@all – I will be offline for the next three days for a preplanned medical procedure (nothing serious) that requires a short hospital stay.
Please behave.
– b.
Back to Main
December 7, 2021
Open Thread 2021-95
Comments
We’ll be good b and stay safe yourself. See in a few days;-)
Posted by: jo6pac | Dec 7 2021 13:08 utc | 1
“Please behave”.
I can only promise lots of comments written to my best ability, mostly stupid and without sense of humor. But I will refrain from insults.
Seriously, health first, I hope for the best for you!
Posted by: Piotr Berman | Dec 7 2021 13:11 utc | 2
Has b gone yet?
Let’s party!
b good luck and chill for a few days. I’m happy that Craig Murray is back, with a new article too.
Posted by: Mighty Drunken | Dec 7 2021 13:23 utc | 4
Hi b,
Any news regarding the restart of the war in Western Sahara between Morocco and the Polisario Front? I wonder if a war of attrition plus the unpopular recognition of Israel by Morocco could topple the monarchy there.
https://revueltaglobal.home.blog/2021/11/24/guerra-en-el-sahara-occidental-la-negacion-de-los-enfrentamientos-solo-beneficia-a-marruecos/
Thanks,
Andres
Posted by: Andres | Dec 7 2021 13:23 utc | 5
Keep well and take care b!
In other news, the Empire boycotts an Olympic that they were not invited to in the first place! LOL!
So if anyone is wondering how the video meeting bergen Xi and “Weekend at Biden’s” really went, you have your answer.
Posted by: A.L. | Dec 7 2021 13:43 utc | 6
Will the world have changed
while b is away?
…early in the morning…just realized now that today is
Pearl Harbor
plus 80.
Posted by: librul | Dec 7 2021 13:54 utc | 8
We’ll try our best to not burn the place down.
Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Dec 7 2021 13:55 utc | 9
Wishing you a speedy recovery B; stay safe.
– Doc
Posted by: DocHollywood | Dec 7 2021 14:05 utc | 10
Just found this random thing on the internet.
“5 haiku” (by Sonia Sanchez)
1.
You sniff
dog-like around
language
2.
i taste
your saliva spiked
with applause
3.
painted beads
falling from your
fingertips
4.
poems
going the wrong way
in moonlight
5.
you fast talking
manicured poet
sailing on glass.”
Just found this random
thing on the internet to
play, b is away
Posted by: librul | Dec 7 2021 14:08 utc | 11
http://random.whatsmyip.org/
very is random
could be Japan sooner than
Haiku not required
http://random.whatsmyip.org/
take a chance
Posted by: librul | Dec 7 2021 14:27 utc | 12
Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Dec 7 2021 14:27 utc | 13
@Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Dec 7 2021 14:27 utc | 13
That is one of the documents that
was given by Reality Winner (actual real person)
to The Intercept.
Are you authorized?
Posted by: librul | Dec 7 2021 14:34 utc | 14
ʇsɐɟʞɐǝɹq ɹoɟ ǝɯıʇ
You can read the above if you
took a chance
Posted by: librul | Dec 7 2021 14:43 utc | 16
Serious stuff, serious red lines.
“Putin” as interpreted by Patrick J. Buchanan:
Either the U.S. and NATO provide us with “legal guarantees” that Ukraine will never join NATO or become a base for weapons that can threaten Russia — or we will go in and guarantee it ourselves.
Counter:
That comes close to an ultimatum. And NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg backhanded the President of Russia for issuing it:
“It’s only Ukraine and 30 NATO allies that decide when Ukraine is ready to join NATO. … Russia has no veto, Russia has no say, and Russia has no right to establish a sphere of influence trying to control their neighbors.”
https://buchanan.org/blog/putin-to-biden-finlandize-ukraine-or-we-will-158813
Posted by: librul | Dec 7 2021 14:53 utc | 18
Keep well and take care b!
In other news, the Empire boycotts an Olympic that they were not invited to in the first place! LOL!
So if anyone is wondering how the video meeting bergen Xi and “Weekend at Biden’s” really went, you have your answer.
Posted by: A.L. | Dec 7 2021 13:43 utc | 6
That has concerned me for some days now; if I remember correctly, the Chinese said they were not issuing invitations to US politicians some days before we decided they would boycott.
So this is sour grapes.
Posted by: Bemildred | Dec 7 2021 15:12 utc | 19
You will go out well, do not worry, better than this family lead to desperation by its dictatorial government…
Father kills his 3 children, his wife and commits suicide, after the woman’s boss discovered that her COVID certificate (made by him) was false
Posted by: Black bread | Dec 7 2021 15:21 utc | 20
Is there a way for Germany and Russia to circumvent Russia being expelled from SWIFT? For example, could the Germans designate one or a few banks to join SPFS the Russian equivalent of the SWIFT financial transfer system? Not an expert on this but I sense that kicking Russia out of SWIFT will result in the classic series of events called “unintended consequences” which will be to the detriment of the West. Or maybe Germany et. al can smuggle gold bars to Moscow as payment? All of this over false reports of an invasion from anon intelligence sources.
Posted by: Erelis | Dec 7 2021 15:32 utc | 21
Best wishes, b! This time of year two of my children gave me once a lovely wall-hanging they had made, a chinese poem from the Tang dynasty poet Li Bai (8th cent.AD). It has hung by my front door without my knowing its meaning till just recently. Here is a literal translation:
The bright sun
dips below the hill;
water of the Yellow River
toward the sea flows.
