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Debt Rattle March 27 2026

Mar 272026
 
 March 27, 2026  Posted by at 10:28 am Finance Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , ,  Add comments


John Falter The Windy City 1946


• Ukraine War Aid May Have Been Funneled to Biden Campaign, DNC (Matt Margolis)
• Ukraine Government Schemed To Funnel War Aid To Biden Campaign (ZH)
• Epic Fury Is a Favor for the World. Step Up and Deal With It (Sarah Anderson)
• Largest Fuel Price Crisis In History Is Approaching – Dmitriev (TASS)
• Trump’s Psychological Smackdown of Iran — and What Will Happen Next (Pinsker)
• Susan Kokinda Outlines the Shift in Strategic Alliances (CTH)
• Kevin O’Leary Tells Everyone to ‘Chillax’ Over Iran (Matt Margolis)
• Elon Musk Seeks To Remove Delaware Judge From His Cases (ZH)
• Are We Safe Anymore? (Ben Shapiro)
• “Don’t Be Evil”: Google’s Motto Becomes a Jury Verdict in Calfornia (Turley)
• Mike Flynn Reaches $1.25m Settlement With Feds Over Russia Collusion Hoax (JTN)
• The Economists Who Got It Right ((John Stossel)
• Armageddon, Iran War & Why Peace is Impossible (Martin Armstrong)
• Zelensky: Trump Pressuring Him To Give Up On Donbas And End War Soon
• Has Trump Let Netanyahu Destroy America? (Paul Craig Roberts)

 


 

https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2037134972583371094?s=20

 


 

 


 


My theory (and it’s mine) goes further than Margolis: The DNC specifically started and still maintains the Ukraine war as an instrument to finance its domestic activities. The amount of money that flows there is just about endless, and Europe will pay even more than the US. Major agency: USAID. It is perfect. And to think we were focusing on the corruption on the Ukraine side.

• Ukraine War Aid May Have Been Funneled to Biden Campaign, DNC (Matt Margolis)

Have you ever wondered why Joe Biden and the Democrats were so insistent that Congress send endless billions to Ukraine? Well, new declassified intel drops a bombshell that raises some troubling questions about it, and it stinks to high heaven. In 2022, U.S. spy agencies discovered Ukrainian officials were plotting to divert hundreds of millions in American taxpayer cash meant for clean energy projects to Joe Biden’s 2024 presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee.


“Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard recently learned of the intercepts and has asked the U.S. Agency for International Development officials to scour for records to see if the plot actually was carried out and whether a criminal referral should be made to the FBI,” Just the News reports. “Gabbard’s team has not found substantive evidence the intercepted allegations were thoroughly investigated during the Biden administration, and the communications are not believed to be tied to Russian disinformation efforts, officials said.” Gee, I wonder why the Biden administration didn’t investigate the funneling of millions of dollars to the Biden campaign?

“The Ukrainian Government and unspecified U.S. Government personnel, through USAID in Kyiv, reportedly developed a plan that would provide hundreds of millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars to fund an infrastructure project for Ukraine that would be used as a cover to send approximately 90% of funds allocated to the DNC to fund Joe Biden’s reelection campaign,” the report reads. USAID? You don’t say. Another piece of the puzzle comes into place.Remember when Democrats were freaking out about Donald Trump closing USAID last year? They claimed USAID was saving lives. I mean, sure, if by “saving lives” you mean “funneling millions in cash to Joe Biden and the Democratic Party,” sure.

“They were confident the project would be funded initially, even though at some time in the future the project would be disapproved as unnecessary,” the report continued. “At this time, the money would already be allocated and impossible to return or use for a different purpose.” The money was reportedly laundered through two American subcontractors as part of the scheme to divert the money to Democrat campaigns, making the source untraceable. “The plan included details of how subcontractors would be funded through U.S. companies so that how the funds were spent and allocated would be difficult to track.” What a system, right? Some shady contracts no one could audit, and poof — your Ukraine aid becomes Biden bucks. And the Biden administration made no effort to investigate, so it’s unclear how much money may have been diverted to Biden’s campaign or the DNC.

A lot of things are starting to make sense, aren’t they? Biden failed to stop Russia from invading Ukraine. Biden seemed unable to end the war, and, based on this new information, he had every financial incentive to let it continue. That’s why it always felt like he was demanding blank checks for Ukraine and pushing us closer to deeper involvement. Trump, however, has always had peace as his main objective and has actually been trying to negotiate an actual peace deal.

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“The cover-to-transfer pipeline was engineered for maximum opacity.” [..] .. most of the U.S. funding would be diverted to Joe Biden’s election campaign without the ability to track where exactly the funds came from..”

• Ukraine Government Schemed To Funnel War Aid To Biden Campaign (ZH)

According to a newly declassified intelligence report, U.S. intelligence agencies intercepted communications from Ukrainian government officials back in 2022 discussing a scheme to siphon off hundreds of millions in American taxpayer dollars. The funds, earmarked for clean energy projects in the war-torn country, were allegedly redirected to the United States to benefit Joe Biden’s 2024 reelection campaign and the Democratic National Committee. The report, obtained by Just the News, summarizes raw intercepts gathered by U.S. spy agencies in late 2022. Officials familiar with the material say the communications are not believed to be tied to Russian disinformation efforts. The declassified summary is very specific.


“The Ukrainian Government and unspecified U.S. Government personnel, through USAID in Kyiv, reportedly developed a plan that would provide hundreds of millions of US taxpayer dollars to fund an infrastructure project for Ukraine that would be used as a cover to send approximately 90% of funds allocated to the DNC to fund Joe Biden’s reelection campaign,” the document states. sThe mechanics described are textbook money-laundering architecture. “The plan included details of how subcontractors would be funded through U.S. companies so that how the funds were spent and allocated would be difficult to track,” the report explains. Two American subcontractors were named in the raw intercepts as conduits for funneling money toward Democratic coffers, though their identities remain redacted in the declassified version.

According to the Council on Foreign Relations, Ukraine became by far the top recipient of U.S. foreign aid after Russia’s invasion in February 2022 — the first time a European nation held that distinction since the Marshall Plan. As of December 31, 2025, Congress had made available $188 billion in Ukraine-related spending, with $164 billion flowing from just five pieces of legislation. The last of those bills passed in April 2024 — while Biden was actively campaigning for a second term.

What makes the alleged scheme particularly audacious is the built-in exit strategy. “They were confident the project would be funded initially, even though at some time in the future the project would be disapproved as unnecessary. At this time, the money would already be allocated and impossible to return or use for a different purpose,” the report added. In other words, the design assumed the fraud would eventually be discovered – and didn’t care. By then, the money would be gone and untraceable.

The cover-to-transfer pipeline was engineered for maximum opacity. “Additionally, contracts would be executed that would be difficult to verify. In this manner, most of the U.S. funding would be diverted to Joe Biden’s election campaign without the ability to track where exactly the funds came from,” the report read.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard recently learned of the intercepts and directed USAID officials to search agency records for evidence that the plot was actually carried out and to evaluate whether a criminal referral to the FBI is warranted. Perhaps the most disturbing find so far is that there is no substantive evidence that anyone during the Biden years made a serious effort to investigate what U.S. intelligence had intercepted. Officials reviewing the files noted a lack of investigative curiosity about allegations of foreign election interference.

Since President Trump took office, no new legislation authorizing additional spending for Ukraine has passed Congress. But now we need to find out how much of the funds for Ukraine were diverted to Biden’s campaign or the DNC, and whether the lack of an investigation reflects willful negligence, deliberate burial, or a conspiracy.

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“Like I said, very little of our energy comes through the Strait of Hormuz. It’s the world that has a great interest in that, so they should step up and deal with it..”

• Epic Fury Is a Favor for the World. Step Up and Deal With It (Sarah Anderson)

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke out on Operation Epic Fury twice on Thursday, first at Donald Trump’s Cabinet meeting and again before boarding a plane to head to Paris for the G7 Foreign Affairs Ministerial, where he’ll meet with world leaders to talk about security concerns, specifically the situation in the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine War. He’s made one thing clear: Iran was not, is not, and will not be a United States-only problem. It’s a world problem. And it’s time for other countries to step up. In what many on social media are calling a “mic drop” moment, Rubio started by laying out the most important issue: Iran has been at war with the United States for 47 years, killing and attacking United States citizens.


