Jan 23

Today’s News 23rd January 2025

  • The Competency Crisis Proliferating The West
    The Competency Crisis Proliferating The West

    Authored by Alastair Crooke,

    The essayist and military strategist, Aurelien, has written a paper entitled: The Strange Defeat (original in French). The ‘strange defeat’ being that of Europe’s ‘curious’ inability to understand Ukraine or its military mechanics.

    Aurelien highlights the strange lack of realism by which the West has approached the crisis —

    “ …and the almost pathological dissociation from the real world that it displays in its words and actions. Yet, even as the situation deteriorates, and the Russian forces advance everywhere, there is no sign that the West is becoming more reality-based in its understanding – and it is very likely that it will continue to live in its alternative construction of reality until it is forcibly expelled”.

    The writer continues in some detail (omitted here) to explain why NATO has no strategy for Ukraine and no real operational plan:

    “It has only a series of ad hoc initiatives, linked together by vague aspirations that have no connection with real life plus the hope that ‘something [beneficial] will occur’. Our current Western political leaders have never had to develop such skills. Yet it is actually worse than that: not having developed these skills, not having advisers who have developed them, they cannot really understand what the Russians are doing, how and why they are doing it. Western leaders are like spectators who do not know the rules of chess or Go – and are trying to figure out who is winning”.

    “What exactly was their goal? Now, responses such as ‘to send a message to Putin’, ‘complicate Russian logistics’, or ‘improve morale at home’ are no longer allowed. What I want to know is what is expected in concrete terms? What are the tangible results of their ‘messaging’? Can they guarantee that it will be understood? Have you anticipated the possible reactions of the Russians – and what will you do then?”

    The essential problem, Aurelien bluntly concludes, is that:

    “our political classes and their parasites have no idea how to deal with such crises, or even how to understand them. The war in Ukraine involves forces that are orders of magnitude larger than any Western nation has deployed on operations since 1945 … Instead of real strategic objectives, they have only slogans and fanciful proposals”.

    Coldly put, the author explains that for complex reasons connected with the nature of western modernity, the liberal élites simply are not competent or professional in matters of security. And they do not understand its nature.

    U.S. cultural critic Walter Kirn makes rather similar claims in a very different, yet related, context: California Fires and America’s Competency Crisis –

    “Los Angeles is in flames, yet California’s leaders seem helpless, unmasking a generation of public investment in non-essential services [that leaves the Authorities floundering amidst the predicted occurrence of the fires]”.

    On a Joe Rogan podcast earlier this month, a firefighter goes: “It’s just going to be the right wind and fire’s going to start in the right place and it’s going to burn through LA all the way to the ocean, and there’s not a f***ing thing we can do about it”.

    Kirn observes:

    “This isn’t the first fire or set of fires in Malibu. Just a few years ago, there were big fires. There always are. They’re inevitable. But having built this giant city in this place with this vulnerability, there are measures that can be taken to contain and to fend off the worst”.

    “To fob it off on climate change, as I say, is a wonderful thing to tell yourself, but none of this started yesterday. My only point is this, has it done everything it can to prepare for an inevitable, unavoidable situation that perhaps in scale differs from the past, but certainly not in kind? Are its leaders up to the job? There’s not a lot of sign that they are. They haven’t been able to deal with things like homelessness without fires. So the question of whether all those things have been done, whether they’ve been done well, whether there was adequate water in fire hydrants, whether they were working at all, things like that, and whether the fire department was properly trained or properly staffed, all those questions are going to arise”.

    “And as far as the competency crisis goes, I think that there will be ample material to portray this as aggravated by incompetence. California’s a state that’s become notorious for spending a lot of money on things that don’t work, on high-speed rail lines that never are constructed, on all sorts of construction projects and infrastructure projects that never come to pass. And in that context, I think this will be devastating to the power structure of California”.

    “In a larger sense though, it’s going to remind people that a politics that has been for years now about language and philosophical constructs such as equity and so on, is going to be seen as having failed in the most essential way, to protect people. And that these people are powerful and influential and privileged is going to make that happen faster and in a more prominent fashion”.

    To which his colleague, journalist Matt Taibbi, responds:

    “But pulling back in a broader sense, we do have a crisis of competency in this country. It has had a huge impact on American politics”. Kirn: “[Americans] They’re going to want less concern for the philosophical and/or even long-term political questions of equity and so on, I predict, and they’re going to want to lay in a minimum expectation of competence in natural disasters. In other words, this is a time when the priorities shift and I think that big change is coming, big, big change, because we look like we’ve been dealing with luxury problems, and we’ve certainly been dealing with other countries’ problems, Ukraine or whoever it might be, with massive funding. There are people in North Carolina right now still recovering from a flood and having a very difficult time as winter comes, which it doesn’t in LA in the same way, or as winter consolidates itself, I guess”;

    “So looking forward, it’s not a question of blame, it’s what are people going to want? What are people going to value? What are they going to prize? Are their priorities going to shift? I think they will shift big time. Los Angeles will be a touchstone and it will be a touchstone for a new approach to government”.

    So we have this ‘divorce from reality’ and consequent ‘Competency Crisis’ – whether in California; Ukraine or Europe. Where lie the roots to this malaise? U.S. writer David Samuels believes this to be the answer:

    “In his last days in office … President Barack Obama made the decision to set the country on a new course. On Dec. 23, 2016, he signed into law the Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act, which used the language of defending the homeland to launch an open-ended, offensive information war, a war that fused the security infrastructure with the social media platforms – where the war supposedly was being fought”.

    However, collapse of the 20th-century media pyramid and its rapid replacement by monopoly social media platforms, had made it possible for the Obama White House to sell policy – and reconfigure social attitudes and prejudices – in entirely new ways.

    During the Trump years, Obama used these tools of the digital age to craft an entirely new type of power centre for himself – one that revolved around his unique position as the titular, though pointedly never-named, head of a Democratic Party which he succeeded in refashioning in his own image, Samuels writes.

    The ‘permission structure’ machine that Barack Obama and David Axelrod (a highly successful Chicago political consultant), built to replace the Democratic Party was in its essence a device for getting people to act against their beliefs by substituting new and ‘better’ beliefs through the top-down controlled and leveraged application of social pressure – effectively turning Axelrod’s construct into ‘an omnipotent thought-machine’, Samuels suggests:

    “The term ‘echo chambers’ describes the process by which the White House and its wider penumbra of think tanks and NGOs deliberately created an entirely new class of experts who mutually credentialed each other on social media in order to advance assertions that would formerly have been seen as marginal or not credible”.

    The aim was for a platoon of aides, armed with laptops or smart phones, to ‘run’ with the latest inspired Party meme and to immediately repeat, and repeat it, across platforms, giving the appearance of an overwhelming tide of consensus filling the country. And thus giving people the ‘permission structure’ of apparent wide public assent to believe propositions that formerly they would never have supported.

    “Where this analysis went wrong is the same place that the Obama team’s analysis of Trump went wrong: The wizards of the permission structure machine had become captives of the machinery that they built. The result was a fast-moving mirror world that could generate the velocity required to change the appearance of “what people believe” overnight. The newly minted digital variant of “public opinion” was rooted in the algorithms that determine how fads spread on social media, in which mass multiplied by speed equals momentum—speed being the key variable”.

    “At every turn over the next four years, it was like a fever was spreading, and no one was immune. Spouses, children, colleagues, and supervisors at work began reciting, with the force of true believers, slogans they had only learned last week. It was the entirety of this apparatus, not just the ability to fashion clever or impactful tweets, that constituted the party’s new form of power”.

    “In the end, however, the fever broke”. The credibility of Élites imploded.

    Samuels account amounts to a stark warning of the danger associated with distance opening up between an underlying reality and an invented reality that could be successfully messaged, and managed, from the White House. “This possibility opened the door to a new potential for a large-scale disaster – like the war in Iraq”, Samuels suggests. (Samuels does not specifically mention Ukraine, although this is implied throughout the argument).

    This – both the Obama tale, as told by David Samuels, and Walter Kirn’s story of California – augment Aurelien’s point about Ukraine and European military incompetence and lack of professionalism on the field: It is one of allowing a schism to open up between contrived narrative and reality – “which”, Samuels warns “is to say that, with enough money, operatives could create and operationalize mutually reinforcing networks of activists and experts to validate a messaging arc that would short-circuit traditional methods of validation and analysis, and lead unwary actors and audience members alike to believe that things that they had never believed; or even heard of before: Were in fact not only plausible, but already widely accepted within their specific peer groups”.

    It constitutes the path to disaster – even risking nuclear disaster in the case of the Ukraine conflict. Will the ‘Competency Crisis’ reaching across such varied terrain trigger a re-think as Walter Kirn – a writer on cultural change – insists?

