Washington, DC, USA. Thanks for stopping by!
So, we rise from the rubble...
StatCounter
Wednesday, July 8, 2026
"The Story Behind the Iconic Photo of the Man Who Defied Hitler And the Nazis by Refusing to Salute"
"The Story Behind the Iconic Photo of the Man
Who Defied Hitler And the Nazis by Refusing to Salute"
by Jay Syrmopoulos
"Cowardice asks the question, is it safe? Expediency ask the question, is it politic? Vanity asks the question, is it popular? But, conscience ask the question, is it right? And there comes a time when we must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because it is right." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
"In what can only be described as one of the most iconic photos of World War II, a lone man, August Landmesser, is seen refusing to be caught up in the nationalistic Nazi fervor, as he stands with his arms crossed, stone faced, as the rest of the crowd engages in the mandatory “seig heil” salute. The salute, meaning hail victory, was an exhibition of loyalty to Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party, and was mandatory for all German citizens.
The photo was taken in Hamburg, Germany on June 13, 1936 at the launch of a naval training vessel. Landmesser can be seen as the lone man pictured refusing to demonstrate his loyalty by saluting. Although the photo itself has become an internet sensation, as it represents those very few people who are willing to think outside of the box into which they have been indoctrinated, few people are aware of the story behind the iconic picture.
Landmesser joined the ranks of the Nazi party in 1931 with anticipation of it creating employment opportunities for him, as the climate in Germany was such that if one wanted to find gainful employment being a party member could be very advantageous. Eventually he was expelled from the party in 1935, after becoming engaged to a Jewish woman, Irma Eckler. The couple was engaged to marry, but enactment of the Nuremberg Laws would prevent that from taking place. The couple’s first daughter was born on October 29, 1935. This series of events fully explains the lack of respect shown by Landmesser, to the Nazi regime, as displayed by his refusal to salute in the iconic photo. But what happened after the picture was taken?
With Eckler pregnant again, the couple decided to flee Nazi Germany for Denmark in 1937, but were caught by the Nazis. Landmesser was subsequently charged with”dishonoring the race” under Nazi race laws. The couple claimed that neither of them were aware that Eckler was fully Jewish, with the couple being acquitted for lack of evidence, but with a warning that any subsequent violations would result in prison time. Even under threat of prison Landmesser and Eckler’s love reigned supreme, with the couple publicly continuing their relationship.
In July of 1938, Landmesser was arrested again, this time being sentenced to two and a half years in the Börgermoor concentration camp. Eckler was taken by the Gestapo to Fuhlsbüttel prison, where she gave birth to her and Landmesser’s second child. Eckler was sent to numerous different concentration camps, with a few letters being received from Irma Eckler until roughly January 1942. It’s believed that she was taken to the Bernburg Euthanasia Centre in February 1942, where she was among the more than 14,000 killed. Landmesser was released from custody in January 1941, working as a foreman. He was eventually drafted into a penal battalion in February of 1944 and was reportedly killed while fighting in Croatia in October of that year."
"Hidden in Plain View"
"Hidden in Plain View"
by Jeff Thomas
"In 1796, the US issued its first quarter dollar. On the obverse, it displayed the image of Lady Liberty, and above the image (in case there was any doubt about the message), the word "LIBERTY" was prominently displayed. The coin was minted from silver (90%) and copper (10%). Over the years, the design of the US quarter changed repeatedly. Then, in 1932, a new quarter (image #1, above) was issued that featured the image of American Founding Father George Washington. As before, the word "LIBERTY" appeared above his image - a continuing reminder of the primary principle upon which the US was founded. And as before, the coin was minted from silver (90%) and copper (10%).
So far, so good. The quarter remained unchanged until 1965. The new quarter (image #2) was the same in every way, except that it contained no silver whatsoever. It now contained only copper and nickel. (At today’s metals prices, the intrinsic value of the quarter dropped suddenly to 1% of its previous value.)
Conceptually, the American people should have been outraged, as they had effectively lost the ability to hold real, redeemable wealth. The coin they would hold in future would not have the value of silver; it would be a mere token. The new coin represented no more than a "promise of value" on the part of the US government. However, there was almost no outcry. The reason? Because the new quarter still retained the same purchasing power it had when it was made of silver. As long as the quarter was perceived by all and sundry as having value for the purpose of payment, most Americans were content to accept the switch.
In 1999, the quarter’s design did change. The word "LIBERTY" was removed from above the head of Washington and in its place were the words, "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA." It might have been argued at the time that those words needed to be on the quarter to remind holders of the coin what nation had issued it. However, those words had always appeared on the reverse of the Washington quarter, and I recently saw a 1999 quarter that had those words on both sides - a very odd redundancy for a coin, which, by its very size, has little space to spare, even for essential information.
The word "LIBERTY" was still in evidence on the new coin, but it had been moved lower down, beneath Washington’s chin, and was now much smaller. It would seem one reason for the change in design had been to diminish the importance of Liberty as an American concept. (Later, when the "states" quarters were issued, the Mint dropped the "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" on the reverse and retained it on the obverse.) In any case, as in 1965, there was no outcry from the American people - again, for the same reason as before. The coin retained the same purchasing power, so the change in design was simply not an issue.
Readers of this publication may have a different slant on the subject. It may be argued that the two changes in the American quarter reflect the changes in the US as a nation. There can be no doubt that the value of US currency in general has been dramatically reduced in purchasing value since 1932. It is also true that none of the US currency (whether paper notes or metal coins) have any true, redeemable value. They have only perceived value, which is subject to dramatic change, depending upon economic conditions. (In the last century, the un-backed currencies of some twenty nations have been rendered valueless, as a result of hyperinflations.)
In 1796, when the quarter was first minted, the quarter was in itself wealth. The paper bank notes that came later (beginning in 1861) were initially fiat (during the war) but were quickly replaced by notes backed by, and redeemable for, silver. The redemption of US bank notes for silver bullion ended in 1968. Today, if a US citizen seeks to build up his wealth, he cannot do so by holding the currency of his country. All US currency, whether paper or metal, only represents his faith in the currency to retain its value, which it is unquestionably losing. Therefore, merely by dealing every day in US currency, the holder is paying a hidden tax, and his wealth is diminished accordingly.
