...and, as that old song said, "You ain't seen nuthin' yet!"

The Daily "Near You?"

Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. Thanks for stopping by!

"Here's A Question...'

“Here’s a question every angry man and woman needs to consider: How long are you going to allow people you don’t even like – people who are no longer in your life, maybe even people who aren’t even alive anymore – to control your life? How long?”
- Andy Stanley

“That goes for old wounds, too, you know. I really wish we’d had the chance to talk before this,” he says, cracking the window so the smoke can escape. “There’s a Longfellow quote I have stuck on my bulletin board at the church office – ‘There is no grief like the grief that does not speak’ – and it’s true. I’ve found that keeping pain inside doesn’t give it a chance to heal, but bringing it out into the light, holding it right there in your hands and trusting that you’re strong enough to make it through, not hating the pain, not loving it, just seeing it for what it really is can change how you go on from there. Time alone doesn’t heal emotional wounds, and you don’t want to live the rest of your life bottled up with anger and guilt and bitterness. That’s how people self-destruct.”
- Laura Wiess

"Why the Modern World Glorifies Stupidity – The Death of Wisdom"

Full screen recommended.
"Why the Modern World Glorifies Stupidity – 
The Death of Wisdom"
by The Psyche
"Have you ever wondered why true wisdom feels so rare today, even in an age overflowing with information? Why viral nonsense is rewarded, while deep thought is ignored? Why society uplifts noise, outrage, and superficiality - while silencing intellect, depth, and introspection? In this provocative video, we explore how the modern world has not only forgotten wisdom - it has replaced it with the glorification of stupidity. Drawing from thinkers like Socrates, Jung, Nietzsche, Confucius, and Viktor Frankl, we uncover how wisdom has been silenced by distraction, buried beneath algorithms, and replaced with performance over purpose."
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"Mind Music - Alpha Wave Relaxation Music, Meditation Music, Soothing Music, Stress Relief"

Full screen recommended.
"Mind Music - Alpha Wave Relaxation Music,
 Meditation Music, Soothing Music, Stress Relief"
Jason Lewis - Mind Amend

"A relaxing mix (Urban Haze) combined with alpha wave isochronic tones (8-8.6Hz) + a 528Hz solfeggio tone. Designed to help reduce symptoms of anxiety or a panic attack.

How does it work? This track is designed to lower your brainwave activity to a more relaxed mental state in the low alpha range. The isochronic tones in this session cycle begin at 8.6Hz, which is in the low alpha frequency range. They gradually ramp down over 5 minutes to 8Hz, where they ramp back up to 8.6Hz over the next 5 minutes. This cycle is then repeated for the rest of the track. You can listen to it for as long as you need, but I recommend listening for a minimum of 10 minutes to give it a chance to start working and influencing your brainwave activity.

528Hz Solfeggio: There's also a continuous 528Hz Solfeggio tone playing throughout the track. I've added some 3D sound effects to the tone, so it appears to come in and out of volume. This helps to make it more pleasant to listen to. The 528Hz frequency has been linked to positive vibes and energy. It's also referred to as the miracle tone or healing frequency and is one of the nine main frequencies on the ancient Solfeggio scale. According to Dr Leonard Horowitz, the 528Hz frequency can heal damaged DNA.

How Brainwave Entrainment and Isochronic Tones Work: This is a brainwave entrainment audio session using isochronic tones combined with music. The isochronic tones are the repetitive beats you can hear on top of the music throughout the track. If brainwave entrainment and isochronic tones are new concepts, here is some information about them and how they work: -  https://www.mindamend.com/brainwave-entrainment/isochronic-tones/

Amplitude Entrainment Effects: Amplitude modulation effects have been applied to the music to add further power to the stimulation. The modulations produce soothing vibrations that are synced with the isochronic tones. More info on how these mind music effects work is here: - https://www.mindamend.com/brainwave-entrainment/mind-music/

Headphones are NOT required for this video.

How should you listen to this? Ideally, listen to this in a calm and quiet environment and in a comfortable upright position. Although you may find it very relaxing, it's not specifically designed to make you fall asleep. So I recommend listening to it during the daytime. Although headphones are not required, using them will usually help to block out distracting external noises.

How loud should the volume be? Adjust the volume to a level you feel comfortable with. It shouldn't be so loud that it hurts your ears or becomes too distracting."
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"How It Will Really Never Be"


That'll be the day! Read a book? God forbid!