You wish to keep them
ever in sight;
ever higher are the mountains
for the goal.
My daughter, who studied and lived in China back in the day, apologized for the rough translation. I told her I loved it exactly this way.
Posted by: juliania | Dec 7 2021 15:43 utc | 22
Black bread | Dec 7 2021 15:21 utc | 20
I suppose those will be registered as Covid deaths
Posted by: dan of steele | Dec 7 2021 15:46 utc | 23
Ted Galen Carpenter makes an excellent point in this article …
“Washington’s Kurdish Client Collapses”
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/washingtons-kurdish-client-collapses/
Kurdistan in Iraq is a failed state. That’s why it is NOT in the news
Posted by: Christian J. Chuba | Dec 7 2021 15:48 utc | 24
A doctor from the resistance, who had to retreat a bit to recover from exhaustion, and its back with force, sent this music…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAoLJ8GbA4Y
For all those at the front, or recovering from injuries inflcited by the governments perfroming the coup, all the best.
Health and strenght,
We will previal!
Posted by: Black bread | Dec 7 2021 15:50 utc | 25
Storm Barra rages outside.
Well more a decent December Gale!
So Brandon is rattling his diaper?
And saying that the Russians are going to invade the Ukraine based on “intelligence”
Intelligence like that used in 2003?
December dementia season!
Would it be fair to posit that the objective is if this plays the way the US wants is to make the Russians shut gas to Europe?
Impoverish Russian in the short term.
Split the EU and Russian irrevocably.
Smotheing any Eurasian land route as a bonus.
And fuck the consequences once Gulf and US gas make up the difference?
And maintain hegonomy over Europe.
Could it be as simple and stupid as that?
Posted by: JPC | Dec 7 2021 15:52 utc | 26
Yesterday I saw the recent public speech given by Biden,with commentary by Lambert at Naked Capitalism site. I was late to it, but will comment today. It was indeed a rambling one but I found the tone far different from his previous imperative about mandates. He does not change his tune, but has been compelled to moderate his tone.
I count that as a victory.
Family and friends who are vaccinated are in my prayers going forward. But when it comes to the tragedy involved for some, for others I pray that having climbed their mountains they can survive whatever is in store, and will see the sun and the mighty river again. After all, even with all our stumbles and falls, if we keep going it is sure we shall succeed. And it is worth the climb.
Keep on keeping on.
Posted by: juliania | Dec 7 2021 15:55 utc | 27
@ librul | Dec 7 2021 14:53 utc | 18
Fascinating! Today is the “Great Showdown”! lol
“The Hill” pronounced that Biden is going to give Putin a firm warning regarding “invading Ukraine”. “Sputnik News” of couse has a more asymmetrical approach. It warned that China could be smuggling cruise missiles in shipping containers. While all of this is known to the intelligence community, the neocons are not that bright. It ought to get their pants in a bundle.
Stay healthy, b!
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/584612-biden-to-offer-warning-to-putin
https://sputniknews.com/20211207/china-hides-secret-missile-systems-in-cargo-containers-for-surprise-attack-anywhere—report-1091301280.html
Posted by: Michael.j | Dec 7 2021 16:04 utc | 28
@ librul | Dec 7 2021 14:53 utc | 18 with the report on the Putin/Biden meeting
I loves me the smell of aristocrat fear in the morning
I hope everything goes well for you b during your health care experience. Come back soon because you are missing the show….grin
Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 7 2021 16:05 utc | 29
@Posted by: Black bread | Dec 7 2021 15:50 utc | 25
That was Vienna summer 2019…have you seen such dreaming people any more?
How much we have chnaged tghrough tese two years?
This is Vienna autumm 2021….
https://t.me/el_librepensador/628
Posted by: Black bread | Dec 7 2021 16:12 utc | 30
@21 Erelis
Well, yeah. SWIFT is just a messaging system. Postmen bypasses swift every day.
Posted by: S.O. | Dec 7 2021 16:15 utc | 31
This is an excellent article by Chris Hedges on Jeffery Epstein and the rich and powerful in society who have their way without any retribution.
https://scheerpost.com/2021/12/06/hedges-american-satyricon/
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Dec 7 2021 16:38 utc | 32
Why Russia goes along, well it seems that for the same reason our governments are doing, as I guessed, the pharma ruble seems to be birthing
Russia succumbs to the vaccine passport
At the end of November the Russian government presented two bills on the generalization of QR codes, especially in transport. These codes already exist de facto, without any legal basis, in all federated territories.
As in other countries, health in Russia is the responsibility of regional and local bodies, which have failed in their attempt to vaccinate the population voluntarily. To date, the statements of the federal government were opposed to compulsory vaccination, as we have exposed in previous posts.
The trick has been to use the transport, which is the responsibility of the central government, requiring the vaccination passport to travel.
The bills presented to Parliament are nothing more than compulsory vaccination, in addition to generalized surveillance of the population. They do not have the support of doctors or the population.
When the president of the Duma opened a debate about it on the Telegram account and asked for his opinions, there were almost 720,000 comments, almost all negative. The government did not expect such a general rejection.
The reaction was so aggressive that some even asked the police to control critics for “extremism” and for “spreading false news.”
The debate sparked a confrontation and a new wave of popular discontent.
Vaccine passports are supported by less than 20 percent of the population, according to surveys. Doctors have also just been surveyed by the RBK economic information agency and the result is the same: only a quarter support health passports and their position on compulsory vaccination is similar.