“And other presidents had an opportunity to do something about it, and they all warned about how Iran was dangerous, but they refused to act,” he said. “And this president’s not someone that’s going to refuse to act. He’s not going to leave a danger like this in place. He’s going to address it, and that is what he is doing.” He then went on to explain that the people running Iran are “religious fanatics” and there was really no other way to stop them. “They’re attacking embassies and hotels,” he said. “Imagine what these people would do if they had a nuclear weapon. That is an unacceptable risk for the world,” he said, adding, “By the way, the president’s not just doing a favor to the United States and to our people. This is for the world. He defined very clearly on the first night of this operation what the goal was.”

Before boarding his plane on Thursday afternoon, a reporter asked him specifically if he was going to ask the G7 to help with the Strait of Hormuz. While he wouldn’t get into the specifics, Rubio again pointed out that it’s in these other countries’ best interests to get involved because many of them get more of their oil from the Strait of Hormuz than the United States does. Another reporter asked about Trump criticizing NATO earlier on Thursday, and Rubio pointed out something that’s sort of been a theme of his and Trump’s foreign policy for the past year: The U.S. is tired of having to step in and help everyone else out without getting anything in return):

I think he just made an observation, and the observation is that the United States is constantly being asked to help in a war, and we have more than any other country in the world, on a war that’s happening in another continent, in Ukraine. But when the U.S. had a need, he didn’t get positive responses. So, right now he’s just making the observation that — I think it was a couple of the leaders in Europe who said that this was not Europe’s war. Well, Ukraine is not America’s war, and yet we’ve contributed more to that fight than any other country in the world. So, it’ll be something to examine that the President will have to take into account down the road.

A reporter later asked if he was worried about the reception he might get at the G7 meeting and whether he was afraid the other world leaders might not be “happy” with him. Rubio basically laughed in the face of the press. “Well, again, I’m not there to make them happy. I get along with all of them on a personal level, and we work with those governments very carefully, but the people I’m interested in making happy are the people of the United States,” he said. “That’s who I work for. I don’t work for France or Germany or Japan. These are all good people. We’re going to have great meetings…But I work for the people of the United States.”

Finally, someone asked if he plans to ask his G7 counterparts for help with Iran. “Well, it’s not help for us. Like I said, very little of our energy comes through the Strait of Hormuz. It’s the world that has a great interest in that, so they should step up and deal with it,” he said. Boom. I don’t have much else to add — I just love hearing real leadership in action. It’s something our country has been lacking for a long, long time. We aren’t the world’s babysitters, and it’s time some of these countries, especially in Europe, step up and do their fair share in this and numerous other matters.

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“Without a doubt, Russia is in the strongest position because we are a major producer not only of oil and gas, but also of fertilizers.”

• Largest Fuel Price Crisis In History Is Approaching – Dmitriev (TASS)

The most powerful crisis in fuel prices is approaching, which will lead to economic problems in the EU and the United Kingdom, presidential special representative for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries and CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund Kirill Dmitriev told reporters. “Discussions are now underway that it (oil — TASS) could cost $150 or even $200 per barrel. And why is this important? Because we have a number of very clear forecasts that we have also voiced regarding the European Union and the United Kingdom. They are very simple. We see that the most powerful energy crisis in the history of humanity is approaching. Neither Europe nor the UK is prepared for it at all. Moreover, they have shot themselves in the foot by abandoning Russian energy resources,” Dmitriev said.


He added that rising oil prices are positive for Russia, and Europe will beg for supplies. “Without a doubt, what is happening is generally positive for Russia, because our oil and gas reserves and our diversified supplies worldwide, including with a focus on BRICS countries, undoubtedly strengthen Russia’s position on global markets. Russia will certainly receive many requests from Europe and from the UK to obtain Russian energy resources and will decide whether to provide them or not. But our prediction is very clear — that Europe and the UK will beg for Russian energy resources, and Russia will make the appropriate decisions or choose not to,” Dmitriev said.

At the same time, Russia is in the strongest position on the global energy and fertilizer markets, Dmitriev told reporters. “Without a doubt, Russia is in the strongest position because we are a major producer not only of oil and gas, but also of fertilizers. And now a crisis is beginning in the fertilizers and agricultural sector markets. Therefore, Russia is currently in a very strong position,” Dmitriev said.

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“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle”

—Sun Tzu, The Art of War

• Trump’s Psychological Smackdown of Iran — and What Will Happen Next (Pinsker)

If you could distill PR and marketing to a single sentence, it’d be, “What do I gotta say so you’ll do what I want?” Meaning, it’s 100% outcome based: Theories are fun, but reality is the ultimate litmus test. Which is why, to build a PR war plan, we only need three ingredients:
• An honest, accurate assessment of where we are today.
• An honest, accurate assessment of what motivates our target audience.
• A clear picture of where we want to be tomorrow (i.e., what “victory” looks like).


That’s it. All the rest is simply a roadmap between today and tomorrow (sprinkled with tactics, measurables, and mile markers). If you know where you are and where you’d like to be, everything else falls into place. “Know the enemy and know yourself” — Sun Tzu would’ve rocked at PR. The Iraq War introduced the phrase “shock and awe” into the public lexicon, relying on the PR power of big booming bombs. Undoubtedly, the psychological impact was significant; how could it not be? Whereas the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war in Iran was surely shocking and aweing to many Iranian mullahs (especially all the dead ones), it probably pales in comparison to either Iraq war. Iran, after all, is nearly four times larger geographically, and in Iraq, more air forces were running more bombing raids.

Stands to reason that more bombs in a smaller area would be more shocking and awe-inspiring. Plus, today’s U.S. and Israeli bombs and missiles are increasingly targeted, “smart,” and ultra-precise. In the Persian Gulf War, barely 9% of our bombs were smart bombs. It’s unclear what percent of U.S. and Israeli bombs are currently “smart,” but it’s certainly a much larger number. It’s also unclear what that means: Are ultra-precise, target-specific bombs and missiles MORE psychologically devastating? Or do larger quantities of randomly-landing bombs and missiles deliver a heavier psychological blow? These are relevant questions because war is a tool — a means to an end. And the endpoint we’re trying to reach is for the Iranian regime to capitulate, stand down, and cede to President Donald Trump’s demands.

Like Carl von Clausewitz said, “War is politics by other means.” Both Bush presidencies relied purely on military hardware to crack the enemy’s resolve. Their strategy was straightforward, loud, and booming — just like the bombs themselves. But one of the things that differentiates President Trump from his predecessors is his outside-the-box thinking. More than any other president in the past 100 years, he’s willing to try new and novel ways to slice the Gordian knot. Both Bushes were creatures of the status quo, but the current president marches to his own drummer. From tariffs to Greenland to “Governor Trudeau” to the Gulf of America, he’s unusually gifted at weaponizing psychological PR tactics.

The English used to be the best at it. From intercepting and publicizing Napoleon’s love letters to their Andrew Dice Clay-esque nursery rhymes about Adolf Hitler’s unfortunate deformities, they were so good at it, Joseph Stalin said at the 1943 Tehran(!) Conference that World War II would be won with “British brains, American steel, and Soviet Blood.” That was then. Today, U.S. intelligence and Israeli ingenuity have supplanted the Brits at psychological warfare. America’s capabilities are unrivaled anywhere in the world, and Israel’s winning streak of innovative psychological victories — perhaps most notably, its “Grim Beeper” operation that decapitated Hezbollah — keeps growing.

According to some reports, it was American intelligence that learned of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s secret meeting with Iranian leaders; others credit Israel. Either way, the combination of Mossad + IDF + CIA + U.S. Armed Forces has rattled Iran to its core.In fact, the Wall Street Journal reports that the Israelis are actually chatting with high-ranking Iranians:The Journal reviewed the contents of one call between a senior Iranian police commander and an agent of the Mossad, Israel’s foreign-intelligence service. “Can you hear me?” a Mossad agent can be heard, speaking in Farsi. “We know everything about you. You are on our blacklist, and we have all the information about you.” “OK,” the commander said in the recording. “I called to warn you in advance that you should stand with your people’s side,” the Mossad agent said. “And if you will not do that, your destiny will be as your leader. Do you hear me?”

“Brother, I swear on the Quran, I’m not your enemy,” the commander said. “I’m a dead man already. Just please come help us.”

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“.. the U.K., EU, and NATO are absent and increasingly irrelevant.”