Adventures With Danno, "Massive Changes at Dollar Tree, This Is Getting Ridiculous"

Full screen recommended.
Adventures With Danno, 10/4/25
"Massive Changes at Dollar Tree, 
This Is Getting Ridiculous"
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Dan, I Allegedly, "We’re Getting a $2,000 Tariff Check? Plus the Pacific Air Show"

Full screen recommended.
Dan, I Allegedly, 10/4/25
"We’re Getting a $2,000 Tariff Check?
 Plus the Pacific Air Show"
"Are we really getting a $2,000 tariff check? Or is it just another political promise with no real payoff? In this video, I break down what Trump’s proposed tariff dividend could mean for the average taxpayer, why the Supreme Court might have a say, and when (if ever) we can expect to see that money in our pockets. Plus, No Military Planes?! The air show disappointment is real this year, and I’m breaking it all down. From the absence of military planes like the iconic Blue Angels to the insane $50 parking fees, this event has left many attendees frustrated. If you paid for tickets, I feel for you! The quieter skies and smaller crowds tell the story of an airshow that’s just not the same as years past."
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Friday, October 3, 2025

"18 Numbers Which Clearly Show What Direction Things Are Going"

"18 Numbers Which Clearly Show 
What Direction Things Are Going"
by Michael Snyder

"I hear from so many people that are deeply hurting right now. If you are one of those people, I want you to know that you aren’t alone. There really are millions of Americans that are completely stressed out over their finances. There really are millions of Americans that can’t seem to find work no matter how hard they try. And there really are millions of Americans that can’t believe how expensive things have become. Of course there is a small segment of our society that is doing perfectly fine. The wealth of the top 1 percent has reached $52 trillion, and CEO salaries have jumped 1,094 percent since 1978. Many of those that are sitting at the top of the economic pyramid wonder what all of the fuss is about. But for the rest of us, we know how badly economic conditions have deteriorated because we are living it every day. The following are 18 numbers which clearly show what direction things are going…

#1 According to ADP, the U.S. lost 32,000 jobs last month. That was the largest drop in two and a half years…"Private payrolls saw their biggest decline in 2½ years during September, a further sign of labor market weakening that compounds the data blackout accompanying the U.S. government shutdown. Companies shed a seasonally adjusted 32,000 jobs during the month, the biggest slide since March 2023, payrolls processing firm ADP reported Wednesday. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been looking for an increase of 45,000. In addition to the drop in September, the August payrolls number was revised to a loss of 3,000 from an initially reported increase of 54,000."

#2 The number of long-term unemployed workers in the United States has risen to the highest level since the pandemic… "As of August, the number of long-term unemployed people had risen to 1.9 million, according to government data - the highest level since 2021, when the nation was still reeling from the pandemic."

#3 Reuters is reporting that over 150,000 federal workers will permanently leave their jobs this week…"More than 150,000 federal employees will leave the U.S. government payroll this week after accepting buyouts – the largest single-year exodus of civil servants in nearly 80 years, triggering what unions and governance experts warn is a damaging loss of institutional expertise. The official resignations begin on Tuesday for workers who opted into a deferred exit program that kept them on the payroll through September. The buyouts are a cornerstone of President Donald Trump’s push to shrink the federal workforce, combining financial incentives with threats of dismissal for those who declined the offer."

#4 The number of movie jobs in Los Angeles County has fallen by 30 percent in just two years…"The far-left Wall Street Journal reports that at the end of 2024, there were only 100,000 motion picture jobs in Los Angeles County, compared to 142,000 two years earlier. That’s a 30 percent collapse."

#5 Approximately 900 GM employees are facing indefinite layoffs…"General Motors is placing 900 workers on indefinite layoff at Fairfax Assembly plant in Kansas, the company told the Detroit Free Press on Oct. 1, as it retools the plant for production of the gas-powered Equinox. Those employees were placed on temporary layoff as of Sept. 4."

#6 Exxon has confirmed that it plans to eliminate 2,000 high paying jobs…"A spokesperson for Exxon confirmed to Barron’s on Tuesday that the company plans to cut 2,000 jobs, representing 3% to 4% of the energy company’s global workforce. The news was first reported by Bloomberg, which said Exxon sent a memo to employees noting the company is consolidating smaller offices into regional hubs as part of a long-term restructuring plan."