As to US Liberty, many would agree that that, too, has been devalued, particularly after 1999. Laws such as the Patriot Act of 2001, its expansion in 2011, and the National Defense Authorization Act of 2011 have stripped Americans of their constitutional rights on a wholesale basis. There is an old saying that, "The best place to hide something is in plain view." If true, a reminder of what the US citizen has lost may be found in plain view, merely by reaching into his pocket and examining his change."
"A Séance of the Saints Summons the Ghost of George Orwell"
"A Séance of the Saints
Summons the Ghost of George Orwell"
"When the revolution meets its own reflection: A chilling encounter with the ghost of George Orwell, where the champagne is expensive, the private jets are fueled, and the “common people” are invited to watch from the cheap seats.
The room was thick with the scent of burning sage and a lingering, existential dread. Bernie Sanders, hunched in a velvet chair that seemed to swallow his slight frame, adjusted his thick-rimmed glasses and squinted through the dim, flickering candlelight. Beside him, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez sat in a lotus position, her eyes closed, chanting something about the “intersectional vibrations of the proletariat.” They were not here for the medium, a nervous woman in a hemp-fiber shawl who had already been paid an exorbitant amount of campaign funds for her discretion. They were here for the ghost.
With a sudden, violent flicker of the candles, the air turned icy. A figure materialized in the corner - a man with a ravaged face, a hacking cough, and the weary, piercing gaze of someone who had seen the future and found it profoundly disappointing. George Orwell.
“You summoned me?” the apparition wheezed, his voice sounding like dry leaves skittering across pavement. Bernie surged forward, his hands gesticulating wildly. “Mr. Orwell! It is an honor. We have been fighting the good fight, you see. The billionaires, the oligarchy - we’re exposing them! We’re building a movement!”
Orwell looked at the pair - Bernie, in his rumpled suit, and AOC, dressed in a designer ensemble that looked expensive enough to feed a small village - and offered a thin, mirthless smile. “A movement,” Orwell repeated, the word dripping with irony. “And what, pray tell, is this movement moving toward? A world without the very structures that provide you with your podiums, your platforms, and your penchant for performative outrage?”
AOC leaned in, her brow furrowed in practiced concern. “We are fighting for the people, George. We are dismantling the systems of power that keep the working class in chains.”
Orwell stood, his ethereal form casting long, distorted shadows against the wall. He paced the room, his eyes lingering on a stray copy of The New York Times sitting on the table. “You speak of liberation while sitting in a room that costs more per night than a coal miner makes in a year. You rail against the very class-distinctions that have groomed you for your roles in this grand theater.”
He stopped, pointing a spectral finger at them. “I wrote once, ‘We all rail against class-distinctions, but very few people seriously want to abolish them. Here you come upon the important fact that every revolutionary opinion draws part of its strength from a secret conviction that nothing can be changed.’”
Bernie blustered, his face turning a shade of pink that suggested his blood pressure was nearing a critical threshold. “That’s - that’s an unfair characterization! I have dedicated my life to - ” “To the appearance of change,” Orwell cut in, his voice cutting through the room like a blade. “You enjoy the struggle, Senator. You enjoy the roar of the crowd, the indignation, the righteous fury. But should the revolution actually succeed? Should the structures of power truly vanish? You would be terrified. Your life is predicated on the friction between the ‘oppressor’ and the ‘oppressed.’ Without that engine, you are just an old man in a suit.”
AOC began to interrupt, but Orwell turned his hollow, burning gaze to her. “And you, the architect of the ‘Tax the Rich’ gown. A marvelous piece of propaganda, truly. Nothing says ‘I am one with the masses’ quite like attending an elite, invitation-only gala, surrounded by the very billionaires you claim to despise, while wearing a dress designed to broadcast your faux-rebellion to the world.”
“It was a statement!” AOC defended, though her voice wavered. “It brought the conversation into the room where it matters!” “It brought your name into the headlines,” Orwell corrected. “It was a masterclass in what I once called the corruption of language. You use the vocabulary of the downtrodden to secure the comforts of the elite. You believe you are an insurgent, yet you are merely the court jester of the progressive wing of the establishment. You provide the spectacle, they provide the funding, and nothing - absolutely nothing - ever shifts on the ledger of the common man.”
He leaned closer, the smell of damp earth filling the room. “Do you remember what I said about the intellectual who imagines himself outside the ‘class-racket’? He jeers at the lords and the ladies, he mocks the institutions, but all the while, at the bottom of his heart, he knows it is humbug. He cannot conceive of a world where his own ‘educated’ dialect is not the metric by which success is measured.”
Bernie looked at the floor, his shoulders slumped. The ghost’s words were landing with the weight of lead. He thought, for a fleeting, terrifying moment, of the private jet he had been criticized for using during his campaign - the sheer, unavoidable hypocrisy of preaching climate salvation from the cabin of a private aircraft. The convenience of it had seemed so logical at the time. The schedule was tight. The cause was important.
“It’s about necessity,” Bernie muttered to the carpet. “The scale of the struggle requires… compromises.” “Compromises,” Orwell echoed, his voice softening into a bitter whisper. “The favorite word of the hypocrite. You claim to be the vanguard of the revolution, yet you live by the rules of the aristocracy. You fear the very equality you preach, because equality is the death of the intellectual, the death of the orator, and the death of the career revolutionary. You don’t want to abolish the class system, Senator. You want to be the ones managing it.”
The room went silent. The candles, which had been burning with unnatural intensity, suddenly sputtered and died, plunging them into darkness. When the lights flickered back on a moment later, the corner was empty. The ghost was gone. The smell of sage remained, but it was now indistinguishable from the stale odor of failure.
Bernie sat motionless for a long time, his hands clasped over his stomach. He looked older, tired, the fire that usually propelled his speeches replaced by a hollow, gnawing sensation in his gut. The reality of Orwell’s assessment was too sharp, too precise to simply ignore. He had spent his life convinced of his own moral superiority, yet here, in the quiet, he felt only the weight of his own contradictions.
