Thank you b.

I have first read the Ignatius editorial - long time since I have read anything at the Washington Post. (I have to say I only skimmed it.)

Then I read Craig Murray's indictment: Murder. The byline I repeat below:

It is not that people are worried that a claim of genocide will not be successful at the International Court of Justice. It is that everybody is quite sure it will succeed.

It will. And it must.

Posted by: juliania | Dec 17 2023 15:04 utc | 1

I will add to my post above that I strongly do not believe in capital punishment, even for such crimes as that terrible crime of genocide. Life imprisonment with no parole is all we humans should inflict upon one another without ourselves being contaminated as well. Let us take that road; that is my prayer. No more killing.

Posted by: juliania | Dec 17 2023 15:20 utc | 2

Hahahaha RFK Jr. is such a clown re Israel. Sonar21 article. I would love to know how he became that indoctrinated.

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Dec 17 2023 15:23 utc | 3

Thanks very much for posting the "Results for the year" transcript, b. We approach Saint Nicholas Day Old Calendar - special to me as my first return to the US from New Zealand long ago that day was repeated for me, so happy Saint Nicholas Day(s)north and south hemispheres, and soon after, the solstice! Midsummer there - the end of winter for me!

;)

Posted by: juliania | Dec 17 2023 15:43 utc | 4

The big story here is the extraordinary account by David Ignatius whose views represent, as you indicated, the view of senior leaders of the CIA. I've known the horrors of Israeli occupation in the WB & Gaza since the early 90s and saw that the Israelis, by sabotaging the Oslo process with the help of Bill Clinton, made the "two-state solution" impossible. The clear strategy has been (by Israel, Washington and its minions) to make life as miserable as possible for all Palestinians so that they will leave and make "Greater Israel" a real possibility. This policy had been worked out between Israel and Washington so that the end-result would be drawn out to avoid political problems for Washington and their client states in the region.

The Ignatius article represents a dramatic sea change in the power relations inside Washington which had been dominated by Israeli interests for many decades. Now, it may be that the Jewish-American oligarchs may be getting cold feet as they can begin to see anti-Jewish feeling (I will not call it "anti-semitism" since that term is absurd) grow in the US. Netanyahoo's government went too far in showing the racist reality that is at the heart of Israeli society and not just the right-wing. Most Israelis I've met over many years have a visceral hate of Palestinians and Muslims in general. In addition, many Jewish Americans I've met in government have very similar attitudes but it still looks bad.

Anyway, all this indicates a "turn" in American foreign policy though a turn to what--I don't know. There is no going back to the ideas behind Oslo as Ignatius implies. What I do know is that international Jewry is losing popularity around the world and that signals, eventually, a dramtic change meaning that Jews should be judged by standards of non-Jews and not given special privileges because they dominate the media. Jews may have to face the fact that suspicion that Jews only believe in common morality when it comes to Jews but feel justified to do "anything" they want to non-Jews.

It's time now to publicize data about what Israelis really believe which, if made public, would shock most Americans.

Posted by: Chris Cosmos | Dec 17 2023 15:44 utc | 5

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Dec 17 2023 15:23 utc | 3

RFK Jr. knows, in the same way Donald Trump knew that in order to have power and influence in Washington you have to genuflect towards Jerusalem. If RFK has a chance in this election cycle and/or just have more influence on policy he needs Jewish oligarchs to back him. The Jewish oligarch's clout may be beginning to dissipate but the reality is that no one the oligarchs reject can rule in the US. Let's see how all this pans out before we automatically reject RFK.

Posted by: Chris Cosmos | Dec 17 2023 15:50 utc | 6

Posted by: Chris Cosmos | Dec 17 2023 15:50 utc | 6

Listen to the video at Sonar21. RFK Jr does far more than genuflect. As always. He is so over the top on Israel that it's alarming.

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Dec 17 2023 15:59 utc | 7

I had received the XBB.1.5 booster in late September, but still got infected 6-7 weeks later. That’s not at all surprising, since the booster doesn’t do much against infection,

From the Eric Topol article about covid. There is an entire fantasy world at that post. No expectation that the various covid universes will ever coincide.

Posted by: oldhippie | Dec 17 2023 16:21 utc | 8

thanks b and the many fine posters here.. lots to sleuth thru..

sonar21 article by larry johnson lays it out pretty well.. i agree with tom and chris on rfk jr...

Posted by: james | Dec 17 2023 17:04 utc | 9

View from the top of the "global economy" value chain

International Debt Report 2023

The International Debt Report (IDR), formerly International Debt Statistics (IDS), is a longstanding annual publication of the World Bank featuring external debt statistics and analysis for the 122 low- and middle-income countries that report to the World Bank Debt Reporting System (DRS).

Now in its fiftieth year [!!], IDR supports policymakers and analysts by monitoring aggregate and country-specific trends in external debt in low- and middle-income countries. It provides a comprehensive picture of external borrowing and sources of lending by type of borrower and creditor.
[...]

Public and publicly guaranteed debt, by creditor and
creditor type in 2022, including IMF credit (%)
13 Bilateral
of which
5 Other
4 China
3 Japan
1 France

Posted by: sln2002 | Dec 17 2023 17:08 utc | 10

in re: Results of the Year with Vladimir Putin (transcript)

FYI: 31 Memorable Quote selection and remarks by an aftershock UID, trailed by thread discussion

Posted by: sln2002 | Dec 17 2023 17:21 utc | 11

ZH has a posting up that may provide entertainment for some

The title

Blackstone Releases "Beyond Cringe" Holiday Video

the quote

The world's largest alternative asset manager has released what some X users say is a 'beyond cringe' holiday video, while others said, 'After seeing this video, I want a very hard landing.'

Blackstone published its annual holiday video on YouTube and X titled "Blackstone's 2023 Holiday Video: The Alternatives Era," which features executives singing and dancing as they promote their brand.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 17 2023 17:33 utc | 12

I'll add another anecdotal layer to the "Covid update" above. Like the author of that article, I lost my "Novid" status just this week with a four-day episode in which I displayed all the classical symptoms of a "mild" (well) course: I had a high fever for one day, the chills for another four; mere hints at the dry cough throughout; no loss of smell; antigen test negative on day five; fully recovered on day six. I'm male, mid-40 and of a fairly robust health, but it still felt pretty ugly.

I was happy to eat a large dried salami I happened to have at home, and drank lots of ginger tea; when it was over, I opened a fine bottle of rum. My soaked blankets and shirts filled a full washing machine load.

So far, so unremarkable. But I'd like to point out that my rather benign experience apparently owes a lot to the medication/supplements that I chose, which is the reason to lay out the case here.