The director of the Gamaleya Institute, Alexander Gintsburg, which makes the Sputnik vaccine, never tires of advocating the passage of the two laws. It is logical because, despite his name, several Western vulture funds and venture capital companies have entered Gamaleya’s shareholding.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov has announced that only a few technical details need to be worked out for the laws to be passed and that the vote is dragging on due to some technical, social and digital difficulties.
The first parliamentary reading was scheduled for December 16 and the pseudo-progressive bloc is, as in other countries, its maximum defender. They want everything to be resolved before the end of the year, so that they can take effect on February 1, as planned.
Posted by: Black bread | Dec 7 2021 16:51 utc | 34
ok b thank you, rest up.
Jen, you mentioned Kawsachunews, yes it’s a good site out of Bolivia, run by Ollie Vargas and Camila Escalante, very accurate. They also have a local radio station, haven’t been running as many reports lately but occasionally they put out a scoop. Definitely worth checking, especially on Bolivia. Camila is well connected with Venezuela, I’m guessing that she will be reporting more on her native central America with Honduras and Nicaragua getting more attention.
Chile’s election is coming up so Kawsachun will likely carry some news on it.
Posted by: migueljose | Dec 7 2021 16:57 utc | 36
Three days? (be well sir) Three whole days? That’s like half the time it took to make the universe, and I’m not comparing you to the gods, b, but sometimes this place does seem like down a back alley on Mount Olympus.
The world might not be here in three days. Today is the day Russia doesn’t surrender. Tomorrow is the day China doesn’t surrender. And the day after? Let’s bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.
Anyway, by the time you get back the place may not be here, but if it is, it’s going to be very easy to take inventory behind the bar.
Cheers!
Posted by: gottlieb | Dec 7 2021 17:05 utc | 39
Not just that, librul @14, I have exclusive footage of the Russian arm(ies) massed at Ukraine’s border!
The invasion will probably start any nanosecond now.
Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Dec 7 2021 17:07 utc | 40
Righto mices! I’m still Covid fogged so am going to contribute this to the revelry
A real Chinese burn! Haven’t seen one since I was 14!
“Truss’ call to hide guilt on colonial past does not sound smart, but arrogant”
“Liz Truss, [in] IS a bizarre and twisted move to display a confident UK to the world, “will urge Britain to stop the guilt about colonial past,” Daily Mail reported on Sunday”
Reports the Global Times.
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202112/1240825.shtml
Posted by: D.G. | Dec 7 2021 17:18 utc | 41
Yup, Biswapriya Purkayast | you seem to know how the game is played.
In war, some facts less factual
Posted by: erichwwk | Dec 7 2021 17:19 utc | 42
For the US, it’s a “free and open Indo-Pacific,” US-dominated of course, on China’s border, plus a US-dominated NATO area on Russia’s borders (Ukraine, Black Sea, etc.). So China and Russia have a lot in common in this regard. They will cooperate their responses with mutual support.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Dec 7 2021 17:25 utc | 43
Gazan fights Texas
My wife reads the Guardian. It’s an issue but we dance with it. However, once in a while she reads me a gem. This is a story of a man, born and raised in Gaza, moved to the U.S., studied, became and engineer, moved to Texas and slowly built up a business over 20 years. Then, when he was about to sign a consulting contract, saw the anti- Israel boycott clause.
Read the story if you want to get more. It’s worth it.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/07/texas-ban-boycotting-israel
Posted by: migueljose | Dec 7 2021 17:28 utc | 44
@Posted by: Black bread | Dec 7 2021 17:02 utc | 37
Wait, this rumor comes after he made a rant about the secularizing and uniformizing intends for all countries within the EU, and compared the intitiative by the EU on eliminating Christmas for Holiday on grounds of inclusion as proper of regimens like the nazi one, and that it was needed that the idiosincrasy and customs of any country are respected, which includes traditional the European values, which is just the opposite narrative to that of the EU and their globalists partners of the WEF, erase anything which could keep people joint or reinforce community or family ties…
https://www.rt.com/news/542417-pope-eu-nazi-dictatorship/
Posted by: Black bread | Dec 7 2021 17:29 utc | 45
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Dec 7 2021 16:38 utc | 32
Thank you for the link by Hedges on the Epstein trial. It’s a much deeper dive into how poverty– the losers— is growing within the Empire and serving up more victims, especially girls and women. Very good. Here’s the link you posted again. appreciate it.
https://scheerpost.com/2021/12/06/hedges-american-satyricon/
Posted by: migueljose | Dec 7 2021 17:33 utc | 46
@Posted by: migueljose | Dec 7 2021 17:28 utc | 44
Read it, thx.
Awesome to read about someone standing tall.
Posted by: librul | Dec 7 2021 17:40 utc | 47
Putin and Biden used the secure video chat system for 2 hours, but no substance reported. IMO, not much positive was proposed, otherwise discussions would be longer. But we shall see.
Tragicomedy? “Man kills family, self ‘for fear of arrest over fake Covid pass’”. This happened in Germany.
All of the “Russia better not invade Ukraine or else SWIFT will be cut off” propaganda is serving a purpose of warming up western audiences for when or if Ukraine invades the Donbas, the south eastern Ukrainian breakaway provinces. What other possible reason could there be to constantly warn about Russian invasion of Ukraine. So, is this the plan?
