that is a good way to start a new profile R! i look forward to everything else you have to say, if you do say something!
craig murrays latest – The Game Has Changed

Posted by: james | Apr 7 2021 16:40 utc | 3

The project of Scottish independence is doomed from the start if they going to have an “independent” central bank. No country whose money supply is dependent on borrowing fiat currency from such an entity is independent. Likewise if it keeps Sterling as its currency, it might as well not bother with “independence”. Probably, if the new Scottish government’s treasury issues its own debt-free currency, it will “flourish like the green bay tree” otherwise, as I have already said, they might as well stay part of that wreck called the UK.

Posted by: foolisholdman | Apr 7 2021 17:30 utc | 5

@ 6; You are wise to be skeptical, The empire usually, never includes their contractors as part of such “agreements”.
Beware the words, advice, training and support….

Posted by: vetinLA | Apr 7 2021 17:41 utc | 7

@gottlieb 4
Indeed worrisome. The spat between Iran and Israel has come out in the open. No longer denying or secret night raids. Except that I don’t think Israel has it in them to attack Iran directly. They know they are facing a formidable foe, even with Uncle Shmuel behind them. An all out war will see Israel destroyed, Iron dome or not. Use of nukes is not an option either. Too close to home. Besides Russia and China will not allow it. It will be shot down before it gets off the ground.
After 2006 war, Israel has resorted to covert rather than overt warfare. It is the only way they can get away with it and not be defeated. If Hezbollah of 2006 could stop them on their tracks, a war with Iran will be a forgone conclusion. Not to mention, it will unite the Muslim world instantly in the event of an actual war. Plus, Israel is more worried about Hezbollah than Iran. No response time.
There will be no winners in this. But I am sure millions would love to see Israel be put in its place. Iran is the only country in the ME that can actually pull it off, although I am sure they are not hot for the idea.
I have said many times in these forums. We will see a global war in our lifetime. The signs are everywhere.

Posted by: Alpi | Apr 7 2021 17:58 utc | 9

Wait for Iranian official statements and then wait some more because so far the story is all Israeli narrative (and pushing “war” one way or the other) with the NYT and the US serving as messengers (ie.: highly suspicious).
Just because something looks like a trap doesn’t mean it isn’t one 😉

Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | Apr 7 2021 18:24 utc | 11

The way Erdogan treated Ursula it would be funny if it wasn’t characteristic of his views toward women in general and the EU.
As for the EUCO president who left her standing there looking for a chair he must be the biggest moron of all times.
Unfortunately he is the EUCO president which means that EU is in big trouble
https://twitter.com/SLagodinsky/status/1379483767161622535

Posted by: DG | Apr 7 2021 18:52 utc | 13

lysias @ 10 i saw numbers on Vit D. blood levels not long ago on a Spanish report think it was from Cuba? the cut off was 0 at 40 ng/ml if I remember right.. can’t find the source yet.. I think they measured 100 persons not infected in households with one or more persons infected. <=working on finding again that source. I have said many times in these forums. We will see a global war in our lifetime. The signs are everywhere. by: Alpi @ 9 <= you might be right copyright, patent, license and all other forms of monopoly powers in private hands or in privately controlled corporations and other entities often pushes the nation state into more war. Without a nation state to make the monopoly law ( which is a government gift to a private party like a land grant) There is little benefit to private persons seeking monopoly power. If the nation state were doing its job <=monitoring economic space to prevent monopoly powers to surface <= Oligarch and corporate wealth would dissipate and self distribute into the hands of the deplorable governed. Its monopoly power that takes the wealth from those who are the governed and concentrates it in the hands of so few. Its the nation state that generates those monopoly powers by the laws it generates to govern by. When the Oligarch lacks the funds to bribe the leaders of the nation state and to support the MSM "war is good propaganda", the leaders of the nation state will redirect their attentions from defending and improving the Oligarch and its corporations; to defending and improving the lot the lot of those who are the governed. The political system is an interface between the two powers (the Oligarch and the governed). Government responds to those with the most power, Oligarch vs governed. W/o monopoly power few, private caches of massive amounts of wealth will accumulate, and accumulated wealth created slowly dissipate. There is nothing about monopoly power in private hands that serves the needs or wants of those who are the governed. When 1% of a nation owns (monopoly power) 99% of the wealth of that nation <=something is wrong; the right of self determination has been infringed. The nation state system clearly does not serve those who are the governed.