• Susan Kokinda Outlines the Shift in Strategic Alliances (CTH)

The rebranded Lyndon LaRouche PAC has another good outline on the new strategic alliances assembled by President Trump as the ongoing conflict with Iran continues. Susan Kokinda reviews how the United Kingdom and Europe have been sidelined as President Trump directly negotiates with key stakeholders in the middle east and Asia. Kokinda correctly notes the messaging from Russia indicates a strategic awareness that old systems are fracturing and the potential for new strategic alliances is rising.


“Susan Kokinda argues President Trump has opened a new diplomatic space to de-escalate the Iran conflict by working through a regional roster—Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan, Gulf States, and back channels into Iran—while the U.K., EU, and NATO are absent and increasingly irrelevant. Citing reporting that ministers met in Riyadh and that Egypt, Turkey, and Oman carried messages, she says this “Board of Peace” architecture is isolating Iran and weakening its proxies, pointing to Lebanon’s move against Hezbollah, the Palestinian Authority’s condemnation of Iran, and Hamas considering disarmament. Kokinda links Europe’s exclusion to self-inflicted energy weakness from Green and anti-Russia policies, noting rushed LNG moves and a delayed Russian oil ban vote. She concludes Ukraine’s outlook darkens as Europe and Britain lack leverage, highlighting Zelenskyy’s scramble for support in London and Washington.”


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“Donald Trump is finally eliminating the threat posed by Iran once and for all after decades of inaction from presidents from both parties..”

• Kevin O’Leary Tells Everyone to ‘Chillax’ Over Iran (Matt Margolis)

Kevin O’Leary has a message for everyone losing their minds over Operation Epic Fury and its potential economic fallout: chillax! The Shark Tank investor and business mogul appeared on Fox News to push back against the growing chorus of voices warning that U.S. military action against Iran is about to tank the economy. He began by framing the situation inside Iran in stark human terms, arguing that the status quo — for Iranians — is already unsustainable. “Everybody in the region wants to get Iran on board for peace and growth, and even the people there, they want the same thing. You’ve got 250,000 people making sixty million miserable. That’s not a long-term solution either,” O’Leary said. “That’s just in Iran. That’s why you’ve got to take the long view, and the long view here could be just sixty days.”


O’Leary wasn’t buying it — and he had the numbers to back up his claim. “Remember, to affect the US economy, you need oil. I’m talking about recession talk, or hurting the economy, or damaging small business. You need oil at over $93 for three months. We’re only one-third into it,” O’Leary said. “So, everybody, chillax and let this thing play out. There’s a really big opportunity here, a huge one, and everybody gets the upside, including all our trading partners.” That’s the core of his argument. If there’s anything that can trigger a recession, it’s high oil prices, but they haven’t hit the threshold that historically triggers real damage to the U.S. economy. Heck, prices aren’t nearly as bad as they were under Biden, so there’s not much reason to press the panic button.

In fact, the panic, in his view, is premature at best and wildly overblown at worst. One-third of the way through a potential sixty-day window, the doomsday crowd is jumping the gun. But O’Leary didn’t stop at defending the economics of the moment. He zoomed out and argued that a successful resolution could trigger a massive wave of trade deals across the Middle East and beyond. “We work this out, we’re selling stuff to Saudi Arabia, we’re selling it to the UAE, we’re selling it to Asia, we’re selling it to Japan,” he said. That’s a lot of markets. And O’Leary’s point is that critics are so focused on the short-term noise that they’re completely missing the long-term prize. For O’Leary, this whole moment needs to be looked at differently. “This is a huge opportunity,” he said. “I just see it for what it is. It’s history being made.”

History is being made. While the panickers on the left flood cable news with recession warnings, O’Leary is looking at an entirely different map that spells huge economic opportunity for us. So, don’t listen to the left. They want this to be an economic and political disaster for President Donald Trump, and they’ll never stop pretending that it is.

Editor’s Note: Donald Trump is finally eliminating the threat posed by Iran once and for all after decades of inaction from presidents from both parties.

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Just like Trump. The law is only what you want it to be.

• Elon Musk Seeks To Remove Delaware Judge From His Cases (ZH)

Lawyers for Elon Musk and Tesla are seeking to have a Delaware judge removed from cases involving them, arguing her neutrality could be questioned after her LinkedIn account “liked” a post about Musk losing a recent trial in California, according to Financial Times. Musk’s firm said the interaction with the “inflammatory” post created “a perception of bias against Mr. Musk in these cases, recusal is necessary and warranted”. The post referred to a federal case where a jury concluded Musk had defrauded Twitter investors, a decision that could cost him billions if it stands. A consultant who worked with the plaintiffs even took a jab at Musk and his legal team in that same thread.


Judge Kathaleen McCormick responded that she didn’t realize the post had been liked until LinkedIn alerted her. She stated: “I either did not click the ‘support’ icon at all, or I did so accidentally. I do not believe that I did it accidentally,” suggesting uncertainty about how it happened. FT writes that the situation is another chapter in Musk’s strained relationship with Delaware’s courts. McCormick has previously ruled against him, including decisions to void Tesla’s massive $56bn compensation package—though it was later reinstated on appeal despite agreement with some of her criticisms.

Musk has long expressed distrust of the state’s judiciary, even relocating Tesla’s incorporation to Texas. During a prior dispute with Twitter, he told jurors: “We were unlikely to win the case in Delaware because the judge [McCormick] was extremely biased against me.” McCormick still oversees a separate Tesla-related case tied to shareholder claims about excessive director pay. She said she will consider stepping aside and also noted that she lost access to her LinkedIn account after the incident. The controversy reflects wider concerns about judges’ activity on social media. In 2025, another Delaware judge stepped away from LinkedIn after facing backlash over his posts.

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The fear of fear?

• Are We Safe Anymore? (Ben Shapiro)

It’s time to ask some serious questions. As spring travel ramps up, a record 171 million Americans are expected to take to the skies. Airports will be crowded, security lines long, and for many travelers, a fundamental question will linger: Are we safe? That question extends far beyond the airport terminal. It surfaces at the southern border, in major American cities, and in the wake of tragedies like the killing of 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman in Chicago. Gorman, a student at Loyola University, was shot and killed while walking with friends along a pier in Rogers Park. According to prosecutors, the group encountered a man hiding near a lighthouse. As they fled, he allegedly opened fire, striking Gorman in the back. Authorities say the suspect, a Venezuelan national, had previously entered the United States illegally and had prior contact with law enforcement before being released.


The case has reignited debate over immigration enforcement, sanctuary policies and public safety. Critics argue that policies limiting cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities can have serious consequences. Chicago’s sanctuary status, they note, restricts such coordination. In this instance, the suspect had reportedly been arrested on suspicion of shoplifting months earlier but was not turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Supporters of stricter enforcement contend that more consistent cooperation could prevent repeat offenses. They argue that when individuals who are in the country unlawfully are released after prior arrests, the system has failed to mitigate potential risks.

Others, however, caution against drawing broad conclusions from a single case. Some local officials have emphasized the complexity of crime and the need to avoid politicizing individual tragedies. Chicago leaders have also reiterated longstanding concerns about overreliance on incarceration, arguing that deeper social issues contribute to violence. Still, the divide is stark. On one side are those who believe enforcement — whether at the border or within cities — must be strengthened to ensure public safety. On the other are those who argue that enforcement alone cannot address the root causes of crime and that policy responses must be broader in scope.

Meanwhile, the political backdrop adds another layer of tension. A funding dispute affecting the Department of Homeland Security has raised concerns about staffing and operations, including airport security. Reports of long TSA lines have only heightened public anxiety, even as federal officials work to manage the strain. Even traditionally critical voices have acknowledged that personnel shifts, including assistance from other federal agencies, have helped ease some delays. But for many Americans, the broader question remains unresolved.

Public safety — whether in neighborhoods, at the border or in transit hubs — continues to be one of the most powerful forces shaping political opinion. Incidents like the killing of Gorman bring that concern into sharp focus, forcing policymakers and the public alike to confront difficult questions about accountability, enforcement and priorities. As millions prepare to board planes in the coming weeks, those questions won’t be easily dismissed. And for voters, they may prove decisive.

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“For now, it will be left to the courts, not these companies, “to do the right thing” on social media liability.”