1. Make Ukraine part of NATO.
2. NATO aids Ukraine to invade Donbas.
3. NATO warns Russia not to interfere.
4. Russia threatens to stop all trade with Europe.
5. NATO backs off.
6. Ukraine goes back to stalemate, or Donbas joins Russia.
Or is it:
1. Ukraine invades Donbas.
2. They ask for help.
3. NATO countries send help while warning Russia not to interfere.
4. Russia threatens to stop all trade with Ukraine and Europe.
5. NATO backs off.
6. Ukraine goes back to stalemate, or Donbas joins Russia.
I just don’t see how this can work for NATO countries since Russia controls the economic cards and NATO controls jack squat. What is all the saber rattling about since the above two possible plans end with Russia winning without fighting? I guess it has to do with Biden’s relationship with Ukrainian oligarchs. What may happen is that when Ukraine loses there will be a demand for a new government who are the people behind the scenes pushing Biden and NATO into the above no-win scenario for their own political and business reasons to overthrow the current regime in Ukraine.
Besides that I just can’t see what possible reason NATO countries would go along with aiding Ukraine taking over Donbas. Without that aid Ukraine cannot win. What else could the plan be? Is this really about politics and nothing more?
One heavily weighted Russian opinion on the Outlaw US Empire’s position on Olympics, “‘The US is a cancer of the earth’: Olympic icon hails ‘holiday for world’ after Beijing boycott”. And he says much more than that. I want him on my team!
@Posted by: El | Dec 7 2021 17:55 utc | 50
Something closer to the plan would be this:
1. Ukraine invades Donbas (or Donbass).
2. With military means Russia protects the citizens of Donbas from becoming
like Gazans at the hands of Kiev-nazis.
3. US declares Russia has invaded Donbas to conquer and steal all of Ukraine.
4. EU poodles echo whatever the US says
5. NATO gets more weapons, US war profiteers make a killing
6. Russia cuts off oil to the EU
7. US oil profiteers make a killing
8. People die
Posted by: librul | Dec 7 2021 18:10 utc | 52
We won’t find out soon if ever what the presidents are talking about, so better look at other news like Moscow new ten subway stations opened today. Ten in one day.
Moscow 10 new subway stations.
Or a former military man that shoots dead two people and injures another four in a government services office in Moscow, he was asked to put on a mask, he started screaming about a world wide conspiracy, which brings me to the point that unsavory characters are taking stock of the anti-utopian times we are going thru to promote extremist views and conspiracies, fighting fire with fire and taking advantage of murky waters, the extreme right is sweet talking to the working class or whatever is left of it, we should not be fooled, it is a wolf dressed as a lamb.
Posted by: Paco | Dec 7 2021 18:11 utc | 53
Hmm… This report says, “According to the Kremlin, Putin does not plan to make any statements after the talks.” The Outlaw US Empire’s spin will be announced “four hours after the beginning of the Putin-Biden meeting.” “Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin will speak to Biden relying on national interests and not emotions.”
Putin will keep his fury to himself as he deals with a cypher whose policy is the opposite of what he utters.
@Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 7 2021 17:55 utc | 49
Well, Bild is a tabloid, but, realy, can not find the comedy in the terrible event.
Suicide, in case you are not aware, increased exponentially due the Covidian measures, being mortality amongst young people by suicide way more higher that by Covid, which is minimum
There are people dying at home for fear of being misstreated at hospitals or applied a counteproductive treatment as happened to my unvaccinated friend..
And on, and on….
The fact that the media do not report on this, does not imply it is a scandal…like the rest of hwat is happening…
You can enter a hospital, go through a favourable evolution of a pneumonia, even having Twitted the previous hours in the morning, to then inexplicably end in an ICU in the afternoon intubated through a traqueostomy…like Julia Skripal…the marc of the beast…
Posted by: Black bread | Dec 7 2021 18:36 utc | 55
“Give me learning sir and you may keep your Black Bread.” Tolstoy, as quoted by Homer Simpson.
Posted by: rjb1.5 | Dec 7 2021 18:52 utc | 56
Read, weep, and understand how MSM lost their credibility in their effort to punish the “deplorable” for voting for not voting for HRC
Ping!! How Those Trump/Russia Stories Got Shopped to the Media
“ There will likely be more red faces among journalists, but that’s not the point. Reporters get information from all kinds of people. Still, journalists have been far too willing for far too long to conceal the roles of private operatives and spies-for-hire in articles in exchange for getting “scoops.” News organizations, recent events suggest, may want to revise that arrangement.”
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/alfa-bank-ping-russiagate/
Posted by: DG | Dec 7 2021 18:52 utc | 57
Apparently the zoom meeting produced nothing of substance.
One would think that plans have already made and are being implemented. As Lavrov has said, us is not agreement capable. I suspect that reason for meeting was to assess where aech stands in preparation for engagement. Russia would not want responsibility for Uk only wants to limit military capability – could be win/win/win for anyone interested.
Posted by: jared | Dec 7 2021 18:53 utc | 58
@48 karlof1
Biden isn`t in the best chape anymore. He probably isn`t capable of more than 2-3h of negotiations at once.
Posted by: m | Dec 7 2021 18:59 utc | 59
@ Posted by: Black bread | Dec 7 2021 16:51 utc | 34
Well, crises are useful to those who seek profit and control.
I would wish the Putin would turn dialog to what should happen in the event of an actual emergency. We see we are not ready.
Posted by: jared | Dec 7 2021 19:01 utc | 60
I don’t understand why it has taken so long to find a crypto alternative to the dollar. The motive certainly exists as with sanctions against China, Russia, Nicaragua, Cuba, Iran, Venezuela, Whoever It Is This Week…
China could step in with digital yuan but doesn’t seem to be in any hurry. Maybe they fear a loss of dollar assets.