Posted by: snake | Apr 7 2021 19:12 utc | 15

Recent article (March 2021) by Nobel prize who invented the antiparasitary that could work as a useful treatment; includes details about the politics behind, the conflict of interests etc.
https://covid19criticalcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Satoshi-Omura-Global-trends-in-clinical-studies-of-ivermectin-in-COVID-19-Japanese-Journal-of-Antibiotics-March-10-2021.pdf

Posted by: Mina | Apr 7 2021 19:48 utc | 17

Maybe NATO will help.
Opposition politician calls situation in Ukrainian hospitals catastrophic

Posted by: arby | Apr 7 2021 20:01 utc | 19

Thank you Spudski 🙂

Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | Apr 7 2021 20:08 utc | 21

vlad9vt is a Ukrainian youtuber living in Kiev. He is mostly creating very interesting videos about ancient megaliths, but he also made new video with photos from Ukraine the last 100 years:
Vintage Ukrainian photos and pictures
There are good people on both sides in the present conflict.

Posted by: Norwegian | Apr 7 2021 20:37 utc | 23

Greenland’s opposition party wins election. Bad news for hopeful rare earth miners.
The provable mineral deposits are enormous.
https://thebull.com.au/anti-mine-party-wins-greenland-election/
I am coming around to the idea that certain unscrupulous ‘globalists’ have concluded there are too many people and not enough resources in the world for their liking.

Posted by: Paul | Apr 7 2021 20:46 utc | 25

to Mina #17. Speaking of ivermectin, I will recommend to you the same interview I mentioned to lysias. Dr. Cole mentions a number of studies of ivermectin usage. I’m going to need to take some link lessons. Meanwhile: GlobalRsearch.cl

Posted by: Miss Lacy | Apr 7 2021 20:58 utc | 27

Thanks, i ve read the Dr Cole interview transcript (the youtube video had been removed). It is good too.
A question: if someone has covid without symptoms, but a sudden loss hearing, and has a normal blood test taken, do they see immediately the presence of a virus (and hopefully then look for covid antibodies), or they would not notice it in the normal blood tests taken when looking for what is wrong?
I know of two cases of 50 y old ppl who got sudden hearing loss in the last few months, but (supposedly) haven’t had covid (except for one who had burn-out a few months before the sudden hearing loss).

Posted by: Mina | Apr 7 2021 21:14 utc | 29

Martin Sieff at Strategic Culture writes of the intellectual bankruptcy of the Blinken Biden clown cart.
“However, Beijing should not fear the Longer Telegram for its most crucial and salient characteristic is that is delusional, worthless nonsense. The global unified alliance of the United States and the nations of Europe and Asia against Big Bad China is never going to happen. The United States in the Golden Age of Joe Biden (and Kamala Harris) is too chaotic, too confused, too divided and its leaders too ludicrous to ever bring it about.
“The Longer Telegram is a misshaped Frankenstein baby born of the inbred Washington Deep State Establishment. America’s insane 18 main (of course there are hundreds of others) so-called “intelligence ” agencies (an obvious oxymoron but let that pass) are embracing it. So are the bipartisan performing baboons of Congress and their multiple thousands of staffers and so of course are the enormous defense contractor corporations from whom all greenback blessings ultimately flow.
“Most revealing of all, the Longer Telegram reflects the intellectual, moral and emotional bankruptcy of what passes for “thought” inside the Washington Beltway.”
It is a good solid slammer of the cellophane thinking of the US presidential administration.
Ron Klain, the current White House Chief of Staff is an abject failure who seems to set his decrepit President up for one mumble stumble after another.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Apr 7 2021 21:47 utc | 31

Bernard F.: I wouldn’t want to call myself an IT specialist but I’m “eccentric” lol and that’s better 😀 (throw some salt around as you read this).
I used to know a thing or two and I have not read (seen?) the link so against my better judgement here’s a brief superficial answer/rant (explanation at the end).
Proof is a strong word and computer security is nowhere close to it. Computers need strong physical security both on the outside and the inside and almost none have any. They need that security all the way down to at least gate level ie. each transistor anywhere in the machine, and maybe more like being sure there isn’t any clever hi-jinks going on with things like the technology of the material doping used for constructing them.
(Give me unlimited bit-flips and I rule the world: that’s the hard truth).
This is extreme, mostly because no one who cares also has enough money, time, and energy unless it is to weaken rather than to secure systems (because that is almost instantly profitable and much easier). People can’t be blamed for only being able to do whatever it is they do (OT: it is nice though that at least Debian GNU/Linux (I think) are trying to do proven/validated reproducible builds (compiling) of everything they offer, even though this is very far from what I’m talking about it is needed as well and a huge and difficult task).
Same goes for proof of custody, the true ability of any security approaches and systems and so on, the true validity of any mathematical underpinnings (does the NSA still employ more mathematicians than anyone else?). One could rant for days.
Absolute proof is a joke, for anything. You choose who or what to trust or you choose to trust no one including yourself and try to glimpse reality.
Now separately: are they right? Most likely. But can I/they/anyone prove it? Not really the way things are and if things improved a lot they still couldn’t.
Which means it is nice that it is the wrong question 🙂
Because it should not be for them to prove something was done instead it should be for those who say the systems are safe to show why (this is not the same as proving a negative) so in a sense with the absence of any such evidence one could/should/would correctly argue that it was always “proven” they weren’t.
(My explanation: my life has become too short for me to try to do or respond to all the nonsense floating around in “computer security” except for on rare occasions)

Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | Apr 7 2021 22:34 utc | 33

I skipped the word “anything” in “…too short for me to do ___ or respond…”.

Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | Apr 7 2021 22:41 utc | 35

Norwegian @ 23; Thanks for the video. Nice cultural journey. Loved the music.

Posted by: vetinLA | Apr 7 2021 23:10 utc | 37

Posted by: Bernard F. | Apr 7 2021 21:18 utc | 30
RE voting machines and computers in elections:
Disclosure: it’s been 20 years, but I used to be considered a Unix wizard (claim of authority), and I have always considered the idea of entrusting our elections to computers to be a really bad idea, unless you like insecure elections, which I believe our politicians here do. It is a lot of work to make software robust and secure, and as SRB says almost nobody does it. If you do do it, it’s usually a thankless task. And even if you do, there is still the microcode and embedded code and thousands of people hacking away at things every day. If you really want security then you also need stability. The big computer companies hate stability, stability means commodification of their really expensive products.

Posted by: Bemildred | Apr 7 2021 23:17 utc | 39

@ Posted by: uncle tungsten | Apr 7 2021 23:03 utc | 36
Seems a ww2 redux to me.
This time Ukraine is the bait.
Russia will allow Uraine the firts blow.
The fact that they are being so obvious makes it appear a bluff.
I would suspect this means they are planning something in Syria.
I suspect that Russia is fairly content with how things are progressing in Ukraine so far. If Ukraine asked Russia for assistance, they would receive it.

Posted by: jared | Apr 7 2021 23:55 utc | 41

@ alaff
>In reality, Xi Jinping never had anything to do with the lockdown [in China], with the problems that arose due to the fault of his political opponents. As a result of these lockdowns, he completely removed the leadership of Hubei province, Wuhan city and all those who were related to Hubei province and the Komsomol throughout 2020.
Yeah, I don’t think this is quite correct. The Chinese central government removed the previous Wuhan state government because they failed to take care of the problem early on (detection and locking down) and letting it become an outbreak. And after Wuhan lockdown, there were many more lockdowns thorough the year, like the one in Beijing and Xinjiang, and now the China-Myanmar border towns.
I think the most damning evidence of this article would be China recognizing Crimea as Russia, let’s see if it becomes true though.

Posted by: Smith | Apr 8 2021 0:38 utc | 43

@ 24 tg… i have a soft spot for scottish independence…. the last hold out of british imperialism is hard to shake though… the tough part will be scotland figuring our financial independence, so we are right back to the conversation psychohistorian likes to have…
as for corruption, i can’t think of a more corrupt gov’t then the uk gov’t, especially as exampled in the treatment of assange.. so, i figure scotland would be far better off without all of the appendages that come with being considered chattel to the uk’s malefic control…

Posted by: james | Apr 8 2021 0:42 utc | 45

Lamentable attitude by the French, persecuting one of its own citizens for a cheap shot at China:
Le Monde owes an apology for accusing Chinese state media of creating a fake French journalist to speak the truth about Xinjiang: scholar

Actually, Laurène Beaumond is a pseudonym because she has been under great pressure about losing potential job opportunities. Outspoken people in France who speak in favor of China are either attacked or criticized by the mainstream public opinion, and those objective voices about China have been disappearing, the Chinese expert said.

Freedom of speech seems to be a concept more theoretical than real in the Western Civilization.
–//–
Told you so:
There’s No Way US Could Enforce Global Minimum Corporate Tax on Rest of the World, Prof Believes
Like I said then, even if it could, it wouldn’t matter, as tax havens would still exist.
–//–
You may be a Jew, but you’re not the right kind of Jew:
Jewish journalist accuses Jewish union leader of anti-Semitism in argument about school teaching
There’s only one thing a Jew hates more than an Anti-Semite: a socialist/communist.
–//–
Xi, Merkel agree on significance of China-Germany cooperation, strategic independence of EU
Maybe be too little, too late, as Merkel is on her way out and the Greens will possibly be the majority party after the next general elections.
–//–
Wuhan emerges like a phoenix after a 76-day lockdown:
Wuhan gets stronger
–//–
“Wipe out China!” US-funded Uyghur activists train as gun-toting foot soldiers for empire
–//–
Hunger and homelessness are creeping up in the USA:
Moth-Eaten Eviction Moratorium Leaves Hundreds of Thousands Without a Roof
–//–
Communist Party of Vietnam is in unable to renovate its leaders, fight corruption within its ranks. Risk of collapse a la USSR ahead?
Pan Jin’e: What conventions will Vietnam’s new “Quadrage” break?
–//–
Best for last:
[White paper] Poverty Alleviation: China’s Experience and Contribution