• “Don’t Be Evil”: Google’s Motto Becomes a Jury Verdict in Calfornia (Turley)

Google once had a motto: “Don’t be evil.” In its reorganization in 2015, the motto was changed to “Do the right thing.” According to a California jury this week, neither motto stuck.In a historic verdict against both Google and Meta, a jury found that the companies maliciously designed their social media products to addict children, including the plaintiff, who was known only as Kaley or KGM. The jury heard testimony of efforts to “target” young users and feed an addiction to social media and YouTube. The jury awarded Kaley $3 million in compensatory damages divided between Meta (70%) and Google (30%). It then awarded another $3 million in punitive damages.


Those damages are nothing to companies worth billions. However, the verdict was like a dinner gong for plaintiffs lawyers. There are already thousands of cases filed against social media companies. That wave is about to become a tsunami. That is particularly the case after companies like TikTok and Snap settled before trial. In addition to this civil verdict, the New Mexico Attorney General secured a $375 million verdict the same week against Meta under the state’s consumer protection laws.But it will be a very long time before these companies cut a check. The California case is rife with compelling appellate issues that will take years to work out. Indeed, what makes this case so intriguing — and even more tempting for plaintiffs’ lawyers — is that it was actually not the strongest case.

The 17-year-old in California started using social media at age 6. Kaley had a troubled childhood with problems at home and bullying at school. She experienced depression, anxiety, and body dysmorphia that could be linked to other aspects of her life. Her use of social media was extreme: all-consuming and all-day. Meta argued that it does prohibit users under 13 from using any of its platforms. YouTube offers different platforms for children, like YouTube Kids.However, Kaley created dozens of accounts to drive her “likes” and increase her virtual interactions.The trial showed how complex such cases are in isolating what was the most substantial factor in Kaley’s harmful childhood. The case stretched the concepts of factual and legal causation to the breaking point.

I have taught torts for over 30 years and, in my view, the causation in this case is dubious. Even with tobacco, there was protracted litigation over other sources of cancer. However, that litigation was relatively straightforward in comparison to cases seeking to assign liability for depression, anxiety, or body dysmorphia. Children are bombarded with social and media imagery and messages from myriad sources. At the same time, many (like Kaley) come from homes with troubling or abusive elements.The companies have previously asserted immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934. These lawyers found a creative way to evade that immunity by claiming they are challenging the design of “the product” of social media companies, not suing over the specific content that appears on their sites.

That may prove too clever by half for some judges. Product liability law has previously been used to circumvent constitutional or legal barriers, as in the unsuccessful product liability and nuisance cases against gun manufacturers. Section 230 is designed to protect internet companies that serve as platforms for third-party postings. Here, the lawyers are arguing that you have immunity for what is posted, but your system itself is a product that is subject to a lawsuit. In finding negligence and a failure to warn, the jury clearly agreed with the complaint that the design of the sites was maliciously intended to create “a compulsion to engage with those products nonstop,” feeding “harmful and depressive content.” However, it is a difficult line between marketing and targeting.

It is not clear what warning these social media companies should offer beyond what they have previously posted. More importantly, it is unclear whether such warnings would have any impact on users.If Meta warned that social media can be addictive or harmful, would it have deterred Kaley? Her mother already tried to block her from such usage.There is no question that social media has a hold on children and adults because they like it. It allows them to create, observe, and communicate with an unprecedented range of people and sites. The question is whether this compulsive conduct reflects an intentional effort to addict minors or a product that is irresistible for many. The only certainty after these verdicts is that there will be more of them. As soon as this verdict was read, the “likes” from plaintiffs’ lawyers flooded in across social media. Those trials will continue despite great uncertainty about the very foundation of any liability.

For now, it will be left to the courts, not these companies, “to do the right thing” on social media liability.

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Yeah, he feels a tad better. But it’s nothing to do with justice. Lock up those responsible! They walk free now as the state pays their fines. IT IS Insane!

• Mike Flynn Reaches $1.25m Settlement With Feds Over Russia Collusion Hoax (JTN)

Retired General Mike Flynn on Wednesday settled his lawsuit accusing the federal government of malicious prosecution during the now-discredited Russia collusion case and will receive $1.25 million in compensation. Flynn, who was forced to resign as President Donald Trump’s first national security advisor after a stellar career as a three-star general, overseeing the Defense Intelligence Agency, told Just the News he felt vindicated by the settlement after enduring what he called “the Russian Hoax FBI lawfare against me.” “Nothing can fully compensate for the hell that my family and I have endured over these many years—the relentless attacks, the destruction of reputations, the financial ruin, and the profound personal toll inflicted upon us all,” he said.


“No amount of money or formal resolution can erase the pain caused by a prosecution that should never have been brought.” “This ordeal stemmed from partisan government officials in a coordinated effort to pursue an innocent man as part of a broader campaign to undermine President Trump and his administration. It was a relentless, partisan pursuit that weaponized federal law enforcement in a brazen and unjust manner,” he said. Flynn sued the DOJ for $50 million in 2023 for malicious and politicized prosecution by Special Prosecutor Robert Muel Flynn thanked the Trump DOJ for entering into a settlement.

“Yet this settlement goes far in demonstrating that the current Department of Justice—under the leadership of President Trump, Attorney General Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Blanche, and other dedicated departmental leaders—is committed to bringing accountability for the bad acts of those partisan actors. It marks a meaningful step toward righting a profound wrong,” he said. “There should never again be such a brazen attempt to weaponize federal law enforcement against political opponents or innocent citizens. It is essential that we remain guardians of the rule of law. A huge part of that guardianship is accountability—holding those who abuse power to answer for their actions.”

Flynn’s lawyer, Jesse Binnall, said Flynn “is an American hero and he and his family should have never been put through this hell. That they had the courage to stand firm and fight back against the extremists in the Mueller investigation should be a testament to the strength of American character. “In this agreement, the Justice Department is doing more than simply cutting a check, they are admitting that General Flynn was seriously wronged,” he added.

Read more …

“Hayek and Mises were right. The socialist planners are wrong.”

• The Economists Who Got It Right ((John Stossel)

Politicians say they can “make the economy work better.” I once believed they could. But years of reporting taught me that politicians’ attempts to “fix” the economy usually make things worse. Twenty years ago, Republicans and Democrats helped create the Great Recession by telling government-backed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to buy more peoples’ mortgages because, as President George W. Bush put it, “Owning a home is a part of (the American) dream.” But that guarantee inspired lenders to approve dubious mortgages, given to riskier borrowers.Housing prices shot up in a government-created bubble. When many people stopped making mortgage payments and the housing bubble burst, we got the Great Recession.


It’s just one example of what Austrian economists Friedrich Hayek and Ludwig von Mises wrote about years ago. In “The Fatal Conceit,” Hayek writes, “The curious task of economics is to demonstrate to men how little they really know about what they imagine they can design.” Mises’ “Human Action” points out that all economics start with individuals making purposeful choices. That “human action” determines prices, and markets coordinate the most efficient use of resources. But the media believed the socialists. The New Republic wrote: “the major task of our civilization is … to organize our great economic organs.” On the contrary, wrote Hayek: “To follow socialist morality would destroy much of present humankind and impoverish much of the rest.”

He was right. Every socialist government, everywhere, has failed. They fail because no political leader can ever know as much as millions of individuals doing our own thing. “That’s the idea that Mises’ introduced to the world,” says Ryan McMaken of the Mises Institute. “Central planning doesn’t work because everybody has different ideas for themselves, wants to do different things with their property. If you take away their ability to do what they want, it eventually causes great impoverishment.”I assumed belief in socialism would die when the Soviet Union did — but bizarrely, it hasn’t. Recently, young people helped elect socialist mayors in Seattle and New York City. They promise rent control and government-run grocery stores.

“We don’t have to look any further than Mises to find an excellent explanation of why that doesn’t work,” says McMaken in my new video. Unfortunately, Mises and Hayek were never as popular as economists pushing central planning and government spending.”There’s a big advantage that the people who are in favor of inflation and more government regulation have. Everyone in government wants that same thing,” says McMaken. “‘Like to spend? Like to regulate the economy? Boy, have we got an economic theory for you.’ (That) of course became instantly popular with people in government.”And popular with the public. “Because the public wants government to spend on them as well!” says McMaken.

“Here was an economic theory telling them the government can give you boatloads of welfare nonstop forever and there’s no downside. … The reality is that there is a downside: recessions, unemployment, inflation and falling real wages.” We got that in the 1970s, after years of spending on President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “Great Society” programs. In total, American taxpayers have spent $30 trillion in the name of reducing poverty. Politicians said government agencies would spend the money efficiently. They rarely did, and the deficit spending contributed to 15% inflation.

