Aug 202023
 
 August 20, 2023  Posted by at 8:30 am Finance Tagged with: , , , , , , , ,


VIncent van Gogh Railway carriages 1888

 

West’s Attempt To Create A Ukraine Scenario In Niger Is Faltering (Bordachev)
How The US And France Created A Niger Mess For Themselves (Bhadrakumar)
Ukraine Conflict ‘Could Last For Decades’ – Medvedev (RT)
Milley: This Is An Existential Fight For Ukraine (Az.)
Russia Is A ‘Gas Pump With an Atomic Bomb’ – Borrell (RT)
Western Calls For Ukraine Peace Talks A ‘Tactical Ploy’ – Lavrov (RT)
West Has Shown Its ‘True Russophobic Face’ – Lavrov (RT)
Zakharova Says Kiev Elite Preying On US Taxpayers (TASS)
West’s Overall Aid To Kiev Over Past Year Exceeds $160 Bln – Lavrov (TASS)
Total Ukraine War Troop Deaths, Injuries Approaching 500,000: US Officials (ZH)
A Bumpy Ride (Jim Kunstler)
Trump Can Prove It (Matt Kane)
Joe Biden Juggled Aliases as He Peddled Power Via Hunter (Sp.)
Inside the Collapse of Hunter Biden’s Plea Deal (NY Times)
Central Asia is the Prime Battlefield in the New Great Game (Pepe Escobar)

 

 

Tom Renz modRNA

 

 

Macgregor

 

 

Chef
https://twitter.com/i/status/1691902649484956065

 

 

 

 

“In the case of Ukraine, we are dealing with a regime that is pursuing a murderous policy towards the territory under its control. African leaders, on the other hand, are not at all willing to take risks for the interests of France and the United States.”

West’s Attempt To Create A Ukraine Scenario In Niger Is Faltering (Bordachev)

The development of the situation surrounding the possible invasion of Niger by the troops of certain countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is remarkably reminiscent of the discussions that took place on the eve of this summer’s Ukrainian “counter-offensive.” The West’s African states are in no hurry to embark on a risky adventure. Meanwhile, the US and its Western European allies are urging them to do so. Just as they have been pushing the Ukrainian military to attack fortified Russian positions throughout the spring of 2023. But there is a significant difference. In the case of Ukraine, we are dealing with a regime that is pursuing a murderous policy towards the territory under its control. African leaders, on the other hand, are not at all willing to take risks for the interests of France and the United States.

Therefore, what was a tragedy in Ukraine may turn out to be a farce in West Africa, with the end result being an amicable agreement between all parties concerned. In both cases, however, the main reason is the same: the West’s desire not to get directly involved in military adventures and to use others to achieve its goals. And if, in the case of Ukraine, the motive for such behavior is fear of retaliation from Russia, in Africa it is a lack of opportunity and desire. All the more so as France and the US are convinced that the ECOWAS political regimes close to them are themselves interested in overthrowing the military authorities in Niger. There are reasons for this. The coup in Niger on July 26 was the fourth in the region in less than two years (after Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea).

It clearly enjoys the support of a section of the population in one of the world’s poorest countries. In other ECOWAS countries, the situation is far from festive and the civilian authorities have every reason to fear a domino effect on themselves. There is reason to believe that the combined forces of Nigeria and several other countries in the community will be sufficient to bring the arrested President Bazoum back to power. The only thing lacking is adventurism: So far, African leaders have preferred to adopt a wait-and-see attitude, albeit with a show of determination. Paris and Washington, for their part, are acting in an easily recognizable manner: They are paying lip service to a peaceful solution, while in practice they are demanding that ECOWAS countries use force against the generals in Niger.

It cannot be ruled out that military support has also been promised, as there are still significant French and American contingents in the country. But direct Western intervention is unlikely. First, it would involve a certain amount of risk and the need to take responsibility for the consequences. And, secondly, a direct attack on a sitting government by Western forces would be extremely bad in terms of the battle for the hearts and minds of the developing world. In essence, the days when the US and its Western Europeans friends could attack any sovereign state on a whim are long gone. The last example was NATO’s aggression against Libya in 2011. Much has changed since then. The bloc is now trying to convince the world of its good intentions. This is especially true in the context of their struggle against Russia, which the West accuses of doing what it has been doing for two decades.

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Africa wants peace.

How The US And France Created A Niger Mess For Themselves (Bhadrakumar)

France has ceded the leadership in the emergent situation to Washington. As a political scientist and professor at the French Institute of Political Studies, Bertrand Badi, puts it, this “is a very significant humiliation in the African context and shows that he [Macron] made a mistake in his calculations.” Badi went on to make an interesting point that fundamentally, France has failed to “get rid of all its colonial history.”“The great drama of France is that it doesn’t know how to turn the page, in France’s inability to redefine itself… France, since independence by the African states, has pursued a schoolteacher diplomacy based on the temptation to give lessons and distribute punishments.” Badi concluded that France probably did not understand that African societies have changed since then.

Not only France, but Western powers on the whole do not understand that the African people have a highly politicized mindset, thanks to the violent, bitterly fought national liberation movements. Unsurprisingly, Africa has been quick to adapt to the space opening up for them in the multipolar setting to negotiate with the ex-colonial masters. The savviness with which the coup leaders in Niamey are acting takes the breath away. General Abdourahmane Tchiani, the titular head of the coup, refused to meet Nuland. She and other US officials asked to see Bazoum in person when they visited Niger on Monday, but the answer was no. Even with a hefty $200 million of annual US aid at stake, the Nigerien generals weren’t interested in Nuland’s offer.

Instead, she had to sit across the table and negotiate with the commander of Niger’s Special Operations Forces and one of the leaders of the coup, Brig. Gen. Moussa Salaou Barmou, who serves as chief of defense. Barmou attended the US National Defense University and was trained at Fort Benning in Georgia. Yet, he was handpicked to threaten Nuland that the deposed president would be executed if neighboring countries attempted a military intervention to restore his rule. US Senator Chris Murphy later wryly remarked: “It’s a disturbing trend, and a sign of how badly misallocated our national security spending is on the [African] continent.” The Intercept has since revealed that Barmou was not the only US-trained Nigerien general involved in the coup. “Two weeks after Niger’s coup, the State Department has still not provided a list of the US-connected mutineers, but a different US official confirmed that there are ‘five people we’ve identified as having received [US military] training,’” the investigative news outlet said.

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“We have no choice: either we will destroy their hostile political regime, or the collective West will eventually tear Russia to pieces”

Ukraine Conflict ‘Could Last For Decades’ – Medvedev (RT)

The hostilities between Russia and Ukraine may end up dragging on for years or even decades, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Saturday. For Russia, it is an “existential” conflict and a fight for its very existence, Medvedev, who is currently deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, wrote in a Telegram post. Russia must destroy and fully dismantle the Ukrainian state that is “terrorist in its essence,” making sure “this filth” never re-emerges again, he stressed. “Should it take years or even decades, then so be it. We have no choice: either we will destroy their hostile political regime, or the collective West will eventually tear Russia to pieces. And in this case, it will perish with us. Nobody needs this,” Medvedev wrote, presumably hinting at all-out nuclear destruction.

“Therefore, the only way is a complete dismantling of the state machine of the hostile country and absolute guarantees of loyalty for the future. They can only be provided by Russia’s control over everything that is happening and will happen in the territories of the former Banderite state. And we will achieve that.” For the collective West, on the contrary, the ongoing hostilities are a “strange war” and their support for it cannot last forever, Medvedev suggested. With such an approach to the conflict, the West is bound to end up defeated, he added.

“For them, this is a strange war in which people who are strangers to them are dying. And while they do not feel sorry for them, the West will never go beyond the point when its own interests get hurt too much,” the ex-president said, adding that the Western support for Ukraine will eventually dry up, as “someone else’s war sooner or later becomes boring, costly and irrelevant.” Over the course of the conflict, the West has poured lavish military and economic aid into Ukraine, with numerous top officials repeatedly stating their desire to see Russia defeated on the battlefield. Moscow has consistently urged the West to stop “pumping” Ukraine with assorted weaponry, warning that doing so only prolongs the hostilities and inflicts more damage on common Ukrainians without changing the ultimate outcome.

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Parroting Putin.

Milley: This Is An Existential Fight For Ukraine (Az.)

It’s probably too early to comment on any future things or ongoing negotiations or any of that kind of stuff. I would just say that there are various ways to accomplish those objectives. And I would say right now. This counteroffensive hasn’t run its course yet. So, we have to see where this thing ends up and then move from there,” the United States Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, said, Report informs, citing the Washington Post.

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No matter how much Russians refer to their rich and ancient history, this pompous bag of gas can only look at insulting them – ever more. While he is presented as the EU’s top diplomat. Which would put him on the level of Lavrov, Patruchev, Zakharova. Or, you know, Blinken, Vicky Nuland ..Imagine that! Borrell is not a diplomat, he is merely a “gas bag masquerading as a diplomat.” And he speaks for us Europeans… Can you name any US diplomats on the level of Lavrov et al?

Russia Is A ‘Gas Pump With an Atomic Bomb’ – Borrell (RT)

The Russian economy is small compared to the other major geopolitical players, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in an interview with El Pais news outlet published on Saturday. Speaking about relations between the EU and China, Borrell said that Beijing, unlike Moscow, is a “real geopolitical player” which should not be underestimated or isolated. Russia, on the other hand, is too weak in economic terms due to its dependency on energy exports. “Russia is an economic dwarf, it is like a gas pump whose owner has an atomic bomb,” Borrell stated. Nevertheless, the diplomat claimed that Russia poses a threat to EU security, pointing to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which he said is practically “on the EU’s border.” This is not the first time Russia has been compared to a gas pump. In 2014, the late US Senator John McCain said Russia is “a gas station masquerading as a country,” saying the government is little more than an energy exporter.


The Russian government has acknowledged its dependency on oil and gas, but has worked to diversify its income sources and reduce the share of exports of natural resources in its budget. This summer, speaking at the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the country has been able to greatly reduce its dependency on energy revenue this year, noting that this is due to the robust development of the trade and service sectors. According to data from Russia’s Finance Ministry published in July, oil and gas income in the first half of 2023 amounted to 3.4 trillion rubles ($36.1 billion), half the amount that the budget gained from energy sales last year and a mere 27% of the total budget revenues. Meanwhile, non-oil and gas revenues surged by around 18% year-on-year, and amounted to roughly 9 trillion ($95.6 billion), or 73%, of the total budget income.

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“..their officially declared objective is to inflict a ‘strategic defeat’ on Russia.”

Western Calls For Ukraine Peace Talks A ‘Tactical Ploy’ – Lavrov (RT)

The US and its allies do not want the Ukraine conflict to end and their purported peace initiatives are merely attempts to buy Kiev time, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview published on Saturday. Geopolitical issues need to be discussed “not with [Ukrainian President Vladimir] Zelensky, who is a puppet in the hands of the West, but directly with his masters,” Lavrov said earlier this year. Negotiating directly with the Americans would make sense, he told the magazine International Affairs when asked about the idea. “The problem, however, is that the United States has no intention of ending the conflict,” Lavrov explained, noting that “their officially declared objective is to inflict a ‘strategic defeat’ on Russia.”