Posted by: vk | Apr 8 2021 0:58 utc | 47

Arata #38
Is anyone can comment which organization position is reflected in this article? Is cia?
Is king fish sleeping out Samuel hand?
Thank you. How about this take:
If the WAPO is blaming the family feuding then the CIA planted the story with one of its faithful stenographers on WAPO staff. David Ignatius reports: “Tuesday’s order by Jordan’s public prosecutor banning the media from discussing his case seems just the latest example of Arab royalty’s social-media panic. If it continues, it could signal a transformation of Jordan’s soft but generally benign autocracy into something more sinister.”
This action by the Jordanian authorities might be a very sane method of shutting down an orchestrated color revolution funded by the only suspect – CIA. All the more so since its first coup plot failed.
Here is David Ignatus again: “Whatever conspiratorial talk may be buzzing around Amman now, the biggest potential danger to Abdullah is himself — if he listens to voices telling him to muzzle dissent, crush potential rivals and wreck the foundations of modern Jordan’s stability. Only a very unwise monarch would choose that course.”
You see? Ignatius is preparing the thread to continue bashing Jordan’s King for weeks ahead. I guess Ignatius will collect his bonus payment from the Institute for Statecraft with a side tip from Integrity Initiative when he later hints at self inflicted uprising or a ‘Russian connection’.
He also goes to peculiar lengths to weaken or denigrate the Jordanian Security chief: “Another wild card: Jordan’s current intelligence chief, Ahmed Husni (like all his predecessors known by the Ottoman honorific, “Pasha”), is a Circassian who has served in the post less than two years. Some Jordanians contrast his tough demeanor with the gentle style of his predecessor, Adnan al-Jundi. The new pasha is loyal to Abdullah, perhaps to a fault.”
Now this is the Intelligence Chief that foiled the plot to murder Jordan’s King and hence stymied the CIA in its further attempt to destabilise the middle east in favor of Israel. And Ignatius is used by the CIA to identify him as ‘on their list of enemies’.
But there is one more pathetic little scribble from stenographer Ignatius that fails the test: “Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is perhaps the best example of a reform-minded royal who subverted his dreams for his kingdom by listening to courtiers’ talk of alleged plots against him on social media — by Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi, among others. Uneasy lies the head . . .”
Note how that sentence is structured – best example of a reform minded royal – Khashoggi… oops forgot to mention the reform minded use of a bone saw to hack Khashoggi to pieces. You see Ignatius relies on the short memory of USAians and runs a sentence or two that hedges his credibility but essentially crafts the Saudi bin Salman as an exemplar of modernism ‘reform minded’.
Methinks Ignatius is a dirt cheap propagandist.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Apr 8 2021 1:12 utc | 49

@ Arata | Apr 7 2021 23:15 utc | 38.. it is an irrelevant article, no matter who backs it up.. thanks for pointing it out. .. typical wapo garbage..

Posted by: james | Apr 8 2021 1:19 utc | 51

jared #41

I suspect that Russia is fairly content with how things are progressing in Ukraine so far. If Ukraine asked Russia for assistance, they would receive it.

I doubt that Russia is content with how things are progressing.
The western Ukraine province, homeland to fascism and the Galician SS brigade of yore has succeeded in dominating the many other regions in Ukraine including the Russian language common among 90% of Ukrainians. That is not an element of content.
Ukraine massed armaments are an immediate threat not only to Russia but to Ukrainian people that just want peace and a chance to improve their severely impoverished circumstance. If the massed army is disbanded the Galician SS brigade will come for Zelensky and every one of his parliament and every one of his supporters. That means these armed to the teeth killers will come to every province in Ukraine looking for cheap and unarmed civilians who they deem to have stolen their grandeur by preventing their glorious win against those russian occupiers of the eastern provinces. And the USA will support them (and call it a civil war as in Syria) as the USA is now naked proto fascist state hiding behind a veil of woke sincerity and caring.
When considering the desire of the vast majority of Ukrainian civilians to rebuild their meager economy, remember that oligarchs ALWAYS accumulate the wealth and NEVER redistribute it.
So on that premise I have some doubt that Russia would allow itself to even consider the concept of being ‘content’ or even free to come to the aid of Ukranians beyond the two eastern districts/provinces on its border and that any attempt to intervene with a protective force would be immediately stymied by a gas attack false flag (as in Douma, Syria). And that circumstance would avalanche into a Stoltenberg initiated NATO response.
I seriously fear for the people in Ukraine as they have been led by the USA into a death trap and the Galician SS will be happy to be the executioner. I hope I am completely wrong. I hope for a statesperson in the west to stand up and call a halt to the NATO murderous lunacy.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Apr 8 2021 2:09 utc | 53