AOC stood up, her movements stiff. She didn’t look at the empty chair where the spirit had stood. She walked to the window and stared out at the city lights - the glittering, expensive, unequal city that she had helped build, even while claiming to tear it down. She felt the silk of her dress against her skin and, for the first time in her career, it felt like lead.
Without a word, they gathered their belongings. There were no campaign staffers to call, no interviews to give, no tweets to craft. They simply stood, turned, and walked toward the door, their heads bowed, sulking out into the cold, indifferent night, feeling, for all the world, guilty as sin."
"Everyone Is Starting to Realize Modern Life in America Is a Trap"
Full screen recommended.
The Unfolded States, 7/8/26
"Everyone Is Starting to Realize
Modern Life in America Is a Trap"
"For millions of Americans, working harder no longer guarantees a more secure life. Rising housing costs, expensive healthcare, higher grocery bills, and shrinking purchasing power are changing what it means to live a normal middle-class life in America. In this video, we examine the real data behind the cost of living crisis, connect it with the experiences shared by everyday Americans, and explore why so many households feel financially trapped despite earning more than ever before. Using trusted economic research and real-world examples, we separate emotion from evidence to understand what is really happening. If you've noticed your paycheck stretching less each year, or you've wondered why a comfortable income no longer feels comfortable, this analysis is for you. Share your perspective in the comments and join the conversation."
Comments here:
Bill Bonner, "Red Menace"
Victory Day parade, Moscow, 2026
"Red Menace"
by Bill Bonner
“We’re not going to let communists get in our way.
We’re not going to let anyone get in our way. Not the communists.
They’re not doing anything, those people, what they’re doing. It’s so stupid.”
- Donald Trump
Youghal, Ireland - "Who is POTUS talking about? The idea of the communist menace seems so out-of-date. It is as if the president came out of the White House wearing bell bottoms with his hair teased into a ‘fro.’ But the Red Menace is back in the news, the bogeyman for at least a few hours. The Washington Post: "Democrats are electing socialists. Republicans are labeling them communist."
But this is not Cold War communism they are talking about. Collectivized farms? Dictatorship of the proletariat? Marx? Lenin? Finally, a workers’ paradise? Not very likely. America’s ‘communists’ are not really communists. They are various stripes of activists with a social disease to which both Republicans and Democrats are susceptible. They, like Trump himself, simply want to bend more of America’s output to their own fantasies and pet projects.
Trump is already seizing the means of production. The New York Times: "$10 Billion and Counting: Trump Administration Snaps Up Stakes in Private Firms." The Trump administration is spending billions of dollars on deals with ownership stakes in companies. The unusual practice shows no sign of slowing. And they’re planning to take a lot more. Technology.org: "U.S. Officials Quietly Discuss Taking Ownership Stakes in Top AI Firms." Senior officials in the Trump administration have quietly talked with major artificial intelligence companies about a striking possibility: the federal government buying a slice of those firms.
In 1917, the Bolsheviks seized the factories. In America, 2026, the Empire of Debt has switched from brute force to chicanery and fraud. It borrows its way to war and collectivism. Some politicians are more forthright about it than others. From Bernie Sanders last week: "Sanders Introduces Legislation to Create $7 Trillion AI Sovereign Wealth Fund: This Bill Would Give the American People, Not Oligarchs, Control Over the Future of AI."
Like central planners everywhere they aim to control every aspect of the economy. Wages. Tariffs. Working hours. Housing. Interest rates. All are already subject to the feds’ meddles - imposed from the ‘left’ as well as the ‘right.’ And now...in large measure thanks to so much waste, debt, and regulation...real wages are as stagnant as a summer pond. Real interest rates - the cost of servicing so much debt - are rising. Voters grow restless, looking to blame someone...and eager for a bewitching politician to lay on his hands...to heal the economy and bless the people in it.
Is it any wonder they vote for more manipulations...more control...more ‘dirigisme?’ Trump’s brand of ‘Big Man’ national socialism? Sanders’ version of debt-funded socialism? A Trump account? A golden share? A government-run grocery store? Cronies on AI boards? DEI hires in charge of the food supply? Hey, with free money almost anything is possible...for awhile.
But let’s look at it with a little wider-angle lens. “Never interrupt an enemy when he is making an error,” said Napoleon. With their claptrap creed, the Chinese and the Russians were shooting themselves in the foot. And yet, American politicians spent nearly half a century trying to knock the gun out of their hands. The Bolshevik BS kept their economies from competing with us and limited their military technology. It was after China ditched communism that it became powerful enough to pose a threat. And thanks to its economic success, China may now have military technology that is actually superior to ours.
At home, communism is a big dud. Trump is right about that. Just as it wrecks foreign economies, so can it wreck our own. But if that’s what the voters want, why not? According to the sacred texts of democracy, ultimately, there is no higher authority than the Will of The People. They decide for themselves how they will be misgoverned. They have the right to do something really stupid, and exercise it regularly. The sheep select the good shepherds they want... And get the wolves they deserve."
o
Full screen recommended.
"Victory Day 2026: Russia Holds
Grand Military Parade in Moscow"
John Wilder, "The Economics of the Surveillance State"
"The Economics of the Surveillance State"
by John Wilder
"“That was a Beria operation in Stalin’s time.
It was deactivated twenty years ago.”
– "The Living Daylights"
"Remember Lavrentiy Beria’s cheerful advice: “Show me the man, and I will find the crime”? Back in the Soviet Union they had so many laws on the books that everybody broke at least one before lunch, I mean, when lunch was available. And if they didn’t, they could make up something. Beria just needed enough spies and informants to spot the right violation. Beria would have loved modern America. We’ve upgraded his whole operation with better cameras, faster computers, and added actual profit margins.
Let’s start with Flock™ cameras. Flock Safety© cameras now line roads from coast to coast. More than 100,000 of the little snitches sit on poles in ditches scanning license plates 24/7 and however many metric hours in a metric day and metric days in a metric week. The cameras rolled out one quiet law enforcement contract at a time until the whole country is now blanketed.