Prospects for negotiations between Russia and the West “are non-existent at this stage,” Lavrov said, while Kiev “Western sponsors are constantly pushing them to up the ante.” Insisting on Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s so-called ‘peace formula’ at meetings in Copenhagen and Jeddah – to which Russia was not invited – “hardly demonstrates an intention by the West to negotiate with Russia,” Lavrov said. Moscow has dismissed Zelensky’s ten-point list of demands as an unacceptable ultimatum unrelated to reality. Russia has repeatedly tried to negotiate, from the 2014 and 2015 Minsk agreements to the “drastic attempt to convey our concerns to Western capitals” in December 2021, Lavrov noted.

The West “arrogantly rejected” Moscow’s initiative and ramped up deliveries of weapons and ammunition to Kiev instead. “We regard the Westerners’ hypocritical calls for talks as a tactical ploy to buy time once again giving the exhausted Ukrainian troops a respite and the opportunity to regroup, and to send in more weapons and ammunition,” Lavrov said, adding that “this is the path of war, not a peaceful settlement process.” Angela Merkel, the former chancellor of Germany, admittedlast December that the 2015 Franco-German proposal in Minsk was “an attempt to give Ukraine time” to build up its military. This was then confirmed by former French President Francois Hollande.

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“..the West wants to do away with our country as a serious geopolitical rival..”

West Has Shown Its ‘True Russophobic Face’ – Lavrov (RT)

Washington and Brussels have openly unleashed a hybrid war against everything Russian, dropping their masks after decades of pretending to be civilized international partners, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with International Affairs, published on Saturday. “Many of our former partners have been concealing their Russophobic nature under the veil of hypocrisy, but have now shown their true face in all its glory,” he said. “However, there is also the flip side of the coin here, since the Global Majority saw the true face of those who went as far as [to] aspire to a monopoly in defining the so-called universal values.” “Today’s West is steered by people like Josep Borrell who divide the world into a blooming ‘garden’ and ‘the jungle,’ where the latter clearly applies to most of humanity,”Lavrov added.

The West has spent decades cynically transforming neighboring Ukraine into a “hostile military bulwark against Russia by nurturing an entire generation of politicians ready to declare war on our shared past, culture and everything Russian,” according to Lavrov. Western capitals even openly admitted that reaching a peaceful settlement in Ukraine was never part of their plan, and that the Minsk agreements were originally designed to “buy some time to prepare a military scenario and deliver weapons to Kiev.” “I think that the essential thing we must understand in this regard is that the West wants to do away with our country as a serious geopolitical rival,” the top Russian diplomat said.

They have not hesitated to use subversive methods and perform acts of sabotage, as was the case with the explosion of the Nord Stream pipelines under the Baltic Sea. Lavrov also accused Washington and its allies of using all possible coercive means to prevent Russia’s partners from engaging in economic and other kinds of cooperation, while also “making outrageous efforts to disconnect Russia from international cooperation mechanisms in culture, education, research, and sports.” One thing that the West fails to understand, according to Lavrov, is that “Russia will use all means to defend its people and its vital interests,” and thus would be better for the opponents to realize that “confrontation with Russia is futile and switch to more civilized” means for achieving a balance of interests.

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“..spending on Ukraine aid stood at $130 billion, while 15 million Americans did not have medical insurance and 30 million people in the US lacked food stamps..”

Zakharova Says Kiev Elite Preying On US Taxpayers (TASS)

The Ukrainian authorities are preying not only on their own people but also on US taxpayers, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement. “The Kiev elite is preying not only on its fellow citizens but also on American taxpayers. Not so long ago, US presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pointed out in an interview that Washington’s spending on Ukraine aid stood at $130 billion, while 15 million Americans did not have medical insurance and 30 million people in the US lacked food stamps,” she noted. Still, in the Russian diplomat’s words, on August 14, the Pentagon announced another aid package to Kiev worth $200 mln. “It will particularly include ammunition for Patriot missile systems and HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, as well as anti-tank missile systems. Washington’s military aid to Ukraine has exceeded $43.7 billion since Joe Biden took office as US president,” Zakharova emphasized. “Besides, on August 10, the White House asked the US Congress to approve another $24 billion in aid for Ukraine, including $13.1 billion worth of military assistance,” she added.

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To achieve what?

West’s Overall Aid To Kiev Over Past Year Exceeds $160 Bln – Lavrov (TASS)

The West’s overall assistance to the Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky regime over the year of the special military operation exceeded 160 billion US dollars, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with the International Affairs magazine. “In terms of money, the West’s aggregate assistance to the Zelensky regime over the year of the special military operation exceeded 160 billion US dollar, including military aid of 75 billion US dollars,” he said. “By the way, according to the estimates of the Washington-based The Heritage Foundation NGO, the United States has already allocated around 113 billion US dollars to Ukraine, or some 900 dollars from each household, plus 300 dollars as interests for servicing corresponding debt obligations. Huge sums, especially amid the difficult situation in the global economy.”

According to the top Russian diplomat, round 50 countries of the so-called “Ramstein coalition” for military support for Ukraine “are actually involved in the armed conflict on the part of the Kiev regime, which does not hesitate to use terrorist fighting methods.” “Large-scale weapons supplies, including cluster and long-range munitions, are being sent to Ukraine,” he said. “NATO instructors take part in planning operations of the Ukrainian army, NATO intelligence data are being used.” Meanwhile, Western leaders keep on repeating like aa mantra that they will continue to help Kiev as long as it takes, Lavrov noted. “Of course, this is their choice and the Zelensky junta’s decision to go on fighting until the last Ukrainian,” he went on.

“But, historically, the United States cannot boast a good reputation in terms of supporting its allies.” In this context, he recalled that the termination of the US military assistance to South Vietnam in 1973 and to the Ashraf Ghani regime in Afghanistan in 2021 ended up in the immediate fall of the authorities loyal to Washington. “And present-day Ukraine practically totally depends on Western money and weapons supplies,” he stressed. Lavrov noted that the west “is seeking to eliminate Russia as a serious geopolitical rival.” “This is why Washington and Brussels have unleashed a hybrid war against us,” he said. “And it is supplemented by the unprecedented sanction pressure.

The Americans are using the carrot-and-stick policy in a bid to make our partners to refuse from economic and other cooperation with Russia.” They don’t’ hesitate to resort to blatant sabotage, like in the case with the explosions at the Nord Stream gas pipelines running across the Baltic Sea, or taking efforts to remove Russia from the mechanisms of international cooperation in the areas of culture, education, science, and sports. “Evidently, these and other aggressive measures are geared to weaken, exhaust Russia,” Lavrov noted. “They are seeking to maximally drain out our economic, technological, and defense capacities, to limit our sovereignty and make us drop our independent foreign and domestic policy.”.

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Pretty sure we’re better off following Macgregor’s numbers.

Total Ukraine War Troop Deaths, Injuries Approaching 500,000: US Officials (ZH)

A surprisingly blunt and revealing Friday report in The New York Times cites US officials who estimate that total war casualties in Ukraine among both sides are at nearly 500,000 dead and wounded. “The number includes as many as 120,000 deaths and 170,000 to 180,000 injured troops,” the Times wrote based on the unnamed officials. “The Russian numbers dwarf the Ukrainian figures, which the officials put at close to 70,000 killed and 100,000 to 120,000 wounded.” To put these grim and tragic figures in perspective, the United States military involvement in Vietnam over the course of a nearly two-decade period resulted in about 58,000 Americans killed. Given Kiev doesn’t release official casualty numbers, the US officials cited in the Times report are estimating, but it generally lines up with the immense numbers of Ukrainian losses the Kremlin has presented in evaluating the counteroffensive.

But Western sources have consistently said that Russian losses are more staggering. The NY Times has characterized the now largely stalemated conflict as a war of attrition, with Russia having the manpower and supply lines keep the upper-hand and to far outlast: “Ukraine has around 500,000 troops, including active-duty, reserve and paramilitary troops, according to analysts. By contrast, Russia has almost triple that number, with 1,330,000 active-duty, reserve and paramilitary troops — most of the latter from the Wagner Group”. As for Russia, the West has accused it of habitually undercounting its own casualty rates. Last January, US Chief of the Joint Staff Mark Milley asserted that Russian forces had suffered losses at “significantly well over 100,000”.

Likely many of the recent casualties on each side were from the months-long battle for the city of Bakhmut. President Zelensky has come under recent criticism for pouring so many resources and manpower into what was a losing battle. That’s when many reports emerged of large amounts of completely untrained and underequipped Ukrainians being shipped to the frontlines. The military analysis source 19fortyfive.com has assessed that the defense of Bakhmut was an incredible risk and gamble which didn’t pay off, and led to a very poor start to the now faltering counteroffensive: “However, Zelensky chose to press the fight anyway. For months, senior U.S. leaders warned the Ukrainian president the battle was unwinnable and to move to other defensive positions.

Not only did he refuse to withdraw to a superior fighting position, he ordered his men not to give up so much as a single building, forcing them to fight to the death. Month after month, Zelensky sent brigade after brigade to reinforce Bakhmut in an effort to reverse the tide. Not only was it painfully obvious that military fundamentals made clear there was little rational hope of stopping Wagner’s drive to capture Bakhmut, but many of those brigades Zelensky sent in futile aid to help Bakhmut were also urgently needed in the upcoming spring and summer offensive. Two days after Bakhmut’s fall, Zelensky was still defiant, claiming the city had not fallen. In 2022, Zelensky’s tenacity and unwillingness to compromise resulted in blunting Russia’s invasion and then inflicting two major operational defeats.”

While Ukrainian forces held out for longer than most predicted, it was a very costly loss, and at the same time it’s anything but clear that it put a significant dent in Russian force strength. 19FortyFive concludes that it’s certainly not Washington’s fault (despite the persistent complaint to this end of Zelensky officials)… “No one can claim the United States didn’t give Ukraine every chance to find out if it could succeed on the battlefield, as we provided literally thousands of armored vehicles, millions of shells, missiles, and bombs, and training and intelligence support – along with scores of billions in other aid.” And the publication emphasizes, “But that help did not produce a Ukrainian victory.”

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“All that cackling must conceal an inner vacancy so vast that Judge Crater, DB Cooper, and the brigantine Mary Celeste might be roaming around in there, along with Amelia Earhart, Jimmy Hoffa, and the Lost Colony of Roanoke.”