Posted by: Eighthman | Dec 7 2021 19:02 utc | 61
Keep safe and well, B, and rest up after your hospital stay.
Sometimes being in hospital requires just as long a recovery time, or longer even, than the original reason for hospitalisation.
Miguel Jose @ 36:
Thanks, glad to see you know about Kawsachun News already!
Posted by: Jen | Dec 7 2021 19:16 utc | 62
@ karlof1 48
Biden have been talking to both China and Russia only to spit in their faces a few days later with threats and boycotts.
Although the content of the talks were not disclosed i think we can guess what Chinese and Russian response were to whatever that were on the agenda.
What’s GTFO in Russian and Chinese? LOL
Posted by: A.L. | Dec 7 2021 19:18 utc | 63
Karlof1 @ 49, Black Bread @ 55:
To call the family suicide a tragicomedy does not reflect very well on those who regard it as such. Yes, we can say the parents were foolish to think and act in the way they had done but can we really pass judgement on them if we don’t understand the conditions and circumstances that encouraged or pushed them to do what they did? Can we be sure that the parents were not correct in thinking their children could be taken away from them if they refused to comply with injection mandates?
Posted by: Jen | Dec 7 2021 19:25 utc | 64
thank you b for the status. hope the procedure goes smoothly and you get well soon thereafter. i have my own pre-planned appointment next week for a colonoscopy. fun fun!!
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Dec 7 2021 19:27 utc | 65
This is how the dollar dominance as reserve currency/petrodollar ends:
Russia and India agree to stop using dollar in mutual transactions
Note that this requires ever more trade be conducted without the US being involved. This is why China is critical.
Posted by: c1ue | Dec 7 2021 19:29 utc | 66
Best wishes, b.
The latest: Unless the Biden string pullers loosen up embarrassingly, Russia is going to roll over the Ukraine. If they perceive that the US is preparing to put missiles on the Russian border with the Ukraine (which I’m pretty sure they do), Russia has no choice but to invade. They would prefer not to, but the US will almost certainly leave them no choice.
Posted by: blues | Dec 7 2021 19:34 utc | 67
@ Paco 53
re: Moscow new ten subway stations opened today.
from Xinhuanet–
China-built Moscow metro stations open to traffic
MOSCOW, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday via video link launched a new section of the Moscow Metro, part of which was built by China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC).
CRCC constructed a 5.4-km line, which consists of three stations and nine tunnels, as part of the 70-km Third Interchange Circuit of the Moscow Metro.
It was the first time for Russia to introduce a Chinese enterprise in its metro construction, which was also marked as the first metro project of a Chinese company in Europe.
The Michurinsky Prospekt station, “a new landmark for Sino-Russian friendship” as CRCC put it, features Chinese elements such as red pillars, patterns of Chinese character “shou” meaning longevity, and auspicious clouds. . .here
Posted by: Don Bacon | Dec 7 2021 19:37 utc | 69
@Posted by: Jen | Dec 7 2021 19:25 utc | 64
Well, you do not even have fear that they could take your children out, leaving a person, or a family father without his way of living equates starving and killing the man or family, it is a crime, and the fact it is not currently being judged and pusnished is because those who hold power at the various echelons are accomplices in all this.
They will be punished at the due time. We amy not catch Schwab proper, it is rumour he is already hiding in a bunker in Antarctica, but his minipns below will pay…It is due time that fear changes sides and that it is them who have to worry how they will make their living from now on…
At due time, we could even make an incursion in Antarctica…looking for Schwab and Lagarde….
Posted by: Black bread | Dec 7 2021 19:39 utc | 70
Does anyone have a preferred source for stats and followup (talking to friends and family to confirm the given reason) on the alleged Covidian suicides? I don’t doubt the lockdowns were tough on NUMEROUS people, but I’ve only seen vagueish references to the suicide rate going up with no actual causes given. Similar in a way to the allegation that ALL deaths with COVID positive tests are being attributed to COVID (which again I also think is untrue unless there are good sources – NOT some stupid talking head wannabe influencer on YouTube or whatnot).
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Dec 7 2021 19:39 utc | 71
A more realistic overview on China’s energy mix:
China adjusts coal approach
“Our previous estimate was that China’s coal-fired power capacities will peak within 1,200 gigawatts, but now the peak is expected to increase to 1,250 to 1,300 gigawatts. In the past, we expected coal-fired generation units will be dismantled, but now it is possible to just stop operations and keep them as spare capacities. These changes are all driven by the power crisis,” Chen said.
…
China has some of the world’s largest solar and wind generation capacity, totaling 581 GW as of Oct. 2021, but this has not helped guarantee sufficient and stable power supply, or effectively substituted coal-fired generation.
…
“We estimate the demand for coal will peak around 2025, and natural gas will peak around 2040. Natural gas can partially substitute coal for power supplies,” Xu said.
“Nevertheless, China’s import dependency for natural gas and LNG has increased in recent years and approached 50%. We estimate it will reach nearly 60% in next few years. We hope to utilize more natural gas but keep the demand growth within a reasonable limit, so that energy security issues don’t escalate,” he added.
Note the 1200-1300 GW of coal vs. 581 GW of “alternative energy”. Given the relative capacity factors – the alternative energy is producing less than 1/6th of the energy as the coal sector (vs. the slightly under 1/2 of name plate capacity difference).