Maps of the cameras exist online, but those rely on humans, and it shows only three of the eight within five miles of my house in Modern Mayberry. I could plot an avoidance route if I had nothing better to do than play spy versus spy on my commute, or build a detector like Benn Jordan did. Most of us have jobs and families instead. But, hey, we’ve funded a system so that every time you get on the road, you’re creating a record that will last as long as they have storage. And cops can now use this to stalk their ex-wives, so it’s a double win, right?
Next up? Ring™ doorbells joined the neighborhood watch program without asking their “owner’s” permission. When several co-eds were murdered in Idaho a couple of years ago, investigators pulled Ring© footage to track a suspect’s car. A subpoena moves quicker than a polite request and never waits for the doorbell to be answered, so they got all the data that they needed to catch the guy. I’m okay with catching murderers, but how many people will be caught in fishing dragnets for being in the wrong place at the wrong time? Where exactly are you going at 2 a.m., citizen?
Laptops aren’t safe, either. A hacker got grabbed in Finland on his way out of the country. Prosecutors used the connection with Microsoft’s© handy Global Device Identifier™ to identify him. One persistent number tied his computer to all the mischief. Microsoft® handed over the records after the usual court paperwork and a feeble, “oh, stop... customer privacy...” My operating system apparently keeps better tabs on me than my own mother, but at least Ma Wilder has the excuse of being dead.
Then there is Windows Recall© on the fancy new Copilot™ machines. It snaps pictures of your screen every few seconds while you work and builds a searchable scrapbook of everything you looked at. Local storage only They promise. Pinky swear, even. Still feels like my laptop decided to start a scrapbooking hobby without telling me first.
Besides, my ISP already knows every site you visit and how long you lingered. Edward Snowden spilled the beans years ago on the big programs that pulled data straight from the servers of Microsoft™, Google®, Apple©, Facebook™ and the Rest®. Fiber-optic taps caught traffic in bulk, Then three-letter outfits and tech companies worked hand in glove. The result is giant databases full of regular people doing regular things. But don’t worry! If you’ve been good, you’re fine. And if you’re Hillary Clinton or Jeff Epstein, all the data will be lost.
Big Tech loves this data game because it prints money for them. They track my habits down to the weirdest details (really, kittens eating salami?) and sell the profiles to insurers, advertisers, and anyone else with a checkbook. My patterns become their product. They turn my life into a spreadsheet and then mark it up like a used-car dealer who knows you really need that transmission fixed today.
Speaking of cars, they’re getting chatty, too. Modern ones log every trip, every hard brake, every late-night drive. Some already phone home to the manufacturer and won’t work unless the software license is up to date. Insurance companies will pay good money for a direct feed on how I actually drive instead of guessing from your age and ZIP code. Soon enough, the car might call the cops if it thinks I had one too many. My pickup turns into the world’s most expensive designated snitch.
Ninety-nine percent of us carry cell phones that never stop reporting. Every search, every video, every song gets logged. Cops have started treating a phone left at home like suspicious behavior (I’m not making this up). The little rectangle in your pocket is the most reliable witness I never hired.
Big companies with this much reach do have a kryptonite®: governments. They do exactly what the government asks. They bent over backwards to limit talk about COVID and elections under the last administration. Books and posts that wandered off the approved script vanished from platforms: I know, I made a COVID joke on a podcast and it was sent to podcast jail.
The same tools will work just as well for whoever sits in the big chair next. They already proved they can move fast when someone important asks nicely. Harvey Silverglate spelled this out in his book "Three Felonies a Day." Federal law has grown so broad and fuzzy that a decent prosecutor can usually find something to charge anyone with. Normal life now sits inside a minefield of possible violations. Add constant surveillance and the minefield gets floodlights, motion sensors, and a searchable menu.
"The Code of Federal Regulations" stretches to roughly 190,000 pages or almost the number of words in a GloboLeftist meme. Rules multiply every year. Nobody can read the whole thing, and if they did, another 10,000 pages would have been added in the meantime. When surveillance supplies the evidence, the vague laws and regulations become precision weapons. Who cares if you’re guilty? Just being charged is punishment for the innocent. The process is the point.
Government and Big Tech® now hold detailed maps of where you drive, what you read, who you talk to, and how you spend your time. Also notice that they don’t bother to use these to catch murderers in Chicago or gang criminals. No, they’re encouraging that violence.
Beria ran on fear and informants. The updated model runs on sensors, algorithms, and sweet quarterly earnings. It costs less to operate and reaches farther and hardly ever complains about running out of vodka. The economics make perfect sense for the people building it, because collecting the data is cheap once the hardware is installed.
The Surveillance State runs on convenience for the watchers and profit for the builders. Beria would have been jealous of the efficiency and probably asked for stock options. Don’t you love it when totalitarian communism and capitalism overlap?"
"The Intelligence Was Outdated. They Fired Anyway"
 |
| "The Intelligence Was Outdated. They Fired Anyway" |
by Redacted
"A CNN report released Tuesday suggests the deadly strike on an Iranian elementary school that killed 168 children was not the unavoidable mistake the government portrayed it to be. Nor did President Trump's claim hold up when he said, "Based on what I've seen, that was done by Iran."
According to multiple sources familiar with the investigation, senior U.S. military commanders were warned that the information used to identify targets inside Iran was based on intelligence that was years old. Those warnings were embedded directly inside the Pentagon's targeting databases, flagging that the information needed to be re-vetted before strikes were approved. Instead of re-vetting the intelligence before unleashing a deadly missile strike, commanders reportedly signed off anyway because it was faster and they were on a timeline.
This information was never disclosed to those demanding accountability, even when military officials reportedly determined within days that outdated intelligence had contributed to the strike. Months later, the public is still getting the runaround whenever the administration is confronted about what happened.
Just last month, when asked by a journalist at the G7 summit in France whether anyone would be held accountable, President Trump replied, "It's such a strange question to be asked at this date, because you're talking about a long time ago." A long time ago? Tell that to the parents who buried their children only four months ago. Grief doesn't expire because the news cycle moved on.