I had one shot of the J&J back in '21, never really believed in the vaxxings (especially considering my age cohort), and decided to take my chances using the quercetin + zinc approach that was discussed a lot at MoA back then. As a brief reminder, Quercetin is a natural (plant stuff), proven to be save, "ionophore", meaning it works in conjuction with zinc by enabling the zinc ions to cross into body cells, where they hinder the replication of RNA virus. I've been taking this preventively on some days (like when among many people) for over two years now, plus vitamin D (especially in the dark winters of northern Europe). And it now worked exactly as I had expected from the thorough information on this treatment that I read here and on the swiss propaganda research website. The information is now somehwat dated, as new methods of treatment have been discussed since (most notably Ivermectin), but I stick with this one because it is so easy, safe and inexpensive. Also, Ivermectin is not a legal drug in Germany. While Quercetin I get it through a pharmacy, a bottle of 180pcs à 500mg is about 30.- now.

The trick is to always have these at home! (and the zinc and vitD to go with it) so you have them handy when symptoms appear, as the treatment must begin immediately at their onset to be effective! It's also nice to liberally hand them out to everyone around; it's all natural and safe to take for all, with no contra-indications I'd be aware of.

I took 2.5mg of zinc, 1000mg of Quercetin, and some 8,000U of Vitamin D for the course of my illness, and I probably could sense the effects; especially when after a few hours my severe fevering broke, stalled, and then began to recede.

Bottom line: I highly recommend to invest in a stash of those if you haven't already, and keep them around for the northern winter season and upcoming festivities.

Posted by: persiflo | Dec 17 2023 17:36 utc | 13

Memories appear in our mind without our doing anything other than our desire for them. If the brain is doing that for us, that would mean the brain would have to be intelligently aware of our state of mind, and have the ability to read our desires, and then intelligently respond with words or images which we “hear” or “see” as our memories. Whatever is causing that to happen, it must be aware of your desires, your mind, your thoughts. It must therefore be conscious of you, and intelligent. What exactly is going on?"From A Brain Cannot Comprehend Our Thoughts and Desires or: The Way Our Memory Works Proves The Existence of God

Posted by: kana | Dec 17 2023 17:53 utc | 14

From the Simplicius piece:

To clarify, the NYC congestion pricing creates vast zones in the heart of NYC where you have to pay $15-20 to enter during certain times of day, which is already on top of the $17+ tolls needed just to enter Manhattan itself. Eventually the plan is to tie all this into carbon allotments as a way to coerce people into living their life according to WEF strictures; for instance, you won’t be able to enter the offlimits zone if you purchased any carbon-producing ‘meat’ products, for which your carbon social credit score will be deducted.

And Russia and China and India and Ukraine and more are basically on board with this 'credit score' business.

We are being played.

Posted by: Scorpion | Dec 17 2023 17:53 utc | 15

Posted by: Chris Cosmos | Dec 17 2023 15:44 utc | 5

Ignatius, I believe, is a very well connected Establishment operative. His article remains touchingly on the street level throughout essentially ignoring the rulership class level dynamics which have so much to do with the entire project from the get-go of course but also general decisions like gradually infiltrating settlements into the West Bank creating a Swish Cheese 'cantonstan' abomination.

His ignoring the upper level dynamics is exactly the sort of misdirection one expects from such a well respected insider. I did manage to read it all, but in so doing was reminded by how I hardly ever read anything published in 'respectable' Western mainstream sources.

Posted by: Scorpion | Dec 17 2023 18:03 utc | 16

thanks for sharing the Kishore Mahbubani / FT archived article.. i enjoyed it.. this is the type of dynamic that is missing in short term analysis of the war in ukraine and all else... too bad shadowbanned won't read it.. he'd learn something..

Posted by: james | Dec 17 2023 18:17 utc | 17

in re: Palestine - Occupation Forces Have Serious Losses

Newly Formed Operation Prosperity Guardian To Protect Red Sea Shipping, 16 Dec

During his visit to the Middle East next week, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will announce the formation of Operation Prosperity Guardian, a new international effort deal with Houthi threats, a U.S. military official told The War Zone. That information comes as U.S. and British warships shot down drones the Houthis launched in a wave from Yemen early Saturday morning local time, marking the latest escalation of attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.

The Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Carney downed 14 drones today, a U.S. military official told The War Zone. The Type-45 destroyer HMS Diamond downed one drone targeting merchant shipping in the Red Sea with a Sea Viper missile, U.K. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said in a statement. It was the first time the Royal Navy shot down an aerial target in anger since the First Gulf War in 1991 when the Type 42 Destroyer HMS Gloucester destroyed an Iraqi Silkworm missile bound for a U.S. warship.
[...]

Posted by: sln2002 | Dec 17 2023 18:23 utc | 18

anyone have an archived link for the (CIA) / Washington Post article b shared and others are discussing? i don't have a wapo account..

Posted by: james | Dec 17 2023 18:25 utc | 19

I found this interesting:

PLA conducts live-fire drills along border with Myanmar

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Dec 17 2023 19:00 utc | 20

Posted by: james | Dec 17 2023 18:25 utc | 19

anyone have an archived link for the (CIA) / Washington Post article b shared and others are discussing? i don't have a wapo account..

https://archive.ph/w0WXX

I used an extension in Brave/Chromium called 'Archive Page'. Very easy.

Posted by: Scorpion | Dec 17 2023 19:24 utc | 21

Price Cap Coalition SNAFU irony: COP28 fossil fuel "phase out" is running ahead of schedule!
msn ChatGPT | More big shipping companies suspend Red Sea operations as fears build over global supply chains amid increasing Houthi rebel attacks

[...]
The world's largest shipping group, the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), announced they were suspending operations in the Red Sea until further notice due to an increased risk of attacks.

The Danish shipping giant Maersk, German company Hapag-Lloyd, and French company CMA CGM have also suspended Red Sea transits.
[...]
David Osler, an insurance editor for Lloyd's List Intelligence, told The Associated Press that insurance costs had doubled for vessels passing through the Red Sea, and that the most expensive ships could have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars more per journey.

Osler expects insurance costs to keep rising but said the situation would have to get a lot worse—such as the loss of several ships—to raise prices considerably and make some ship owners rethink moving through the region.

“At the moment, it’s just an inconvenience that the system can handle,” [Osler] said. “Nobody likes to be paying hundreds of thousands of dollars more, but you can live with it if you have to.”
[...]

Posted by: sln2002 | Dec 17 2023 19:28 utc | 22

Good background on the Christian Zionist movement. Short but data-rich.

https://www.geopolitika.ru/en/article/armageddon-lobby-how-christian-zionists-influence-us-policy (Dugin's site)

Posted by: Scorpion | Dec 17 2023 20:01 utc | 23

Last Friday saw a meeting between the collegiums of the Russian and Belarusian Foreign Ministries that was followed by a joint presser whose notice got bypassed by other events. I won't supply its whole content but will instead provide one of the Q&As that touches a subject we don't often discuss or see here at the bar. As you'll read, there's some important and disturbing information provided within Lavrov's answer:

Question: Today, the use of information and communication technologies for illegal purposes, including terrorist and extremist activities, is becoming increasingly relevant. As we know, Moscow has well-developed packages of initiatives in the field of international information security, which have been promoted for many years, despite the opposition of the countries of the "collective West." Could you tell us more about Russia's initiatives and our joint work with Belarus to promote them on international platforms?