#7 The tech industry has laid off more than 166,000 workers so far in 2025.

#8 A 37-year-old tech worker that lost her job last November still hasn’t found work even though she has applied for hundreds of jobs…"When Anna Whitlock was let go from her job in the technology industry in November of 2024, she wasn’t worried about lining up a new position. The Washington state resident had 11 years of experience managing network infrastructure projects, a specialized role that involves equipping buildings with internet access, cameras and wifi security systems. “The last time I had to job search, I found something pretty easily,” she said. Almost a year later, the 37-year-old is still without a job. Whitlock said she has applied to hundreds of jobs - even for positions she’s overqualified for - to no avail."

#9 According to Mark Mitchell of Rasmussen Reports, only 48 percent of U.S. adults under the age of 30 currently have a full-time job.

#10 Our standard of living has been steadily declining for a very long time. In 1950, more than 50 percent of 30-year-olds in the United States owned a home and were married. Today, that figure has fallen to just 13 percent…"Since the postwar era, the share of 30-year-olds in America with both a family and a home has plummeted—from about 52% in 1950 to just 13% in 2025. That’s a staggering 75% decline over 75 years."

#11 44.4 percent of Americans struggle to make their housing payments each month…"More than two in five (44.4%) U.S. homeowners and renters struggle to afford their regular rent or mortgage payments, according to a recent Redfin survey. We consider survey respondents to struggle with housing payments if they selected “I struggle greatly to afford them,” “I regularly struggle, but sometimes okay,” or “I sometimes struggle, but generally okay.”

#12 46 percent of Americans worry about debt every single day.

#13 Prices were slashed on 19.9 percent of home listings last month as the U.S. housing bubble starts to burst…"Nearly one in five American homes listed for sale reportedly saw a price cut in September, as rising inventory shifted more power to buyers. The number of listings with price cuts reached 19.9%, unchanged from August but up modestly from last year. Homes priced between $350,000 and $500,000 saw the steepest markdowns at 21.6%, while luxury properties over $1 million were less likely to see reductions, at just 13.3%, according to a Thursday report from Realtor.com."

#14 49 percent of Americans say that the cost of living is the biggest challenge that they are facing.

#15 67 percent of U.S. workers are now living paycheck to paycheck.

#16 The price of ground beef has risen more than 12 percent over the past year…"The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ consumer price index report for August showed a surge in beef prices over the past year. Ground beef prices were up 12.8% on a year-over-year basis in August, while beef roasts were up 13.6%, and steak prices were 16.6% higher."

#17 The number of cows in the United States has fallen to the lowest level since 1951…"Cattle rancher Mike Martz of Larson Farms in Maple Park, Illinois, told FOX Business’ Kelly Saberi that cattle inventories have declined in recent years due to drought affecting important ranching areas. “The real issue here is the drought that happened a number of years ago, and Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, the Southeast lost all their grass, all their forage. And when that happens, you’ve got to liquidate cows, and that’s what we’ve done,” Martz said. “We’ve got the lowest cow inventory since 1951, so that’s the cause of this.”

#18 The cost of living the American Dream for a lifetime has now reached 5 million dollars.

We haven’t seen anything like this since 2008 and 2009. Of course I am entirely convinced that what we are facing will ultimately be far worse than 2008 and 2009. If you are having a really tough time in 2025, it is so important to realize that you aren’t alone, and I also want you to understand that it isn’t your fault. If you feel like you are drowning financially, or if you can’t find work no matter how much effort you put into your job search, it is not because you are a failure. The truth is that the entire system has been failing for a long time, and now the consequences of decades of really bad decisions are overtaking us."

Jeremiah Babe, "Retired Military Veteran Gives Me An Ominous Economic Prediction"

Full screen recommended.
Jeremiah Babe, 10/3/25
"Retired Military Veteran Gives Me 
An Ominous Economic Prediction"
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Musical Interlude: 2002, "Memory of the Sky"

Full screen recommended.
2002, "Memory of the Sky"

"A Look to the Heavens"

"A now famous picture from the Hubble Space Telescope featured Pillars of Creation, star forming columns of cold gas and dust light-years long inside M16, the Eagle Nebula. This false-color composite image views the nearby stellar nursery using data from the Herschel Space Observatory's panoramic exploration of interstellar clouds along the plane of our Milky Way galaxy. Herschel's far infrared detectors record the emission from the region's cold dust directly.
The famous pillars are included near the center of the scene. While the central group of hot young stars is not apparent at these infrared wavelengths, the stars' radiation and winds carve the shapes within the interstellar clouds. Scattered white spots are denser knots of gas and dust, clumps of material collapsing to form new stars. The Eagle Nebula is some 6,500 light-years distant, an easy target for binoculars or small telescopes in a nebula rich part of the sky toward the split constellation Serpens Cauda (the tail of the snake).”