Over the last three days, I have had conversations with two US Citizens, about
the present confrontation between The Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
Both have been drinking from the MSM milk and are totally brain washed, repeating at nauseam that Russia will devour poor little Ukraine in its quest for more territory.
Both are intelligent University graduates with plenty of experience. Both are past retirement age.
It appears that the MSM have carefully left out both Zelensky’s presidential decree number 117/2021 dated 24 March 2021 and the subsequent Rada legislative approval
on the designation of Russia as the ENEMY and the intention to force the
recuperation of the Donetsk and Lugansk territories as well as the return of Crimea to Ukraine’s fold.
The hiding of this information has an obvious aim. The plan is, if hostilities do start, the plan is to accuse Russia of “unprovoked”aggression in order to milk the event as fully as possible.
Tighten NATO’s ties, stop NS2, prevent the adoption of the Russian vaccines in the EU, bog the Russian Federation in yet another front of unending hostilities, this time closer to home, impose more sanctions and drain the Russian economy.
What is truly frightening is that all this is superimposed on some vast NATO military “exercises” close to Ukraine and Poland, i.e. a bid to mass troops and equipment ready to jump into action without showing the hidden cards.
I am sure the Russians must be aware of the intricate danger that this endeavour represents to the well being of Russia and the World at large, as this portends War on a grand scale.
L’heure est grave.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

Posted by: CarkD | Apr 8 2021 3:08 utc | 55

Give Poland Lwow (Lviv), Hungary transcarpathia; allow a fascist rump state neutralized without a military in the area between Kiew and Lwow, and give the rest of the country to Russia so they can begin rebuilding it.

Posted by: exiled off mainstree | Apr 8 2021 4:43 utc | 57

alaff #42
Nikolai Vavilov publicist is unheard of.
Nikolai Vavilov 1887-1943 scientist did exist but he is out of date to commenting on China today.
Over to you.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Apr 8 2021 4:57 utc | 59

https://japantoday.com/category/world/crushing-poll-defeats-for-south-korea's-ruling-party
Pretty big news for S. Korea, hopefully Moon can stay on, I like his politics of trying to maintain dialog with North Korea.

Posted by: Smith | Apr 8 2021 5:17 utc | 61

Below are two quotes from a Xinhuanet posting about a conversation on Wednesday between Xi from China and Merkel from Germany
”
BEIJING, April 7 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday urged Germany and the European Union (EU) to make joint efforts with China to protect and promote the healthy and stable development of their cooperation, so as to bring more certainty and stability to the volatile world.
Xi made the remarks in a phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The Chinese president stressed that he and Merkel have communicated for several times last year, which has played an important leading role for the development of China-Germany and China-EU relations.
Enhancing China-Germany and China-EU cooperation could produce major results with significance, he said.
Xi pointed out that China-Germany pragmatic cooperation, despite of disturbance generated by the COVID-19 pandemic among other issues, has made progress while maintaining stability, with China being Germany’s largest global trading partner for the fifth consecutive year, which demonstrates the resilience and potential of their cooperation.
Xi said he hopes that both sides will promote their cooperation in various fields in the spirit of mutual respect, mutual benefit and win-win, in order to help inject confidence and impetus to the China-EU cooperation and the revitalization of the world economy.
……..
For her part, Merkel said that the EU upholds independence in its foreign relations. The world today faces many problems and challenges, which all the more call for Germany-China and EU-China cooperation to address together, she said.
Strengthening EU-China dialogue and cooperation is not only in the interests of both sides, but also beneficial to the world, she said, adding that Germany is willing to play a positive role in this regard.
The German side attaches importance to China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, expecting it to bring new and important opportunities for Germany-China and EU-China cooperation, Merkel said.
Germany is willing to work with China to prepare for a new round of Germany-China inter-governmental consultations, resume personnel exchanges at an early date, and strengthen exchanges and cooperation in such fields as the fight against COVID-19, climate change and biodiversity, Merkel said, adding that Germany hopes to maintain communication with China on issues such as fair distribution and mutual recognition of COVID-19 vaccines.
The chancellor added that her country stands ready to contribute to the success of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity to be held this year in Kunming, China.
”

Posted by: psychohistorian | Apr 8 2021 5:31 utc | 63

The bigger is better, for Sam:
A week ago, Iran said 800 sanctions to be lifted, in order Sam to join JCPOA.
Robert Malley said Sam is ready to lift 900 sanctions.
NYT said, yesterday, Sam is ready to lift 1600 sanctions..
Conclusion, best proof for the math theorem: 1600 > 900 > 800!