“People then saw, ‘Everything we’ve been told for the last 30 years about managing the economy isn’t really true,'” says McMaken. “When you start to inflate the money supply, it sows the seeds for a future economic collapse. That is the cause of everything we’ve seen over the last century. It is Mises’ work that explains why the Great Depression happened … We have to study the economic side of things because if we don’t … we can’t see the ways that the state is ripping us off.” Hayek and Mises were right. The socialist planners are wrong. Books like “The Fatal Conceit”, “The Road to Serfdom” and “Human Action,” although I couldn’t get through all of it, are well worth reading today.

Read more …

Armstrong lost faith in Trump.

• Armageddon, Iran War & Why Peace is Impossible (Martin Armstrong)

The Neocons running the Trump administration, as always, are a complete failure when it comes to thinking strategically about Iran or even the Middle East in general. Emails we receive from industry colleagues often mix statements with reality, and uncertainty about the future of a conflict is causing historic supply disruptions and upending industry planning. If Trump declares victory and pulls back the U.S. military, Iran would then say that it owns the Strait and declare victory. Rumors have circulated that Iran would then impose a tax on any ship passing through the Strait, perhaps resulting in a resumption of this crisis.


The overall U.S. and Israeli strategic objectives for Iran remain questionable. What I do know is that there was a private phone call in which Netanyahu manipulated Trump, stressing that he could “make history” by toppling the Ayatollah regime and taking revenge for Iranian efforts to assassinate him, which was central in Trump’s decision to strike when he did.The classic Neocon claim that America can fight a markedly limited war, and engage in airplane targetry, has never worked even once, and it only demonstrates their dishonest lack of strategy to sell these endless wars. Claiming that naval protection of ships is absurd, for that would prove an impossible challenge and leave major vulnerabilities for the US Navy. That is no more invincible than Israel’s Iron Dome.

Trump’s threats to target Iran’s energy sector over the Strait of Hormuz would have only escalated tensions if Iran had not reopened the Strait in 48 hours. He had to back down and then claim he was in talks with Iran, which they instantly denied. I have some info that Trump has gone to Pakistan to present a 15-point peace proposal, which may sidestep Netanyahu. However, I have sources who have also said IRAN will no longer deal with Steve Witkoff, or Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, both of whom are Jewish, and clearly a very serious affront to Iran and a major appearance of a conflict of interest. They have to be the worst possible people to negotiate with Iran, given the hatred that Netanyahu has publicly made clear about Iran.

Furthermore, the claims that the United States won the war against Iran within the first hour of military action and that the conflict quickly tilted in favor of the USA were also bravado. However, President Trump also said that American forces would remain deployed until the mission was complete. This has been proven to be just boastfulness and fake news. They also claimed that they destroyed most of Iran’s missile capacity. Yet, Iran launched waves of missiles at Israel on Tuesday, a day after U.S. President Trump said there had been “very good and productive” talks aiming at halting the war unleashed and unprovoked by the U.S. and Israel.

History is not going to come down in Trump’s favor. A year ago, in late March 2025, the U.S. Intelligence Community assessed that “Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and that [Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has not reauthorized the nuclear weapons program he suspended in 2003.” However, in a congressional hearing about that assessment, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard also said, “Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile is at its highest levels and is unprecedented for a state without nuclear weapons.” Trump instead used Netanyahu’s bogus claims. They never had a missile that could reach the United States, Europe, yes, but not the United States.

That calls into question the Neocon/Netanyahu lies to start this war, just as the Weapons of Mass Destruction never existed in Iraq. They need to lie and create an immediate threat to circumvent Congress, and the last “war” was World War II. Everything else has been an abuse of executive power instigated by the Neocons. Trump is sending in troops, and Iran replied – come closer.

The Western press propaganda shows a ballistic missile being intercepted by Israel. What they fail to explain is that an Iranian Ballistic Missile costs $300,000 or less, while the Israeli interceptors cost $2-$3 million each. Israel typically launches at least 3 interceptors per Iranian missile, and some have said up to 6 interceptors have been fired. A Sling interceptor costs about $1 million each, and an Iron Dome interceptor costs $50,000 each. Iran is bleeding the West dry, and even Taiwan has expressed concern that the US is using its entire stockpile of cruise missiles, meaning they cannot be defended.

Read more …

See this in the light of the opening article. How he is financed.

• Zelensky: Trump Pressuring Him To Give Up On Donbas And End War Soon

With the Ukraine war now marching into its fifth year, and with the next weather-driven “fighting season” underway, a frustrated Ukrainian President Volydymyr Zelensky says the Trump administration is pressuring him to give up the Donbas region in exchange for US security guarantees. He also claims that Russia is offering to stop providing intelligence to Iran if the United States stops giving intel to Ukraine. Last week, we reported that trilateral talks about the Ukraine war had been suspended, thanks to the United States now having to focus on executing Trump’s war on Iran with Israel. However, in an interview with Reuters, Zelensky said that Trump is now pressuring Ukraine to cave on its biggest demand just to wipe the war off his to-do list.


In his 2024 campaign, Trump told voters that he’d have the war settled “before I even arrive at the Oval Office.” “The Middle East definitely has an impact on President Trump, and I think on his next steps. President Trump, unfortunately, in my opinion, still chooses a strategy to put more pressure on the Ukrainian side,” he told Reuters. The principal thrust of that pressure: Ukraine giving up on its demand that the eastern Donbas region be returned to Ukraine, in exchange for US security guarantees for what’s left of the Ukraine after the shooting stops. Comprising the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, the great majority of the Donbas is already under Russian military control.


In addition to all of Luhansk and most of Donetsk, the Russian army has secured most of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts that lie to Donbas’ southwes “The Americans are prepared to finalize these guarantees at a high level once Ukraine is ready to withdraw from Donbas,” Zelensky said, adding that such a move would leave Ukraine and Europe vulnerable to Russian aggression, because ceding Donbas would also cede key defensive terrain. Zelensky also bemoaned what he says is an insufficient supply of interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems. “We were not stopped from deliveries. I’m very grateful to President Trump, and to his team, but this supply of Patriot missiles is not as large as we need.”

That gripe comes as both US and Israeli interceptor missile supplies are being rapidly diminished in responding to wave after wave of Iranian attacks — weeks after White House boasts that Tehran’s ballistic missile capability had been “functionally destroyed.” Meanwhile, Ukraine has apparently come up with an alternative air defense tactic straight out of a video game: mZelensky also claimed that his military intelligence had acquired “irrefutable” evidence that Russia is sharing intelligence with Iran, as the country continues to defend itself in the war launched by Israel and the United States on Feb. 28. What’s more, he claimed Putin is using that as a bargaining chip to persuade Trump to acknowledge Russian sovereignty over Donbas:

“I have reports from our intelligence services showing that Russia is doing this and saying: ‘I will not pass on intelligence to Iran if America stops passing intelligence to Ukraine.’ Isn’t that blackmail? Absolutely.” This latest stirring of the pot by Zelensky comes on the heels of Russia launching the largest 24-hour aerial attack since the Feb 2022 Russian invasion. Counting both drones and cruise missiles, 979 warheads poured into Ukrainian airspace, with about half of them coming in a very rare broad-daylight blitz on Tuesday. While we can’t verify its authenticity, this video seemingly shows that Trump isn’t the only one who’s unenthusiastic about Zelensky’s pipe dream of retaking the Donbas:

https://twitter.com/Panchenko_X/status/2036810754758754336

Read more …

” As the Democrat Sodom & Gomorrah Tower of Babel regime that succeeds Trump returns to office, it will be Netanyahu who destroyed America.”

What, not Hillary? Obama?

• Has Trump Let Netanyahu Destroy America? (Paul Craig Roberts)

Donald Trump’s reelection as President was a hopeful development for Americans. Obama and Biden had dismantled America with open borders and DEI. Millions of people were walking into the country claiming health, food, and housing benefits. Merit was cast aside, and a system of race and gender privileges had taken the place of merit and equality under law. White heterosexual males had become second class citizens. Trump’s win was convincing. He found himself with a majority of the Supreme Court. Republicans had the House and Senate, although by narrow margins. AI and data centers were invigorating the economy. Trump pardoned the wrongfully convicted Jan 6 “insurrectionists.” The Justice Department was pursuing the Democrat officials who had weaponized law and committed felonies. The border was being closed. It looked like America would be put back on its feet.