A Bumpy Ride (Jim Kunstler)

The reams of Biden family bank records that Mr. Comer of Kentucky has unearthed hither and yon, plus deal memoranda, video and audio recordings of dark confabs, and hundreds of tell-tale emails are of a different evidentiary nature than the roster of hypothetical thought crimes confabulated by Jack Smith, Alvin Bragg, and Fani T. Willis. Personally, I would like, at least, to see impeachment hearings where all that hard evidence of Biden family bribery is methodically laid out for The New York Times and CNN to ignore. It will look like a game of chicken for a few days, but then the party honchos will “sadly” order Ol’ Joe to step aside before that grim spectacle goes too far. The Ukraine War will then be Kamala Harris’s to lose — depend on it — though nobody will care.

I have a feeling that Barack Obama will not be able to… how shall we say… work with her. All that cackling must conceal an inner vacancy so vast that Judge Crater, DB Cooper, and the brigantine Mary Celeste might be roaming around in there, along with Amelia Earhart, Jimmy Hoffa, and the Lost Colony of Roanoke. And I cringe to imagine the meetings with Kamala where Susan Rice, Lisa Monaco, and Torie Nuland try to tell the poor simp what to do. It will look like one of those girlie beat-downs on an Oakland street-corner. Anyway, by that time the stock markets will be all a’crumble, all those Vanguard retirement funds will wash-up like so many writhing grunions on Cabrillo Beach, and your local bank will cap withdrawals at $500 a few weeks before executing the long-rumored bail-ins.

At that magic moment, the Democratic Party will have everything it has wished for. Of course, I can’t say the melodrama will play out exactly like that, in that sequence. But expect trouble in September. Expect disorder like you’ve never imagined. Think about retrieving whatever cash you have in the bank. Consider arming yourself for safety’s sake, if you live in a part of the country that allows it. Or maybe even if you live in the other parts. Lay in some beans and rice and some batteries. Buckle your mental seat belt. When August is over, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

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“The 2020 election reportedly saw 155 million votes. There were roughly 168 million registered voters in 2020, which means that voter turnout in 2020 was an astonishing 92%.”

Trump Can Prove It (Matt Kane)

There were concerns regarding Pennsylvania’s voting procedure long before any votes were even cast. The Keystone State’s Senate Republican Caucus and the Republican Party strongly argued that the state Supreme Court extending the deadline to count ballots violated the U.S. Constitution’s Elections Clause by taking away the Legislature’s authority to “set the times, places and manner of federal elections.” This was ruled on by the U.S. Supreme Court just prior to Justice Barrett’s confirmation. This led to a 4-4 decision, which results in a “stay.” Had this been heard after her confirmation, it is likely Barrett would have ruled against the extensions that led to Biden’s constitutionally questionable “comeback.”

But of all the suspected fraud in 2020, Arizona was the first state that raised suspicions in real time. Despite not voting Democrat in a two-candidate presidential election since 1948, Fox News shockingly called the state for Biden after just 27% of the vote was reported. This sparked a forensic audit that concluded that the number of illegal votes exceeded Biden’s alleged 11-thousand-vote victory fivefold. When vote-counting was inexplicably halted on Election Night, Trump led all these states by six figures. A combination of any three of these states holding would have secured him a second term, which is why Democrats fought so hard to steal them. But even putting state-specific statistics aside, a basic analysis of election history signals the improbability of Biden receiving the number of votes he allegedly did.

Every general election since 2004 has seen between 120–130 million total votes. The 2020 election reportedly saw 155 million votes. There were roughly 168 million registered voters in 2020, which means that voter turnout in 2020 was an astonishing 92%. This is statistically improbable when you consider that countries such as Australia institute compulsory voting, which mandates that citizens vote or pay a fine. Yet its most recent turnout rate was in the high 80s. America voluntarily outpacing a nation that financially penalizes non-voters does not pass the smell test.

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“The pseudonyms were supposedly used to dodge discovery of the communications under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).”

Joe Biden Juggled Aliases as He Peddled Power Via Hunter (Sp.)

President Joe Biden armed himself with several fake identities during his time as Barack Obama’s vice president when communicating with son Hunter, as well as the latter’s foreign business partners, emails from the notorious “laptop from hell” reveal, reported US media. Hunter Biden had abandoned this device in a Delaware repair shop in 2019. At least three pseudonyms: ‘Robert L. Peters’, ‘Robin Ware’ and ‘JRB Ware’, along with alternate email addresses were used by Joe Biden between 2014 and 2016, when sending messages to his son. Some concerned family issues, other communications pertained to official government business, such as upcoming talks with then-Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, or Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman. The pseudonyms were supposedly used to dodge discovery of the communications under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Thus, the private email address using the name Robert.L.Peters was where Joe Biden’s aide, John Flynn, was ostensibly instructed to send his daily schedule at least on 10 occasions in the period between May 18 and June 15. Regarding the above-cited call with the then-Ukrainian President, Hunter Biden’s name was copied onto a message dated May 26. It contained a note keeping the younger Biden in the loop about an “8.45am prep for 9am phonecall [sic] with Pres Poroshenko.” Hunter Biden had also been alerted to a meeting on his father’s schedule with Prime Minister Groysman on June 15, 2016. Subsequently the face-to-face led to an announcement of “$220 million in new assistance to Ukraine,” per records.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., has sent a letter to the National Archives requesting any “document or communication in which a pseudonym for Vice President Joe Biden was included either as a sender, recipient, copied or was included in the contents of the document or communication, including but not limited to Robert Peters, Robin Ware, and JRB Ware.” Specifically, Comer hoped to get a look at emails released by the National Archives that are marked as “Email Messages To and/or From Vice President Biden and Hunter Biden related to Burisma and Ukraine.”

“Joe Biden has stated there was ‘an absolute wall’ between his family’s foreign business schemes and his duties as vice president, but evidence reveals that access was wide open for his family’s influence peddling. We already have evidence of then-Vice President Biden speaking, dining and having coffee with his son’s foreign business associates. We also know that Hunter Biden and his associates were informed of then-Vice President Biden’s official government duties in countries where they had a financial interest. The National Archives must provide these unredacted records to further our investigation into the Biden family’s corruption,” stated James Comer.

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I normally never use paywalled articles like the NYT’s. But this is free for me. Hoping it is for you, too. It’s interesting. Q: Why does the NYT run a lengthy aricle on this, at this time?

Inside the Collapse of Hunter Biden’s Plea Deal (NY Times)

There were signs, subtle but unmistakable, that Hunter Biden’s high-stakes plea agreement with federal prosecutors might be on shaky ground hours before it went public in June, according to emails sent by his legal team to the U.S. attorney’s office in Delaware. When one of Mr. Biden’s lawyers sent over the draft of the statement they intended to share with the news media, a top deputy to David C. Weiss, who had overseen the inquiry since 2018, asked to remove two words describing the status of the investigation, according to interviews and internal correspondence on the deal obtained by The New York Times. “Concluded” and “conclusion” should be replaced with the weaker “resolved,” the deputy said.

Six weeks later, the federal judge presiding over a hearing on the agreement would expose even deeper divisions and the deal imploded, prompting Mr. Weiss to seek appointment as special counsel with the freedom to expand the inquiry and bring new charges. The deal’s collapse — chronicled in over 200 pages of confidential correspondence between Mr. Weiss’s office and Mr. Biden’s legal team, and interviews with those close to Mr. Biden, lawyers involved in the case and Justice Department officials — came after intense negotiations that started with the prospect that Mr. Biden would not be charged at all and now could end in his possible indictment and trial. Earlier this year, The Times found, Mr. Weiss appeared willing to forgo any prosecution of Mr. Biden at all, and his office came close to agreeing to end the investigation without requiring a guilty plea on any charges.

But the correspondence reveals that his position, relayed through his staff, changed in the spring, around the time a pair of I.R.S. officials on the case accused the Justice Department of hamstringing the investigation. Mr. Weiss suddenly demanded that Mr. Biden plead guilty to committing tax offenses. Now, the I.R.S. agents and their Republican allies say they believe the evidence they brought forward, at the precise time they did, played a role in influencing the outcome, a claim senior law enforcement officials dispute. While Mr. Biden’s legal team agrees that the I.R.S. agents affected the deal, his lawyers have contended to the Justice Department that by disclosing details about the investigation to Congress, they broke the law and should be prosecuted. “It appears that if it weren’t for the courageous actions of these whistle-blowers, who had nothing to gain and everything to lose, Hunter Biden would never have been charged at all,” a team of lawyers for one of the I.R.S. agents said in a statement, adding that the initial agreement reflected preferential treatment.

[..] Precisely what happens next is unclear. Mr. Biden’s top lawyer has quit, and accused prosecutors of reneging on their commitments. And Republicans, who waged an all-out war to discredit the deal, are seeking to maximize the political damage to President Biden, seeing it as a counter to the four criminal prosecutions of Mr. Trump, their party’s presidential front-runner. Mr. Weiss had a few reasons to ask Attorney General Merrick B. Garland to appoint him special counsel. The status could grant him greater authority to pursue leads around the country, and could provide him with added leverage in a revamped deal with Mr. Biden. But he was also motivated by a requirement to produce a report that would allow him to answer critics, according to people with knowledge of the situation — an accounting that could become public before the 2024 election.

Read more …

New Silk Roads.

Central Asia is the Prime Battlefield in the New Great Game (Pepe Escobar)

There’s hardly a more relevant place across the Heartland to observe the current power play than Samarkand, the fabled “Rome of the East.” Here we are in the heart of ancient Sogdiana – the historical trade crossroads between China, India, Parthia, and Persia, an immensely important node of East-West cultural trends, Zoroastrianism, and pre/post-Islamic vectors. From the 4th century to the 8th century, it was the Sogdians who monopolized the caravan trade between East Asia, Central Asia, and West Asia, transporting silk, cotton, gold, silver, copper, weaponry, aromas, furs, carpets, clothes, ceramics, glass, porcelain, ornaments, semi-precious stones, mirrors. Wily Sogdian merchants used protection from nomadic dynasties to solidify trade between China and Byzantium.

The meritocratic Chinese elite, which reasons in terms of very long historical cycles, is very much aware of all of the above: that’s a key driver behind the New Silk Roads concept, officially known as BRI (Belt and Road Initiative), as announced nearly 10 years ago by President Xi Jinping in Astana, Kazakhstan. Beijing plans to reconnect with its Western neighbors as the necessary pathway towards increased pan-Eurasian trade and connectivity. Beijing and Moscow have complementary focuses when it comes to relations with the Heartland – always under the principle of strategic cooperation. Both have been engaged in regional security and economic cooperation with Central Asia since 1998.

Established in 2001, the SCO is an actual product of the Russia-China common strategy as well as a platform for non-stop dialogue with the Heartland. How different Central Asian “stans” react to it is a multi-level issue. Tajikistan, for instance, economically fragile and heavily dependent on the Russian market as a provider of cheap labor, officially keeps an “open door” policy to every sort of cooperation, including with the west. Kazakhstan and the US have established a Strategic Partnership Council (their last meeting was late last year). Uzbekistan and the US have a “strategic partnership dialogue,” set up in late 2021. American business presence is very much visible in Tashkent, via an imposing trade center, not to mention Coke and Pepsi in every Uzbek village corner shop.