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/22/2025 – 23:25

  • Trump Repeals Embarrassing Biden Policy Allowing Transgenders To Serve In US Military
    Trump Repeals Embarrassing Biden Policy Allowing Transgenders To Serve In US Military

    Sometimes the pen truly is mightier than the sword.  After Donald Trump’s inauguration celebration on January 20th the newly appointed US President went straight to work, spending hours in the Oval Office signing over 200 executive orders while simultaneously answering random questions from reporters.  Among those ledgers were multiple orders essentially vaporizing DEI from the federal government; ending four years of woke cultism imposed by the Biden Administration.  

    Executive orders included the federal government legally recognizing only two genders/sexes and the closure of all DEI related offices.  In tandem with these actions which basically end the open transgender presence within most aspects of the government, Trump also reversed a Biden order allowing transgenders to join the US military.  The reversal sets the stage for the administration to bring back Trump’s original ban on trans military personnel.

         

    Any skeptic thinking woke is “not dead” is getting a lesson today in how quickly things can change.  Most commentators on the hailstorm of executive orders from Trump note that they are “getting whiplash” from the 180 degree turnaround from the previous presidency.  The US military in particular was in a downward spiral by the end of the Biden era, with most branches struggling to meet recruitment quotas and military brass openly embracing woke ideology and CRT initiatives. 

    The trend has stood as a national embarrassment on the global stage, with foreign adversaries increasing their recruitment efforts across the board while America has concerned itself with taxpayer funded gender affirming care for clownish trans military members.  Such medical care is often cited as the only reason many trans activists joined the military in the first place.

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    These actions along with the potential confirmation of Pete Hegseth open the path to a far more serious US military based on merit, not DEI.  This includes the end to waivers from physical fitness standards for transgender recruits experiencing “negative side effects” from hormone replacement therapy (which, of course, they get for free after joining).  There is an estimated 15,000 trans military members currently serving, a number which ballooned under Joe Biden.  There is an unfortunate number of trans personnel in leadership positions. 

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    If a country wants to avoid war and maintain peace, one of the surest strategies is to project strength and competence.  It is increasingly difficult for the US to appear strong while the armed forces are actively recruiting people who are getting pumped full of estrogen.  It is also difficult to appear competent while catering to the finicky mental illnesses of over-emotional activists. 

    Trump’s executive orders are a return to normalcy that Americans have desperately needed, but also with a few stokes of a pen he has made the US far more safe.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/22/2025 – 23:00

  • Taiwan: Will Xi Or Won't Xi?
    Taiwan: Will Xi Or Won’t Xi?

    Authored by Grant Newsham via RealClearDefense,

    Chinese leader, Xi Jinping has been clear that he intends to get Taiwan – one way or another.

    He has good reasons.

    It would establish Xi as one of the immortals by accomplishing something Mao Tse Tung couldn’t. By taking Taiwan, China breaks through the first island-chain – the island nations stretching from Japan to Taiwan and on to the Philippines and Malaysia – that constrain China’s freedom of access to the Pacific and beyond. Break the chain and the PLA then gets easy access to the Pacific and potentially can surround Japan, cut-off Australia and move onwards.

    These are operational advantages.

    As important are the political and psychological advantages. Take Taiwan and Beijing has demonstrated the U.S. military couldn’t save the 23 million free people of Taiwan. Neither could American economic and financial pressure. And U.S. nuclear weapons didn’t stop China either.

    In capitals all over Asia, the calculus will change, and many will cut the best deals they can and turn ‘red’ overnight rather than try to withstand Chinese pressure on their own. The United States will be finished as a Pacific power. And globally nobody will trust a U.S. promise of protection – explicit or implicit.

    Can China Take Taiwan?

    The recently released 2024 DOD China Military Power Report presents a grim picture of a rapidly developing Chinese military.

    But the report assesses that while Taiwan is a prime target, the Chinese military just isn’t ready for operations against the island. 

    No matter how much progress the PLA makes, it seems it’s never quite ready to attack Taiwan.

    China experts can rattle off the reasons why a Chinese assault on Taiwan won’t be coming in the near future.

    Here’s the bingo card of reasons. And why, perhaps, the arguments may not be all they seem.

    1.  There are only two short windows during the year (April and October) when the weather is good enough for an invasion force to get across the Taiwan Strait.

    When asked about this, a Taiwanese oceanographer noted: “Look at the ferry schedules. They run all year.”  And someone should have told Dwight Eisenhower about the weather in June 1944. He only needed 72 hours of decent weather to get across the English Channel.

    2.  Only a tiny number of narrow beaches on Taiwan’s west coast are suitable for an amphibious landing.

    Amphibious forces sometimes don’t need much of a beach…or one at all…if you’ve hit the defender hard enough or deceived him. The U.S. Marines pushed a division across a beach about 200 yards wide in one day at Tinian in 1944. And amphibious operations include troops delivered by helicopter, airborne, and infiltrated in advance along with fifth columnists.

    3.  PLA needs to seize a port — and that’ll never happen because 1) it’s a port and Taiwan is presumably defending it; 2) The Chinese are not smart enough to have their fifth column, including organized crime, already in place to open up, say, Kaohsiung. 

    The “barges” China is building can, in combination with redundant ships, be used to build breakwaters and other components of an artificial port.

    4.  PLA hasn’t got the ‘lift’ – enough ships – to take troops and equipment across the strait.

    A Marine Corps University professor in the late 2010’s had a PowerPoint presentation making this case. He was counting the wrong ships. Add in ‘old’ amphibious ships and civilian ships and boats that were integrated under the ‘military-civil fusion’ doctrine and the PLA had plenty of lift. It’s got even more now. And the world’s second largest merchant marine has more than enough shipping to deliver up to six brigades and 60 days of supplies (particularly if they build an artificial harbor).

    5.  Amphibious operations are the hardest, most complex military operation known to man.

    This argument boils down to ’the Chinese just aren’t as smart as us.’  That’s mistaken and when it comes to amphibious operations read Toshi Yoshihara’s book on how they performed in the Chinese Civil War.

    6. PLA can’t do joint operations.

    Look at recent exercises and ongoing training. They’re getting better. In fact, they’ve been doing joint training for going on two decades and intensely since Xi came to power 12 years ago. And you don’t have to be perfect. Just good enough to do a specific task in a specific place.

    7.  PLA can’t do ‘joint logistics over-the-shore.’ 

    Once again, the Chinese aren’t smart enough and can’t possibly be our equals.

    8.  The PLAN has aircraft carriers but they’re nowhere near our level.

    Do you see a pattern? The Chinese aren’t intelligent or capable enough. Just as was said about the Japanese in 1941.  Remember, the PLA’s carriers will be operating within and along the edge of the First Island Chain and with the support of the PLAAF and PLA Rocket Force.

    9.  PLA hasn’t got combat experience.

    Neither does the U.S. Navy, except against the Houthi Navy. And the rest of the U.S. military hasn’t fought a high-end opponent in decades.

    10.  The PLA is corrupt.

    Andrew Erickson at the Naval War College gets it right: “If Xi and the PLA were in the disarray that some myopically focused on their system’s chronic corruption imagine, there’s no way China’s military could be developing, deploying, exercising, and otherwise preparing in the ways that the CMPR chronicles.”

    11.  Xi Jinping can’t trust his generals and admirals.

    Neither could Hitler or Stalin. One almost got to Moscow. The other took Berlin.

    12.  The PLA is ‘restive’ and pushing back at Xi’s efforts to give himself total power.

    Have we ever seen any real evidence that any PLA officer has “pushed back”? And on our side, how many U.S. Navy admirals pushed back against the systematic degrading of their service’s capabilities over the last 30 years? It was also said before 1939 that the Wehrmacht Generals – the elite of the elite – would never actually let ‘that Corporal’ run things.

    13.  The Chinese can’t innovate. They can only copy.

    There’s ‘Chinese ingenuity’ just as there was ‘Yankee ingenuity.’ It works well enough, no matter who invented the thing improved upon. the PLA Strategic Rocket Force has been very innovative…anyone heard of the DF-21D, DF-26, and DF-17? Or the new Type 076 amphibious assault carrier that is going to carry and launch drones, fixed wing, and helicopters and put amphibious vehicles on the beach?

    14.  PLA officers and NCOs won’t take the initiative — like ours will.

    Maybe. But have you ever heard a Korean War vet say he wanted to fight the Chinese again?

    15.  China won’t attack Taiwan until 2027, 2035, 2049.

    It’s always some years off. Xi is said to have told his military to be ready to go against Taiwan by 2027. In fact, Hu Jintao in 2008 and Xi in 2013 ordered the PLA to be ready to take Taiwan in 2020. The shoe could drop at any time. Would Xi really tell us his attack date in advance? Remember that the British assessed in the 1930’s that Germany would not be ready to fight a war until 1943.