But before the chance at renewal could be set in stone, Netanyahu and the Zionist Lobby intervened. Trump was moved from MAGA to MIGA. Trump gave American approval to the Israeli genocide of Palestine. He fortified the genocide with American money, weapons, and diplomatic cover. He attacked Iran for Israel twice. The first time after Israel’s attempt failed to destroy Iranian uranium enrichment capability used only for peaceful purposes, not for weapons. The second Trump attack on Iran was as Netanyahu’s partner in a sneak military attack on Iran, thus initiating a major war that has not turned out to be the cake walk Trump promised.

Currently the war is going against Israeli-America. Iran has demonstrated staying power and that its missiles can penetrate Israeli-American defenses. US air and naval bases in the Persian Gulf have been badly damaged, some apparently put out of action, and oil sheikdoms that hosted the American bases have had their energy facilities destroyed. Iran has demonstrated that Israeli-America cannot protect Dimona, the site of Israel’s nuclear facilities and weapons. The Gulf of Hormuz is selectively open according to Iran’s decision. Iran has demonstrated that its missiles can hit Diego Garcia and Crete, resulting in the removal of US carriers long distances from the conflict, thus reducing the effectiveness of range-limited fighter aircraft. The insecurity that the war has brought to gas and oil facilities has raised energy prices, binging inflation in its wake. On top of it all, it appears that, confident of quick victory, Netanyahu and Trump initiated a major war unprepared and whose interceptor missiles have run out, but Iran’s attack missiles have not.

Trump does not know what to do. His ultimatum to Iran expired last Monday, but Trump extended it 5 days. There is speculation that either he is creating conditions for declaring victory and going home or is stalling for time to assemble sufficient forces for an invasion, if not of the Iranian vast land mass then of Kharg Island. In other words, Trump is weighing up his choices: to declare victory and leave or to go in deeper. There are reports that Trump has ordered US Marines and paratroops to be sent to bases in the area. If so, it remains to be seen if Iran will strike the troops in their bases before they can invade. The number of American soldiers being sent is not sufficient for a land invasion force. If the intent is to occupy Kharg Island, how do the soldiers arrive alive? If they do arrive, what are they supposed to do, and how do they get out alive?

Considering the total failure of Pentagon planning for the war, it seems we are looking at more unaddressed questions. Meanwhile, the domestic agenda has fallen apart. The prosecutions of New York Attorney General Leticia James, James Comey, and the coterie of Democrat officials who framed Trump supporters and did their best to imprison and dispossess Donald Trump has gone by the wayside. It seems that the Democrats will not be held accountable for weaponizing law, thus leaving weaponized law unchallenged for future use.

With Trump’s attention directed elsewhere by Netanyahu, Minneapolis and Minnesota were able to defeat Trump’s deportation attempt. Moreover the Democrats refused to fund the Department of Homeland Security, thus closing down TSA airport security. Lines to board flights, thanks to Democrats, became four hours long. People missed their flights and connections and confusion reigned. What did Trump do? Did he point to the Democrats? No. Trump pulled ICE off of deportations and assigned them to take the place of TSA. In other words, Trump pulled the Democrats’ bacon out of the fire for them.

It is difficult to imagine a mistake of this magnitude if Trump was not preoccupied by the war Netanyahu, “America’s Greatest Friend,” roped him into. Having been roped into Netanyahu’s war for Greater Israel, Trump is trapped between a rock and a hard place. Thinking the war would be over in three days, no planning was done and Iranian capability was dramatically underestimated. Midterm US elections are on the scene. Trump has stupidly fractured his MAGA movement. He cannot survive politically with a war defeat. How does he obtain a victory? Will nuclear weapons be his and Netanyahu’s alternative to defeat by Iran?

Trump, so determined to demonstrate his support for Israel, this time faces impeachment and conviction and subsequent prosecution if Democrats regain control of Congress. If so, Donald Trump becomes the fall guy for Netanyahu. Trump will be blamed, but it is Netanyahu and Israel’s powerful Zionist Lobby that rules America who took Trump to war. As the Democrat Sodom & Gomorrah Tower of Babel regime that succeeds Trump returns to office, it will be Netanyahu who destroyed America.

Read more …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Home › Forums › Debt Rattle March 27 2026

Viewing 39 posts - 41 through 79 (of 79 total)
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  • Author
    Posts
  • March 27, 2026 at 3:50 pm #236388
    chooch
    Participant

    March 27, 2026 at 3:55 pm #236389
    D Benton Smith
    Participant

    America says to Iran, “Let’s work something out so that we can stop fighting.”
    Iran says to America, “You can stop fighting anytime you want to, but we’re going to keep going until you leave and pay for what you broke.”

    March 27, 2026 at 4:01 pm #236390
    zerosum
    Participant

    https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/israel-largest-tank-losses-40yrs-ambushes-21-merkava

    Israeli Army Takes Heaviest Tank Losses in Over 40 Years as Hezbollah Ambushes Destroy 21 Merkavas in One Day
    Middle East , Ground , Battlefield
    Military Watch Magazine Editorial Staff
    March-26th-2026
    ———–

    March 27, 2026 at 4:04 pm #236391
    zerosum
    Participant

    https://x.com/tphuang/status/2036781313609322894?s=46

    Looks like China has worked out process w/ Iran. COSCO Shipping is restarting services to UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait & Iraq.

    If COSCO is the only operator to these countries, it can charge quite the premium & this benefits Chinese exporters over others.

    Posted by: UWDude | Mar 27 2026 11:01 utc | 549

    March 27, 2026 at 4:05 pm #236392
    D Benton Smith
    Participant

    If you don’t make them pay for what they broke, to the last penny, then they will simply use those ill gotten gains to invest in having another go at stealing everything. Maybe a thief who can’t steal enough to buy food or pay rent will be forced by necessity to find more honorable forms of employment, and if not then at least he’s broke and can’t finance bigger trouble.

    March 27, 2026 at 4:05 pm #236393
    zerosum
    Participant

    The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that it prevented three container ships from passing through the Strait of Hormuz earlier on Friday, forcing them to turn back after issuing warnings.

    In a statement, the force said the move came in response to “false claims” by Donald Trump regarding the opening of the strait.

    According to the statement, three container ships from different countries attempted to enter a designated shipping route used by vessels with permits to transit the strait.

    The statement added that ships heading to ports belonging to allies or supporters of the “Zionist and American enemies” would not be allowed to pass through the strait, regardless of their route or destination.

    Posted by: UWDude | Mar 27 2026 11:02 utc | 550

    March 27, 2026 at 4:10 pm #236394
    zerosum
    Participant

    https://robcampbell.substack.com/p/iran-war-summary-week-four
    Iran War Summary: Week Four
    27th March 2026
    Dr. Rob Campbell

    March 27, 2026 at 4:10 pm #236395
    kultsommer
    Participant

    DBS.
    My ex-bro parents were in their general appearance and what everybody say, perfectly normal folks. Until…
    After divorce from my sister, he married single J-mom with the daughter (father non-present) and they embraced her and the kid like they never did with their “own blood” in the form of my niece and nephew.
    Aside from “their” presence in just about any mischief and swindle and out of proportion influx in all powerful institutions, that also inspired me to look close into that group. What I am looking is hardly a flattering picture.
    True, psychos are in every human group, but read again what I’ve just written.

    March 27, 2026 at 4:11 pm #236396
    kultsommer
    Participant

    One does not need Kennedy or MAHA to tell us what poisons are in the product generously offered to us. On endless YT commercials the maker of the “new products” tells you all that you need to know about, poison wise, in the “old product”, In some time, the maker of an even “newer product” will tell us what’s in this “new product” just accepted by the consumers.
    Wheels keeps turning, with the laughter and the dog bark.

    March 27, 2026 at 4:17 pm #236397
    zerosum
    Participant

    https://x.com/cecild84/status/2037534298790617140

    Sahel Revolutionary Soldier
    @cecild84
    Trump Wants to Send Ground Troops to Iran ▪️The Pentagon is developing military options for a ‘final blow’ to Iran that could include the use of ground troops and a massive bombing campaign. ▪️”A dramatic military escalation becomes increasingly likely if there is no progress in diplomatic talks and, in particular, if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.” – Axios, citing two senior US officials. 🔴Houthis Ask Trump to Send Ground Troops to Yemen First, Then Send Them to Iran If They Can ▪️Houthi Official to Iranian Media: ▪️Trump should first deploy his ground troops to Yemen. ▪️If they prove their capabilities here, they can then move on to Iran. ▪️(Yemen’s Houthi group has 400,000 fighters).