The EU tries to keep up, especially in Kazakhstan, where over 30 percent of foreign trade ($39 billion) and investments ($12.5 billion) come from Europe. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev – extremely popular for opening up the country five years ago – nabbed $9 billion in trade deals when he visited Germany three months ago. Since the inception of the Chinese BRI a decade ago, the EU, by comparison, invested around $120 billion across the Heartland: not too shabby (40 percent of total foreign investment), but still below Chinese commitments.

Read more …

 

 

 

 

 

 

Butterfly
https://twitter.com/i/status/1692843202816905677

 

 

Apeel

 

 

Support the Automatic Earth in wartime with Paypal, Bitcoin and Patreon.

 

 

 

 

 

Home Forums Debt Rattle August 20 2023

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 40 total)
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  • #141632

    VIncent van Gogh Railway carriages 1888   • West’s Attempt To Create A Ukraine Scenario In Niger Is Faltering (Bordachev) • How The US And France
    [See the full post at: Debt Rattle August 20 2023]

    #141635
    Dr. D
    Participant

    Saw the outdoor christian food bank, and wouldn’t you know it? The atheist food bank right across the street.

    Just kidding, of course there’s no such thing as an atheist food bank or atheist outreach. Atheists are most represented in government. So the government STOLE all the poor people’s money with 15% inflation rates, to give a small amount back in social services. They, the PMCs and rich, have a 20% tax rate – or zero if you work for the gov’t because it pays itself and has auto-raises – and a 80% effective tax rate on the poor. Then they give you food stamps, but only if you beg and only if you’re very lucky. It’s like $500/mo and they just cut that in half for some?

    That’s the atheist food bank. Taking food FROM the poor. But you’re welcome to open one, post the pictures, and prove me wrong.

    Against me picking on the same few cities all the time:

    “These Are the Most Dangerous Cities in the US
    1. Bessemer, AL
    Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000 residents): 33.1
    Your chance of being a victim: 1 in 30
    2. Mobile, AL
    3. Monroe, LA
    4. Saginaw, MI
    5. Memphis, TN
    6. Detroit, MI
    7. Birmingham, AL
    8. Pine Bluff, AR
    9. Little Rock, AR
    10. Alexandria, LA
    11. Cleveland, OH
    12. Kalamazoo, MI
    13. Milwaukee, WI
    Chance of being a victim: 1 in 59”

    “”America Is Under Attack”: Georgia Senator Demands Special Session To Investigate, Possibly Impeach Fani Willis

    Don’t worry, they’ll cave. $5 bill on a fishing pole they’ll forget all about it.

    “West’s Attempt To Create A Ukraine Scenario In Niger Is Faltering (Bordachev)

    You mean conditions where the West loses? “Let’s you and him fight.”

    “First, it would involve a certain amount of risk and the need to take responsibility for the consequences.”

    Well that’s never happening then. The NeoCons and media, having murdered another million people and a whole nation this time, are now slinking away placing the blame. “You see,” the WaPo says (CIA/Bezos merger) “The real problem here is that Ukraine just is unwilling to take any human losses.” IKYN. They’re just a bunch of cowards, I guess. Losing more men than anywhere, anytime, any purpose in 80 years, losing more in one year than all U.S. soldiers combined probably since 1930, no, that’s just ‘not doing it enough.’ Real CounterOffensives have never been tried. (* I guess the similar war we funded in Iran killed a possible million)

    What can I say? Shaking your head doesn’t really cover it at this level. Even mental illness beggars the word at this level. But that’s WaPo for you. Lies don’t stop, so they moved to EPIC lies. If that isn’t stopped, they’ll go “Ludicrous Speed.”

    Does Ukraine notice, as their country ceases to exist? No. Not really. This is the power of propaganda and framing previous to it all. The ‘extremists’ are in power, so when they lose their 4th army yet, 1,000 irreplaceable soldiers again yesterday and every day, they don’t say, “Why are we trying to win Donbass and a people we hate their guts anyway?” No. They have the sense that Russia will continue to Lviv and Paris, because, as per yesterday, It’s what Russians DO. They’re baddy-bad Asiantics, evil by ethnos. Genetically defective, inferior. So what would be normal considerations for you and I are entirely excluded. And I’m sure there are a lot of normal, practical people there, but we, the Western Social engineers have gotten very good at keeping every normal person away from the levers of power. Look at Ohio.

    “total war casualties in Ukraine among both sides are at nearly 500,000 dead and wounded.”

    Problems with these numbers. We’re at 400k DEAD before this, not Dead + Wounded. Wounded is equal number according to NYT? So that would be 1 Million in both categories, which is possible but seems too many? Could be, but seems high. Whereas 250K dead-dead is only one city, which seems far too low. I can’t accurate anything here, but I’ll just make up a number at 400k dead, 250k wounded, at 6-700k out of action, total fact-free guess. We won’t know for years, maybe ever. That’s because they can’t be evacuated, have no where to evac to, and will harvest their organs if they look funny. So wounded may be lower than recent wars. They’re also refusing to declare dead and collecting their paychecks with the mere 20% of U.S. Aid that makes it over and doesn’t say with Congressmen.

    “many of those brigades Zelensky sent in futile aid to help Bakhmut were also urgently needed in the upcoming spring and summer offensive.”

    See? It’s all Ukraine’s fault!!! Our PMC spreadsheet jockeys from NATO never dun wrong. Every time you did what we said you won every battle. Oh, wait… Every NATO-trained attack lost WORSE than the Ukrainian methods, poor as they were. NATO fighters and tactics are the worst on the planet and lose to goat-herders regularly.

    “No one can claim the United States didn’t give Ukraine every chance to find out if it could succeed on the battlefield”

    Hahahahaha! Sure, pal, sure. You go ahead and run into a modern war, charge the 5 layers of mined defenses with no air cover. How is that in the NATO manual again? Oh wait, it isn’t? It clearly and distinctly says it’s suicide and should never be tried under any circumstances? With anti-tank Javelins that don’t fire and 1/10th the rounds need for your 777s? Tell me again about how you “Gave every chance.”

    It’s an intentional pre-planned, well-funded, slavic genocide. Eugenics worse than anything the Nazis did, because they’re the same people.

    Ukraine Conflict ‘Could Last For Decades’ – Medvedev (RT)

    Huh, that’s not my read, but that means I’m wrong. It doesn’t seem credible that he could not be correct on something so critical and public. What does he know? There’s still a lot of stuff we know but isn’t commonly said. Bakmut (yes they’re still trying over there) was honeycombed with underground bunkers and fortifications, called euphemistically “Salt Mines” and stuff and not reported. The West stockpiled massive equipment there and intended to have the men pop up behind Russian lines with it. They were also hiding far more men in these conditions than reported, and they are far harder to sweep than the surface. But as an example of the sort of new-world, “hidden”, things that could make wars go on for years. Why wouldn’t the U.S. have such places with 10 years of more weapons in our own DUMB Cheyenne, “We don’t have” but suddenly appear if Russia overextends themselves?

    “Can you name any US diplomats on the level of Lavrov et al?”

    Probably, probably even Ron Paul is, but that’s why they won’t be allowed near the levers of power. As Ukraine, they make sure only the crazies have a voice. They need WWIII. As said again yesterday with F16s “It’s as if Joe wants to start WWIII”. No kidding. Yet no one notices. You could probably nuke Brooklyn and they wouldn’t notice, not affect their PMC denial at all.

    ““Russia is an economic dwarf, it is like a gas pump whose owner has an atomic bomb,” Borrell stated. Nevertheless, the diplomat claimed that Russia poses a threat to EU security,”

    Russiaphrenia. It’s both the biggest and the smallest. The Uppest and the Downest. The Leftist and the Rightest. We just say stuff until something catches in the population that allows us more war, we don’t care what it is. If we said “It’s the Barbi-est” and that worked, we would do it.

    So your allegation here is that Russia is the size of Holland that’s why Europe is in danger of being conquered by them tomorrow? Uh-huh. If so, you’ve got a lot more problems in France and Germany and should probably flip those leaders and address them. Fix your own house first. If Russia is combined Europe’s equal, then say so. We can know you have a real war that requires the real mobilization and deaths of 2-5 million Euros with the leveling of every city out to Normandy.

    Both! Neither! Shut up and take my money!

    Downside: after a lifetime of nothing but this, the people no longer notice.

    “the United States has no intention of ending the conflict,” Lavrov explained, noting that “their officially declared objective is to inflict a ‘strategic defeat’ on Russia.” … Kiev “Western sponsors are constantly pushing them to up the ante.”

    He’s not making this up. We’re talking peace and sending nuclear-capable F16s? Uh-huh.

    ““Today’s West is steered by people like Josep Borrell who divide the world into a blooming ‘garden’ and ‘the jungle,’ where the latter clearly applies to most of humanity”

    Yes, they’re appalling blackface racists, like Trudeau. Except general racists like you find in Atlanta (more more often in NYC) aren’t actually out there, actually murdering other races by the millions. Like barely a few guys ever. But these guys are. That makes them about 1,000x worse than Cleetus who won’t be the same room with races but otherwise leaves them alone. They make you think the opposite that Cleetus who wants to be left to his own kind is worse than a cartel who JUST KILLED 6 million “others” in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Ukraine. THEY, the Hunter Bidens, go to the swank dinner parties. They, the Tony Blairs, collect 6 figure speaking payoffs and jetset all the Carbon left on earth.

    But Cleetus is your real problem, not a policeman who burns the mountain and shuts off the escape routes, trust us.

    Btw, that Lahaini policeman just happened to be the Vegas chief of police who oversaw the 2017 Shooting. Well with a highly public success like that, NO WONDER they hired him in paradise the best police job in America! I wonder if he’s the one who shut off the fire hydrants too. As they say of Copy Editors, “They are nothing if not through.”

    ““..spending on Ukraine aid stood at $130 billion, while 15 million Americans did not have medical insurance and 30 million people in the US lacked food stamps..”

    Yeah, but Lahaini got $700 whole dollars, so… That’s enough to buy a bag of groceries!

    “To achieve what?”

    Well obviously they are trying to kill the American people too. Not just the Russian and Ukrainian people. They hate us at least as much as them. We may be MORE an obstacle to their plans than they are. So you have Amazon, cars that drive around hitting everyone, derailments, and a wide open Fentanyl free-for-all nationwide. Legalized all crime. So not paying OUR money because we have a war elsewhere is a BENEFIT, not a drawback. How else could we justify killing 100k Yanks a year?

    “California Achieves World’s First Crime Rate Of Zero After Legalizing All Crime” –BBee

    “Q: Why does the NYT run a lengthy article on this, at this time?”

    Yes, why indeed?

    #141637
    Dr. D
    Participant

    @ Susmarie108

    Do you have a book recommendation for the SCIENCE of Yoga?”

    There’s a good question.

    #141638
    Oroboros
    Participant

    The Decline of America’s Military Reflects the Overall Decline of America Itself

    Brian at the New Atlas lays it out succinctly

    Even the public confidence in the military is plummeting.