Posted by: arata | Apr 8 2021 6:03 utc | 65

People generally seem to struggle to differentiate between “total war” where a nation mobilizes all it’s resources and “limited war” where it fight’s for a limited political goal with only a faction of it’s resources and that are usually also limited in time ans space. All limited wars could potentially escalate into a total war – that’s why everybody has to be prepared for that scenario – yet almost all wars since World War II had been limited wars.
So the Israeli-Iranian conflict/war has taken the next step on the escalation ladder. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be a total war anytime soon. It means that both the Persian Gulf and the Eastern Mediterranean have now turned into a “hot” war zone.
That’s bad for Iran since most of it’s trade routes are sea-bound. On the other hand, the Gulf had been a region of high tensions and occasional skirmishes already before.
The Eastern Mediterranean on the other hand had been relatively quiet for decades. For Israel, which is surrounded on three sides by more or less hostile Arab states, the sea lane to the USA and Europe is it’s economic life line. The worst case scenario would be Hisbollah developing what in Western military lingo is dubbed “anti access/area denial”-capabilities at sea (limpet mines, drones, cruise missiles etc.).
With the Israelis having escalates the conflict to a “hot” sea war they are now in increasingly deep trouble.

Posted by: m | Apr 8 2021 6:43 utc | 67

Saw this on ZH this morning, an article by Escobar about a new book being publishes in German, on 9/11 and the financial trails:
Escobar: Bombshell Book In Germany Revives 9/11 As A Business Model
Should make interessting reading.

Posted by: Fran | Apr 8 2021 7:09 utc | 69

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Apr 8 2021 6:58 utc | 68
Enjoy the Lebanese arak. I can’t tell the difference from Greek Ouzo. Being as we are at the bar and the sun is over the yard arm I’ll have a fine Russian Baltika 9 Strong 8.0 Alc/vol beer. Followed by a toast to our host, b, with an excellent German Jaegermeister chaser. Cheers.

Posted by: Paul | Apr 8 2021 7:41 utc | 71

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Apr 8 2021 6:58 utc | 68
Cheers, I imagine Arak is what in Madrid is called a “palomita” or little dove, anise with ice and a bit of water, transparency is lost and replaced by a cloud of relaxing pleasure.
Talking clouds and transparency, lookya here, Hunter dixit:
“The Biden name is synonymous with democracy and transparency, and that’s why I said it was gold to them.”
I wonder who reads books written by ghosts to describe tasteless decadence, no De Sade or Limonov, that’s for sure. I’ve looked for the name of the book in English, “The Executioner, history of a sadist” by Limonov, but cannot find it, Probably it has not been translated, they love porn in the USA but the prudery does not go away. That book is true decadence, but with class, and it is about the New York beau monde.

Posted by: Paco | Apr 8 2021 9:29 utc | 73

Ref India
The SA variant is roaming. My friend in Sanaa has lost four colleagues at the university in just one week.

Posted by: Mina | Apr 8 2021 9:47 utc | 75

EU Commission was “Anchoraged” in Istanbul
Yesterday Ursula von der Leyen left without a seat at Erdoğan meeting.
Erdoğan is Turkey’s Presidend and Charles Michel is president of the European council [council of EU Chefs of 27 States]
Ursula von der Leyen is NOT a Chief of State, not even elected ! Was nominated at “managing” the EU Commission [27000 unelected bureaucrates]. Why would EU be represented by 2 heads with the same protocol levels?

“without a chair during a meeting of the EU’s two presidents and Turkey’s leader”
“2 presidents and a leader” is this not a little arrogant?
So, as in Anchorage (Blinken), as in Moskow (Borrell), “you’re not qualified to talk to us from a position of strength”

Posted by: Bernard F. | Apr 8 2021 10:01 utc | 77

Fallout from Brexit. I’m not sure how serious this is but it appears for the past 6 days, protests from loyalists are growing in Northern Ireland.