In the same statement, Trump also said, "Nobody did that on purpose. Mistakes are made. War is nasty." Can it really be called a mistake if commanders ignored warnings that the intelligence was unreliable? Doesn't that sound more like criminal negligence? But outdated intelligence wasn't the only issue. The military's safeguards had already been weakened after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reduced the personnel responsible for identifying and preventing civilian casualties.
In light of what we now know, it's worth asking: If the tables were turned and Iran carried out the same attack on U.S. soil, taking the lives of innocent American children, would it still be acceptable to simply call it a "mistake" and move on?"
Adventures With Danno, "Stocking Up At Sam's Club"
Full screen recommended.
Adventures With Danno, 7/8/26
"Stocking Up At Sam's Club"
Comments here:
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
"Iran Goes Out Of Control! 80 Targets HIT! Iran Downs US Jet! Entire Gulf Under Attack Again!"
Full screen recommended.
The Daily Jagran, 7/7/26
"Iran Goes Out Of Control! 80 Targets Hit!
Iran Downs US Jet! Entire Gulf Under Attack Again!"
"The Iran truce has collapsed entirely. Following a dispute over a new maritime evacuation corridor, three oil tankers were struck in the Strait of Hormuz. The US retaliated instantly, revoking Iran's oil sanctions waiver and launching a massive military operation targeting 80 IRGC and naval sites across Qeshm Island, Sirik, and Bandar Abbas. In response, Iran has claimed to shoot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone and launched a barrage of missiles, triggering air raid sirens and interceptions across Kuwait and Bahrain. In this episode of Decode, Nikita Kapoor breaks down the sudden collapse of the ceasefire and the massive scale of the US strikes."
Comments here:
Gerald Celente, "Dumbf*ckistan News"
Strong language alert!
Gerald Celente, 7/7/26
"Dumbf*ckistan News: World Cup Euphoria,
Taylor Swift Gets Married... Opium for the Masses"
"While hundreds of millions were glued to these headline-grabbing spectacles, the megatrends shaping the future are not trends in the mainstream media where selling ignorance is their bliss."
Comments here:
"Alert! US Widespread Bombing Underway, Iranian Ports And Nuclear Sites!"
Canadian Prepper, 7/7/26
"Alert! US Widespread Bombing Underway,
Iranian Ports And Nuclear Sites!"
Comments here:
Musical Interlude: Disturbed "The Sound Of Silence"
Full screen recommended.
Official release.
Disturbed "The Sound Of Silence" (Studio)
Singer: David Draiman
1.1 BILLION views.
○
Full screen recommended.
Conan O'Brian Show live performance.
Disturbed, "The Sound Of Silence" (Live)
170 MILLION views.
Folks, there's "something" here, it touches your soul, what it is I can't say,
but if there are words for it I don't know them, and can only stand in speechless awe...
"A Look to the Heavens"
"The beautiful Trifid Nebula is a cosmic study in contrasts. Also known as M20, it lies about "5,000 light-years away toward the nebula rich constellation Sagittarius. A star forming region in the plane of our galaxy, the Trifid does illustrate three different types of astronomical nebulae; red emission nebulae dominated by light from hydrogen atoms, blue reflection nebulae produced by dust reflecting starlight, and dark nebulae where dense dust clouds appear in silhouette. But the red emission region roughly separated into three parts by obscuring dust lanes is what lends the Trifid its popular name.
Pillars and jets sculpted by newborn stars, below and left of the emission nebula's center, appear in famous Hubble Space Telescope close-up images of the region. The Trifid Nebula is about 40 light-years across. Just too faint to be seen by the unaided eye, it almost covers the area of a full moon in planet Earth's sky."
Gengu AI, "The Gentle Rhythm of Today"
Full screen recommended.
Gengu AI, "The Gentle Rhythm of Today"
"AI was the tool. The story came from human feeling. If this film gave
you a quiet breath, a memory, or a moment of peace, thank you for being here."
Delta King's Blues, "I Need a Minute, Damn"
Full screen recommended.
Delta King's Blues,
"I Need a Minute, Damn"
"Sometimes it ain’t quitting… it’s just catching your breath. “I Need a Minute, Damn” is a worn-down, straight-from-the-bones Delta King’s Blues tune about slowing up, leaning on something solid, and letting the world wait for once. A heavy, dragging acoustic guitar sets the pace, every note sounding like a pause you earned. The harmonica sighs deep and low, saying what your body’s been trying to tell you all day. The groove stays slow and grounded, built for moments when standing still is the only smart move. This is blues for people who ain’t done - just tired. No drama. No weakness. Just honesty. Sometimes strength looks like stopping for a minute."
Native Elder, "How to Reclaim Your Strength After Life Broke You Down"
Full screen recommended.
Native Elder,
"How to Reclaim Your Strength
After Life Broke You Down"
Comments here:
"This 4-Step Path Formula Inspired by Nietzsche Can Determine Most of Your Life"
"This 4-Step Path Formula Inspired by
Nietzsche Can Determine Most of Your Life"
by Thomas Oppong
"Friedrich Nietzsche, one of the most influential and controversial thinkers of the 19th century, dared to gaze into the abyss of existence. He strongly opposed the “herd mentality.” He thought religion, morality, and systemic values and beliefs prevented people from reaching their full potential. Nietzsche wrote extensively about his approach to life in "Thus Spoke Zarathustra," "Beyond Good and Evil," and "The Genealogy of Morality." His challenge to humanity? Transcend your limitations and become the Übermensch, the ultimate human being.
Nietzsche thought the only way to become the very best version of yourself is to shatter the shackles of mediocrity. Forge your own epic destiny. “Do you want to have an easy life? Then always stay with the herd and lose yourself in the herd.” - Friedrich Nietzsche. But how does one become an Übermensch? What steps can you take to unleash the badass within? Before we get to that, let’s break down Nietzsche’s superhuman concept.