    16.  China has so many one-child families that Xi wouldn’t dare attack.

    The popular anger over families losing their only child would be too hard for Xi and CCP leaders to handle, it is argued. But make them ‘heroes of the revolution’ and provide a house and a handsome pension- and complain about it and disappear.

    17.  Economic costs would be too high.

    Tough, yes, but Xi is sanctions-proofing the country. And he’s telling his people to toughen up and get ready for what’s coming. What is never discussed is the economic benefits that taking Taiwan and establishing the PRC’s global domination over the global trading system would mean for the PRC. It is always viewed in the negative…but they don’t consider that Xi and the CCP see it as a step towards economic supremacy.

    18.  The blow to China’s reputation will be too high.

    As if the CCP cares about its reputation. If the CCP doesn’t mind the flack that comes from taking organs out of live prisoners and selling them, the criticism from taking Taiwan won’t move the needle much. Nor is there likely to be much. Who is still talking about the subjugation of Tibet or the strangling of Hong Kong?

    19. Taiwan has a million reservists.

    999,000 of whom get about four days training a year.

    20.  Taiwan military and civilians will fight like tigers.

    Maybe. But the Taiwanese may not be the Ukrainians or the Finns, especially if outside support doesn’t come quickly.

    21.  Taiwan has mountains. Mountain combat is tough.

    Just too hard for the Chinese, it seems. However, selected PLA brigades train in the mountains annually and unless there is a war with India, they might be deployed to Taiwan after the beaches are secure.

    22.  Taiwan has cities. Urban combat is tough.

    The Americans, the Russians, and many others have figured out urban combat. But it’s too hard for the Chinese?

    23. The U.S. military has a qualitative superiority with its hardware, training, and experience.

    The French thought ‘elan’ would overcome the German Maxim guns in 1914. It didn’t. They also had faith in the fact their tanks were superior in 1940. And these days, America’s technological superiority is eroding almost daily.

    24.  The U.S. military calculated that taking Formosa from the Japanese in 1944/1945 would have been a herculean effort.

    True. But perhaps Xi thinks it’s worth it for him. And what he thinks matters. And it probably is worth more to the PRC and Xi these days than Formosa was to the U.S. in 1944/1945. Also, let’s not forget that our invasion force had to travel 1200nm to the invasion beaches on Taiwan versus 120nm for the PLA. We only had carriers for air support for the first week. Again, the PLA has the full strength of the Eastern and Southern Theater Command Air Forces as well as the PLARF (PLA Rocket Force). We had nothing to compare to the PLARF in 1944-45.

    25.  The American invasion of Sicily in 1943 was really hard…so the PLA can’t possibly do an invasion of Taiwan.

    Really. One fellow wrote a piece about this a few years ago.

    26.  The Japanese will step in.

    With what? And not if Japan’s business community and the ‘Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ ‘China club’ and the ‘political class’ China sympathizers have anything to say about it.

    These are all practical articles of faith for a sizeable chunk of the U.S. China analyst community. And they create  ‘threat deflation’ – as retired U.S. Navy Captain James Fanell and Dr. Bradley Thayer call it – that justifies complacency.

    It is of course possible that some combination of these reasons may dissuade Xi Jinping from attacking Taiwan. And nothing in war is easy – not least an assault across the Taiwan Strait.

    But one imagines a similar ‘bingo card’ could have been created to demonstrate why the Chinese wouldn’t or couldn’t attack across the Yalu River into Korea in 1950. It’s equally dangerous to underestimate the PRC in 2025.

    So, the United States has a choice: start acting like the threat to Taiwan (and to us) is immediate and not a couple years or more into the future – and move a lot faster.

    Or, if that’s too hard, just read and re-read reasons 1-26 until you are lulled into a comfortable stupor. No points for guessing which one Xi would prefer.

    Grant Newsham is a retired U.S. Marine officer and senior fellow at The Center for Security Policy, The Japan Forum for Strategic Studies, and The Yorktown Institute. He is the author of When China Attacks: A Warning to America.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/22/2025 – 22:35

  • These Are The Airlines With The Most Flight Cancellations
    These Are The Airlines With The Most Flight Cancellations

    Dealing with last-minute flight cancellations is incredibly frustrating for travellers, whether they’re flying back home for the holidays, travelling for work, or trying to make it in time for Taylor Swift’s highly-coveted Eras Tour.

    Often times, cancellations are warranted due to unsafe flying conditions like dangerous weather, security concerns, or technical issues with aircraft.

    However, some cancellations are within the airline’s control, such as those caused by staffing shortages, scheduling conflicts, or maintenance delays that could have been managed with better planning.

    This graphic, via Visual Capitalist’s Kayla Zhu, shows the top 15 airlines with the highest flight cancellation rates and their total number of flights in 2024. The data comes from Cirium.

    Which Airlines Have the Highest Cancellation Rate?

    Below, we show the 15 airlines with the highest cancellation rates, their country of origin, and their total flights in 2024.

    Dana Air had the highest cancellation rate among airlines tracked by Cirium, largely due to its suspension in April 2024 by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority following a runway incident. As of January 2025, the airline remains grounded pending safety and financial audits.

    Most of the airlines with the highest cancellation rates are based in the Asia Pacific and Middle East and Africa regions, with only one North American airline (Cape Air) and one European (Ural Airlines) among the list.

    In 2024, Ural Airlines was added to the European Union’s sanctions list for allegedly supporting Russia’s military operations in Ukraine by transporting military personnel and establishing a special ticket-selling scheme with the Russian ministry of defence.

    Smaller airlines that connect remote or island areas—such as Air Seychelles, Winair (Caribbean), Air Austral (Réunion and Indian Ocean islands), and Cape Air (U.S. and Caribbean)—often face higher cancellation rates due to challenges related to weather, infrastructure, and operational complexities.

    Indonesian airlines, such as Lion Air, Wings Air, and Batik Air, also grapple with similar challenges of operating across an archipelago of over 17,000 islands and frequent extreme weather conditions like monsoons and volcanic eruptions.

    To learn more about the best airlines in the world, check out this graphic that visualizes the most punctual airlines of 2024.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/22/2025 – 22:10

  • No Free Pass: The Unintended Consequences Of Presidential Pardons
    No Free Pass: The Unintended Consequences Of Presidential Pardons

    Authored by Patrick Keeney via The Epoch Times,

    A presidential pardon is not a get-out-jail-free card. Those who receive presidential pardons face two significant hurdles.

    First, a presidential pardon only wipes the slate clean for federal crimes—it offers no shield against state or local charges. This gap in protection is precisely how Donald Trump found himself entangled in criminal cases across four jurisdictions: New York, Georgia, Florida, and the District of Columbia. Each of these jurisdictions operates independently beyond the reach of presidential clemency, underscoring the limits of federal immunity.

    Secondly, presidential pardons leave the door open to civil penalties. Federal or state governments, as well as private parties, can pursue restitution or damages through civil courts, even in the absence of criminal penalties. Individuals who receive pardons may still face a range of lawsuits and financial claims, including those initiated by the federal government.

    Ironically, receiving a pardon can heighten the risk of civil lawsuits and state or local prosecution. Pardons attract heightened scrutiny from the public and potential plaintiffs, including well-funded advocacy groups eager to pursue justice or restitution. Preemptive pardons, such as those issued by President Joe Biden, are especially prone to being viewed as implicit admissions of guilt, potentially intensifying the drive for civil litigation or state and local criminal prosecution.

    Moreover, since federal crimes are adjudicated in Washington, D.C. – a jurisdiction famous for its Democratic leanings – the chances of securing a conviction would be considerably diminished. Paradoxically, President Biden’s pardons have opened the door for cases to be pursued in courts where political leanings and public sentiment might be less sympathetic to the accused.

    But even if those pardoned avoid criminal charges, the U.S. government has robust mechanisms for recovering money or property obtained through illegal activities, such as bribery or fraud. These include civil remedies like claims of unjust enrichment, which allow the government or private parties to argue that an individual improperly benefited from unlawful actions and demand repayment.

    For instance, under the legal doctrine of unjust enrichment, courts can compel individuals to repay funds acquired through unlawful means, ensuring that financial accountability can still be pursued despite the absence of criminal penalties.

    Another potent tool at the government’s disposal is civil asset forfeiture. Unlike criminal forfeiture, which requires a criminal conviction, civil forfeiture targets the assets themselves rather than the individual. Moreover, unlike criminal law, where the government must prove its case “beyond a reasonable doubt,” civil forfeiture requires only a “preponderance of the evidence” to establish that the assets are connected to illegal activity. As a result, even individuals who have been pardoned can still have their assets seized if they are linked to the offences for which they were pardoned.