Sergey Lavrov: The topic of information security has two dimensions. One of them concerns the threats posed by the misuse of information and communication technologies in the military-political sphere, that is, international security. In this regard, several years ago, on our initiative, together with many co-sponsors, including our Belarusian friends, the UN Open-ended Working Group was established.

What you are asking about is probably related to the problems of cybercrime. This is another initiative of ours together with the Republic of Belarus and almost 50 co-sponsors, approved by the UN General Assembly in 2019. The resolution outlined the objective of covering the future instrument as broadly as possible. Based on this, during the six sessions of the UN Ad Hoc Committee established to develop the convention (it has been working from 2021 to this year), we submitted a draft of the relevant International Convention on Cybercrime, where we tried to ensure the widest possible coverage, as required by the UN General Assembly. These are not only telephone scams, child pornography, paedophilia and theft of money, but also issues related to the use of information and communication technologies for terrorist purposes, propaganda of extremism and other things within the framework of organized crime.

The West voted against. He doesn't like it. It did not want to give such a universal, broad interpretation to the mandate of the General Assembly, but sought to make the convention as narrow as possible in terms of the scope of its activities and the areas to be regulated. In fact, the West wants to preserve the other document they advertise – the 2001 Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime.

We have not acceded to this convention. Not only does it not cover the full range of modern threats in terms of the criminal use of cyberspace, but, most importantly, it allows for the possibility that the intelligence services of one state will hack into the state servers of another country without permission or notification. This (within the meaning of the 2001 Council of Europe Convention) is considered acceptable.

The West is actively trying to lure many of our neighbors into this convention. We are actively explaining the harmfulness of such a step, a trap that the Westerners are preparing to justify their policy of interfering in literally all spheres of the internal life of any state, including those located in our common space.

There are two months left in the work of this UN Special Committee, after which it will have to adopt a final report. I don't know how this "story" will end. Several dozen states are in favour of our concept prevailing. We continue our explanatory work. But the West is trying to disrupt the adoption of this document by means of blackmail and intimidation (including personal intimidation). See. This is a diplomatic struggle in which we try to use "pure methods", and the West does not know how to do without banned ones. [My Emphasis]

Yet another front of the Outlaw US Empire's hybrid war on the world. IMO, it's now very clear that anything proposed by any member of the West must be suspected as subversive, thus turning "Trust but verify" inside out for a new maxim, Distrust and investigate.

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 17 2023 20:32 utc | 24

Posted by: Scorpion | Dec 17 2023 20:01 utc | 23

In general, what is the Russian nationalist (Dugin) take on Zionism and the Israel project? One assumes it has shifted a few times since the USSR's demise.

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Dec 17 2023 20:33 utc | 25

@ Scorpion | Dec 17 2023 19:24 utc | 21

thanks scorpion!

Posted by: james | Dec 17 2023 20:55 utc | 26

If Typepad won't let me post comments, then I'll just post them at my substack as most barflies are already subscribers.

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 17 2023 20:59 utc | 27

Posted by: persiflo | Dec 17 2023 17:36 utc | 13

"Bottom line: I highly recommend to invest in a stash of those if you haven't already, and keep them around for the northern winter season and upcoming festivities."

I take most of your supplements daily some at higher doses like the vitamin D, which I consume roughly twelve thousand IU's daily this time of year, since I live in the northern hemisphere. However, none of them prevent me from catching the common cold, but I now have a supplement that can kill a common cold, if taken as the cold is first felt. The Chinese product is meant to suppress a cold, but stops it when taken early enough. The product is called YIN QIAO JIE DU and can be bought from a slew of different health food websites. Also the product has nine ingredients I'll list here. Honeysuckle flower, Forsythia, Burdock Fruit, Mint, Platycodon, Fermented Soybean, Licorice Root, Common Lophatherum herb and Fine Leaf Schizonepeta herb.

I've never had to take more than three doses to dispatch two different colds over the past couple of years. Been wondering if it'll work the same wonders against the flu? However, sure wish I'd know about this stuff when I caught Covid back in early January 2020 and then had to live with long Covid over the next three years.

Posted by: aye, myself & me | Dec 17 2023 21:10 utc | 28

Jesus.

Thrilled to see the newly-adopted European Parliament resolution on job creation.Centered on the goals of decent work and a just transition of the workforce, including all aspects of deploying the Job Guarantee.

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2023-0438_EN.html

This will be a complete game changer and I simply can't believe the EU has adopted it.

No longer does it mean a self checkout is a job killer or any productivity improvements for that matter and anyone who wants a job can have one.

Now now the European Trade Unions are calling for it. I must be living in a parallel universe as I have dreamed about this for 20 years.

Need to see what the implementation looks like before getting the victory flags out.

Posted by: Echo Chamber | Dec 17 2023 21:22 utc | 29

Around Christmas and New Year is when you visit friends and acquaintances. And you notice in many homes the TV is always switched on, telling people what to think.

Posted by: Passerby | Dec 17 2023 21:33 utc | 30

Posted by: persiflo | Dec 17 2023 17:36 utc | 13

I take pretty much the same regimen as you in addition to other stuff, not really related to immune function or inflammation (quercetin and bromelain together supposed to be anti-inflammatory).

Perhaps controversial and not recommended to others, but during the peak of the COVID years, I also started using synthetic (that is, completely tobacco free) nicotine lozenges or pouches. It is hard to find ZTN (zero tobacco nicotine) but it's available over the Internet. I found that it worked, and despite one scare, nobody in my household ever caught COVID. I'm not a particularly "addictive personality" so it wasn't a problem to just stop, and nicotine itself is not a carcinogen.

Of course there have been a few studies saying that the opposite is the case, namely that ACE2 receptors activity increases from nicotine and makes COVID more likely and more likely severe, but I'm not smoking.

There are also other studies (and this was the case from the beginning) that tell the opposite story.

https://aacijournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13223-023-00797-0

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Dec 17 2023 22:14 utc | 31

This is for Karlof1

The Gaidar Forum 2020 in Russia.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s2RcrvetsiA&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2F&source_ve_path=Mjg2NjY&feature=emb_logo

I love the Russian economist backs up everything I have been saying on here for months. Gailbraithe is very good and Rogoff can't tell the difference between sovereign countries and non sovereign countries and just treats them the same. Free floating countries and those pegged to the $ and treats them the same.