    March 27, 2026 at 4:23 pm #236398
    D Benton Smith
    Participant

    @ZeroSum

    Looks like China has worked out process w/ Iran. COSCO Shipping is restarting services to UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait & Iraq.

    That’s irony for ya! UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait & Iraq now have to buy their groceries from the same guys who are missilizing their infrastructure and pricing the chow. Tight spot. Ouch!

    March 27, 2026 at 4:24 pm #236399
    zerosum
    Participant

    https://t.me/CyberspecNews/103358
    Iran has destroyed another oil tanker that was attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without authorisation. Some media outlets claim that the vessel was flying a Pakistani flag.

    March 27, 2026 at 4:25 pm #236400
    kultsommer
    Participant

    This level of revelation was impossible prior to “October 7th”.
    Despite “looking dignified” and on ease, why are all frozen in fear? Not to address that “issue” will lead country to ruin.

    March 27, 2026 at 4:35 pm #236401
    D Benton Smith
    Participant

    @zerosum

    Houthis Ask Trump to Send Ground Troops to Yemen First

    That’s the best retort since Leonidas told Xerxes to come get his weapons.

    March 27, 2026 at 4:36 pm #236402
    D Benton Smith
    Participant

    Israel in a nutshell

    March 27, 2026 at 5:01 pm #236403
    The Markster
    Participant

    O’Leary is a psychopath who chases Mammon above all.

    Yes, Greece repelled the Muslim invaders, unlike the bomb-throwing Open Borders Democrats who welcome anything that destroys and tears down stuff.

    St. Clare of Assisi is famous for her lantern, the old story is that it was used to fend off Muslim invaders in the early 13th century. Most post-Vatican II storytelling, the CIA’s wikipedia propaganda, and big tech-moderated echo chamber resources skip the Muslim part. Violence against Christians in the West and MENA, often at the hands of Jews, is orders of magnitude worse than violence against Jews or Muslims. Outside of active Greater Israel war zones of aggression, of course. They just don’t put that on the flickering screens.

    Iran is standing up for civilization. Which triggers a high likelihood of the Great Anglo-Zionist Satan going nuclear on their asses. From a cowardly, far-off distance, like they always do. Which will only hasten the collapse of the petrodollar imperium and any last shreds of moral and cultural authority created by their postwar mythology and institutions.

    Glad to see the TAE is back, I had stopped checking in January sometime until now. Also nice to see that the stupid cloudfare NSA gate checking process is no longer in effect, like it was in late 2025.

    Best wishes to Ilargi!

    March 27, 2026 at 5:02 pm #236404
    D Benton Smith
    Participant

    March 27, 2026 at 6:14 pm #236405
    kultsommer
    Participant

    I do agree that Europe is becoming unrecognizable due to the immigration of the completely alien culture suddenly obvious due to their large number and thus “justified” demand for socio-political but incompatible influence in the host country.
    Many nations are proud of their conquerors – check the city squares with dedicated statues all over the world.
    Any nation or group who could, did!
    When it comes for the conquests of the past we are facing an obvious paradox that former conquered lands nowdays have remnants of of that era as a major “cultural heritage” and archaeology job there is hardy boring.
    Just jolting down the obvious thoughts while aware of painful contradictions.

    March 27, 2026 at 6:40 pm #236406
    my parents said know
    Participant

    So the city of London goes down, and the blank pages of “development and growth” replace it.
    The Optimists are silent about the technocratic state, which is inexorable. It governs the narrative; and along with the plutocrats and banksters, who control the money, it sees total control within reach.
    Here‘s the extraordinary Whitney Webb on Jimmy Dore’s show.

    March 27, 2026 at 6:49 pm #236407
    Doc Robinson
    Participant

    A big military vehicle cargo ship (roll-on, roll-off), which “can lift an entire US Army Task Force (58 tanks, 900+ vehicles)”, has departed Diego Garcia. “Where is she headed?”

    SF DIEGO GARCIA 🧐
    Mar 26 imagery reveals significant shifts in the operational footprint at DG.

    ➡️Heavy Lift: After sitting at anchor inside the lagoon since Oct ’25, USNS Pililaau (T-AKR 304) is now just outside the atoll (likely ready to depart). FWIW, A single Bob Hope-class can lift an entire US Army Task Force (58 tanks, 900+ vehicles). Where is she headed?
    ➡️Replenishing the Replenishers: A Lewis & Clark-class dry cargo ship (T-AKE) is now in the atoll. With no recent resupply vessels spotted at Duqm, Salalah, or Djibouti, DG may be taking over that role. If true, that is a massively extended logistics chain for the Lincoln CSG
    ➡️VLS Reload: The DDG remains pierside. Notably, there is visible activity focused over the bow—perhaps a forward VLS reload.
    ➡️South apron remains busy with heavy transport and aerial refueling assets (likely)

    https://xcancel.com/MT_Anderson

    March 27, 2026 at 7:10 pm #236408
    those darned kids
    Participant

    wait till it’s not “BOOTS ON THE GROUND”, but

    “BOTS ON THE GROUND”.

    and the rest of us underground..

    March 27, 2026 at 7:13 pm #236409
    Doc Robinson
    Participant

    It looks like the resupply for the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln may be handled out of Diego Garcia now, instead of Duqm, Salalah, or Djibouti. “If true, that is a massively extended logistics chain for the Lincoln CSG”

    A Lewis & Clark-class dry cargo ship (T-AKE) is now in the atoll. With no recent resupply vessels spotted at Duqm, Salalah, or Djibouti, DG may be taking over that role. If true, that is a massively extended logistics chain for the Lincoln CSG

    https://xcancel.com/MT_Anderson

    March 27, 2026 at 7:17 pm #236410
    Michael Reid
    Participant

    March 27, 2026 at 7:59 pm #236411
    D Benton Smith
    Participant

    @DocRobinson

    “Where is she headed?”

    Either back to home port or to the bottom of the sea. Israel’s call, apparently. I might have said Trump’s call except that it’s obvious that he isn’t calling the shots. The Zio-Blob is.

    March 27, 2026 at 9:01 pm #236416
    Doc Robinson
    Participant

    Iranian media posts some warnings –


    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HEcT_0AWQAEsdFw.jpg

    March 27, 2026 at 9:58 pm #236417
    zerosum
    Participant

    Iran’s Warning of Attacks on 6 Steel Plants in Israel and 5 Countries in the Region
    🔺Following today’s attack by the United States and Israel on Mobarakeh Steel and Khuzestan Steel, six steel plants in Israel and five countries in the region have been announced as new targets for Iran’s retaliatory strike.
    🔺This target bank has been compiled based on precise field intelligence and a comprehensive assessment of the industrial capacities of US-allied countries.
    🔺Informed sources, referring to the scope of this target bank, emphasized that Iran’s response should by no means be limited to the region’s steel industry, and that a broader and more severe response must be put on the agenda.
    🔺The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has called on citizens of countries in the region to vacate the positions of American military personnel in these areas.
    🔺Details of Iran’s new target bank have been announced as outlined in the table below.

    List of target facilities in Saudi, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, occupied Palestine (Persian)
    https://t.me/mehrnews/364864

    Posted by: Framarz | Mar 27 2026 16:34
    ————-
    Evacuation Order:
    US Industrial Companies and Heavy Industries Allied with the Zionist Regime in the Region Must Immediately Vacate Their Workplaces
    Public Relations Department of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC):
    🔹 Warning to American Industries in the RegionThe American-Zionist enemy, despite prior warnings and notices to refrain from attacking Iran’s industries, carried out multiple attacks on Iran’s industrial centers today.
    🔹 Our fighters are conducting retaliatory strikes. Therefore, we warn all employees of industrial companies in the region that have American shareholders, as well as heavy industries allied with the Zionist regime in the region, to immediately vacate their workplaces to avoid endangering your lives.
    🔹 Residents within a one-kilometer radius of such industries must evacuate their places of residence until the time of the attack.

    https://t.me/Tasnimnews/401759

    Posted by: Framarz | Mar 27 2026 16:39 utc | 709

    March 27, 2026 at 10:24 pm #236418
    Michael Reid
    Participant

    Pepe Escobar: Iran RAINS Missile HELL on Israel & Gulf, Trump’s Invasion COLLAPSES

    March 27, 2026 at 11:25 pm #236419
    zerosum
    Participant

    Over 10,000 ‘targets’ have been hit

    War On Iran: Exorbitant Munition Spending + Lack Of Success = Iran Is Winning

    March 27, 2026

    War On Iran: Exorbitant Munition Spending + Lack Of Success = Iran Is Winning
    There are a few new numbers out on munitions availability on either side of the conflict.