    Civil forfeiture has been used extensively in cases involving bribery, fraud, and other financial crimes. For instance, if an individual received bribes to secure a government contract, the funds or property obtained through those bribes could be subject to forfeiture, even if the individual is no longer criminally liable.

    The government’s arsenal also includes the False Claims Act (FCA) and the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), both of which can be applied in civil cases. The FCA, for example, allows the government to sue individuals or companies that defraud federal programs and to recover treble damages—three times the amount of the loss—plus additional penalties. Similarly, RICO enables civil lawsuits when illegal activities, such as bribery, are part of a broader pattern of corruption.

    Individuals pardoned for offences involving government fraud or corruption may face these types of civil claims. The pardon does not shield them from such lawsuits, and the financial consequences can be devastating. In some cases, the government’s civil claims may dwarf the penalties the individual would have faced in a criminal court.

    Another significant risk for those pardoned is the potential for restitution and disgorgement orders. Courts may require individuals to return any profits gained from illegal or unethical activities, even if they have been pardoned for those activities. For example, a business executive who paid bribes to secure a lucrative government contract could be forced to repay all profits earned from that contract, regardless of the pardon.

    Numerous civil actions have been pursued against individuals who were previously pardoned. For instance, companies involved in international bribery under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act often face both criminal and civil enforcement actions, including demands to repay illegal profits. Public officials who accept bribes may be sued by state or federal governments to recover the funds.

    President Biden’s unprecedented use of the pardon power has placed those pardoned individuals under a legal microscope. State and local officials can pursue criminal charges, while the distinction between criminal and civil liability ensures the slate is never entirely wiped clean. Moreover, the lower standard of proof in civil cases makes it easier for plaintiffs to succeed. Unlike criminal trials, where guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, civil lawsuits only require proof by a balance of probabilities, making the pardoned individuals vulnerable to financial judgments.

    A presidential pardon is powerful but far from a free pass. By granting these pardons, President Biden may have inadvertently drawn attention to the recipients, signaling to potential plaintiffs, advocacy groups, and government agencies that now is the time to act. For those pardoned, the legal battles might only be starting.

    Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times or ZeroHedge.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/22/2025 – 21:45

  • U.S. Auto Safety Regulators Probe Nearly 900,000 GM Vehicles For Engine Failure
    U.S. Auto Safety Regulators Probe Nearly 900,000 GM Vehicles For Engine Failure

    Engine failures in almost 900,000 GM vehicles are being probed by the Feds, according to a new report from the New York Post.

    U.S. auto safety regulators are investigating 877,710 General Motors vehicles with L87 V8 engines, including the popular Silverado, following 39 complaints of sudden engine failure.

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the failures occur without warning, posing a crash risk. The issue, linked to bearing failures, can cause the engine to seize or a connecting rod to breach the engine block.

    The Post writes that the preliminary investigation covers several General Motors models, including the 2019-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2021-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, 2019-2024 GMC Sierra 1500, 2021-2024 GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, and 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV.

    In 2024, GM led U.S. auto sales with a 4.3% year-over-year increase, its best performance since 2019. The Silverado pickup was the second-best-selling vehicle in the country that year.

    Last month we wrote that GM may pivot to more buybacks and a renewed focus on an end to end AI in its vehicles. 

    Deutsche Bank analyst Edison Yu wrote in December that GM’s move to integrate its Cruise division into its core business will be welcomed by investors as GM can reallocate resources to its aggressive share buyback plan, aiming to reduce share count below 1 billion by early 2025, and prioritize investments in Level 3+ and Level 4 autonomy, which have quicker monetization potential.

    Yu also noted GM’s pivot in Cruise’s technology strategy, with the company now leveraging end-to-end AI models rather than its earlier rules-based approach, signaling a significant evolution in its autonomous vehicle efforts.

    Yu commented on GM’s decision to acquire the remaining 10% of Cruise and integrate its development under GM’s operations.

    The move shifts focus from costly robotaxi commercialization to advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), like Level 3 autonomy for consumer vehicles. GM cited the high cost of scaling robotaxis, potentially in the tens of billions, as a key reason for the pivot, deeming it a poor risk/reward investment.

    GM aims to complete the restructuring by early 2025, leading to annual savings of over $1 billion, reducing Cruise’s current $2 billion spend.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/22/2025 – 21:20

  • How To Stop The BRICS Nations From Abandoning The Dollar
    How To Stop The BRICS Nations From Abandoning The Dollar

    Authored by Patrick Barron via The Mises Institute,

    The US government is aghast that there is a new grouping of nations that seeks to form an alternative to the US trade bloc and trade settlement system that uses the dollar. These nations have been driven to this extreme, time-consuming, and difficult project by clueless US leaders who have imposed sanctions on Russian assets (literally stealing them) and have denied Russia and other nations from using the SWIFT messaging system for trade settlement.

    In this way, the US hopes to preserve the dollar’s premier status as the world’s reserve currency and its world leadership based upon the dollar and its military might.

    I have a better, cheaper, and more peaceful way to accomplish these US goals (i.e., remove every incentive to leave). It’s as simple as that. At a minimum that means preserving the purchasing power of the dollar and ending the policy of confiscating the assets of other nations, even those with whom the US has serious disputes.

    In other words, end coercion and begin real world leadership based on trust and fair dealing.

    This will be a tall task, because what nation today would believe in America’s honesty, integrity, and commitment to international law? Nevertheless, it is the only way that the American-led West can find its place in a new world.

    There is a new world coming and the US must be a part of it if it wishes to prosper well into the future and not just through the current election cycle.

    Here’s a short list of actions that the US should consider adopting:

    1. Return all stolen assets to Russia and other nations.

    2. End blackballing Russia and other nations from using the SWIFT trade messaging system.

    3. Turn the ownership and running of SWIFT to neutral hands, perhaps the Swiss or some combination of nations that cannot be sanctioned by America.

    4. Stop inflating the dollar, which of course is the main cause of its loss of purchasing power, in order to balance an out-of-control budget.

    5. Return all gold held in American vaults (the New York Fed/Fort Knox) to its rightful owners as quickly as possible.

    6. Place the dollar on a true gold standard by shipping American gold to neutral hands where it can be exchanged on demand for dollars. In other words, make the dollar “as good as gold.” (This is the most difficult and contentious action, but it is the only way that the world will accept dollars in the future when there is an alternative through membership in BRICS.)

    American attempts to preserve its leadership status in the world will fail unless it enacts reforms such as these, which really are nothing more than behaving in a legal and honorable way.

    What American would not desire this? But who will believe that America will honor its commitments for the long term?

    That is why the SWIFT messaging system and its gold reserve must be placed in neutral hands abroad.

    We have destroyed our reputation and this is the price we must pay.

    Otherwise, we will watch one former ally after another slip away to join BRICS, which is certain to adopt protective measures for its participants so that no one nation, no matter how large and powerful, can game the system for its own unearned advantage.

    Real leadership is bestowed upon leaders by willing followers, not taken or preserved at the point of a gun.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/22/2025 – 20:55

  • "Be A Good Democrat"… Or Else – NYC Mayor Says Biden Admin Tried To Silence Him Over Influx Of Illegals
    “Be A Good Democrat”… Or Else – NYC Mayor Says Biden Admin Tried To Silence Him Over Influx Of Illegals

    Embattled New York City Mayor Eric Adams said that the Democratic Party “left” him and the working class behind, during an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson that aired on Tuesday.

    “People often say, ‘You don’t sound like a Democrat. You seem to have left the party,’” Adams told Carlson.

    “No, the party left me, and it left working-class people.”

    Throughout the interview, Adams tied his indictment on bribery and corruption charges to his decision to speak out against the illegal immigrant surge in New York City.

    He claimed those who push back on “the norm” within the Democratic party get “demonized.”

    As Katabella Roberts reports for The Epoch Times, Adams was indicted in September 2024 on charges of taking bribes and illegal campaign contributions from foreign sources.

    The charges include accepting improper valuable benefits, including luxury international travel, from wealthy foreign businesspeople and at least one Turkish government official seeking to gain influence over him.

    The indictment alleges that Adams not only accepted but also sought out illegal campaign contributions to his 2021 mayoral campaign.

    The mayor has denied the allegations against him and pleaded not guilty to all charges.

    Adams told Carlson that he felt there were people within the “orbit” of the Justice Department under the Biden administration who felt he was “not a good Democrat” after he raised concerns about the “onslaught” of migrants into the city and various failed border policies.

    Those failed policies ultimately cost the city $6.5 billion in clothing, food, and accommodation for migrants, he said.