The Poet: May Sarton, “Now I Become Myself”

“Now I Become Myself”

“Now I become myself. It’s taken
Time, many years and places,
I have been dissolved and shaken,
Worn other people’s faces,
Run madly, as if Time were there,
Terribly old, crying a warning,
“Hurry, you will be dead before —”
(What? Before you reach the morning?
or the end of the poem, is clear?
Or love safe in the walled city?)
Now to stand still, to be here,
Feel my own weight and density!
Now there is time and Time is young.
O, in this single hour I live
All of myself and do not move,
I, the pursued, who madly ran,
Stand still, stand still, and stop the Sun!”

~ May Sarton,
 Collected Poems, 1930-1993

"Israel’s Flotilla Attack Backfired, As Colombia Comes Out Swinging"

KernowDamo, 10/3/25
"Israel’s Flotilla Attack Backfired, 
As Colombia Comes Out Swinging"

"When Israel boarded those boats, they didn’t expect a global backlash. But now Colombia’s cut ties - and the fallout is just beginning. Right, so Israel’s navy didn’t meet the Sumud Flotilla with courage - it met it with cowardice. Warships against fishing boats, drones against sacks of flour, commandos dragging away unarmed activists in international waters: it was piracy dressed up as policy, and lawbreaking paraded as self-defense, all while the world watched, not least including Spanish and Italian warships that did nothing to uphold the law and defend civilians trying to break a siege and expose war crimes.

But with that said though, Israel exposed itself and faces a reckoning for it. And amongst the responses from around the world one way or the other from various governments, one of the strongest anti Israel moves came from Colombia. Gustavo Petro, didn’t hold back, and showed leadership, showed moral fortitude, showed he’s not going to accept Israeli impunity, by expelling every Israeli diplomat left in the country, tearing up the free trade deal they held with Israel, and calling the seizures what they were - crimes. Combined with Petro’s recent call for US soldiers to disobey Trump and “obey humanity” over Israel, with Washington lashing back by revoking his visa, they have only ended up looking petty. But of course if a country of Colombia’s stature can make the right political choices here, what excuse do larger economies and militaries have not to?

Right, so there are moments in history when the script gets flipped, when the supposedly weak do what the supposedly mighty dare not. That is what has just happened with Colombia. At a time when Gaza is being starved, when aid ships have been boarded, when an entire population is held under siege, it was not the great humanitarian powers of Europe or North America that stood up, it was Bogotá. It was Gustavo Petro, a president leading a country long tethered to Washington’s foreign policy, who decided that enough was enough. He has expelled Israel’s diplomats. He has cancelled a free trade agreement. He has declared that the detention of Colombian citizens on the Sumud Flotilla is an international crime. And all of course in the wake of telling American soldiers to obey humanity and not Donald Trump."
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o
Scott Ritter, 10/3/25
"The Truth About Israel Is Much Darker Than You Think"
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"I Know..."

“I know the world seems terrifying right now and the future seems bleak. Just remember human beings have always managed to find the greatest strength within themselves during the darkest hours. When faced with the worst horrors the world has to offer, a person either cracks and succumbs to ugliness, or they salvage the inner core of who they are and fight to right wrongs. Never let hatred, fear, and ignorance get the best of you. Keep bettering yourself so you can make the world around you better, for nothing can improve without the brightest, bravest, kindest, and most imaginative individuals rising above the chaos.”
- Cat Winters

"Do You Believe..."

“Do you believe,’ said Candide, ‘that men have always massacred each other as they do today, that they have always been liars, cheats, traitors, ingrates, brigands, idiots, thieves, scoundrels, gluttons, drunkards, misers, envious, ambitious, bloody-minded, calumniators, debauchees, fanatics, hypocrites, and fools?”