What is the Übermensch? The Übermensch is not a superhero or a god. It is an ideal, a way of being characterised by strength, independence, and a will to power. The Übermensch is not afraid of hardship or suffering, for they see these things as opportunities for growth. The conventions of society do not bind them, for they forge their path. And they are not content with mediocrity, for they strive to achieve greatness in all that they do. “You must be ready to burn yourself in your own flame; how could you rise anew if you have not first become ashes? - Friedrich Nietzsche
How does one become an Übermensch? It’s a life path of self-discovery and self-creation. If you are called to the path of the Übermensch, there are no easy answers. Übermensch requires you to challenge everything you think you know about yourself and the world. If you are willing to put in the work, the rewards are beyond measure.
Step 1: Make peace with “amor fati”: “My formula for human greatness is amor fati: that one wants nothing to be different, not in the future, not in the past, not for all eternity. Not only to endure what is necessary, still less to conceal it - all idealism is falseness in the face of necessity - , but to love it…” - Friedrich Nietzsche
The first step on the path to Übermensch-hood is to cultivate an amor fati. This Latin phrase means “love of fate.” The Übermensch accepts everything that happens to them, good or bad: the glorious sunrises and the winter cold, the whispered joys and the deafening sorrows. It’s the Übermensch’s secret weapon, transforming every experience, no matter how challenging, into fuel for epic growth.
Amor fati is not about resignation or passivity. It doesn’t mean ignoring pain or pretending it doesn’t exist. Or passively accept whatever life throws your way. It’s about acknowledging it, feeling it fully, and then choosing to rise above it. It’s the full embrace of life, knowing that every difficulty and setback is an opportunity to learn, grow, and become something more. It’s about actively choosing to affirm everything that happens to you, good or bad. Nietzsche believed that suffering is inevitable but also an opportunity for growth.
Think Viktor Frankl, the author of "Man’s Search For Meaning." He survived the horrors of Auschwitz and found meaning in the darkest depths of human suffering. It’s a testament to the power of amor fati, of finding the light even in the abyss. He famously said, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms - to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
When you embrace your challenges, you develop the strength and resilience to overcome them. You become the master of your destiny, no longer a victim of circumstance. When faced with difficulties, ask yourself, “What can I learn from this? How can I grow from this?”
Step 2: Confront your shadow: Becoming an Übermensch is a treacherous climb. One of the most formidable obstacles you’ll face is your own shadow. In Jungian psychology, the shadow is the repressed and unacceptable aspects of ourselves - our hidden desires, fears, and impulses. It’s the darkness we tuck away that whispers insecurities and holds us back. They can be internal, like self-doubt or external, like the pressure to conform to the expectations of others. But the Übermensch knows that the shadow is not something to be feared but rather something to be integrated.
Ignoring the shadow is a recipe for stagnation. To truly ascend to Übermensch heights, we must confront it head-on, not with fear but with unflinching courage. Denial is futile. Instead, observe your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Notice the patterns, the triggers that unleash your inner demons - envy, rage, jealousy. Don’t judge, just observe.
Get into your past, into experiences that might have shaped your shadow’s contours. Were you ridiculed? Abandoned? Abused? Understanding the roots of your darkness offers valuable insight and compassion. Once you know your shadows, accept them, not with resignation, but with understanding. Acceptance is the key to disarming the shadow’s power.
Channel your anger into passion, envy into ambition, and fear into caution. Transform your shadow from a monster to a powerful ally. As Nietzsche wrote, “The man who does not value himself cannot be valued.” The darkness can become the fertile ground for self-discovery and transformation. Think of it this way: the Übermensch isn’t someone without darkness but someone who has mastered their darkness.
Step 3: Become who you must be: “Call me whatever you like; I am who I must be.”
- Friedrich Nietzsche
The Übermensch does not conform to the herd mentality. They do not conform to the expectations of others. Instead, they create their own values based on their unique experiences and perspectives. Creating your life code is a deliberate process of crafting principles that fuel your ascent to greatness. It’s the bedrock of your Übermensch self. What do you value most in life?
Your deep values are beyond what is expected of you. The first step is questioning everything - the expectations thrust upon you, the ideals deemed “normal.” Analyze them, dissect their origins, and see if they resonate with your inner compass.
Go into the depths of your being. Who are you, stripped bare of external definitions? What ignites your soul? What brings you a sense of awe and purpose? Explore your passions, your fears, your strengths, and weaknesses. Introspection informs the foundation of your values.
Once you know your values, you can live with integrity and authenticity. The Übermensch is not content with living a small life. They set goals that are so big that they seem impossible. But the Übermensch knows that anything is possible if you are willing to work for it. Immerse yourself in the words and lives of those who dared to forge their paths. Philosophers like Nietzsche, artists like Van Gogh, and scientists like Marie Curie offer valuable insights into their struggles and triumphs.
Step 4: Channel your will to power: “The higher we soar, the smaller we appear to those who cannot fly,” Nietzsche said. Once values clear, the Übermensch is free to create themself anew. This is where the will to power comes into play, the driving force that propels us towards our highest potential.
The will to power is the driving force of the Übermensch. It’s the relentless pursuit of self-improvement and self-actualization - the desire to become the best version of yourself, physically, mentally, and spiritually. It’s about mastering yourself and pushing your limits.
Every setback is a chance to refine your skills, strengthen your resolve, and emerge stronger. It’s the alchemic process where the Will to Power shines brightest. Nietzsche reminds us that “the highest good is not to overcome others, but to overcome oneself.” The Übermensch is not defined by their victories over others but by their victories over themself.
The Übermensch isn’t just a doer but a creator. Channel your Will to Power into shaping your own life and your work. Don’t be afraid to experiment, to break boundaries, and to express yourself. As you learn and grow, your goals, your methods, and your understanding of self will transform. Embrace this fluidity, and never stop striving to become the best version of yourself. No one can build your bridge for you
“Nobody can build the bridge for you to walk across the river of life, no one but you yourself alone. There are, to be sure, countless paths and bridges and demi-gods which would carry you across this river, but only at the cost of yourself; you would pawn yourself and lose. There is in the world only one way, on which nobody can go, except you: where does it lead? Do not ask, go along with it.” - Friedrich Nietzsche
The final step to becoming the Übermensch is to live meaning, transforming the mundane into the extraordinary. Nietzsche encouraged us to “dance through life” to find joy and meaning in the very act of being. “And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music,” he wrote. The Übermensch does not wait for life to happen; they create it. They are the artists of their own destiny, leaving behind a masterpiece. But the path to becoming the Übermensch is not for the faint of heart. It is long and full of setbacks.