Posted by: Ian2 | Apr 8 2021 11:16 utc | 79

Here’s some back story to get a handle on South America and their future trajectory toward BRI as we approach Sunday’s elections in Ecuador which will accelerate things.
99% of Ecuadorians know the U.S. empire is a mafia which has a loan shark branch that utilizes agencies such as the IMF, World Bank etc. They find politicians who take the loans and, bingo! The public is on the hook and can’t get off while the politician one percenters take their bribes and get rich and buy stuff in Miami. Ecuadorians elected Correa in 2007 because they were getting squeezed by the loan sharks and their economy had been hurting bad. Eric Toussaint details how it works.
https://www.cadtm.org/Ecuador-s-poisoned-loans-from-the-World-Bank-and-the-IMF?debut_tous_articles_auteur=320
“Between 1990 and July 2007, the World Bank (IBRD) paid 1.44 billion dollars to Ecuador while over the same period, the Ecuadorian government paid back to that same institution 2.51 billion dollars. In other words, over the period 1990-July 2007, the World Bank made a profit of 1.07 billion dollars on the backs of the people of Ecuador. The World Bank has been repaid many times over.
“The World Bank has been repaid many times over”
By 30 November 2007, Ecuador’s total public debt towards the World Bank Group reached 704.4 million dollars.
Had Ecuador decided, in 2008, to repudiate its entire debt towards the World Bank (i.e. 704.4 million dollars), as recommended by the Debt Audit Commission (see below), that decision would have enabled the country to save over a billion dollars (adding the interest no longer to be paid to the capital to be refunded). Such a sum would have enabled the funding of breakfast and lunch for 1.28 million schoolchildren, [1] for 15 years. Or the amount saved would have covered five years of health insurance for the country’s poor and destitute populations.”
Correa did what economist Michael Hudson politely advocates: Correa gave the middle finger to the banksters.
Along with loan sharking another mafia component of domination and control is to incorporate the thugs into the power chain of command. This is the heart and soul of Plan Colombia: pour money and arms AND training into the police and military and you will “own” them… (until they disobey or embarrass you–Noriega, Sadaam Hussein, Honduras’ Juan Orlando Rodriguez etc.) This is where you can see Biden constantly exposing himself as he gets to play out his fantasy psycho-dramas of being mr. Macho, Rambo, the Big Guy, blah blah blah.
Mafias specialize in cheating. They sell drugs, run prostitution rings, sell arms, traffic humans, all because the profit is very high and they know how to minimize risk because they bribe and intimidate and kill. Ecuadorians know the War on Drugs is a lie, a fairy tale made for Netflix watching Americans. Addiction is a powerful drive and well run mafia’s know how to operate outside the legal framework of governments while at the same time work with them. Banksters know about it. Cops know about it. But they won’t talk about it. Ecuadorians know about both aspects because they have suffered from sharing a border with Colombia, a murderous narco state who depends on and is deeply integrated into the U.S. mafia. https://orinocotribune.com/documents-reveal-link-between-colombias-uribe-and-pablo-escobars-drug-cartel/
China’s BRI is an alernative model, IMO and its already growing in South America. If Arauz isn’t killed or derailed I look for Ecuador to pursue a similar path as Bolivia: immediate and clear statements asserting sovereignty, a plan to regain economic health by refusing IMF/World Bank etc loan/bribe offers/threats, accelerated economic ties with BRI countries, strong support for ALBA, the alliance of resistance nations in Latin America. The elites in Colombia and Peru will fight back along with Ecuadorian one percenters but I don’t think they are organized enough to win. Like Bolivia and Venezuela, I think the peons are going to take power. again! Miami will get an influx of spoiled rich kids. again!

Posted by: migueljose | Apr 8 2021 12:39 utc | 81

Google translation:
“We hope that common sense will prevail in Washington.”
Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Nikolai Patrushev on the crisis in relations with the United States and ways out of it
https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ru&tl=en&u=https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/4762137

Posted by: Mao | Apr 8 2021 13:36 utc | 83

Space is no longer just an adventure, it’s an economy.
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/video/space-is-no-longer-just-an-adventure-it-s-a-new-economy-mda-ceo~2176869
This comment is from Mike Greenley, chief executive officer at MDA (the company behind the Canada-arm.) In this interview, Greenley discusses the return of MDA to the public markets and to Canada. Interestingly, the company chose to go public in Canada (TSX) and not the US. He outlines the company’s future plans for growth in space and push towards moon colonization.
What of barflies make of the space ecomony?

Posted by: Quasi Retired anonym | Apr 8 2021 14:01 utc | 85

Two major arguments against Scottish Independence during the last referendum were the matter of currency, and most of all the fact that leaving the UK would place them outside the EU with no guarantee of being taken back in.
If they can resolve the currency issue, I suspect that the EU would be happy to welcome them in as a dig at the UK.

Posted by: Malchik Ralf | Apr 8 2021 14:55 utc | 87

Merkel: school marm or head of state?
Merkel Demands Putin Reduce Russian Troops Near Ukraine In Phone Call
No call for talks or de-escalation on both sides because Western leaders dare not do anything that suggests that Donbas is merely an internal Ukranian matter.
Zelensky announced that he will visit Ukrainian troops. Merkel is silent about that.
!!

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Apr 8 2021 15:08 utc | 89

@ arata | Apr 8 2021 6:13 utc | 66 my thinking is along similar lines to @ phiw13 | Apr 8 2021 10:00 utc | 76
the wapo article is mostly a fluff piece… take a look at the article @ phiw13 left which is better… i also shared this indian punchline article on a previous thread..