“Do you believe,” said Martin, “that hawks have always eaten pigeons when they have found them?” - Voltaire

Judge Napolitano, "INTEL Roundtable w/Johnson & McGovern - Weekly Wrap 3-OCT"

Judge Napolitano - Judging Freedom, 10/3/25
"INTEL Roundtable w/Johnson & McGovern - 
Weekly Wrap 3-OCT"
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The Daily "Near You?"

East Dubuque, Illinois, USA. Thanks for stopping by!

Adventures With Danno, "Grocery Shopping at Meijer!"

Full screen recommended.
Adventures With Danno, 10/3/25
"Grocery Shopping at Meijer!"
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"Moscow Fall Colors 2025, Walking the Real Russia"

Meanwhile, in a sane, civilized society...
Full screen recommended.
Window to Moscow, 10/3/25
"Moscow Fall Colors 2025, Walking the Real Russia"
"Friends, welcome to my YouTube channel Window to Moscow! Moscow’s fall colors in 4K HDR. A calm city walk through Manezhnaya Square (seasonal décor, hot drinks & street food), Red Square (St. Basil’s, Kremlin walls), and Zaryadye Park, finishing on the Floating Bridge at sunset. No talk - just real street ambience and footsteps. Filmed in Autumn 2025 during golden hour. Enjoy watching!"
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Gerald Celente, "WW3 Has Already Begun, Western Economies Failing, Next: They Take You To War"

Gerald Celente, 10/3/25
"WW3 Has Already Begun, Western Economies Failing, 
Next: They Take You To War"
"The Trump Admin is continuing the proxy war against Russia, with weapons, military intelligence sharing, and reported plans to support long-range strikes. It’s provoking more war with Iran, with support for Israel and nuclear demands Tehran won’t accept. Oh, and it’s planning war with China, trying again for regime change in Venezuela, etc. etc."
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Full screen recommended.
Black Sabbath, "War Pigs"

"Generals gathered in their masses Just like witches at black masses. Evil minds that plot destruction, Sorcerers of death's construction. In the fields the bodies burning, As the war machine keeps turning, Death and hatred to mankind. Poisoning their brainwashed minds Oh lord yeah! Politicians hide themselves away, They only started the war, Why should they go out to fight? They leave that role to the poor. Time will tell on their power minds, Making war just for fun. Treating people just like pawns in chess, Wait 'til their judgement day comes, Yeah! Now in darkness world stops turning, Ashes where the bodies burning. No more war pigs at the power, Hand of God has struck the hour. Day of judgement, God is calling. On their knees the war pig's crawling, Begging mercy for their sins. Satan laughing spreads his wings, oh lord yeah!"

"How It Really Is"

 

"Your Hot Tea May Come With A Splash Of Microplastics"

"Howard Beale", "Network", 1976
"I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It's a depression. Everybody's out of work or scared of losing their job. The dollar buys a nickel's worth, banks are going bust, shopkeepers keep a gun under the counter. Punks are running wild in the street and there's nobody anywhere who seems to know what to do, and there's no end to it. We know the air is unfit to breathe and our food is unfit to eat, and we sit watching our TV's while some local newscaster tells us that today we had fifteen homicides and sixty-three violent crimes, as if that's the way it's supposed to be. 

We know things are bad - worse than bad. They're crazy. It's like everything everywhere is going crazy, so we don't go out anymore. We sit in the house, and slowly the world we are living in is getting smaller, and all we say is, 'Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster and my TV and my steel-belted radials and I won't say anything. Just leave us alone.' Well, I'm not gonna leave you alone! I want you to get mad! I don't want you to protest. I don't want you to riot - I don't want you to write to your congressman because I wouldn't know what to tell you to write. I don't know what to do about the depression and the inflation and the Russians and the crime in the street. All I know is that first you've got to get mad. You've got to say, 'I'm a HUMAN BEING, God damn it! My life has VALUE!' 

So I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window. Open it, and stick your head out, and yell, 'I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!' I want you to get up right now, get up, go to your windows, open them and stick your head out and yell - 'I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!' Things have got to change. But first, you've gotta get mad! You've got to say, 'I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!' Then we'll figure out what to do about the depression and the inflation and the oil crisis. But first get up out of your chairs, open the window, stick your head out, and yell, and say it: "I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!"
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