Very impressed with the Russian guy he knows what time of day it is. Never says finding the money is the problem unless it is of course you are not sovereign like the Eurozone or pegged currencies. He definitely has a China/ Keynes perspective as far as I can tell by what he is saying. He Understands what the real constraints are and not your deficit and debt ratios but your skills and real resources.

Posted by: Echo Chamber | Dec 17 2023 23:03 utc | 32

The latest from The Grayzone:

Registered Israeli foreign agent driving contrived campus antisemitism crisis
https://thegrayzone.com/2023/12/17/registered-israeli-foreign-agent-campus-antisemitism/

Posted by: Zet | Dec 17 2023 23:39 utc | 33

For some of last week’s developments in China as well as Xi‘s visit to Vietnam including news on the South China Sea disputes:

https://robertwoo.substack.com/p/vietnam-cewc-financial-reform-mini

https://www.gingerriver.com/p/a-new-era-in-regional-dynamics-a

Posted by: Zet | Dec 18 2023 0:05 utc | 34

a different take on covid: https://www.globalresearch.ca/there-never-was-a-virus-there-never-was-a-pandemic/5841105

Posted by: Scorpion | Dec 18 2023 0:25 utc | 35

A few new items at my substack. "Putin Talks with Pavel Zarubin & Congress of United Russia Party"
https://karlof1.substack.com/p/putin-talks-with-pavel-zarubin-and

And, "Lavrov's Friday Presser's Critical Info,"
https://karlof1.substack.com/p/lavrovs-friday-pressers-critical

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 18 2023 0:44 utc | 36

in re: December 14, What does PUTIN's FULL-SCALE WAR IN UKRAINE have to do with the price of eggs in US America?

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and NSC Coordinator for Strategic Kirby-content
video | transcript

... So, look, the President actually spoke to this not too long ago — I believe, on Tuesday, actually — just a couple days ago — and he says, “We know there’s more work to be done” — right? — and it — and that things are still unaffordable. And so, while the prices, as you just mentioned, of eggs and gas and milk and toys and TVs are down, especially in this time as we’re heading into a holiday season, as we’re in the holiday season, there’s more work to be done. And that’s important. And that’s why we’re fighting to lower inf- — insulin. That’s why we’re — we — we talk about junk fees and how we can save Americans money, right? ...

Posted by: sln2002 | Dec 18 2023 1:25 utc | 37

Posted by: sln2002 | Dec 18 2023 1:25 utc | 36

PUTIN'S.UNPRECEDENTED.FULL-SCALE.UNPROVOKED.BRUTAL.ILLEGAL.GENOCIDAL.IMPERIALIST.OF-CONQUEST.WAR.ON.INNOCENT.UKRAINE.AND.EVENTUALLY.ALL-OF-EUROPE!!!

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Dec 18 2023 1:48 utc | 38

From b's posted link above, "A Covid Update - Eric Topol"

If you haven’t had the booster (that would be most people, even in high-risk categories) you’d derive benefit for reducing the chance of developing severe Covid. Incidentally, a new report this week indicated that the survival benefit from primary vaccination waned after 6 months in older age groups, providing further support for the importance of booster protection.

I had received the XBB.1.5 booster in late September, but still got infected 6-7 weeks later. That’s not at all surprising, since the booster doesn’t do much against infection, especially after the first month, and at peak might suppress infection by only 30-40%. But it does markedly amp up neutralizing antibodies (and T cell response) and certainly would be expected to help prevent severe Covid.

There's still no cure nor successful tx for stupid.

Posted by: majoab | Dec 18 2023 2:07 utc | 39

As a sideline to the moral corruption we are watching globally there is this little tidbit from ZH

Yes, Hunter Is Now In Contempt Of Congress

the quote

In holding this spectacle, Biden and his legal team committed another unforced error. This one could prove as costly as pushing for an obscenely generous plea agreement and then telling prosecutors to “rip it up” in July.

Few people expected Hunter to testify in the deposition. The evidence against him is overwhelming, as shown in his second federal indictment on tax charges. He and his uncles were allegedly engaged in one of the largest influence-peddling operations in history involving millions of dollars from various foreign sources. Hunter simply could have done what prior witnesses have done: Go in and take the Fifth. That is what attorney and former IRS official Lois Lerner did — twice — when House Republicans wanted to ask her about the Obama administration targeting conservative groups.

It was a no-brainer that someone appears to have radically over-thought on the Hunter Biden legal team.

Hunter can now be held in contempt of Congress. That will force the hand of Attorney General Merrick Garland, who aggressively pursued Trump figures for contempt, including former Trump adviser Steve Bannon. Despite some of us writing to the contrary, Bannon claimed his lawyers told him he did not have to appear before a House committee. He was swiftly charged and convicted by Garland’s prosecutors.

I wonder when the president pardons his own son in our shit show

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 18 2023 3:09 utc | 40

Yesterday the people of Serbian voted overwhelmingly for peaceful neutrality . Pray that the war party respects their wishes.

Posted by: Exile | Dec 18 2023 4:50 utc | 41

Re RFK Jr and his support for Israel: RFK Jr, like his father and his uncle (JFK), knows the role played by Zionist Jews in the US political process and understands that he must kowtow to them if he is going to make any headway. JFK then pushed the envelope on limiting nuclear testing (including efforts at Dimona in Israel) and the role of the intelligence agencies, and it cost him his life. RFK Jr knows that he is risking his own life as well, but just being a rich guy in Malibu is not a meaningful life.

Posted by: Greg | Dec 18 2023 4:56 utc | 42

But would he risk his life if ALLOWED or SELECTED to gain office? Or have we moved past the Mossad assassination stage to simply personal/political assassination making it less "mortal" to do something other than kowtow (which again in RFK Jr.'s case is not adequate to describe is utter devotion) to Zionist pan-Israeli plans and narratives?

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Dec 18 2023 5:51 utc | 43

But would he risk his life if ALLOWED or SELECTED to gain office?

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Dec 18 2023 5:51 utc | 42

Thanks for this question, Tom Q. I have no answer to it, but there is a difference between a Catholic upbringing and what is being considered here as the link between Zionism and the Protestant interpretations in the link above posted by: Scorpion | Dec 17 2023 20:01 utc | 23. It's not really possible to conflate the two.

American Catholicism (north and south)is much closer to Orthodoxy in classical Christian theology than it is to that 'end times' interpretation, even though there are fundamental differences which have been hard to overcome. And the recent atrocities involving ancient churches and the slain innocents taking refuge there only widen that gap.

Given what has been happening as the year ends, who knows what condition any lobby in Congress will be in come next November? Tectonic plates, and all that.