    Reminds me of the early 70’s when even the dumbest of mouth breathing Duh’mericans knew something was up with Nixon and Vietnam.

    The jig is up

    #141641
    Oroboros
    Participant

    Critical Thinking in Duh’merica

    Is there such a thing?

    51% Of Americans Think Public Colleges Should Stop Offering Degrees That Lead To Low-Paying Jobs

    https://www.zerohedge.com/political/51-americans-think-public-colleges-should-stop-offering-degrees-lead-low-paying-jobs

    Hahahahaha

    About time all you knuckle draggers smelled the Java

    “Gender studies, art history, religious studies, and ethnic studies are among the degree programs Americans would most like to see eliminated…..”

    Gender studies, art history, religious studies, and ethnic studies are Hobbies not actual occupations.

    On the other hand

    ““There are real ethical problems with eliminating majors that lead to ‘low paying’ jobs. Who will become our next kindergarten teachers, social workers, or medical technicians?

    Kindergarten teachers, social workers, or medical technicians can get associate degrees. Extra associate degrees can be added later as needed

    Get real

    Most jobs don’t need a four year degree

    #141642
    Oroboros
    Participant

    .

    #141643
    Veracious Poet
    Participant

    Well, haven’t been around for several days ~ I see the religious arguments that started last week (Atheism vs. Theology) went off the deep end (or was it the depends end?), not much to add, just grateful to have been gifted, really blessed I suppose, with a natural experiential real reality understanding…

    Of course, just like subjective nature of Wisdom vs. Intelligentsia, I guess it all depends on which mentality you’re going to approve, support & follow, including your own EG0ic state.

    Reminds me of the vast swath of humanity I encountered during my time deep in the bowels of Gotham’s legal services industry + journalism pool…

    Both sides of the aisle, prosecution & defense, have a professional job to do, sworn to represent their client to the utmost, right or wrong ~ *The Truth* is sprinkled liberally among both sides, but most importantly are *The Lies*.

    I literally heard a Federal Judge “coach” students in a mock trial, from many different angles of *legalese*, tell the liars-for-hire that The End Justifies The Means (I was curious & having a slow day).

    I’m hear to report that those shifty lawyerly ethics & morals are now the MO employed by the “left” or “liberals” (or whatever the anti-spiritual, anti-archy, anti-family, anti-social order term is appropriate to label), tearing down the social fabric so that Anything Goes, No Shame!, Up is Down, Right is Wrong, which is the empowering mechanism that conquered “America”, “The West” (past tense, it’s all over but the wailing & gnashing of teeth), with Global aspirations To Infinity & Beyond!

    Note all the pseudo-legalese nonsense chanted in unison publicly by dramatis personae (concerning 8 years of trying to destroy Cheeto), thanks to smooth talking liars-for-hire like Clinton, Obama et al., every pronouncement of “fact” is spewed in character from their CULTural Win! Win! Win! script, to hell! with The Truth, we’re building a Utopia for Humanity 😉

    Unfortunately, I think the “woke” mob may find out, a decade or two too late, that there are certain mores that shouldn’t be tweaked, twisted, tampered with, that is if you like modern civilization

    What would Mao do?

    You all have fun now! 🙂

    #141644
    Oroboros
    Participant

    Bidenomics

    .

    .

    #141646
    Oroboros
    Participant

    .

    We want to build a “smart city” in Maui, but what if the owners don’t want to sell the land…

    .

    Get Me My Marshmallows!

    .

    #141647
    John Day
    Participant

    Understanding World War starts with much-edited piece Alexander Carpenter put up yesterday.
    https://drjohnsblog.substack.com/p/understanding-world-war

    The Space Wars Are Here, Interview with Pippa Malmgren

    There’s a reason that I do this, and it’s genuinely not because I got any superhuman qualities. It is because of my dad. And so, my dad was advisor to four presidents and many heads of state. He worked for Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford. He was one of the key people on the Cuban Missile Crisis, so effectively ended up almost as a nuclear weapons negotiator with the Russians. Nixon sent him to Moscow when he sent Kissinger to Beijing. So, basically from an early age, I had an apprenticeship from someone who was literally constantly in the Oval Office, and what my dad taught me was how to think as if you’re in that room…

    ..We’re in an era where warfare is not played above board anymore, we’re in an era where both Russia and China talk about unrestricted warfare, a world where everything can be weaponized, take off the uniform, put on the other side’s uniform like anything goes.​..

    ​..And so, if you notice a couple of weeks ago, the Canadian foreign minister came out and said, “If the worst case scenario for Taiwan is to look like Hong Kong, we can’t go to war over that.” And you’re like, “Whoa, are we agreeing to do some kind of a deal?” And maybe for Taiwan it’s a hundred years, instead of 25 years, maybe there’ll be all kinds of bits and pieces that are a little bit better. But it all amounts to the Taiwanese taking the position, do we want to be another Ukraine? Maybe not. And Xi taking advantage of this Ukraine action to then try to negotiate and navigate a deal where he gets to be the superhero, because number one, he gets Putin to stop and Ukraine to end, and number two, because he gets to keep a whole bunch of things that are on his list. And so I think, look, this is very Chinese.​..

    ​..So first of all, when I lived in Hong Kong, I ran an asset management business for Bankers Trust for all of Asia, and so I spent a lot of time in Taiwan, and I always was struck that the Chinese capital controls, which meant that you could build a factory in China, like let’s say a Heineken beer factory, and you could make a ton of money there, but you could never take your money out, because it’s not convertible. And you would say, “But I made a ton of money, I’d like to take it out.” And they said, “No, we think you should build another factory. And you would say, no, but I’m done. I don’t need another factory.” “Well, we think maybe you didn’t file your taxes correctly last year, and this could be problematic for your staff.” You’re like, “Maybe we need another factory in China.” So this is kind of the game, with one exception. What is the one nationality they allowed them to take all their money out? Taiwan. So why? Because they were buying the whole middle class, and so everybody who’s made money in Taiwan has principally made it in China.​..

    ​..And notice that the former chief executive of TSMC, the big Taiwanese computer chip company, recently stepped forward and said, “I’d like to be a candidate for president, and I would run on a platform of let’s cut a deal with the Chinese, because we don’t want to be razed to the ground. And let’s figure out an accommodation between us.” And by the way, meanwhile, I do think there’s an active strategy that the US is literally airlifting the most valuable parts of the semiconductor production in Taiwan, which are mainly those Dutch lithography machines, which cost 250 grand each, I think, and they’re moving them to Texas and Arizona. And they’re moving the families, because you need a certain amount of skill to operate these things.​..

    ​..I also see semiconductor production moving into space. We’re going to have in orbit manufacturing that produces much higher grade computer chips at a lower cost. We can come to that in the space sector. But in other words, the dependence on Taiwan for that is diminishing every day. So, what would most wrong foot the United States is if the Taiwanese themselves said, “Let’s cut a deal.” Because then we can’t do anything​.​..

    ​..One of the biggest issues we have, and I agree with General Milley on this, he has publicly said we have an under-reported massive military buildup occurring in the Pacific. And we do, on both sides. It is separate from, though related to, Taiwan. But it’s about the Chinese have these super dredgers where they’re creating what they call unsinkable aircraft carriers, they can literally create an island that is reinforced with military capability in a matter of weeks. And so, they’re creating new fortifications in the ocean, in the Pacific. The US is building a massive new Guam.​.. Which is just slightly south on a little island called Tinian.​..

    ​..So, I’ve been describing this, and you mentioned it earlier as we’re already in World War III, and that freaks everyone out when I say it. And I said it, I think first two years ago or so.​.. “Yeah, we are. And there are more countries involved than there were at the beginning of World War II.” But it’s an invisible war​…

    ​..I’ve basically said we’re in a hot war in cold places. Now those cold places are space, the Arctic, and the High North. People are like, “What do you mean we’re at war in space?” I’m like, well, okay, so let’s remember we live in a GPS world, and so we’re completely dependent on satellites for not only missile guidance, but frankly, Uber Eats, right? None of this happens.​..

    ​..We shut down if we don’t have that. So, what’s been happening in space, which is we’re in a proper space race now, right? There’s a race to establish the first physical foothold on the moon that will be manned.​ [and mined for helium-3 for nuclear fusion reactors.]…

    ​..it’s kind of the new commanding heights, if you have control of higher orbits and the moon, you can basically take out everybody’s satellites from above.​..

    ​..Now, people, again, they’re shrugging their shoulders, “Well, what does this mean for me?” Well, it means your GPS might not work tomorrow, but it also has led to a fight over subsea internet cables. And the first cable cut was in… It’s actually technically January 6th, 2020, which is a very interesting day for other reasons, and nobody connects the dots on this thing. But the fastest internet cable in the world is on a little island in the Arctic called Svalbard in Norway. Now, why is it there, of all places? Because that is where pretty much all the high altitude satellites connect to Earth, is at Svalbard. So you cut that cable, and suddenly your missile guidance system’s not working, and your Uber Eats isn’t neither. So how much damage can you do to the world? Answer, a huge amount. But luckily, that was a lot of redundancy already built in. So somebody basically… It’s such a wonderful story, it’s so interesting. There was an oligarch yacht positioned over the top of the cable, and that yacht had a submarine inside it, but they think that, and I’ll just say, we don’t know who did this, right? And nobody wants to acknowledge who did it, but somebody’s submarines went underneath it, and they cut away, I think it was six and a half kilometers of…​ undersea cable… They cut it and took it away. So it’s not like, “Oh, it hit a rock and it broke.” No, no, no, somebody cut it at both ends and took it away. Luckily, it was redundant. But it was the opening salvo to my mind of World War III.​..

    ​..Why did it all just disappear? Because nobody wanted to say that Russia and the United States were directly in war, because that is just a very… The threat that you go nuclear, nuclear threat, nobody wants to be there. So basically, suddenly everybody just dropped it. Nobody wanted to discuss it. And so it went away. But since then, we’ve had all kinds of attacks on the subsea internet cables all over the world. And, again, if you Google this, you’ll see it the Marseilles Cable, the main cable that connects the United States with Europe and Asia. More recently, the cable between the Shetland Islands and the Pharaoh Islands, so between Scotland and the Danish Pharaoh Islands, and everybody’s like, “Who cares? ​… Yes, but this is also the exact passageway where we track whether Russian submarines are coming into the Atlantic with or without nuclear weapons. So you want to have that internet cable live because without it you have no visibility on this, at a time when Russia is threatening to use nuclear weapons.​..

    ​..And then that’s just the hot war in cold places. I’ve also said we’re in a cold war in hot places, which is what I’ve described in the Pacific and Africa. And I’m about to do a piece talking about the hot war in hot places, because now the coup in Niger, and the string of coups across Africa, it’s literally heating up into a regional war, where it’s ultimately the Russians versus the West.​..