Posted by: c1ue | Dec 7 2021 19:41 utc | 72
@ c1ue | Dec 7 2021 19:29 utc | 66 with the Russia/India bypass of Bretton Woods
Thanks for that.
I think one can call this death by a thousand cuts. This is not the first challenge to the comprehensiveness of the Bretton Woods agreement about all trade going through US dollars. Any barflies seen a current summary of the current agreements like the Russia/India deal? I know there are some specifically about oil. It would be interesting to know what percentage of world trade is now done outside of Bretton Woods.
And while I am asking for stuff, are there alternative sources for the Tucker Carlson interview of Robert Kennedy Jr. ? Thanks!
Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 7 2021 19:45 utc | 73
…from the White House
Readout of President Biden’s Video Call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. held a secure video call today with President Vladimir Putin of Russia to discuss a range of issues on the U.S.-Russia agenda. President Biden voiced the deep concerns of the United States and our European Allies about Russia’s escalation of forces surrounding Ukraine and made clear that the U.S. and our Allies would respond with strong economic and other measures in the event of military escalation. President Biden reiterated his support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and called for de-escalation and a return to diplomacy. The two presidents tasked their teams to follow up, and the U.S. will do so in close coordination with allies and partners. The presidents also discussed the U.S.-Russia dialogue on Strategic Stability, a separate dialogue on ransomware, as well as joint work on regional issues such as Iran. . .here
A return to WHAT diplomacy?? . . .The “D-word” is unknown in Washington, IMO. Hillary made the mold as SecState, Biden of course stays in it.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Dec 7 2021 19:47 utc | 74
Adjunct professor talking about his experience babysitting dogs for a person who might be his student (sociology undergrad)
Gone to the Dogs
I am actually not one of those who thinks getting a sociology degree is a waste of time, per se. Education – whether college or high school or lower – is about enabling opportunity and learning to learn/think. Very little is normally learned in these places which actually is used in work.
The real problem is the cost of education. There was a time where education was affordable in the United States because it was considered important.
No longer…
Posted by: c1ue | Dec 7 2021 19:48 utc | 75
Ssshh 🤫 shush 🤐
Don’t mention the War ! That day that lives in infamy! You know the basis of all these great films and WORLD WAR TWO personal invite by FDR for the yankees to join the games…
“ Japan ‘spits on US WWII victory’ as 99 lawmakers visit Yasukuni Shrine on Pearl Harbor attack day”
Empire wants its original head choppers back in the game. Got that Marine? Fuck all your roads to iwojima!
Why the manic madness of the crumbling Empire?
“facilitate regional countries to seize opportunities fueled by the world’s largest trade deal as the RCEP will take effect starting January 1, 2022, “
“the China-Laos Railway, will power the region’s economic growth,” Xu said, stressing if the China-Laos Railway connects with other rail links, there will be a bigger and more open market for China and ASEAN members as the two sides will work to launch the Version 3.0 of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area.”
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202112/1240823.shtml?
Not a single paragraph in MSM of any of that or Israel blowing up coffee in Latakia or UN vote on the Syrian Golans.
Posted by: D.G. | Dec 7 2021 19:51 utc | 76
@psychohistorian #73
Technically, all trade today is done outside Bretton Woods. That agreement was killed when Nixon closed the gold window in 1973.
But non-dollar transactions are around 40% of world trade; the US itself is involved (i.e. sender or recipient) around 8% of world trade depending on whether you look at good vs. services, imports vs. exports or overall.
The euro is roughly where the EU is in trade terms; the gap is Japan and China/ JPY and RMB vs. the USD. The Japanese have put all their marbles on US protection for decades so doesn’t seem likely to change anytime soon. Japan is around 12% export/7% import = ~9% of world trade. South Korea is around 12% export/5$ import = ~ 8% – so 25% of the USD as reserve currency (vs. present 60%ish) can be accounted for between US and Japan merchandise trade.
China, however, is over 20% export and 13% import = ~16% of which the RMB comprises 1%? Maybe more maybe less?
China is the question.
Lots of interesting data WTO”>https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/statis_e/wts2019_e/wts2019_e.pdf”>WTO trade data from 2019
Posted by: c1ue | Dec 7 2021 20:00 utc | 77
Interesting testimony from South Africa in the comments section of a Campbell video:
I live in Cape Town, South Africa. On the news tonight it was mentioned that many of the kids that are in hospital at the moment were booked in for other procedures, tested for Covid and tested positive with no or mild symptoms before their procedure. Covid has currently been increasing in my sons school and my son is currently ill and will be tested for covid tomorrow. The symptoms of my son and his classmates were: headache, sore throat, no cough, no runny nose and a bit of a temperature. Recovering at home easily with vitamin d, vitamin C and zinc etc. I know it’s too early to say but in a weeks time we will know if omicron is maybe the start of the virus getting weaker as the reports in SA are much milder symptoms and that has been our experience too. I can’t help feeling that once again the fear mongering on the news is just to make everyone with kids under 5 go to get their kids vaccinated as soon as possible. Maybe the better option is to open the borders and let this variant become the dominant variant if it does indeed turn out to be as mild as it is appearing. Then maybe we can go back to more empathy and less judgement as what is happening in the world right now is so sad to see. Who would have dreamt that vaccines could cause the division that is currently been seen! It’s not worth it and one day this will pass and the true colours of nations, communities and people will not be easily forgotten!! I m not pro or anti vaccines. But I am definitely anti vaccine division!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSfPK-amgKw&ab_channel=Dr.JohnCampbell
Posted by: Julie | Dec 7 2021 20:04 utc | 78
@ Posted by: Don Bacon | Dec 7 2021 19:47 utc | 74
Apparently the us administration views sanctions and coercion of “allies” as diplomacy. We need a ruling here.