Posted by: juliania | Dec 18 2023 6:43 utc | 44

ZH has a posting up with the title

US Military Faces 'Mutiny' Of Enlisted Gen-Zers As TikTok Virus Spreads

the quote

Gen-Zers in the civilian world have already taken to the Chinese social media platform 'TikTok' to blast Washington and the military-industrial complex that they will not fight America's endless wars. Even enlisted Gen-Zers are bashing the military amid a worsening recruitment crisis while neocon warmongers in the White House drag the world closer to World War III.

A new report from DailyMail shows a number of enlisted TikTokers, with millions of followers, are bashing the military as a morale crisis spreads like a virus across the ranks.

.....
In some cases, warfare has shifted from destroying men and military machinery to paralyzing and controlling the mind.

According to the military publication Defstrat, the sixth domain of warfare is cognitive warfare. The Chinese understand cognitive warfare exceptionally well with the TikTok virus spreading through America's military, which comes amid a worsening recruitment crisis. Meanwhile, radical neocons in the White House are gunning for World War III.

Serious projection here about the TikTok virus thing (messenger but not message) but otherwise insightful posting...providing anecdotal truth messages

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 18 2023 7:25 utc | 45

Breathless Main Headline
at Reuters

Trump to install loyalists to reshape U.S. foreign policy on China, NATO and Ukraine

What it meant is: OMG, Trump to install loyalists to reshape Deep State foreign policy on China, NATO and Ukraine

The subtext is also scornful and telling:

Donald Trump in a second term would likely install loyalists in key positions in the Pentagon, State Department and CIA whose primary allegiance would be to him, allowing him more freedom than in his first presidency to enact isolationist policies and whims.

Posted by: librul | Dec 18 2023 13:58 utc | 46

ALL-OF-EUROPE!!!
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Dec 18 2023 1:48 utc | 38

FTW!1!!

Posted by: sln2002 | Dec 18 2023 14:19 utc | 47

Efforts to impeach Biden are pretty obviously revenge for Trump's impeachments. ! If impeachment becomes the equivalent a vote of no confidence in a parliamentary system, we will all be better off. The presidency has become too imperial.

Of course, the prospect of Pres. K. Harris is wonderfully funny. R's hate her, so they make her president!

Posted by: lester | Dec 18 2023 18:07 utc | 48

@ lester | Dec 18 2023 18:07 utc | 48

Impeachment is a grand gesture without practical effect. A president can be removed from office only by a 2/3 vote of the Senate. A Senate divided equally among Dims and Thugs will not be able to remove Shits from office and install Giggles.

Posted by: malenkov | Dec 18 2023 18:12 utc | 49

"...There's still no cure nor successful tx (rx?)for stupid." majoab@39

Don't let that stop you from trying to find a cure.

Posted by: bevin | Dec 18 2023 18:18 utc | 50

Re VW's "army" of engineers in China, the political leaders of PR China are mostly engineers. US leaders, by contrast, are mostly lawyers and (lately) a leavening of incompetent businessmen.

Posted by: lester | Dec 18 2023 18:21 utc | 51

Wall Street On Parade has a posting up of note

Three Wall Street Mega Banks Hold $157.3 Trillion in Derivatives – That’s $56.7 Trillion More than the Entire World’s GDP Last Year

At the end of our civilization war, when the China/Russia axis wins, who is going to make good on the derivative casino bets increasing humanities slavery?

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 18 2023 19:51 utc | 52

malenkov | Dec 18 2023 18:12 utc | 49
It will be enough to frame and publish an indictment. Once that has been done there will be no chance of Biden being re-elected and little likelihood of his getting nominated.
The evidence is so clear- whether or not money can be traced to his bank account is unimportant, that his relatives and associates made tens of millions without any perceptible services being performed in lieu is not denied.
Joe, an honourable man, should not be left alone with a loaded pistol, lest he do the right thing.

On the other hand maybe he will turn around and say, in the Trump style: "Sure I made a fortune and looked after my family as a decent guy should. And you woulda done the same in my place. So you choose, who do you want to run the country a saint or a smart guy who can play all the angles?"

Posted by: bevin | Dec 18 2023 21:35 utc | 53

Anyone who thinks that Genocide Joe is an honorable man has not been paying attention.

Posted by: Lysias | Dec 18 2023 21:42 utc | 54

From today's Simplicius:

It's a telling day when one of the world's largest container companies effectively says the Red Sea isn't safe for commercial shipping despite the presence of TWO American carrier groups.

This is genuinely one of the prime signs of a collapsing imperial order; the trade routes aren't safe anymore.

Posted by: Passerby | Dec 18 2023 22:11 utc | 55

@ bevin | Dec 18 2023 21:35 utc | 53

Of course, of course, although lester made that comment in the context of “the prospect of K. Harris.” Giggles has no prospects unless Shits is both impeached and convicted.

Posted by: malenkov | Dec 18 2023 22:23 utc | 56

Below is a link to a Xinhuanet posting that is highly recommended for its insight into China development dynamics.

Behind "Hefei model": How reforms reshape China's emerging tech hub

The quote

Zhang Yi, Party secretary and director of Hefei's state-owned assets supervision and administration commission, said that investment choices by the state capital have been market-oriented.

Officials in charge of investment have a professional and in-depth understanding of the market and industrial trends, with external evaluation from top consulting firms and experts, due diligence and legal reviews, he added.

Some have described Hefei's administration as a "government of investment bankers," a depiction acknowledged by Zhang as a positive endorsement for the performance of local state capital investment.

"We have become a bellwether of investment. If our state investment goes into certain projects, they would attract many more non-government investors," he said.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 19 2023 3:26 utc | 57

For those barflys not familiar with the Chinese 5 year plan routine there is this posting from Xinhuanet

China's top economic planner begins preliminary study of 15th Five-Year Plan

This is the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) and they are already pushing out bonds to fund the first 2900 projects that have bubbled up from the local levels......social planning by and for the masses.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 19 2023 3:36 utc | 58

https://m.timesofindia.com/india/agnipath-plan-took-all-three-forces-by-surprise-former-army-chief-naravane/articleshow/106103540.cms

The Modi regime pretends to love the military, and the bearded buffoon himself enjoys playing dress-up in military uniform, but when it comes to actually doing as the military wants, then the answer is no. The regime didn't even want to pay its troops a minimum living wage. Who in their right mind would want to join the army for a pathetic 20 thousand rupees a month?

Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Dec 19 2023 4:21 utc | 59

Watch Serbia - color revolution is being stirred up after re-election of Neutralist Party ( SNS ) led by Vucić.

Posted by: Exile | Dec 19 2023 5:59 utc | 60

The right-leaning press in the US is part of the controlled matrix of course, but something is up at the US border for sure and they tend to cover that story whereas the left-leaning ignore it entirely.