    The mayor also said former President Joe Biden and his aides had “basically” told him to “be a good Democrat” when he raised concerns over the alarming number of illegal immigrants arriving in the city and the impact it was having on the ground.

    “You know, one of [Biden’s] aids told me that, ‘Listen, this is like a gallstone, it’ll pass. It’ll hurt now, but it’ll pass,’” Adams said.

    Adams Attends Trump Inauguration

    Adams traveled to Florida last week to meet with then-President-elect Donald Trump, just days before the Republican was sworn into office for a second term.

    In a statement issued shortly after his visit, Adams described the meeting as a “productive conversation” that focused on the city’s needs and how the incoming administration could play a role in improving the lives of New Yorkers.

    The meeting came amid growing speculation that the mayor was seeking a possible pardon from the president for the corruption charges he is facing; something that Trump has signaled he is open to doing.

    Adams insisted that he and Trump did not discuss the mayor’s legal case during their meeting in Florida.

    On Monday, Adams also canceled various planned public appearances at Martin Luther King Jr. Day events across New York, opting instead to attend Trump’s inauguration.

    Dozens of recently arrived illegal immigrants camp outside of New York’s Roosevelt Hotel, which has been made into a reception center, as they try to secure temporary housing in New York City, on Aug. 1, 2023. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

    That decision drew criticism from Brooklyn state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, who wrote on X that New Yorkers “deserve a Mayor who puts our city’s wellbeing above his own exoneration.”

    Elsewhere, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander wrote on X: “Imagine if Mayor Adams applied the same focus to making our city safer and bringing down our cost of living as he does to getting himself a pardon.”

    Adams defended attending Trump’s swearing-in ceremony in a statement on X, calling it a “sacred American tradition.”

    “Our country has been through so much, and every president has the honor and responsibility to protect and lead the American people,” he said.

    “On MLK Day, like Reverend Dr. King said, we must put partisan politics aside to do what’s best for our country.”

    The Democrat added that he believes much can be achieved by working alongside the new Trump administration to “support our city’s values and fight for New Yorkers.”

    Adams is seeking reelection in June.

    A Manhattan judge has scheduled his legal trial to start in April.

    *  *  *

    Watch the full interview with Tucker Carlson below:

    (0:00) Eric Adams’ Indictment Is Ridiculous
    (6:04) How Biden Destroyed New York With Immigration
    (17:27) What Do New Yorkers Think About the Illegal Immigrants?
    (19:10) Pressing Adams on His Sanctuary City Policy
    (22:36) How Illegal Immigration Is Fueling America’s Labor Crisis
    (29:43) How to Clean Up New York
    (37:55) Did Eric Adams Leave the Democrat Party?
    (40:34) Will Adams Go to Jail?
    (41:32) Adams’ Conversation With Donald Trump
    (45:54) America’s Mental Health Crisis

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/22/2025 – 20:30

  • Geography's Revenge
    Geography’s Revenge

    Authored by Christopher Roach via American Greatness,

    Over the last few weeks, Trump has raised a lot of eyebrows by suggesting that our country should annex Greenland, invite Canada to join as the 51st state, and seek the return of the Panama Canal. Together, these remarks signal a break from prevailing norms and a plan to consolidate America’s dominant position in the Western Hemisphere.

    Like much of what Trump does, it all seems cheeky, but only at first glance. Even if these maximalist positions do not prevail, they form an anchor for negotiations. Trump is actively seeking to expand U.S. influence over strategically significant regions within our immediate vicinity.

    A new order is emerging where regions and their shifting balances of power are the dominant force in the world, rather than conflicts between mere nation-states. Among these competing regions, Europe, under the institutions of the EU, is becoming an economic and political force in its own right, often sidelining the U.S. Unlike NATO, we are not a member of the EU, and it provides space for Europe to assert its own collective interests as distinct from our own.

    The BRICS consortium is also gaining power and becoming a viable node of international power, while China is making inroads to consolidate its own influence over Eurasia through its “Belt and Road Initiative.” China also maintains robust commercial ties with Africa and Latin America. Russia, of course, has been asserting its own sovereignty over the former Soviet Union in Georgia, Ukraine, and among the various Stans.

    The U.S. is no longer as powerful as it once was in relative terms. We have done a lot on autopilot in recent years, continuing to assert our prerogatives as if the rest of the world has not taken notice of the humiliations in Afghanistan, Niger, and the Red Sea. Our adversaries and competitors are reevaluating things from a realist perspective, and we should as well, abandoning outmoded ideas about friends, enemies, and our own capabilities.

    After the Cold War, for a time, we were the most powerful, but this led to a failure to set any priorities. National security strategy documents consisted of meaningless word salad without any intelligent effort to rank threats or connect one activity with another.

    From the end of the Cold War to the present, seemingly archaic concerns for resources, strategic geography, and the enforcement of the Monroe Doctrine were dismissed as artifacts of a “revisionist” 19th-century mindset. As in much else, it turns out that our Founders were wise beyond measure. One of our enduring security advantages is separation from the rest of the world and protection by two huge oceans. Even in the nuclear era, the Atlantic and the Pacific protect our country from any conventional attack.

    As President Monroe rightly perceived, these advantages would come to naught if Europe or other foreign adversaries could creep up to our doorstep by meddling with our neighbors, developing and expanding military bases through colonization, or otherwise hurting our good and dominant relations over the Western Hemisphere.

    While not formally developing colonies, recent developments mimic their strategic impact. China has increased its infrastructure investments in Latin America, and Chinese companies now control the Panama Canal, one of the most strategically important locations on earth. The risk presented by a rising China, which was ignored during the Bush and Obama presidencies, is now taken for granted as an obvious geopolitical reality after Trump changed American policy.

    This is an example of one of his great strengths: despite his alleged simplicity, he often perceives big truths that are lost on the experts. The big truth embedded in his recent remarks is that we live in a dangerous world with finite resources and must conduct ourselves accordingly. Thus, he sees that our friendships with EU and NATO countries are overrated and likely to be undone as the zero-sum game of securing supplies of natural resources and access to strategic geography gains momentum.

    Talk of taking Greenland and Canada may alienate Denmark and the EU, but this is an unavoidable cost of renegotiating our relationships with these places in order to maintain military and commercial dominance over the Western Hemisphere. Greenland permits control of the North Atlantic. Canada has endless supplies of fossil fuels, to which the EU is seeking to gain preferred access. Trump is willing to strong-arm Europe on these issues because he knows that our interests are diverging.

    Trump’s endorsement of a muscular foreign policy focusing on the Western Hemisphere may seem at odds with his broader America First position. But the reality is quite the opposite. America First foreign policy is not isolationist; rather, it sets priorities based on the big truths about the nature of the world as described above.

    America First seeks to secure tangible goods that benefit actual Americans, such as safety, prosperity, access to resources and markets, and protection from foreign attack. This contrasts with abstract and utopian goals like “protecting democracy” or the reflexive continuation of yesteryear’s commitments, such as with NATO.

    Our ancestors first conquered a land empire in furtherance of our national interest and at the exact moment that the frontier was conquered, they flexed their muscles against Spanish power in the Western Hemisphere. This was the first step to a truly global maritime empire. In recent times, the overseas maritime empire has predominated, while the heartland, our borders, and local issues that directly impact us, such as violence from Mexico’s drug cartels, have been completely neglected. Our legacy policy is not merely idealism but a suicidal anti-idealism, an America Last foreign policy.

    The overseas empire is a plaything of the ruling class and the permanent bureaucracy. In addition to fulfilling their quest for meaning and significance, it redirects substantial national wealth to officials, along with the military-industrial complex, and innumerable lobbyists. It is not so clear that this activity does anything to benefit ordinary Americans.

    What happens in our own backyard is more important than what happens in Eastern Europe, the South China Sea, and parts in between. Resources and their scarcity have always been important, and they will be more so in the future. We cannot do all the things all the time. Trump’s bid to shore up our naturally dominant position in the Western Hemisphere is a smart play.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/22/2025 – 20:05

  • Our 101 Trillion Dollar Problem: This Is The Number One Tool The Elite Use To Enslave Us
    Our 101 Trillion Dollar Problem: This Is The Number One Tool The Elite Use To Enslave Us

    Authored by Michael Snyder via The Economic Collapse blog,

    Right now, a tremendous awakening is happening as people all over the world become educated about the tools that the elite use to enslave us to their system.  The number one tool that they use to enslave us is debt.  The financial powers of the world use it to enslave individuals, corporations and governments.  For thousands of years humanity has been taught the proverb that “the borrower is the servant of the lender”, and yet today billions of people around the globe have willingly made themselves servants of the money powers.  You see, when you borrow money from a financial institution, you not only have to pay that money back, but you also have to pay a significant amount of interest.  In fact, often the interest ends up being much more than the principal of the loan.  Thus the borrower ends up devoting a great deal of his or her labor to earning money for the lender.  Yes, there are times when it is necessary to borrow money.  But what we have been doing over the last 30 years goes far beyond “necessary” borrowing.  The fact that the U.S. government is now 36 trillion dollars in debt gets a lot of attention, but the truth is that state and local governments, corporations, and U.S. households have piled up enormous mountains of debt as well.