Posted by: james | Apr 8 2021 15:13 utc | 91

I am considering starting a new Bookmark folder on my Firefox browser:
Not the Onion!
In fact, I just did.
(as a subfolder of Politics, of course)
It will become bloated, over bloated, quite quickly
don’t you think? Welcome to planet Earth.
Here is my first entry into the Not the Onion! subfolder.
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/not-onion-nancy-pelosi-claims-border-situation-has-improved-under-biden
Nancy gets the prize for making the first deposit into my Not the Onion!
Nancy Pelosi Claims Border Situation Has Improved Under Biden

Posted by: librul | Apr 8 2021 15:50 utc | 93

correction @90: isn’t merely
!!

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Apr 8 2021 16:02 utc | 95

https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/war-clouds-over-ukraine-ask-brussels/
This is an incredible article coming from Bandow, who poses as being geopolitically literate. You’d never know from reading it that:
1. The Imperialist States of America has been frantically trying to block the NordStream II pipeline from Russia to Germany, so far with a total lack of success.
2. That the so called government of Ukraine is completely at the mercy of out and out Nazis of various groups, and that 3000 Pravii Sektor Nazis actually stormed and trashed the Verkhovna Rada, the so called Ukraine parliament, on 16 March.
3. That the Zelensky regime then virtually declared war on Russia, calling the conflict one between Ukraine and Russia, stated its plan to recapture not just the Donbass Republics but Crimea, and exited from the Minsk agreement that had stopped the conflict in early 2015 (at which point the so called Ukraine army was in rout).
4. That, emboldened by Amerikastani statements of “support” and hundreds of tons of weaponry landing by the day, the Ukranazis have shifted enormous forces to the Donbass border and begun shelling and rocketing civilians as well as the Donbass armies’ troops.
5. That in response the Donetsk People’s Republic has introduced conscription and both Republics are actively preparing to face a Ukranazi offensive.
6. That any such offensive, if it threatens the existence of the DPR and LPR (as it probably will, the Ukranazis having something like a 7:1 manpower advantage as well as total control of the air) will compel the Putinist regime to abandon what long ago became a counterproductive policy of “restraint ” and intervene.
7. That said intervention has been repeatedly warned about by Russia, and Mr Lavrov has said that it will result in “grave consequences” for Ukrainian statehood, whatever that means.
8. That by encouraging the Ukranazis to attack with false promises of assistance, the Imperialist States makes said Russian intervention inevitable.
9. And if said Russian intervention is then claimed to be a Russian “invasion ” in the Westernaganda (as it will), Amerikastan can finally find something that will compel Germany to abandon NordStream II and buy Amerikastani shale oil LNG instead.
10. That Ukranazistan is a shambolic dystopia now, after seven years of “freedom”, and that everything that can be looted has been looted, so that Amerikastan can sacrifice it without a qualm.
I can’t understand why Bandow failed to mention even one of these points, because they are all extremely well known to anyone who knows anything about the state of affairs in Ukranazistan at all.
_______________________________________
https://southfront.org/kievs-best-friends-discuss-worrisome-border-situation/
If Russia is compelled to invade Ukranazistan, it will be the perfect excuse for Amerikastan to
1. Abandon the dystopic looted hellhole that seven years of “freedom” has made of Ukraine, and palm it off to Russia with a statement equivalent to “you broke it, you own it.”*
2. Make the EU close off trade with Russia, including but not limited to NordStream II, and buy overpriced Amerikastani LNG instead.
3. Interrupt China’s Belt And Road Initiative, which intends to stretch from the French coast to Beijing and points east.
*I have said this before, but in 2014 Russia could have invaded, overthrown the Nazi coup regime with relative ease (no NATO in Ukraine then and the Ukrainian army was in no shape to fight), reinstated Yanukovych, and withdrawn. Now if Russia invades, it will be much harder going. And if Russia wants to do the job properly, the Nazi coup regime and its puppet Zelensky will need to be destroyed. And then the resulting wreck will have to be taken over by Russia at least in the interim.

Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Apr 8 2021 16:03 utc | 97

Posted by: m | Apr 8 2021 11:46 utc | 80
Erdogan knows that the EU is a declining entity so he is reacting accordingly.
Recently China did the same thing.
In Moscow, Borrell thought that he is living in the past when Europe subjugated the world and can tell non-europeans what to do. He was told that this time is long gone, and where to go.
Lots of shocks are coming for euro supremacists, that is for sure.
The desire to rule the world, and the memory of it, as opposed to the long term decline will ultimately cause mental craziness and hysteria among euro supremacist elites.

Posted by: Passer by | Apr 8 2021 16:14 utc | 99