Picture telling a story:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBrLXUZWIAAhH7d?format=jpg&name=360x360

Thousands waiting to be processed at one spot in Texas yesterday. Only one day's worth.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/12/armageddon-mass-thousands-illegal-aliens-wait-be-processed/

I believe that this is part of a dynamic that will end up being one of the biggest developments in world geopolitics soon. Things like this don't just happen. There is a purpose behind it. Bad things coming to that nation....

Posted by: Scorpion | Dec 19 2023 15:29 utc | 61

excess deaths of young people
lifespan in US dropped by 7 months

https://rumble.com/v41z6lf-bombshell-excess-deaths-report-why-are-young-people-suddenly-dropping-dead.html

dissenters will be broken
better get on board
the Overlords have spoken
take the prick or get the sword

which jab do you prefer
heart attack or stroke?
if you wanna work or have a roof
better come and take a poke

the gift that keeps on giving
to the super pharma suits
aiding in the sieving
of the coffers that it loots

once our enemies are ravaged
we shall force our 'vaccination'
but not too soon until we preune
our elder populatons

there are just too many of you
most will have to go
we must reduce the populace
to maintain our status quo

we shall keep a few subdued
for parts and recreation
and use the rest as food
for our suplus population

Posted by: ld | Dec 19 2023 18:09 utc | 62

populations

Posted by: ld | Dec 19 2023 18:10 utc | 63

sorry... these were excerpts of a much bigger poem and I wrote snippets in haste apologies I will go away now

Posted by: ld | Dec 19 2023 18:12 utc | 64

ZH has a posting up about a "growing" internet product of AI marketed "human interaction", focused on sex, of course.

I like this quote

One step removed from having imaginary sex with a woman on the other end of a premium cost phone line, users can now literally pay to have imaginary voice sex with a bunch of computer code.

Wow, how “deep”!

The post also notes that the birth rate is low in the US and so maybe this new product/service is counter productive.....

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 19 2023 20:37 utc | 65

Back to serious now....Below is the title of a ZH posting about the coming global financial crash event.

Yen Plunges After BOJ's Ueda Admits It's "Difficult To Exit Negative Rates", Shattering Normalization Hopes

the quote

Ahead of today's BOJ decision, the latest "big" announcement by a major bank, expectations were hot and heavy that Japan, the country that introduced ZIRP, QE and NIRP to the world would magically abandon the only monetary policy that has prevented its bond market (of which the central bank owns over 100% of GDP) from collapsing into a fiscal singularity, and would if not hike rates after seven years of negative rates, then at least strongly guide to a January "normalization" liftoff.

This is the "off-books" colony nation of empire that currently is either number one or two in holding US treasuries. I commented a week or so ago here that the US Fed has now given one or more major Japan banks access to "emergency funds".......I wonder how ugly it will get before the crash of the crash that is being hidden.....think about 7 years of NIRP....they pay you to screw them.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 19 2023 21:10 utc | 66

a recent article in Sputnik about Depleted Uranium:

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231219/us-vet-on-depleted-uranium-i-saw-disfigured-newborns-and-my-dad-dying-from-cancer-1114153992.html

Posted by: Scorpion | Dec 19 2023 23:13 utc | 67

Consider the two posting titles from ZH together and think about the possibilities....grin

Many Republicans Find Ally In RFK Over Vaccines, But Remain Loyal To Trump

Colorado Supreme Court Disqualifies Trump From 2024 Ballot, Setting Up Supreme Court Challenge

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 20 2023 1:30 utc | 68

Scorpion @ 67 - Thank you for Sputnik report. See also “DU is a WMD by stealth” from Dances with Bears, December 2nd -“Biochem weapons for race war …” Horrifying report

Posted by: Pundita | Dec 20 2023 1:58 utc | 69

Tucker Carlson talks with head of Babylon Bee about censorship even of humor. Tucker Carlson Tonight 12/19/23
Glenn Greenwald points out 12/19 on his channel that ‘establishment’ is labeling any and all enemies “Hitler.” Great takedown.

Posted by: Pundita | Dec 20 2023 2:05 utc | 70

I received an email today from my internet service provider Xfinity tell me that they have had a "data security incident".

In an article about it at The Register I read that said 35.9 million people were affected by the digital break-in.

Elsewhere at The Register I read about the ongoing results of Progress Software's MOVEit Transfer security hole that since June

According to the latest updates from antimalware vendor Emsisoft, which has monitored the MOVEit massacre, Delta and other recently-admitted breaches have brought the total number of organizational victims to 2,686, with nearly 91 million individuals having been affected.

What I am not reading about but expect is happening is similar intrusions into financial companies and systems.

Ah, to live in interesting times...../s

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 20 2023 3:24 utc | 71

WMD by stealth” from Dances with Bears, December 2nd -“Biochem weapons for race war …” Horrifying report
Posted by: Pundita | Dec 20 2023 1:58 utc | 69

Indeed
scary stuff when these same creatures are using us in their gene therapy experiments.
I feel much worse is in store for the domestic populations of the Schwab set

when Russia discovered the labs in Ukraine these aricles were published re findings
I saved them
yikes!

https://www.mk.ru/science/2020/01/27/ekspert-uvidel-priznaki-amerikanskogo-bioterrorizma-v-rasprostranenii-koronavirusa.html

https://vk.com/@739151204-biolab-march-10

https://www.dimsumdaily.hk/russian-scientists-believe-america-created-the-wuhan-coronavirus-to-sabotage-china/#lnj8t1v90isblwbnawu

Posted by: ld | Dec 20 2023 4:08 utc | 72

I'm undetermined who is the stupider, trump supporters or those suffering from TDS. I just saw this in the NYT:

Trump Ineligible to Hold Office, Colorado Supreme Court Rules

Trump supporters are up there for falling into such an obvious trap on Jan 7th, however the arrant stupidity of those TDS sufferers who behave as if oblivious to the certain violence and likelihood of their innervating massive violence akin to succession/civil war is a tough ask to beat in terms of damn foolishness. It's only an election contest between two aged & failed politicians neither of whom plan on doing anything that will benefit their voters, yet here they are.
I'm gonna order up about a pallet of popcorn then sit back and enjoy the sight of ignorant amerikans tryin' to kill each other over yet another pointless electoral sideshow.

Maybe Jo/Joe Lunchbox will learn something by the end of it.

Posted by: Debsisdead | Dec 20 2023 6:32 utc | 73

@ Debsisdead | Dec 20 2023 6:32 utc | 73 with the Colorado call on Trump

I noted that in my comment #68 and paired it with another ZH posting at the time about maybe the red money team supporting RFKjr....enjoy the popcorn.