    .​.Ed D’Agostino: I asked, said, “You’ve been in DC, you’ve worked in DC at the highest levels. Is it really that bad?” And you said, “No.” And then you said, “It’s worse. But if they showed the American public how bad it really was in Washington DC, no one would believe it.”… Politics is a blood sport. It’s a very tough game. I was in it for a period of time, but it’s hardball​.

    So where are we now? Well, so you know in the past I’ve been writing about this concept of the social contract, and that there’s always a social contract, and that social contract is breaking down principally because of the debt burden, and that’s not just true in the US. That’s true in many parts of the world, all of Europe, the UK, frankly, China. So if you think about the debt burden as a wrecking ball, a heavy weight that bears down on the social fabric, and it basically breaks the promises that have been made.​..

    ​..So anyway, the weaponization of the media space has created a lot of jangliness in the public dialogue. So everybody doesn’t… Every time I give a speech in the States, I get half the audience comes up and… Well, basically everyone in the audience comes up and says, “I can’t talk to the other half of America. I literally can’t have a conversation with them anymore.” And you’re like, okay. But that means a hundred percent of the audience are thinking, “Either you agree with me, or you must be evil or stupid.”​ …

    ​..I think it’s super interesting, the one presidential candidate, which I’ll come to the presidential race, who is saying this is Robert F. Kennedy.​ And I watched Piers Morgan, who I know, and Piers in person is a very thoughtful man, but he started pummeling RFK, “You go on Fox News and you talk to those Republicans, and you have a conversation with Trump, and aren’t you ashamed of yourself because you’re a Democrat?” And RFK said, “How are you going to persuade your opponents if you don’t speak to them?”
    https://www.mauldineconomics.com/download/global-macro-update-transcript-dr.-pippa-malmgren

    ​ Surplus Energy Economics, Known Knowns , Dr. Tim Morgan

    I have chosen to call this “Known knowns”, not in the sense that everyone does understand the economy stated in these terms, but because everyone can so understand it if they choose, which is a rather different proposition.

    ​ The narrative here commences with three principles. These are the energy basis of the economy, the critical role played by the proportionate cost of energy, and the character of money as a “claim” on material products and services.

    ​ This leads to some equally obvious inferences. One of these is the conceptual necessity of “two economies”, which are the “real economy” of material products and services and the parallel “financial economy” of money and credit. Another is that the general level of pricing is a function of the relationship between these “two economies”.
    ​ Our situation now is that the enormous impetus given to the economy by the application of coal, petroleum and natural gas is fading out – stated simplistically, we’ve worked our way through lowest-cost fossil fuel resources and are now having to resort to increasingly costlier alternatives…
    ..Going forward – and assuming, for our purposes, no recourse to extreme monetary recklessness – systemic inflation is likely to run at between 5% and 6%, capped by the deflationary effects of rapid contraction in discretionary sectors of the economy.

    #260: Known knowns

    Paul Craig Roberts: The End of US Dollar Hegemony
    ​ “So we see now a movement away from the use of the dollar as reserve currency. We see countries now focusing on keeping their reserves in gold and in the currencies of their trading partners. And we see now that international balances between countries, that trade differences are being settled in other currencies, in their own currencies, in the currencies of their trading partners. This change is not really dramatic and all at once, but it’s ongoing,” Roberts said, emphasizing the gradual nature of the process…
    ..Unfortunately, the veteran economist said, there seems to be little policymakers can do to stem the crisis, which he’s confident has already begun. And worse yet, neoliberal economists in charge of policy don’t seem to actually want to make any changes.
    ​ ​“It’s already happening. This is a gradual thing and will pick up momentum as it goes and the results will become more obvious. People will rush to get out of the dollar and when that starts, then the process moves quicker. That’s my explanation of what the real situation is. Of course, it’s ignored. There’s no discussion of this. If the Federal Reserve knows about this, there’s no sign that they do. If the United States Treasury knows, there’s no sign that they do. The neoliberal economists pretend nothing really has changed…But what they don’t realize is you don’t need a reserve currency,” Roberts said. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230818/paul-craig-roberts-the-end-of-us-dollar-hegemony-1112683970.html

    Tulsi Gabbard, the former U.S. representative for Hawaii’s 2nd congressional district, has slammed the Biden Administration’s response to the horrific Maui wildfire, labelling it a “horrible, horrible disservice.”
    “The sad part is, we are eight days past this wildfire. And I’m in constant touch with community members and leaders. They are still not seeing a response from the county, the state, the federal government, to be able to go out and help them.”​ …

    ​..She added that “The community support hubs that they have are 100 percent community led, volunteer supply collections, conducting all these co-ordinations on their own. They feel like the government doesn’t care about them.”
    ​ “That’s a horrible, horrible disservice to people who have gone through a kind of loss that we can’t even imagine,” she added.
    ​ “Not only are they not getting the support that they need, but oftentimes they have been getting blocked from being able to receive the support from their friends and neighbors,” Gabbard asserted.
    ​ “This is a crisis that is continuing on,” Gabbard warned, adding “It is not at all lost on the people of west Maui when they are told that FEMA is going to give those impacted a one-time $700 payment. And as they look at the news, they are seeing tens of more millions of dollars being sent to Ukraine.” https://summit.news/2023/08/17/video-tulsi-gabbard-blasts-biden-admins-horrible-response-to-maui-disaster/

    #141648
    John Day
    Participant

    ​ A whopping 85% of media quotes on US military involvement come from someone paid by the defense industry…
    ​ The generals have been replaced by various experts with academic credentials, typically linked to one or more ‘think tanks’. Far from the neutral academic centers of intellectual integrity that the names suggest, these entities are little more than laundromats for discreet special interests. I should know – I used to be a director of one.
    ​ Every Wednesday, some of the highest-ranking figures of the Bush administration would come to our Washington, DC office to deliver their main agenda points for the week, requesting assistance in placing and promoting them to both grassroots activists sympathetic to the cause and to the general public. The experts within the think tank were hired based on political litmus tests, no doubt to ensure that their views aligned with the organization’s. When they no longer do, you’re either fired or you leave.​..
    https://www.azerbaycan24.com/en/think-tank-experts-pushing-for-endless-conflict-in-ukraine-share-a-common-benefactor/

    Sasha Latypova,​ Are you programmable? Mind Control-Part 1
    Understanding the technologies that target you is the first step in effective defense.
    https://sashalatypova.substack.com/p/are-you-programmable-mind-control

    How Western Big Tech Firms Wipe Away Hunter Biden’s Many Sins
    https://sputnikglobe.com/20230817/how-western-big-tech-firms-wipe-away-hunter-bidens-many-sins-1112668508.html

    ​ House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer asked the National Archives on Wednesday to hand over any unredacted records in which President Biden used a pseudonym during his vice presidency — as Republicans move closer to launching an impeachment inquiry into his role in son Hunter’s foreign business dealings.
    ​ Emails previously released by the Archives and retrieved from Hunter’s abandoned laptop reveal that Joe Biden used the email address “Robert.L.Peters@pci.gov” while he was President Barack Obama’s second-in-command and that his aide John Flynn cc’d Hunter on 10 emails containing the elder Biden’s daily schedule between May 18 and June 15, 2016.
    https://nypost.com/2023/08/17/comer-demands-records-of-biden-using-pseudonym-while-vpcomer-demands-unredacted-records-of-biden-using-pseudonym-while-vp/

    #141649
    John Day
    Participant

    Dr. Meryl Nass Sues Maine Medical Board Over Suspension, Alleges Board Violated Her First Amendment Rights
    https://merylnass.substack.com/p/breaking-dr-meryl-nass-sues-maine

    ​Meryl Nass MD , The Complaint has been docketed. The docket number is 1:23-cv-00321-JDL. The “JDL” denotes that it has been assigned to Judge Jon Levy.
    https://merylnass.substack.com/p/my-complaint-has-been-filed

    Meryl Nass MD , Dr. Paul Thomas’ case against the Oregon Medical Board is on appeal
    ​ Dr. Thomas has published scientific results showing that unvaccinated children are much healthier tha​n children vaccinated according to the CDC recommended schedule. A few days after his results were published, the Oregon Medical Board issued an emergency suspension of Dr. Thomas’ license. The Oregon Medical Board had no justification for ordering an emergency suspension of Dr. Thomas’ medical license—and the Oregon Medical Board violated its own rules when it did so.​
    Dr. Sherri Tenpenny received an immediate suspension of her license last week–not to do with her care of patients, but because the Board did not like her lawyer’s response to their interrogatories
    ​..As in my case, Dr. Tenpenny had her license suspended before a hearing, before the Ohio Medical Board had heard from her, and in the absence of patient complaints, in order to make an example of her and frighten other doctors who might challenge the narrative.
    https://merylnass.substack.com/p/dr-paul-thomas-case-against-the-oregon

    ​ Peter McCullough MD , Could Omicron Have Been Intentionally Engineered and Released?
    [A: Yes, we have been here before. Most recent possible common ancestor with any prior circulating COVID strain was February-March 2018]
    ​ These investigators did an intensive mutational analysis of the early sub strains of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strains and have come to the conclusion it may have been intentionally modified by humans, potentially to prolong the pandemic. This is along the lines of what Dr. Jordon Trishton Walker, Pfizer Director of Research and Development revealed in the Project Veritas sting operation.
    https://petermcculloughmd.substack.com/p/could-omicron-have-been-intentionally

    #141651
    John Day
    Participant

    Giving up posting links for now. Spam-blocked despite logging out and back in and not repeating content in attempts.

    #141652
    John Day
    Participant

    Steve Kirsch , New police testimony + peer-reviewed literature both show vaccines ARE causing SIDS
    (This cop has now been charged in Canada, I think.)
    https://kirschsubstack.com/p/new-police-testimony-peer-reviewed

    Vaccines are causing most Type I diabetes​ , Steve Kirsch
    From the odds ratios, it’s clear that at least 75% of all cases are caused by the childhood vaccines. However, the medical community will never acknowledge they are responsible for this error.
    https://kirschsubstack.com/p/vaccines-are-causing-most-type-i

    ​Steve Kirsh with a long list of coincidences involving sudden death.
    Go ahead… get your COVID booster. Nothing to worry about. These are all coincidences.
    https://kirschsubstack.com/p/go-ahead-get-your-covid-booster-nothing

    #141653
    John Day
    Participant

    Putin Has Already Achieved Main Objectives In Ukraine, Lukashenko Says (open to negotiations)
    ​ He was responding specifically to a question over the circumstances under which he thinks President Putin would consider the goals fulfilled, in a ‘mission accomplished’ sense.
    ​ Lukashenko admitted he was having to speculate in response, saying: “You know, we did not discuss the topic with him in this spirit, but I dare to express my position. The goals of the SMO have already been fulfilled.”
    https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/putin-has-already-achieved-main-objective-ukraine-lukashenko-says

    ​(Duh!) Report: US ‘Classified Forecast’ Predicts Ukraine Counteroffensive Will Fail
    https://sputnikglobe.com/20230818/report-us-classified-forecast-predicts-ukraine-counteroffensive-will-fail-1112694940.html

    Via Google Translate, from Greek. These forces include the last battalion that was being held in reserve, armed with all NATO equipment.
    Russian military sources are talking about a repetition of the Battle of Kursk in 1943 in Rabotino, speaking of another massacre of Ukrainian forces. The Russian governor of the Zaporizhia region, Yevgeny Balitsky announced a failed night attack by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Rabotino.​..
    ​..Despite the losses, the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is bringing in new reserves, hoping to break the Russian defense.
    ​ The elite “Marun” team has already been deployed on the front lines, made up of soldiers trained in the West. However, even the West acknowledges that the chances of success are extremely slim. The Washington Post, citing CIA sources, reports that the Ukrainian army will not reach Melitopol and will not be able to complete the task of breaking through the land corridor to Crimea.​..
    ​..These are the sacrifices of the leadership of Kiev on the eve of the so-called Independence Day. They must justify the financing and supply of decommissioned European weapons with their blood ,” Balitsky said.