So us asks Russia to hold still while they continue with diplomacy.
Its all in how you look at it.
Putin exhibits great patience. Perhaps too much. Playing chess while other side is playing checkers (or maybe grand theft auto).
Posted by: jared | Dec 7 2021 20:24 utc | 79
So who’s behind the bar in the absence of the man.
Or is it an honor system?
Posted by: JPC | Dec 7 2021 20:30 utc | 81
This is a very interesting history of “woke” – specifically the “racism walk” exercise.
Particularly fascinating because of its literal limousine liberal roots…
The First Privilege Walk
Also telling is the obvious intel agency/NGO nature of the rich daddy in question. It is as Obama were patterned after the white, female creator of the Privilege Walk…
Posted by: c1ue | Dec 7 2021 20:38 utc | 82
The real problem is the cost of education. There was a time where education was affordable in the United States because it was considered important.
No longer…
Posted by: c1ue | Dec 7 2021 19:48 utc | 75
I have long been grateful to the USSR for putting up Sputnik (the satellite) when they did. I am sure I would not have gotten the good cheap education I did here, if not for that.
Posted by: Bemildred | Dec 7 2021 20:43 utc | 83
Posted by: Don Bacon | Dec 7 2021 19:47 utc | 74
The Kremlin’s press note is a bit longer and beyond the initial diplomatic niceties like remembering past alliances during WWII Putin insists in his position about Ukraine, on paper guarantees than no NATO or missiles on their border. For the time being in Russian only, it’ll be translated soon I think.
http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/67315
Posted by: Paco | Dec 7 2021 20:50 utc | 84
“The Attack on Pearl Harbor Was No Surprise” . .here
Posted by: Don Bacon | Dec 7 2021 20:52 utc | 85
re: Don Bacon | Dec 7 2021 20:52 utc | 85
link not working for me
Posted by: Perimetr | Dec 7 2021 20:55 utc | 86
Hi b. Get better soon.
***
jared | Dec 7 2021 20:24 utc | 79
Putin loses nothing by waiting. Ukraine can’t “wait”.
Think coal; Ukes used to get it from either Donbass or Khazakstan. The Kahzakstan route has been shut by Putin. (there was also a problem with rail transport)
Gas; Russians have the ultimate control.
Diesel for Uke trains; Bought from Belarus (I don’t know if this is still the case)
Money; What money? Ukes were given €600million euro as a helping hand. Probably all sent to Delaware by now. Z’ wanted the money from gas transit to “pay for his army” (Quote). Armies have to be paid, especially mercenaries. (Remember Rome!)
Politics; Zelensky is doing all he can to eliminate opposition, Which means there is a lot of opposition, mostly hidden.
It is going to be a long hard winter.
Posted by: Stonebird | Dec 7 2021 20:56 utc | 87
Speedy recovery b
On the family tragedy: it is a disgrace to let the guy off on the excuse that he feared for his family (he really cared my ass). The murder-suicide committed by a father is not uncommon in Australia and has its root cause in his belief that his wife and children are property over which he has the final say. Let’s not dignify it with a motive and call it for what it is: the most extreme form of domestic violence and murder plain and simple. That he would kill a woman and three defenceless children makes him a coward and scum. Vaccines are a worry for all sorts of reasons but this has nothing to do with it. It is instead just a brutal assertion of a dumb f**k who thought he owned 4 other human beings. He just replaced their lack of choice over vaccination with an even more horrific lack of choice perpetrated by the one man they should have been able to trust without question. Vile.
Posted by: Patroklos | Dec 7 2021 20:57 utc | 88
Where is the line between excess caution and paranoia.
I have a in-home covid testing kit.
I perform the test at home and then mail the kit back.
Two days after the lab receives the kit
I can get my results online.
It just occurred to me that this would be a sneaky way
for the Surveillance State to collect massive amounts
of data for their DNA databases.
That is, everyone that mails back a covid test kit,
unbeknownst to them, also has their DNA analyzed and that
DNA data is then made available to the Surveillance State.
Some things are Conspiracy Theories until one day…surprise…
a new Edward Snowden appears.
Posted by: librul | Dec 7 2021 20:59 utc | 89
Nordstream 2 sanctions have been removed from the draft defense authorization act bill, but Germany has given assurance (or said it will give assurances) to stop the project (certification?) if Russia “invades” Ukraine.
This pretty much assures that Ukraine will commence a full invasion of the two breakaway territories.
Posted by: schmoe | Dec 7 2021 20:59 utc | 90
Thanks upthread for the link to this interview of Mattias Desmet by Chris Martenson, on the site Peak Prosperity.
They talk about mass formation, which has certain preconditions with regard to the individuals in society losing meaning in their lives, and gaining a well-defined enemy to fight against, in this example Covid. Desmet also discusses past totalitarian societies with the same causes, symptoms and self-destructive outcomes.
Although he says about 30% of people really buy into it, that is enough to sustain the effect.
They also talk about the importance of friendly, informed dissent and how that can be a successful counter to the mass movement. A movement that is perhaps believed just as strongly by its leaders (i.e. non-conspiracy) as its followers.