Jo/Joe Lunchbox are still out-to-lunch I am afraid and yet to be forced into learning anything about our global reality.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 20 2023 7:40 utc | 74

Aurelien contrasts the mentality of the generation, in the UK but in the West generally too, that entered the Second World War and the reaction to Covid, by people who had learned to forget solidarity and collective action and oncentrate on themselves:

"...Our families are scattered around the country, we hardly know our neighbours, we cycle through transient temporary jobs with ever-changing colleagues, we have no time for any activities outside work, travel and shopping. Well, you can have that society of indistinguishable utility-maximising clones, but you can’t expect them to act together for a common purpose, especially when you have always denied that society has one.

"As it happens, the Covid crisis has just given us all the proof we could have wanted. It was simple enough to understand that Covid was an infectious disease spread through aerosol clouds. Society as a whole could be protected if people stayed away from confined spaces where they might breath infected air, stayed at home if they were certainly infected, and wore a mask to prevent themselves from contaminating others. And yet, with a few honourable exceptions, no western government and no western society seemed capable of understanding this, because it trespassed on the first and only commandment of a neoliberal society: Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law, as long as you can pay. For significant sections of the population, being told to wear a mask was an unthinkable erosion of personal freedom, one step away from nazi concentration camps. A society that cannot accept that others’ lives come before your personal comfort is not going to be able to withstand the sort of stresses I’ve described..."

Posted by: bevin | Dec 20 2023 15:27 utc | 75

Posted by: Debsisdead | Dec 20 2023 6:32 utc | 73

Debsisdead, late last night I read your post about the Houthis and their humanitarian cause, I believe on the earlier Palestine open thread. It deeply affected me, and I ranted -- either b has removed that, or I simply didn't realize I was still in Preview when I left. In any event, I do want to acknowledge your post - (it may also have been removed, or I was just looking for it in the wrong place.)

Thank you very much. I thanked b, and I thanked the Houthis, and now I thank other groups denying access to Israeli vessels. Apartheid has given way to genocide. It is happening as we speak here. We do not need to pick apart the haystack; the needle glints bright in the sunlight of truth. It stabs all of us to our hearts.

The cause is just; it is humanitarian and it affects us all.

Posted by: juliania | Dec 20 2023 15:37 utc | 76

72 ld - “these same creatures.” Horror upon horror.

Posted by: Pundita | Dec 20 2023 18:43 utc | 77

@ bevin | Dec 20 2023 15:27 utc | 75

Yet more bevin covid bunk.

Posted by: majoab | Dec 20 2023 18:49 utc | 78

Re Kishida's diving poll numbers being good news for Xi Jin-ping, Xi and China's other leaders need only wait for the US and it's vassals to become distracted by internal and external problems. No need to invade Taiwan, just continue being their biggest market. Buy all the details of US weapons systems from the KMT when they eventually take control in Taipei.

Posted by: lester | Dec 20 2023 19:14 utc | 79

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 18 2023 3:09 utc | 40

If every American who held Congress in contempt, how many would be free?

Posted by: lester | Dec 20 2023 19:21 utc | 80

The man who invented Fidel

https://archive.org/details/manwhoinventedfi00depa

Younger (and some older) readers may not be aware of the critical role of the New York Times in the creation of the Fidel Castro. Castro’s rise to power is one of those just-so magical rises that definitely invites scrutiny, full of red flags.

The Matthews work in presenting a completely false picture of the “insurgency” was critical in establishment of the man, they myth, and undoubtedly the success of Cuban revolution. It has to be understood that when the resident flunky el-Presidente in Havana gets up in the morning to read in the New York Times about Fidel and the insurgency facing his regime, he got the message. So did all the power brokers (world over) who understand that the New York Times is not just a newspaper. One can only assume that the smart ones in the ruling elite saw these articles and arrived at the correct conclusions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Matthews

Castro, who has said he believes he is Jewish (like our “bamboozled” NYTimes war correspondent aka Spook), married into the 0.0001% of Cuba, inserted himself into the political scene, lead an attack on a military base that resulted in a lot of dead comrades but Castro unmolested in custody, leaves to CIA central (Mexico City) and there (!) gets arms and training and meets future best friends for life Che. Back in Cuba, this rag tag army gets visited by Herbert Matthews. In the bio film of ‘Fidel’, we are asked to believe that this man, a veteran war correspondent, was fooled into believing the insurgency was substantial and powerful and in “control” of the mountains.

And he ‘fell for it’. And a “revolutionary star” was born. Viva Cuba. Viva Hollywood

Posted by: robinthehood | Dec 20 2023 20:00 utc | 81

Treaty Between the United States of America and Cuba; May 29, 1934 - full text
This agreement and the associated “lease” stipulate no end date to the lease.

https://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/dip_cuba001.asp

When reading about various Cuba matters in the past, in reflection, I realized I never had the thought in my head that US had a major naval base on that island. It was there during the revolution. It was there during the Bay of Pigs. It was there during the missile crisis. It will stay there until US decides to leave.

https://nitter.net/pic/orig/media%2FGAg4PizW4AAjIFT.jpg

“Are you one of us?”

Posted by: robinthehood | Dec 20 2023 20:55 utc | 82

An interesting and thoughtful article on US Foreign Policy at Strategic Culture by Stephen Karganovic.
https://strategic-culture.su/news/2023/12/20/an-insipid-foreign-policy-critique-going-nowhere/

majoab | Dec 20 2023 18:49 utc | 78

It's not my opinion, though I agree with it. Help us test the analysis by sharing your birth date.

Posted by: bevin | Dec 20 2023 23:08 utc | 83

Brian Mier at FAIR chronicles the story of the Department of Justice's managemet of the 'long coup' in Brazil which saw the ousting of Presidnt Dilma and the imprisonment and disqualification of the Workers Party's Lula, opening the way for Bolsonaro's victory.
The story leaves no doubt that the US government was behind the coups or that US journalists must have known what was happening although they pretended not to.

"....Why would so many Brazil specialists—even those like Greenwald and Bevins, who have reputations as being fierce critics of US involvement in coups in other countries—remain silent on the DoJ's role in Brazil's long coup?

"Could they have simply missed the 2016 New York Times and Reuters articles, the DoJ press releases and the Brazilian press coverage of the issue? If so, it shows that they aren't as knowledgeable about Brazilian politics as they present themselves to the reading public.

"But more likely, the omission of the DoJ role suggests that there’s a much higher perceived cost, career-wise, to saying “the US has corrupted this government” than “this government is corrupt.”
https://fair.org/home/us-media-suppressed-their-governments-role-in-ousting-brazils-government/

Posted by: bevin | Dec 21 2023 0:23 utc | 84

I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop and maybe it is coming soon if you believe this Reuters posting title

Morning Bid: Global rally shudders to halt

Personally, I want the genocide in Gaza to stop but I will take the above if its true and presages the crash we all are waiting for....and that may stop the genocide.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 21 2023 1:49 utc | 85

Here is an interesting development. Bodes ill-for EU27 tech innovation, but Ukraine's budding porn industry just might get a waiver to stabilize morale in the field.