    I want to show you a chart from the Federal Reserve that is hard to believe.

    In the mid-90s, the total amount of debt in the system was about 20 trillion dollars, but now we have reached the 101 trillion dollar mark…

    The word “insanity” does not even begin to describe what we have been doing to ourselves.

    It takes a lot of really hard work to add 80 trillion dollars of debt in just 30 years.

    Every time we pile up more debt, there is a winner and there is a loser.

    Debt strips you of your freedom and slowly drains you of your wealth.  It puts the fruits of your labor into the pockets of others.

    That is true for individuals, and it is true for a nation as a whole.

    Getting others enslaved by debt is how the most powerful financial institutions in the world became so dominant.  It is one of the most profitable ways of making money ever invented.

    What many people don’t realize is just how much interest they end up paying on some of their debts.

    For example, if you go to mortgagecalculator.org, you can calculate the amount of interest that you will pay over the life of your home mortgage.  According to that calculator, someone with a $400,000 mortgage at an interest rate of 6.98% over 30 years will end up paying $556,102.18 in interest before the mortgage is finally paid off.

    When those 30 years are over, you will have bought a house for yourself and you will also have bought a house for the bankers.

    So what should we do?

    We need to stop feeding the monster.

    They are getting insanely wealthy by financially enslaving all the rest of us.

    Unfortunately, many Americans find themselves deep in debt because the cost of living has been rising faster than our paychecks have.

    One of the great joys that men in free societies have long enjoyed is the ability to earn an honest wage for an honest day of work.  In particular, the amazing capitalist engine that powered the U.S. economy for decade after decade greatly rewarded the incredible hard work and industriousness of the American people.  America was known as the land of opportunity, and we built the largest middle class in the history of the world by working incredibly hard.

    Unfortunately, things have changed.

    Thanks to globalization and extremely rapid advances in technology, the labor of U.S. workers is rapidly losing value.  Automation, robotics and AI have made many jobs obsolete.  In addition, American workers now must compete against workers from all over the world.  Global corporations often find themselves having to choose whether to build a factory in the United States or in the third world.  But in the third world workers often earn less than 10 percent of what American workers earn, corporations are often not required to provide any benefits to those workers, and there are often very few oppressive government regulations to contend with.

    How can American workers compete against that?

    The truth is that labor is now a global commodity.  It is exceedingly difficult for a worker in the United States to effectively compete with a desperate, half-starving worker in the third world that will work like mad for two dollars an hour.

    But this is what we get for letting our politicians push “free trade” down our throats.

    Most American workers had no idea that free trade would mean that they would suddenly be competing for jobs against workers in the Philippines and Malaysia.

    But this is the cold, hard reality of globalism.

    Of course the top executives at the big global corporations are certainly enjoying this new environment, because their salaries have soared.

    In 1950, the ratio of the average executive’s paycheck to the average worker’s paycheck was about 30 to 1.

    Now it is 268 to 1.

    The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.

    That is what globalism is all about.

    The elite make out like bandits as they exploit third world labor pools, while the American middle class finds itself slowly being crushed out of existence.

    Our system has been designed to funnel nearly all of the rewards to the very top.  Meanwhile, the vast majority of Americans are left wondering why things just don’t ever seem to work out for them.

    If you talk to many Americans, they just can’t seem to figure out why they can’t make things work out even though they are working as hard as they can.  Millions of Americans have found themselves taking on second or even third jobs in a desperate attempt to provide for their families.

    Sadly, things just keep getting worse with each passing year.

    As I have discussed in previous articles, demand at food banks is at an all-time high, homelessness in the U.S. is at an all-time high, and homelessness in the U.S. is growing at the fastest pace ever recorded.

    But there are elitists out there that are still attempting to claim that the U.S. economy is in great shape.

    Of course most of us aren’t buying the propaganda anymore, and that is one of the primary reasons why the election turned out the way that it did.

    We need to return to an economy where good workers are valued and where hard work is rewarded.

    We need to return to an economy where having a large middle class is an important national goal.

    We need to return to an economy where we build American businesses, where we hire American workers, and where we buy American products.

    But unless the American people wake up, American workers are going to continue to be devalued.

    And if you think that things are bad now, just wait until AI starts taking millions of our jobs.

    Are we just going to sit back and let American living standards decline to third world standards, or are we going to do something about it?

    Perhaps the greatest victims of the economic nightmare that is unfolding right in front of our eyes are our children.

    The overall economic numbers are really bad, but when you examine the impact that this economy is having on children things get really horrifying.  Today, 16 percent of U.S. children live in poverty and 14 million U.S. children are on food stamps.

    It has been estimated that approximately 50 percent of all U.S. children will be on food stamps at some point before they reach the age of 18.

    We were once the most prosperous nation on the entire planet.

    How could we let this happen?

    Meanwhile, the rich have gotten even richer.

    In 2009, there were 8 million millionaires in the United States.

    Now there are 22 million.

    If everyone was becoming wealthier, that would be great.  Unfortunately, the poor have been left with an increasingly smaller slice of the pie to divide among themselves.

    At this point, the bottom 50 percent of Americans control just 2.5 percent of the wealth.

    I have been ranting about all of this for over a decade, and yet conditions have just continued to deteriorate year after year.

    We can’t have an economy that works for the top 10 percent but that sucks the life out of the bottom 90 percent.

    Our debt-based financial system needs to be fundamentally reformed, and it is time for us to demand action.

    *  *  *

    Michael’s new book entitled “Why” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/22/2025 – 19:40

  • Democrats Can't Bully Their Way To A Free Pass
    Democrats Can’t Bully Their Way To A Free Pass

    Authored by Kevin M. Spivak via RealClearPolicy,

    I believe in restraint, tradition, decorum, and the precepts of our system of criminal justice: deterrence, punishment, and retribution. Turning the other cheek accomplishes none of these. Joe Biden’s last-minute pardons for his family, and his unprecedented preemptive pardons for members and staff of the January 6 Committee, Anthony Fauci, and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mike Milley, underscore the necessity for Congress and Donald Trump’s Justice Department to perform their duties to investigate crime.

    The Supreme Court made clear in Burdick v. United States (1915) that the “confession of guilt implied in the acceptance of a pardon” may be avoided only by rejecting it. In December, the Biden Justice Department advised a federal judge that January 6 defendants hoping for a pardon from soon-to-be President Trump “would first have to accept the pardon, which necessitates a confession of guilt.”

    The Biden administration and its proxies engaged in the unrestricted, weaponized use of our justice system to take down the leading Republican candidate for president and his family, supporters and advisors, as well as Christians, conservatives, and pro-life activists. They censored, investigated, humiliated, intimidated, arrested, indicted, and jailed their political opponents using long-abandoned, novel, and manifestly flawed legal theories.

    Democrats express horror that the Trump Justice Department might investigate whether laws were broken by officials who engaged in these tactics. They angrily assert that if the Trump administration exacts “retribution” it would endanger civil liberties and tear asunder the fabric of our justice system.

    This reminds me of bullies who strike a classmate and then recoil, wag a finger at the victim, and warn him that he better not hit back.

    After ignoring billions of dollars in damage and dozens of deaths caused by violent rioters on the left, the Biden administration terrorized and pursued nearly 1,600 Americans, many with only scant connection to the January 6 demonstrations, jailing some who never entered the Capitol. Trump advisors Peter Navarro and Steve Bannon were imprisoned for refusing to testify before the House January 6 Committee – the first such prosecutions in 65 years. FBI agents targeted parents for advocating conservative values at school board meetings, as well as pro-life advocates and Catholic churches.

    The White House and Biden prosecutors coordinated an unconstitutional and unlawful attack on Trump and his supporters. Jack Smith was appointed as special prosecutor, despite never having received Senate confirmation as required by the Appointments Clause (Article II, § 2). He prosecuted Trump and his associates for keeping classified documents, though no other former president had ever been charged for doing the same, and used statutes intended for the Ku Klux Klan and for evidence-tampering and financial crimes to bring a lawless case against Trump for lobbying against ratification of 2020 election. The cases were dismissed, with the latter case decimated when the Supreme Court held that a president is immune from prosecution for official acts. Contrary to its policies, the Justice Department then issued scathing reports, in which Smith proclaimed that Trump would have been convicted. Who needs trials or juries?