But the rewards are immeasurable for those willing to take up the hammer. “No price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself,” says Nietzsche. Before you go, remember: becoming the Übermensch is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s a lifelong way of life that is constantly evolving."
"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
"The Sin Nature of Theologians & The Primate Nature of Biologists... Are The Same"
"What can we know? What are we all?
Poor silly half-brained things peering out at the infinite,
with the aspirations of angels and the instincts of beasts."
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
"The Sin Nature of Theologians & The Primate
Nature of Biologists... Are The Same"
by Paul Rosenberg
"This is one of those things that needs to be said, even though it’s jarring and unlikely to change public discourse any time soon. Apologies where due.
What theologians call “man’s sinful nature” is just about the same thing as the primate chemistry we humans have inherited, however it was that it came to us. (I’ll leave the fights over ultimate origins to others.) Bear in mind, please, that what I’m calling “primate nature” is, in us, more like primate inclinations, and that we also have post-primate inclinations, or in theological terms godly inclinations. But there’s only so much we can cover in a single post, so I’ll pass over most of that today.
Let’s use the five “Thou shalt nots” of the Ten Commandments as a reference point for the sin nature. It’s not an ideal list, but it’s very well known and will serve our purpose well enough. And we’ll stay with the closest primates to us: chimps first and then baboons (which also happen to be the animals I’ve studied the closest).
Thou shalt not murder. Chimps very definitely murder, and brutally. But they murder mainly outside their immediate troops. In other words, they’re murderously xenophobic. Most of their murders could be considered a type of war, and they are endlessly in conflict with other bands of chimps living nearby. And so aggression in humans, and particularly aggression between groups, are very definitely chimp things.
But there’s even more to this story: Murder and war are mainly (though not exclusively) a male activity among chimps. Female chimps accomplish most of their aggressions indirectly, by forming nepotistic dominance hierarchies and putting down both underlings and competitors, coldly and cruelly (at least from our perspective). When killing is required, they generally influence males (usually related males) to get it done.
Thou shalt not commit adultery. The big goal for male primates is to become the top animal and to copulate with as many females as possible. This, rather obviously, translates to adultery. Mid-level males wait till the big bosses are gone, then copulate with females the bosses previously monopolized, and by this the females spread their influence. Females frequently trade sex for favors such as protection or quality food.
Thou shalt not steal. If and when they can, primates steal. The high-status animals can get away with it a great deal, as when boss males chase away lower-status animals who find a bush bearing ripe fruit. They’ll bark, slap and if necessary do worse to chase the pleb away and get the good food they found. And again, the females have their own version of this, with high-ranking females intimidating and punishing lower-ranking females. It’s a very soap-opera set of interactions.
Thou shalt not bear false witness. Misdirection and guile among animals is hard to identify, but I’ll go out on a limb and assert that this goes on plenty. Still, I can’t support it directly, leaving this one to stand as an open suggestion.
Thou shalt not covet. Low-status primates very certainly covet what the high-status animals have, but can’t get it. As a result (and yes, this has been measured), they suffer with markedly elevated incidents of high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, a suppressed immune system, reduced fertility and other stress-related maladies.
Also...Bear in mind that both primates and humans are hard-wired for the recognition of status, to which this suite of bad behaviors is tied very tightly.
Last Words: I like making these posts fairly brief, and so I’ll bring this to a close by noting two things: Everything above is substantiated by seemingly good research, and it clearly ties the sin nature of the theologians to primate nature. That an odd and even troubling concept, but it can be verified by anyone who wishes to undertake the necessary work.
As noted earlier, there’s also an upward side to this, and it leads us toward wonderful places and times. Despite the far-too-common condemnational aspect of theology, an upward and very promising theology is available. But I’ll go no further on that, save to point out that David, the great Psalmist, announced “You are gods,” and that Jesus repeated the statement without reservation."
"Mental Apocalypse: The Age of Filth – Carl Jung Saw It Coming"
Full screen recommended.
The Psyche, 10/2/25
"Mental Apocalypse: The Age of Filth –
Carl Jung Saw It Coming"
"What if the real apocalypse isn’t outside us, but within us? In this video, we dive into Carl Jung’s prophetic warnings about the “age of filth” - a time when humanity would drown in distractions, illusions, and emptiness, while the soul withers in silence. Jung foresaw a mental apocalypse: the collapse of meaning, the rise of mass conformity, and the eruption of the repressed shadow into chaos and despair. Yet within this crisis lies an opportunity. By facing our inner darkness, reconnecting with archetypes, and awakening to the Self, Jung believed we could transform the apocalypse into a revelation - a rebirth of consciousness."
Comments here:
"America's Housing Crisis Broke Everything - Even Families With Jobs Are Now Living in Cars"
Full screen recommended.
Across The States, 7/7/26
"America's Housing Crisis Broke Everything -
Even Families With Jobs Are Now Living in Cars"
"Why are more Americans sleeping in their cars than ever before? The hidden housing crisis in the United States is growing fast - and it's affecting working families, seniors, and even children. In this video, we uncover the reality behind vehicle homelessness and why millions are slipping through the cracks. Here’s the thing… this isn't just about unemployment. Many people living in cars have full-time jobs, yet rising rent, inflation, stagnant wages, and a severe affordable housing shortage have pushed them out of traditional housing. We explore how these economic pressures are reshaping the American Dream. What most people don't realize is that many homeless families remain invisible. Children still attend school, parents continue working, and seniors struggle to survive - all while living out of vehicles. We also examine eviction trends, housing policies, mental health challenges, and why current solutions often fail to address the root causes. The reality is that this crisis is larger than official numbers suggest. Watch till the end for a fact-based breakdown of what's driving America's housing emergency and what it could mean for the future."