Posted by: sln2002 | Dec 21 2023 2:01 utc | 86

Posted (Quoted) by: bevin | Dec 20 2023 15:27 utc | 75

""As it happens, the Covid crisis has just given us all the proof we could have wanted. It was simple enough to understand that Covid was an infectious disease spread through aerosol clouds.

This statement is not true, according to the doctors who have been studying the disease, since it became a problem and really Bevin, not even then, because the federal government suppressed the pandemic when it began with earnest in June 2019 around the nation’s capitol’s suburban areas. Notably attacking upscale retirement communities. However, ‘aerosol clouds’ didn’t exist whatsoever outdoors. Even indoors aerosol clouds weren’t a problem unless someone sneezed in your face. Before spouting this nonsense, perhaps you should peruse the website for the doctors that've cared about us all along at covid19 critical care . Com to find the alliances website?

”"Society as a whole could be protected if people stayed away from confined spaces where they might breath infected air, stayed at home if they were certainly infected, and wore a mask to prevent themselves from contaminating others.

The P-100 mask is the absolute cheapest mask you can buy, which are readily available at any Home Depot, that’ll prevent you from breathing in a virus, however, be forewarned, it’s only good on the intake, not breathing out. You’ll need a much more expensive apparatus for that. Before Covid 19 K and N95’s could only stop sawdust mostly, but now they claim they can stop viruses, they can’t. You need filters an inch or more in thickness at an absolute minimum, so those masks they wanted us to wear were useless, which again was being reported by the FLCCC.

”"And yet, with a few honourable exceptions, no western government and no western society seemed capable of understanding this, because it trespassed on the first and only commandment of a neoliberal society: Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law, as long as you can pay. For significant sections of the population, being told to wear a mask was an unthinkable erosion of personal freedom, one step away from nazi concentration camps. A society that cannot accept that others’ lives come before your personal comfort is not going to be able to withstand the sort of stresses I’ve described…””

As Majoab at #78 states above Bevin, this is pure bunk, which has been proven wrong, by the people who care about us. What the masks did was harm our wee tykes, because it deprived them of oxygen, which their small bodies need. They also blocked young kids from seeing each others faces, which has also been shown to be detrimental to psychological harm and this amongst the crowd least likely to catch the disease. In regards to the virus there was a known cure early on, which should’ve negated the need for an experimental gene therapy masquerading as a vaccine, but instead of embracing the cheap, ultra safe cure, our authorities ridiculed the Nobel prize winning drug instead. Watch the short thirteen minute video on rumble about the book written by Dr. Pierre Kory entitled The War on Ivermectin.

I’ve learned a great deal about history from you Bevin and I can’t believe it was all tripe, but that seems to be where you’re stuck, with what began four and a half years ago. What gives, pray tell?

Posted by: aye myself & me | Dec 21 2023 3:35 utc | 87

And now for something completely different...

Decades ago I confess I had interest in Nostradamus.

A few minutes ago I was thinking about Yemen and all the ducks floating in the Red Sea...
I vaguely remembered something about a sea battle in Nostradamus' predictions so I did a quick internet search.
Did not find what I was looking for but found something that certainly caught my attention.
A "quatrain" of Nostradamus that is quite reminiscent of a most famous poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - Paul Revere’s Ride

The most famous line in the poem is
"One if by land, and two if by sea"

The hanging of the two lanterns in the Old North Church ushered in the
start of the American Revolution.

The Old North Church was on a peninsula bordered by the three bodies of water (an aquatic triplicity):
Charles River, Mystic River and the main channel of Boston Harbor.

And, as you know we celebrate our Thanksgiving feast always on a Thursday.

The British came ashore from the east at Lechmere Point and then marched inland
to the west where, in Lexington, "the shot heard round the world" was fired.
...
Paul Revere’s Ride
verse 2

He said to his friend, “If the British march
By land or sea from the town to-night,
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry-arch
Of the North-Church-tower, as a signal-light,—
One if by land, and two if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm,
For the country-folk to be up and to arm.”
---

https://maps.lib.utexas.edu/maps/national_parks/bost_95.jpg

Nostradamus Century 1, Quatrain 50

From the aquatic triplicity born.
From one who will make Thursday his feast:
Its noise, praise, kingdom, his power will grow,
By land and sea to the Easts storm.

Original

De l'aquatique triplicit naistra.
D'un qui fera le jeudi pour sa feste:
Son bruit, loz, regne, sa puissance croistra,
Par terre & mer aux Oriens tempeste.

Posted by: librul | Dec 21 2023 7:18 utc | 88

Below is a link to a Xinhuanet posting and video about the importance of merit in China government leadership selection

Ancient Adage-Timeless Wisdom Ep5 | Selecting officials on the basis of merit

The video is less than 5 minutes and worth the time to see how a society can develop such well directed government

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 21 2023 7:48 utc | 89

Oh good, my post at 88 is still there this morning.

Must have slept thinking on my hasty post and remembered some history.

The East India Company was the largest corporation in the world at the time of the American Revolution.

There was a famous 'domestic terrorism act' called the Boston Tea Party. Colonists tossed tea owned by the
East India Company into Boston Harbor. And there is a most famous print by Carl Guttenberg (1778)
entitled 'Tea Tax Tempest'.

Carl Guttenberg was not the original artist but adapted one (1774) by John Dixon, entitled interestingly enough, 'The Oracle'.

https://www.princeton.edu/~graphicarts/2008/12/tea_tax_tempest.html

Posted by: librul | Dec 21 2023 12:45 utc | 90

@Posted by: librul | Dec 21 2023 12:45 utc | 90

(post script)

"A British caricaturist redrew the print once more in 1783" [now in the British Museum]
and titled it 'Old Time with His Magick-Lantern(London: William Humphrey, 1783)'.

Most curious indeed.

Posted by: librul | Dec 21 2023 13:01 utc | 91

https://t.me/rybar/55196

🇷🇸 The opposition, which lost the elections, has been bringing demonstrators onto the streets of Belgrade for the third day in a row demanding the annulment of the voting results.

Despite its name, the Serbia Against Violence coalition is quite aggressive. Yesterday, during the riots, representatives of the press and an employee of the Central Election Commission, near whom the rally was taking place, were attacked.

Today, opposition leaders issued an ultimatum: if a decision to postpone the elections is not made by 12:00 on Monday, they will block two more locations in the Serbian capital.

🔻Balkan gossip @balkanossiper is sure that a number of Western NGOs and foundations are behind the opposition forces in Serbia, and political strategists prepared them for the current protests at consultations at the American Embassy.

There is an attempt to seize power in the country in a way so familiar to Western players - by organizing mass protests under the pretext of election fraud.
#Serbia
@rybar

Posted by: anon2020 | Dec 21 2023 14:32 utc | 92