    Matthew Colangelo left the third-ranking position in the Biden Justice Department to concoct sham fraud cases against Trump in New York. Judge Arthur Engoron found Trump and his children liable for “civil fraud,” imposed a $455 million fine, and stripped Trump of his New York businesses, even though there was no fraud, victim, or losses. Colangelo, district attorney Alvin Bragg, and Judge Juan Merchan mangled New York law, convincing a jury to find Trump guilty of 34 felony counts for his private check stubs and legal payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels.

    Hired by his lover, Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis, to lead an abusive Georgia RICO case against Trump and 18 others, Nathan Wade spent at least 16 hours in the White House developing the strategy. Democratic elected officials declared Trump an “insurrectionist,” and for the first time in American history, tried to throw a major party candidate off the ballot. The Supreme Court unanimously rejected this travesty.

    More than 100 Trump family members, supporters, and advisors were indicted or targeted in these cases. At least 10 Trump lawyers face disbarment and other financially devastating discipline, including Rudy Guliani and John Eastman.

    There is compelling evidence that many of these actions constitute conspiracies to injure, oppress, threaten, intimidate, and abuse power under color of authority, subjecting officials to criminal and civil liability pursuant to 18 U.S. Code §241 and § 245, 42 U.S. Code § 1983, and other federal and state laws and regulations.

    Trump says that success will be his retribution. Attorney General nominee Pat Biondi testified during her confirmation hearing that she will not pursue retribution. Some commentators whom I greatly respect argue that to restore normalcy, the Trump administration should move on.

    I disagree.

    “Retribution” would mean doing what the Biden administration did – stretching laws to improperly pursue political opponents. I agree that that should never happen.

    But anyone involved in the weaponization of our justice system who accepts a Biden pardon should be hauled before congressional committees, federal investigators, and grand juries so we can learn the truth. The pardon will strip them of their right to avoid self-incrimination. Any witness who fails to testify fully and honestly should be prosecuted for obstruction of justice, perjury, and other appropriate crimes.

    Other officials involved in lawfare who broke no laws that are traditionally prosecuted should be subject to appropriate discipline. But any official who broke laws that are historically prosecuted should be held to account for lives ruined, as well as the assault on democracy.

    Doing this will restore normalcy.

    Kenin M. Spivak is founder and chairman of SMI Group LLC, an international consulting firm and investment bank. He is the author of fiction and non-fiction books and a frequent speaker and contributor to media, including The American Mind, National Review, the National Association of Scholars, television, radio, and podcasts.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/22/2025 – 19:15

  • Lab-Grown-Meat Backlash Builds As More States Say 'No' To Bill Gates' Fake-Food
    Lab-Grown-Meat Backlash Builds As More States Say ‘No’ To Bill Gates’ Fake-Food

    Two states, Florida and Alabama, have banned lab-grown meat for consumption, while three others have proposed similar restrictions on the controversial 3D-printed meat. Additionally, ten states now mandate labeling of lab-grown meat. Meanwhile, the rest of the US has no regulations governing fake meat. 

    Source: Bloomberg NEF 

    In the era of Trump 2.0, the “Make America Healthy Again” initiative aims to promote nutritious, clean, and natural food—rejecting not just science experiment foods funded by woke billionaires like Bill Gates but also toxic processed foods.  

    On Monday, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen announced a new legislative proposal to ban lab-grown meat from being produced in or sold in stores across the Cornhusker State. 

    “It’s important we get on the offense so that Nebraska farmers and ranchers are not undermined,” Pillen told reporters at a news conference.

    Under Trump’s second term, we believe the backlash to lab-grown meat will only supercharge from here as a growing number of states will issue proposed legislation to ban the science experiment meat. 

    When Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis banned fake meat from supermarket shelves in early 2024, he said his state was “taking action to stop the World Economic Forum’s goal of forcing the world to eat lab-grown meat and insects.”

    DeSantis also said, “Take your fake lab-grown meat elsewhere,” adding, “We’re not doing that in the state of Florida.”

    Recall that billionaires like Bill Gates and the World Economic Forum have pushed a dystopic nightmare across the world in their attempt to reset the global food supply, one where the world eats insects and highly processed fake food. 

    Under the guise of ‘climate change’ … Gates wants to “work towards artificial meat.” 

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    An alternative to this dystopic nightmare is real, clean food. Trump nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is set to lead the Department of Health and Human Services and has outlined plans for the most significant transformation of America’s food system—a sweeping effort known as “Make America Healthy Again.”

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    Say “No” to insects and fake food pushed by radical billionaires and WEF. Say “Yes” to real, clean food from small farms. It’s time to reclaim the food supply chain from mega-corporations and return control to mom-and-pop farmers. 

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/22/2025 – 18:50

  • US Will Likely Stop Buying Oil From Venezuela: Trump
    US Will Likely Stop Buying Oil From Venezuela: Trump

    Authored by Owen Evans via The Epoch Times,

    President Donald Trump said on Jan. 20 that his administration would likely stop buying oil from Venezuela.

    “It was a great country 20 years ago, and now it’s a mess,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, hours after his inauguration.

    “We don’t have to buy their oil. We have plenty of oil for ourselves.”

    Trump on Monday laid out a plan to maximize U.S. oil and gas production, including by declaring a national energy emergency. He also signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from the Paris Climate Accord.

    Venezuela holds the largest proven crude oil reserves in the world, with more than 300 billion barrels as of the end of 2023, according to OPEC.

    U.S. crude oil imports from Venezuela slumped in 2019 when the United States imposed sanctions on Venezuelan state oil company Petróleos de Venezuela.

    Expanded sanctions imposed by the first Trump administration in 2019 significantly restricted Venezuela’s oil industry. The Biden administration later eased some restrictions, maintaining company-specific licenses that allowed companies such as Chevron to operate under limited conditions in Venezuela.

    The United States eased sanctions in November 2022 when The Office of Foreign Assets Control, which enforces economic and trade sanctions, granted waivers to Chevron.

    In April 2024, the United States reimposed oil sanctions on Venezuela over election concerns.

    Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was sworn in on Jan. 10 after a contentious election.

    Opposition leader María Corina Machado called Maduro’s inauguration a “coup d’état” and a violation of the nation’s constitution.

    The Chinese Communist Party has been a supporter of Maduro. In a July 2024 statement, Chinese leader Xi Jinping said, “China will, as always, firmly support Venezuela’s efforts to safeguard sovereignty, national dignity, and social stability.”

    On Jan. 15, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), now secretary of state, said the United States should reconsider Chevron’s sanctions waiver that allows the oil company to operate.

    “The Biden administration has allowed oil to flow. [Maduro] stole the election, completely violated what Biden told him he would do,” he said.

    He said that Venezuela “sadly, is not governed by government.”

    “It’s governed by a narco-trafficking organization that has empowered itself of a nation state. And we have seen, I believe, upwards of seven, eight, nine million Venezuelans have just left the country, more are expected to leave,” he said.

    ‘New President’s Unpredictability’

    Tamas Varga, an oil analyst at PVM Oil Associates, told the Epoch Times that OPEC, with its massive spare capacity, “could easily replace lost Venezuelan barrels.”

    OPEC consists of 12 member countries: Venezuela, Algeria, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

    Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks during the swearing-in ceremony at Palacio Federal Legislativo in Caracas, Venezuela, on Jan. 10, 2025. Alfredo Lasry R/Getty Images

    Varga said that sanctions on Venezuela must be viewed through the prism of the Biden administration’s sanction package on Russia’s shadow fleet, which impacts Venezuelan exports.

    On Jan. 10 the U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on 183 vessels that have shipped Russian oil, many of which are in the so-called shadow fleet of aging tankers operated by non-Western companies.

    “If reversed, Venezuelan oil will keep flowing, most likely to China and Iran,” he said.

    If the sanctions stay, he said, the impact on the global oil balance will be minimal. Varga said that whether U.S. oil and gas production grows or not will be more of the “function of market economics than Trump.”

    He added that if the dollar remains strong during Trump’s presidency, it will make oil more expensive in other currencies and consequently lower demand.

    “When we draw a line here, we conclude that the current snapshot is unfavorable for oil prices and at the same time acknowledge that given the new president’s unpredictability, the picture could change swiftly,” Varga said.

    A spokeswoman for Chevron told The Epoch Times that Chevron “conducts its business in Venezuela in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.”

    “We have been a constructive presence in Venezuela for over a century, where we have dedicated investments and a large workforce,” she said. “We remain committed to the safety and wellbeing of our employees and their families, the integrity of our joint venture assets, and the company’s social and humanitarian programs that continue to positively impact the lives of Venezuelans.”