Comments here:
"Running On Empty: Iran Attacks Multiple Vessels In The Strait Of Hormuz As Oil Inventories Get Even Tighter"
by Michael Snyder
"Those that boldly proclaimed that the global energy crisis was over have been proven dead wrong. Within the past 24 hours, the Iranians have attacked numerous commercial vessels that were attempting to travel through the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranians have told the world over and over again that traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will never go back to the way that it was before the war, and they mean it. Any commercial vessels that want to go through the Strait must get permission from Iran and they must travel a very specific route that has been authorized by the Iranians. Any vessels that do not meet those requirements are subject to attack.
The rest of the world can never accept permanent Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz, and that is just one of the reasons why this war is far from over. For now, the Iranians are running the show in the Strait, and CNN is reporting that three commercial vessels have been attacked…"Iran fired on three commercial vessels Tuesday in Oman’s territorial waters near the Strait of Hormuz, according to a US official. The official described the strikes as a “gross violation” of the memorandum of understanding with Iran. The third strike had not previously been reported. The US has a broad range of potential responses to the alleged violations and is considering all of them, according to the official."
I agree that this is a very serious violation of the Memorandum of Understanding. But the Iranians are going to keep doing it until somebody forces them to stop. Just a little while ago, there were reports that a fourth commercial vessel has now been attacked by Iran…
These guys are not bluffing. Just two days ago, the Iranians once again made it very clear that any commercial vessels that attempted to travel through the Strait of Hormuz using the “Omani route” would be subject to attack…"On Sunday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that its navy deployed patrol boats to block the “Omani route,” Iranian media and a Telegram channel affiliated with the IRGC said. In its report on the alleged attack, Iran’s Fars News Agency cited its sources as claiming the tanker had been attempting to transit the “Omani route.”
When your enemies tell you exactly what they intend to do, you should believe them. In response to the latest attacks, the Trump administration has already “revoked a waiver allowing Iran to sell oil and petrochemicals”…"The Treasury Department on Tuesday afternoon revoked a waiver allowing Iran to sell oil and petrochemicals, prohibiting Iran from a significant revenue source negotiated during recent talks and again escalating the tensions between the two sides. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said the action is effective Tuesday. The waiver the U.S. issued last month as part of the 14-point memorandum of understanding allowed Iran to sell oil as talks continued."
It is likely that this won’t be the only response. Many are expecting renewed U.S. military action against Iran in the coming hours. The Memorandum of Understanding is coming apart at the seams right in front of our eyes, and President Trump has warned that if Iran doesn’t make a deal he will “finish the job”… “And it won’t be tough to finish the job. I’d rather make a deal because I don’t want to affect 91 million people,” the President said.
“We can knock down their bridges in one hour. We can knock out their energy supply. All of those big plants that they built, big, beautiful, modern plants. They had a lot of money. They don’t have any money now. We haven’t given them any money. But we can knock out their electricity and power-generating plants in, I would say, a small part of an afternoon. Every plant will be gone, and they know that.”
Unfortunately, no negotiations between the United States and Iran are happening right now, and the Iranians are warning that they won’t even begin if Trump keeps making threats…"Iran’s foreign minister said Tuesday that Tehran will not resume negotiations if threats continue, a day after President Trump said the U.S. would “finish the job” if no peace deal is struck. In a social media post, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said neither the Iranian people nor the Islamic Republic’s military would be “moved by any threats,” without referencing Mr. Trump’s comments specifically.
“Negotiations on final Deal will not commence if threats continue,” Araghchi warned, citing the memorandum of understanding signed by President Trump and his Iranian counterpart in mid-June, which calls for both sides to “refrain from the threat or use of force against each other.”
I don’t mean to spoil the ending for those of you that still want to be surprised, but there isn’t going to be peace in the Middle East. And that means that the global energy crisis is going to continue to intensify.
Last week, the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve dropped to the lowest level that we have seen since April 1983…"The United States is burning through its emergency oil stash at a pace that hasn’t been seen in over four decades. Strategic Petroleum Reserve inventories have dropped to 319.5 million barrels as of July 3, the lowest level since April 1983.
The most recent weekly draw pulled 6.2 million barrels out of the reserve, part of a broader government initiative to release up to 172 million barrels. The goal: address global supply gaps driven by the ongoing conflict with Iran and try to keep domestic fuel prices from spiraling further out of control."
This is not good news at all. On Friday, I shared a tweet from Chris Martenson with my paid subscribers that contained some extremely alarming numbers…
This is how close to disaster we really are at this stage. Commercial oil inventories in the U.S. also continue to decline…"U.S. crude stocks fell to their lowest last week since 2018 as domestic refinery demand rose, while gasoline inventories also fell ahead of the July 4 holiday weekend, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday. Commercial crude inventories fell by 3.8 million barrels to 408.4 million barrels last week, the lowest level since September 2018, compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for a 4.5 million-barrel draw."
We had a very large cushion when the war with Iran began. Now that cushion is much, much smaller. If you would like to get an idea of where things could eventually be heading, just check out what has happened to gasoline prices in Alaska…"John Stelling had just cranked the digits of his fuel pump to $9.10 at his gas station in this remote Alaskan community when he realized he had a problem. Could he push the meter to $10 if he had to? “Not sure if it’ll handle those,” he said of double-digit fuel prices.
In rural Alaska, the war with Iran has led to some of the highest fuel prices in the nation. Remote towns and villages aren’t connected to the road system, so they pay hefty premiums to procure gasoline, heating oil and diesel for cranking out electricity.
When I was in my early twenties, there were times when I would keep running my vehicle even though the gas gauge was sitting on empty. That was a very foolish thing to do. But now we are literally doing the same thing as a nation. The party is about to end my friends. The final countdown is upon us, and things are going to get so crazy in the months ahead. Sadly, even though what is transpiring in the Middle East should be obvious to everyone, most people in the western world are still convinced that everything will work out just fine somehow."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)