    Ρώσοι στρατιώτες: “Σφαγή των Ουκρανών στο Ραμποτίνο σε μια επανάληψη της μάχης του Κουρσκ – Τους θάψαμε μαζί με τα Leopard 2, Marder και Stryker”

    ​ Germany and the wider West have been shocked by a video released a few hours ago showing the losses of the Ukrainian Army in the settlements of Urozain and Staromayosk.
    The video shows the destruction of 31 (!) Ukrainian tanks in a single battle for a settlement!​ (Google translate from Greek.)

    Απόλυτη καταστροφή: Οι Ρώσοι εξαΰλωσαν “εν ριπή οφθαλμού” 31 τεθωρακισμένα και ακόμη δύο φάλαγγες των Ουκρανών- Σε κατάσταση σοκ Κίεβο και Δύση

    Russia Is Preparing For A Large-scale Offensive. Military Summary And Analysis For 2023.08.19​ ​(Putin attended strategic war conference)

    #141654
    John Day
    Participant

    ​(Autumnal outlook) The Fall. Military Summary And Analysis For 2023.08.18

    Open to the public for viewing and photographs now , Russia presents at “Army 2023” the Western “trophies of war” captured in Ukraine

    Tεράστιο πλήγμα στο γόητρο του ΝΑΤΟ: Η Ρωσία παρουσιάζει στην «Army 2023» τα δυτικά «τρόπαια του πολέμου» που αιχμαλώτισε στην Ουκρανία

    Military Summary Channel has a 5 minute update on Niger: ECOWAS delegation visits Niger, meets with deposed president and current military government, in what may be the last negotiation for peace. US prepares to evacuate the large drone, and intelligence base in Niger, indicating a prelude to war. Wagner forces land in Mali, which is allied with Niger. (Africans think well of Wagner, but US & France fear Wagner displacing them.)

    #141655
    John Day
    Participant

    This came up on Dr. Mccullough’s list-serv, Pedophile Presidents of the US.

    #141656
    Oroboros
    Participant

    My new Fall Fashion wear

    I’ve decided to wear my memes

    .

    .

    #141657
    zerosum
    Participant

    Evacuation TEST

    Yellowknife should have an evacuation manual from their experience of having 20,000 people leave jn 2days by one road. (Preppers are giving good advise on TV)
    Okanagan has added to the total.
    There are now 30,000 evacuated and sections of highway #1 are closed, travel restrictions are imposed, housing conditions critical.
    Emergency management etc. stressed.
    Second phase still to come ….. everybody go home, go back to ???
    ————
    Life is getting harder
    I know ….. Extreme weather are happening everywhere.
    Next ….. “Hillary” bringing pouring rain to vacation destinations in Baja Mexico , then California.
    ———
    People don’t need the extra hardships of the destruction of war.
    ——-
    In 2014, the late US Senator John McCain said Russia is “a gas station masquerading as a country,”
    Russia poses a threat to EU security
    (.. that is able to beat/stand up to the bulling of NATO AND THE USA)
    ———-
    Americans are not allowed to read TASS
    • Zakharova Says Kiev Elite Preying On US Taxpayers (TASS)

    “..spending on Ukraine aid stood at $130 billion, while 15 million Americans did not have medical insurance and 30 million people in the US lacked food stamps..”

    • West’s Overall Aid To Kiev Over Past Year Exceeds $160 Bln – Lavrov (TASS)

    ———–
    How to keep a secret
    https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2023/08/trump_can_prove_it.html
    August 18, 2023
    Trump Can Prove It
    By Matt Kane
    Every general election since 2004 has seen between 120–130 million total votes. The 2020 election reportedly saw 155 million votes. There were roughly 168 million registered voters in 2020, which means that voter turnout in 2020 was an astonishing 92%. This is statistically improbable.
    ——-
    A short list. Chose a word
    Genocide.
    Eugenics
    Depopulation
    War
    Fentanyl
    Covid 19
    Starvation
    Poverty
    Energy Shortfall
    Systemic inflation
    Contraction in discretionary sectors
    No one notices
    Who cares
    No one would believe it.

    ———–
    Looking deeper
    By Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH
    https://petermcculloughmd.substack.com/p/could-omicron-have-been-intentionally

    A recent paper from Tanaka and Miyazawa working at the Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, and the Institute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Japan caught my attention on the European Commission Zenodo preprint server.

    These investigators did an intensive mutational analysis of the early sub strains of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strains and have come to the conclusion it may have been intentionally modified by humans, potentially to prolong the pandemic.
    This is along the lines of what Dr. Jordon Trishton Walker, Pfizer Director of Research and Development revealed in the Project Veritas sting operation.

    https://zenodo.org/record/8216373

    August 5, 2023 Preprint Open Access

    Unnaturalness in the evolution process of the SARS-CoV-2 variants and the possibility of deliberate natural selection
    Tanaka, Atsushi; Miyazawa, Takayuki

    “…the formations of a part of Omicron isolates BA.1, BA.1.1, and BA.2 were not the products of genome evolution as is commonly observed in nature, such as the accumulation of mutations and homologous recombinations. Furthermore, the study of 35 recombinant isolates of Omicron variants BA.1 and BA.2, confirmed that Omicron variants were already present in 2020. The analysis we have shown here is that the Omicron variants are formed by an entirely new mechanism that cannot be explained by previous biology, and knowing the way how the SARS-CoV-2 variants were formed prompts a reconsideration of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.”

    #141658
    zerosum
    Participant

    Interesting.
    I emphasized

    “… the Omicron variants are formed by an entirely new mechanism that cannot be explained by previous biology, and knowing the way how the SARS-CoV-2 variants were formed prompts a reconsideration of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.”

    #141659
    Michael Reid
    Participant


    The early explorers consistently described the native Americans as tall and well formed. Of the Indians of Texas, the explorer Cabeza de Vaca wrote, “The men could run after a deer for an entire day without resting and without apparent fatigue. . . one man near seven feet in stature. . . runs down a buffalo on foot and slays it with his knife or lance, as he runs by its side.”7 The Indians were difficult to kill. De Vaca reports on an Indian “traversed by an arrow. . . he does not die but recovers from his wound.” The Karakawas, a tribe that lived near the Gulf Coast, were tall, well-built and muscular. “The men went stark naked, the lower lip and nipple pierced, covered in alligator grease [to ward off mosquitoes], happy and generous, with amazing physical prowess. . . they go naked in the most burning sun, in winter they go out in early dawn to take a bath, breaking the ice with their body.”

    Guts and Grease: The Diet of Native Americans

    #141660
    zerosum
    Participant

    https://avia-pro.net/news/10-tysyach-polskih-voennosluzhashchih-pogibli-na-ukraine-za-poltora-goda

    Translation: The Polish publication Mysl Polska has published shocking statistics related to the participation of Polish citizens in the conflict in Ukraine. According to the publication, over the past year and a half, about 10 thousand Poles have died on Ukrainian territory.

    If true that is indeed a shocking number.

    #141663
    D Benton Smith
    Participant

    Humor (as in funny, as in jokes, as in gales of laughter) has long been known to be a form of social and political weaponry against which there is virtually no defense other than fighting or running away.

    Ever wonder why that is? I can tell ya.

    It’s because jokes get the listener to reject (with laughter) all sorts of absurdities, lies, malice and bullshit on one’s own determination, rather than being compelled to do so by an outside authority or as the consequence of physical reality. ( Because when one does something REALLY bad and nonsensical the result is going to be one kind of unpleasantness or another, ranging from the displeasure of unhappy victims all the way to getting squashed by a boulder, blown up by an Acme sky-rocket or going “splat!” at the bottom of the cliff.)

    Instead of explicitly informing someone directly that they (or maybe someone that they are in some sort of alliance or agreement with) are being a fool or a liar or an outright shithead, they are instead being encouraged to observe that behavior or fact from a safe non-aligned distance, so that they have the opportunity to reject it on their own mirthfully, without being compelled to do so by someone who makes them change their behavior (perhaps forcefully, if things don’t change.)

    If they do reject the humorously described onerous behavior then they laugh at the absurdity, and move (at least a little) toward a more amenable and acceptable frame of mind or mode of action.

    If they don’t reject it (for example if they are approvingly in favor of the alleged misbehavior or suggested idiocy, for instance) then they don’t laugh and are therefor not improved. They are instead unresponsive, or might even boo, or leave, or throw insults (or heavier objects) at the would-be comedian. In any case, they don’t think its funny at all. That’s funny, because they are what’s funny.

    If it weren’t for jokes there would be a lot more fights and shouting matches. Good natured joking has saved many lives, but if ya can’t take a joke then there’s not much you can do to defend yourself.

    The reason that there is no defense against humor is because in humor there is no attack. There is only an invitation. The invitation is to examine the inner workings of oneself and one’s behaviors, and possibly reform oneself as a result. The only alternative is to grumpily decline introspection and stay unhappily screwed up.

    That’s why lack of a sense of humor is such a bad sign. It reveals that the laughless one has already teetered a bit too far past past the brink. It’s why wokesters and Lefties are notoriously unable to write memes or “get” certain jokes. Even gentle joshing seldom works with these sad sacks, but get ’em to laugh again and you’re half way there.

    As for those demonically mirthless sourpusses who have abandoned even the pretext of humor, well I’m afraid that for them it is not going to end well. When they get to the punchline they’re going to discover that the joke is on them, and that’s no laughing matter.

    #141664
    John Day
    Participant

    Hawaii State Government Attempts Information Blackout On Maui Fire – Refuses Media Access
    https://www.zerohedge.com/political/hawaii-state-government-attempts-information-blackout-maui-fire-refuses-media-access

    #141665
    Formerly T-Bear
    Participant

    At John Day,

    Yesterday a report on either Sputnik or RT mentioned there were still about 1,000 people missing. Would imagine there is reason quarantining the area until qualified searchers have covered all destroyed homes. The quality of journalistic media is NOT to be trusted in keeping mum until all the work is done and the proper authorities make their reports and NOT causing further duress to the public. What do you think?