    March 28, 2026 at 12:09 am #236420
    Michael Reid
    Participant

    March 28, 2026 at 12:21 am #236443
    kultsommer
    Participant

    Before closing the shop for today.

    March 28, 2026 at 12:25 am #236444
    Michael Reid
    Participant

    After Israel Destroys Iran Steel Plants, Iran issues “Evacuation Order” For Regional Steel Plants in Other countries
    Hal Turner
    US President Donald Trump today announced a 10 day ceasefire on Iran civilian infrastructure. Israel broke it within 4 hours. They are prolonging the war on purpose to force an American invasion.

    In fact, Israel has hit 3 of Iran’s largest steel factories, a power plant, and civilian nuclear sites among other infrastructure. Israel claims it acted in coordination with the U.S.

    Coordinated strikes hit all three of Iran’s largest steel plants simultaneously – Mobarakeh, Esfahan, and Khuzestan – the backbone of the country’s non-oil economy.

    Together they produce roughly 70% of Iran’s steel output. Iron and steel is Iran’s second-largest export category at $6.48 billion, its primary hard-currency lifeline outside of oil.

    Mobarakeh makes the flat steel used in cars and pipelines. Esfahan produces structural beams and railway rails. Khuzestan supplies the raw slabs that feed factories nationwide.

    Steel became Iran’s top non-oil export precisely as a sanction hedge as it is cheap to produce using local ore and natural gas, and a critical source of foreign currency when oil revenues were blocked.

    Hitting all three at once targets critical industrial capacity and the economic architecture Iran spent decades building to survive Western pressure.

    As a result of Israel’s actions today, Iran has issued an evacuation order for the following steel production plants:

    Saudi Hadeed Steel
    Emirates Steel Arkan
    Qatar Steel
    Bahraini Foulath
    Kuwaiti United Steel Industrial Co
    Israeli Yehuda Steel
    https://halturnerradioshow.com/index.php/component/content/article/after-israel-destroys-iran-steel-plants-iran-issues-evacuation-order-for-regional-steel-plants-in-other-countries?catid=17&Itemid=101

    March 28, 2026 at 12:29 am #236445
    Michael Reid
    Participant

    March 28, 2026 at 12:37 am #236446
    Celticbiker
    Participant

    Name the 1 common denominator to every Evil in this world. Genocide. Child sex slavery. Drugs. Prostitution. Gambling. Organ trafficking. Usury. Market manipulation. War. Inflation. Bribery. Corruption, on and on and on, etc. There is a fuckin jew behind it. Everyone knew this instinctively, years ago begore universal “education”. Now they turn on each other, instead of them. Quite the magic trick, yes?

    March 28, 2026 at 12:50 am #236447
    Michael Reid
    Participant

    March 28, 2026 at 2:03 am #236448
    Michael Reid
    Participant

    March 28, 2026 at 2:29 am #236449
    Michael Reid
    Participant

    March 28, 2026 at 3:48 am #236450
    zerosum
    Participant

    copilot evaluation/answer
    Problems:

    Lack of adequate control
    Lack of adequate communication

    Too much Leverage — $40T
    Too many Immigrants
    Too many people
    Too much garbage
    Not enough Energy
    Not enough water
    Not enough food
    Laws, Lies and Secrets
    Justice
    Scams and Stealing
    Foreign Interferences
    War
    Hate
    Racism
    Sex
    Religion
    Slavery
    Wealth Distribution
    Inflation
    Weapons of Mass Destruction
    ———-
    You’ve listed a set of problems that—taken together—describe the full systemic risk map for modern civilization. What’s striking is that these aren’t isolated issues; they reinforce each other. The right way to understand them is as interlocking failure modes across five domains: governance, resources, economics, social cohesion, and existential threats.
    Below is a structured breakdown of each category, how the problems interact, and what the realistic outlook is for avoiding the worst outcomes.

    🌐 1. Governance and Institutional Breakdown
    These items all point to a single underlying failure: systems too complex for the quality of leadership and coordination we currently have.
    – Lack of adequate control
    – Lack of adequate communication
    – Laws, lies, and secrets
    – Justice failures
    – Scams and stealing
    – Foreign interference
    These problems create a feedback loop: weak governance → corruption → distrust → polarization → even weaker governance. Once this loop accelerates, societies lose the ability to solve any other problem.
    Avoidance probability: moderate
    Most countries avoid total collapse, but institutional decay is widespread and difficult to reverse.

    🌍 2. Resource and Environmental Constraints
    This is the physical layer of the crisis stack.
    – Too many people
    – Too much garbage
    – Not enough energy
    – Not enough water
    – Not enough food
    These are not abstract risks—they’re already visible in:
    – water scarcity across 40% of the world
    – energy shortages in developing regions
    – food insecurity driven by climate and conflict
    – waste accumulation overwhelming ecosystems
    Avoidance probability: moderate to low
    We can solve these technically (desalination, nuclear, vertical farming), but political coordination is the bottleneck.

    💰 3. Economic Fragility and Inequality
    This is the financial layer that amplifies every other risk.
    – Too much leverage — $40T
    – Wealth distribution
    – Inflation
    High leverage means the global economy is running on borrowed time. Inequality fuels political instability. Inflation erodes trust in institutions. These pressures make societies brittle and prone to sudden shocks.
    Avoidance probability: moderate
    Economic systems adapt, but the adjustment is often painful and destabilizing.

    🧠 4. Social and Cultural Fragmentation
    These are the forces that erode the social fabric.
    – Hate
    – Racism
    – Sex
    – Religion
    – Slavery (modern forms: trafficking, forced labor)
    These issues are ancient, but modern technology amplifies them:
    – social media accelerates division
    – propaganda spreads faster than truth
    – identity politics becomes weaponized
    Avoidance probability: low to moderate
    Human societies rarely eliminate these problems; they only manage them.

    ⚔️ 5. Conflict and Existential Threats
    This is the top of the risk pyramid.
    – War
    – Weapons of mass destruction
    – Foreign interference
    These are the risks that can escalate from regional to global:
    – nuclear miscalculation
    – AI‑driven autonomous weapons
    – cyberattacks on critical infrastructure
    – proxy wars spiraling out of control
    Avoidance probability: moderate
    The risk is rising, but deterrence still works—until it doesn’t.

    🧩 How these problems reinforce each other
    The real danger is not any single problem—it’s the interaction:
    – Resource scarcity fuels migration.
    – Migration fuels political polarization.
    – Polarization weakens governance.
    – Weak governance fails to manage economic fragility.
    – Economic fragility increases conflict risk.
    – Conflict worsens resource scarcity.
    This is a systemic cascade, not a list of independent issues.

    📊 So what are the chances humanity avoids catastrophe?
    Using the best available research across global risk studies:
    Avoiding civilizational collapse: ~70–85%
    Humanity is resilient, adaptive, and technologically capable.
    Avoiding severe global crises: ~20–40%
    We are already entering a period of overlapping shocks.
    Avoiding existential catastrophe (nuclear, AI, engineered pathogens): ~70–90%
    Low‑probability but high‑impact risks dominate this category.
    Avoiding all the problems you listed: ~0%
    These problems are structural and ongoing. The realistic goal is management, not elimination.

    🔍 The deeper question
    Your list reads like someone mapping not just risks, but failure points in the global operating system. The next step is identifying which of these you see as the primary driver—the one that, if fixed, would reduce the rest.
    Which of these problems do you believe is the root cause that makes all the others harder to solve?
    ————

    March 28, 2026 at 3:52 am #236451
    zerosum
    Participant

    Until tomorrow (ops, for some of you, tomorrow is now 🙂 )

    March 28, 2026 at 4:12 am #236452
    D Benton Smith
    Participant

    @CelticBiker

    Name the 1 common denominator to every Evil in this world.

    Stupid lies.

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