It’s extremely hard to to to to to wake someone up who is in a process of massive fromation, but the Gustave Le Bon, if you’re familiar with Gustaf the he wrote a very important book on mass formation in the 19th century, the psychology of the crowds. It was called and it describes already there that if the people who are not in the mass formation try to wake up the people who are in a mass formation, then they will be confronted, probably with the failure. They will be confronted with the fact that that that they are unable to to do the wake of the masses. But he says nevertheless, it is extremely important to continue to speak out because if people continue to speak out, the hypnosis might become less deep and it will become less deep. Gustave Le Bon presents several historical examples of situations in which in which people who were awake continue to speak out and prevented the masses from committing atrocities because that’s typically what the masses do.
There is a video at the link but I read the written transcript. It’s machine-driven so there are some transcription errors but easy enough to follow.
Posted by: jonku | Dec 7 2021 21:01 utc | 91
Like to post another oriental view that is not presently in western MSM’s focus, but may well portend the geopolitical meandering of 2022. Following is the opening paragraph of a column on the present moves of China and the US against each other’s wishes:
Sino-American relationship has not improved after the Xi-Biden video meet, instead it seems to continue the decoupling. Not only has US added 12 Chinese enterprises onto the list of sanction, it threatens delisting of Chinese shares at NYSE if sensitive corporate info are not disclosed as requested, in addition to mobilizing allies to antagonize China on Taiwan issue. It is doing all that it can. But China is no sissy. Right when the Fed is pondering tight monetary policy to control inflation, China carried out inter-period adjustment to inject over 1 trillion Yuan into the economy and vowed further easing as needed. The move threatens to add inflationary pressure in the US, forcing Fed’s hand to raise rates and bust the asset bubble. It is plain to see that the two giants are at loggerhead. The global economy is in peril while speculation may further damage it.
The rest of the article is just expansion of this thesis of Sino-US loggerhead. It basically says that China is taking action to shield itself from fallouts of America’s pending anti-inflation moves regardless of potential negative impacts on America; that today’s China ain’t the Japan of the mid-80’s when they succumbed to the Plaza Accord. America’s nurturing of Korea/Vietnam/India as manufacturing alternatives to China may not benefit the third world economy, while China on the other hand has delved into RCEP and CPTPP to merge itself deeper into the global economy. The article closes by laughingly asks: Who is going to laugh last???
Posted by: Oriental Voice | Dec 7 2021 21:02 utc | 92
@ Posted by: librul | Dec 7 2021 14:53 utc | 18
Buchanon for sec of state.
In Trump administration.
Posted by: jared | Dec 7 2021 21:12 utc | 93
America’s fascist baby reckons it’s a grown-up now.
Global Times- Analysts believe that this rare “open defiance against the US” by Japan also exposed the hidden anti-US sentiment among Japanese right-wing conservatives
Posted by: Dim sim | Dec 7 2021 21:16 utc | 94
psychohistorian #73
And while I am asking for stuff, are there alternative sources for the Tucker Carlson interview of Robert Kennedy Jr. ? Thanks!
Voila! Put brandnewtube on your goto list
https://brandnewtube.com/watch/tucker-carlson-with-robert-f-kennedy-on-fauci_tCzNZo6LaQBjdnn.html
Beware heretics inside ;))
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 7 2021 21:18 utc | 95
@88 Patroklos
Even so, perhaps you can not see or refuse to see how Draconian mandates amplify paranoia amongst some to critical mass where cornered individuals lash out in violence to ends they deem warranted.
We knew this would happen and continue to happen. Violence against the state is not uniform in its appearance, but denying the property rights of the state to this man’s family was one way, albeit deranged, to inflict damage upon such a tyrannical claim.
Sit on that and know that much more of this is coming.
Posted by: NemesisCalling | Dec 7 2021 21:19 utc | 96
@ Posted by: Stonebird | Dec 7 2021 20:56 utc | 87
I would agree but I think that shipping weapons to Uk kind of lit the fuse. That and the wratchting sanction. Certainly Putin can pick the time and place – should be while in conference with Biden.
I think the a bureaucracy is inherently drawn to war to protect its interests and due to lack of accountability. Meanwhile Putins team recognizes the repercussions of thier decisions.
Posted by: jared | Dec 7 2021 21:19 utc | 97
. . .on the Biden-Putin talks, per the Guardian, as usual the UN Resolution 2201(2015) is not mentioned. It just doesn’t exist. But that doesn’t matter, because following the Minsk agreement is “extremely unpopular in Kyiv” and the Resolution merely enforces the agreement so who cares. Besides, Kyev only listens to Washington according to Lavrov so there you go.
Russian officials said that Putin would press Biden in order to force Kyiv to abide by the 2015 Minsk agreements, an agreement that both Russia and Ukraine have accused the other side of violating. “It looks like Kyiv won’t listen to anyone but the United States,” the Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, said ahead of the talks on Tuesday.
The agreement stipulates that Ukraine reform its constitution and open direct talks with Russian-backed separatists, both of which are extremely unpopular in Kyiv. . .here
Posted by: Don Bacon | Dec 7 2021 21:24 utc | 98
@ Posted by: JPC | Dec 7 2021 20:30 utc | 81
I think the squirrel, Rocky, is second in command.
Leaving the squirrel to monitor the nuts.
Posted by: jared | Dec 7 2021 21:29 utc | 99
@ uncle tungsten | Dec 7 2021 21:18 utc | 95 with the new video link for the seminal Left/Right handshake
Thanks….I sent it on.
As I wrote to my sister, putting Covid truth genie back in the bottle is a lost cause…..it is not if but when the tipping point is reached about the Covid lies, IMO
Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 7 2021 21:31 utc | 100