    #141666
    zerosum
    Participant

    Why are some refugees more welcome in Canada than others?


    Why are some refugees more welcome in Canada than others?
    Afghan refugees still face delays in their attempts to come to Canada. Yet, Ukrainians have seen red tape cut and doors open. Why the difference?
    by Kandice Pardy
    February 27, 2023

    The world is accustomed to the stereotypical face of the refugee. The well-worn images of the Black or Brown face from post-genocide Rwanda, war-torn Somalia, or gang-ridden Honduras. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) there are 32.5 million refugees and an estimated 103 million forcibly displaced people worldwide. That is one-in-77 people on earth.

    Refugee crises have become normalized. The world seems to shake its collective head as each crisis enters its consciousness. People mutter sympathetic words and unvaryingly move on.

    It has been personally challenging to witness the collective global response to a relatively atypical refugee face: a fair-skinned and straight-haired version of displacement. I have stood at one of Canada’s busiest international airports – airports that are welcoming thousands of Ukrainian travellers – and asked myself: Why has Canada been so welcoming to Ukrainians, unlike Syrians, Iraqis, Afghans and Rohingyas? Is it because they are white skinned?
    ———-

    https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/ukraine-measures/settlement/welcome-canada.html
    July 15, 2023, was the last day to apply for a visitor visa under the Canada‑Ukraine authorization for emergency. (Ukrainians refugees escaping the Neo-Nazi gov.)
    as of August 5, 2023. – Applications received
    1,186,344
    Applications approved
    858,659
    ———
    Canada promised to bring in 40,000 Afghan refugees. Only 8,500 have arrived.
    ————
    The racist distinction between supposedly civilized and non-civilized populations comes as no surprise as this logic is deeply ingrained in the migration and refugee policies themselves. What is happening with Ukrainians unveils its existence.
    ———-
    https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/20/british-columbia-wildfires-intensify-doubling-evacuations-to-over-35000.html
    CLIMATE
    British Columbia wildfires intensify, doubling evacuations to over 35,000
    PUBLISHED SUN, AUG 20 20235:05 AM EDT

    The fires have drained local resources and drawn in federal government assistance as well as support from 13 countries. At least four firefighters have died in the line of duty.

    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau convened a meeting of key ministers and senior officials on Saturday to discuss wildfires. The Incident Response Group, which met for the second time this week, agreed to make “additional resources available” to both British Columbia and the Northwest Territories (NWT).
    (The cupboard has been emptied for Ukraine -“additional resources available” )

    Forgotten
    https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-wildfires-lytton-july-1-2021-1.6087311
    ‘Most homes’ in Lytton, B.C., destroyed by catastrophic fire, minister
    More than 1,000 people fled village and surrounding area; RCMP working to find those unaccounted for
    Rhianna Schmunk · CBC News · Posted: Jul 01, 2021 8:30 AM PDT | Last Updated: July 2, 2021

    #141667
    D Benton Smith
    Participant

    According to reputable main stream news sources, the the IRS agent killed in firearms training recently was actually shot by a fellow IRS agent who was also in training.

    Hmm. Maybe the training DOES work.

    #141668
    Oroboros
    Participant

    Hawaii State Government engages in genocidal land grap for blood drinking Satanic Overlords and will impose a ‘Smart Island” dictatorial tyranny on Maui as an experiment.

    If it goes well on Maui, they will roll it out to the rest of Hawaii

    They turned off the water

    They didn’t turn off the powerlines, which enhanced fire spread

    No warning sirens

    And sent all the kids home from school with parents at work

    Shut down the escape routes north of town

    https://twitter.com/i/status/1691289151415427072

    #141669

    Zerosum- there is a video with George Webb and R. Fuellmich where Webb mentions people using “directed evolution” (34:00).
    I’m afraid they don’t say much about it, but it sounds like what you mention about omicron.

    #141671
    Susmarie108
    Participant

    @ Dr D: RE: A book recommendation for exploring the SCIENCE of Yoga.

    The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali would be a good starting point.

    A must-have version is “The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali”, translated/with commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda.

    Also – “The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali”, Books 1-4 by Baba Hari Dass (my Teacher).

    The Yoga Sutras are a ROADMAP – they provide direct instruction (not just words or philosophy) on the essential practices for understanding the mind. Without practice, nothing can be known/achieved.

    “Within the space of these 200 short Sutras the entire science of Yoga is delineated: its aim, the necessary practices, the obstacles you may meet along the path, their removal, and precise description of the results that will be obtained from such practices” ~Swami Satchidananda.

    Happy that you also asked.

    LOVE to Seekers.

    #141672
    zerosum
    Participant

    directed evolution
    Cannot comment/agree/disagree about what George Webb says.
    It’s All Above my Paygrade
    Someone else can substantiate/verify/prove his claims/informations.

    ——–

    ———–
    https://thefreedomcycle.com/covid/george-webb.html

    George Webb is an investigative journalist in the Washington, DC area that discovered the NATO Military Grade encryption blackberries and hard drives used by DNC Chairwoman’s IT assistant, Imran Awan.
    ———

    The Defenestration of Dr. Robert Malone


    The Defenestration of Dr. Robert Malone
    BY John Mac GhlionnJOHN MAC GHLIONN JANUARY 6, 2022
    ———

    #141673
    Celticbiker
    Participant

    1913, they set up our talmudic money system, here in the states, using murder and broken arm bending. 110 years later, you have a satanic goverment, filled with pedophiles/ Transvestites in front of your children in school/ 32 trillion dollars of debt. Endless war. A broken, corrupted legal, educational, medical system. Your local politicians, judges and police chiefs are well paid to be traitors., freemasons, every 1 of them. You all wonder why Im so angry with the Tribe, big nose small hat motherfuckers. They destroyed my country and are killing people I know and love. Get your fuckin heads out of your asses.

    #141674
    Dr. D
    Participant

    “quarantining the area until qualified searchers have covered all destroyed homes.”

    Jumping in, perhaps impolitely. Yes, that’s true and perhaps a good reason. Although journalists are seen everywhere, usually, in every event anyway. However, the reason we have journalists is, Do you TRUST them? Qui vadis? Who watches FEMA, the search teams? As they, the police themselves, loot and burn like they did in Katrina? There’s meant to be tension between them and the problem is like now when there isn’t and journalists exist to stamp official police press releases.

    We also know that when private people are landing private aid to their private own neighbors, that is, MY house, MY friends, the Army and FEMA are CONFISCATING IT. For whom? Clearly they’re not handing it out. So if I walk back to my burned house with a shovel, you’re going to A) not let me in and B) Strip down to my skivvies and hand you my wallet if I do? WTF kind of “Help” is that?

    A: Worse help than shutting off the water in the middle of fighting a fire. Like rounded up and shot time. I would hope such people live very nearby, and that they might have a mystery fire shortly so they can share the feeling.

    Celtic: Why you yelling at us? Is it productive? Do we not know, or are you trying to raise a militia and enter the Capitol? What are you yourself doing?

    #141675
    Oroboros
    Participant

    Ukronaziland Commits Last Remaining Elite Brigade For Final Attempt

    This is their last remaining bridge of about 2000 well trained men

    In a front this big, it’s nothing.

    The Russians are not only going to double triple quadruple down on their considerable artillery advantage on this ‘elite’ formation, you can bet your bottom dollar that Bounties & Bonuses (BB) galore will be offered for destroying the UKtardistan’s ‘Challenger” tanks and Canuckistan invented Strykers.

    Three Strykers have already been confirmed as destroyed and are burning carcasses

    Can not wait for the Challenger barbecue

    Russian Main Battle Tank Fires Point Blanket Rounds into Ukronazi Wheeled MRAP = BBQ

    Big rubber tires burn furiously well

    #141676
    Oroboros
    Participant

    The NATO=NAZIS getting their punkasses kicked in Ukronaziland are the same cowards on Maui mopping of the domestic genocide/Smart City conversion plot.

    Yes, they are cut from the same cloth as the ones in UKRONAZILAND but the Ukroid version is actually being held responsible for their actions and are going to Hell.

    FEMA is a version of SS camp guards

    They want you to show your digital tattoo before you can visit the pile of ashes that used to be your home.

    There’s Pedo Joe, and then there’s Uncle Joe

    Two peas in a poison pod

    .

    #141677
    Michael Reid
    Participant

    The Science of Yoga: The Risks and the Rewards: Broad, William …

    A lead science writer for The New York Times—and lifelong yoga practitioner—
    examines centuries of history and research to
    scrutinize the claims made about yoga for
    health,
    fitness,
    emotional wellbeing,
    sex,
    weight loss,
    healing, and
    creativity.

    He reveals what is real and what is illusory,

    in the process exposing moves that can harm or even kill.

    A New York Times bestseller.

    The Science of Yoga draws on more than a century of painstaking research to
    present the first impartial evaluation of a practice thousands of years old.

    #141678
    cloudhidden
    Participant

    Racism in Canada’s immigration policy(Ukrainians to the front)……probably not.
    Amongst the Canadian citizenry there are about 1.3 million people who claim Ukrainian ethnicity.

    It’s about the votes.

    #141679

    That Brownstone Institute article was the worst thing I have ever read on the site.

    #141681
    D Benton Smith
    Participant

    @MyParentsSaidKnow
    you write,

    That Brownstone Institute article was the worst thing I have ever read on the site.

    I don’t understand why you say that. When I read the referenced article (about Robert Malone) it struck me as being supportive of Malone’s challenges (or at least his professional qualifications to make such challenges) to the false Covid 19 narratives pumped out by the bad guys, and their efforts to censor and silence all such challengers. That seems to me like a good thing, not “the worst thing”.

    Have I simply misinterpreted what you intended to say? What am I missing here?

    #141695
    Formerly T-Bear
    Participant

    The good Dr. D on August 20, 2023 at 11:31 pm at #141674

    Jumping in, perhaps impolitely. Yes, that’s true and perhaps a good reason

    ¿impolitely? Not at all. Impolite are those a$$holes that cannot respond to things addresses to them, and there are quite a few in the commentariat here – sadly.

    My observation would be that hardly any here are familiar to the protocols used by first responders; ambulance, fire, accident, police, etc. Searching fire scenes for possible remains is one of those first responses and the protocols are built around preserving evidence that may lead to establishing identity of the remains. If others come to the scene and disturb it that evidence is lost. It is imperative to keep access to such scenes to the absolute minimum, thus the attempted area quarantine that unfortunately is o for all manner of conspiracy speculations as if there weren’t enough already. Residing in UTC (GMT) +2 I do not experience what news presentations you may and rely on sources mentioned.

    Would append a followup to you. Your response to a prior comment I made was quite a good assessment of the conditions. However my point was that the absence of any appeal of judicial finding is not observed, therefore any claim that the election was legitimate is false, a lie, a political coup de grâce for the Republic, a coup d’état in broad daylight.

    YMMD

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