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/22/2025 – 18:25

  • Trump Begins Deep State Purge At DOJ
    Trump Begins Deep State Purge At DOJ

    President Donald Trump has begun delivering on a central promise of his historic 2024 campaign by removing officials who obstruct his America First agenda.

    Numerous top officials have been fired at the Department of Justice’s Executive Office of Immigration Review, which oversees the country’s immigration courts, NBC News reports. The firings, which occurred late Monday evening, include the following officials: chief immigration judge, Sheila McNulty; the acting director of the Executive Office of Immigration Review, Mary Cheng; the office’s general counsel, Jill Anderson; and its head of policy, Lauren Alder Reid, the news outlet noted.

    Reid told the outlet that she was ‘severely disappointed’ that nobody gave her a heads up.

    “My career Senior Executive Service colleagues and I are shocked and severely disappointed in the decision to remove us from our positions without notice or cause,” she bitterly told NBC News. “We have dedicated our careers to upholding the rule of law, regardless of the administration. Our continued pursuit of justice will not be diminished.”

    The terminated officials were all civil servants, not political appointees.

    Additionally, some DOJ officials were reassigned to different roles within the agency, sources familiar with the developments told the Associated Press. Bruce Swartz, veteran head of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, has been shifted to another job – while George Toscas, a longtime deputy assistant attorney general in the National Security Division, was reassigned. Toscas played roles in both former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s handling of classified information and Trump’s classified documents probe.

    Nearly two dozen officials have been moved to new roles, AP said.

    Trump, who recently faced twin (now closed) investigations from Biden-DOJ-appointed Special Counsel Jack Smith, vowed through his latest White House campaign to “demolish the ‘deep state.”

    “We will expel the warmongers from our government. We will drive out the globalists. We will cast out the communists, Marxists and fascists. We will throw off the sick political class that hates our country,” Trump pledged in Windham, New Hampshire in a 2023 speech.

    Nonetheless, Trump’s efforts to improve the DOJ is already being met with resistance and chicanery from the Left.  

    The Senate Judiciary Committee has postponed the confirmation hearing for attorney general nominee Pam Bondi by one week due to an unnamed Democrat lawmaker. The hearing, originally planned to advance Bondi’s nomination for a full Senate vote, has been rescheduled for January 29th.

    Bondi, who served as Florida’s first female Attorney General, has vowed to restore a “one tier of justice for all” if confirmed to lead the DOJ. 

    “My overriding objective will be to return the Department of Justice to its core mission of keeping Americans safe and vigorously prosecuting criminals, and that includes getting back to basics, gangs, drugs, terrorists, cartels, our border and our foreign adversaries,” she testified during her confirmation process. “I believe we are on the cusp of a new golden age where the Department of Justice can and will do better if I am confirmed.”

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/22/2025 – 18:00

  • CCP Cyberattacks Stoke Calls To Beef Up Western Counterespionage
    CCP Cyberattacks Stoke Calls To Beef Up Western Counterespionage

    Authored by Venus Upadhayaya via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    The Chinese regime’s cyberespionage campaign will likely become more sophisticated in targeting key adversaries in 2025, particularly the United States, experts have warned. The situation calls for collaborative counteroperations among Quad alliance partners—the United States, India, Japan, and Australia. These nations are targeted by Beijing, but several gaps currently impede their collective efforts, analysts said.

    Kacper Pempel/Reuters

    In the past several weeks, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) hackers have been in the headlines.

    The latest disclosure came on Jan. 8, as Japan linked more than 200 cyberattacks over the past five years to CCP hacking group MirrorFace. Japan detailed the group’s tactics and called on government agencies and businesses to reinforce preventive measures.

    Those cyberattacks targeted Japan’s foreign and defense ministries and its space agency. Politicians, journalists, private companies, and think tanks were also attacked.

    Early last month, CCP cyberattackers hacked into the U.S. Treasury Department’s workstations remotely and stole documents.

    In the breach, described as a “major incident” by the Treasury Department, Chinese regime-backed hackers compromised a third-party software service provider, Beyond Trust, and accessed unclassified documents.

    The December incident happened amid cybersecurity breaches by another Beijing-backed hacking group, Salt Typhoon, which has been involved in a cyberespionage campaign since 2022. These attacks have already affected nine telecom companies, including Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen Technologies.

    Jen Easterly, director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, highlighted the geopolitical context of Beijing’s increasing cyberespionage in a Jan. 15 blog post titled “Strengthening America’s Resilience Against the PRC Cyber Threats.”

    “A crisis in Asia, precipitated by an invasion of Taiwan or a blockade of the Taiwan Strait, could have very real consequences for the safety and security of American citizens here at home,” Easterly wrote.

    Such an invasion, she wrote, could be followed by disruptive attacks against “everything, everywhere, all at once.” Those attacks could hit transportation nodes, telecommunications services, power grids, water facilities, “and likely much more,” she wrote.

    According to Easterly, the CCP’s goal in such a campaign would be “inducing societal panic and deterring our ability to marshal military might and citizen will to expend American blood and treasure in defense of Taiwan.”

    Neehar Pathare, CEO of 63SATS, a cybersecurity company that stated it has thwarted 20 million attacks on its platforms in the past two decades, told The Epoch Times that state-sponsored attackers often infiltrate systems stealthily, waiting for opportune moments to strike.

    According to Pathare, Taiwanese government departments in 2024 faced 2.4 million cyberattacks daily, predominantly from the Chinese regime.

    “China’s state-affiliated cyber operations focus on intellectual property theft and strategic espionage, aiming for long-term access,” Pathare said. “Increased investments in cyber ranges and critical infrastructure signal China’s readiness for future disruptions, posing risks to India, the U.S., and Europe.”

    He cited the hacking group RedEcho, which was linked to CCP military intelligence and was responsible for targeting India’s power grid after 2020’s bloody Galwan conflict between Indian and Chinese regime troops.

    Cyberthreats to Quad Nations

    Microsoft’s 2024 Digital Defense Report highlights the need for the Quad nations to come up with robust joint counterespionage operations.

    According to the report, “The United States is consistently among the countries most impacted by the nation-state cyber threat activity that Microsoft observes.”

    In the Indo-Pacific, India is the third most targeted country, after Taiwan and South Korea. Australia is the sixth most targeted, while Japan is the eighth most targeted.

    “This past year, nation-state affiliated threat actors once again demonstrated that cyber operations—whether for espionage, destruction, or influence—play a persistent supporting role in broader geopolitical conflicts,” the report states.

    The United States continues to be one of the countries most affected by nation-affiliated cyberattacks.

    Easterly wrote that Beijing’s “sophisticated and well-resourced cyber program” is a threat to the United States’ critical infrastructure, including power grids and gas pipelines.

    According to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the hackers target 16 critical infrastructure sectors linked with digital infrastructure.

    Thirty-three percent of the overall CCP threat activity was aimed at the United States. East Asia and the Pacific received 39 percent of the onslaught, while South Asia received 4 percent, according to the Microsoft report.

    Nishakant Ojha, a senior adviser to the Washington-based Global Policy Institute and an expert in cyberaerospace and national securities, told The Epoch Times that the Chinese regime’s Ministry of State Security plays a central role in orchestrating its cyberespionage campaign. It often hires contractors to conduct cyberintrusions.

    “Looking ahead to 2025, China’s cyber capabilities are expected to become increasingly sophisticated,” Ojha said. “The integration of artificial intelligence into cyber operations is anticipated to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of cyber espionage activities.”

    He said that innovation in Chinese cybertechnologies will likely create new targets and new startups for developing such technologies.

    According to Ojha, the Chinese regime’s military goals for 2025 include enhancing military capabilities, heightening military exercises near Taiwan, cyberwarfare and cyberespionage, strategic military planning, and regional power projection. The aim is to gain military supremacy in the Indo-Pacific and challenge the United States and its partners in the region.

    “These developments suggest that by 2025, [China’s military] will be better equipped and more assertive, potentially destabilizing regional security dynamics and increasing the likelihood of military confrontations,” Ojha said. Cyberespionage campaigns will be part and parcel of these confrontations.

    Counteroperations by Quad

    According to experts, the emerging and heightened geopolitical situation facing the Quad countries requires that they strengthen collective cyber counteroperations.

    Pathare cited the Quad’s set of guiding principles aimed at enhancing the development of critical infrastructure cybersecurity, supply chain risk management, software security, and workforce development.

    The Quad’s senior cybergroup also announced the continuation of the alliance’s “cyber challenge” in October 2024. The theme of the current challenge is “promoting cybersecurity education and building a strong workforce” in the Indo-Pacific. The challenge was launched last year to “promote responsible cyber habits across [Quad partners’] nations, regions, and beyond,” the State Department stated at the time.

    Satoru Nagao, a nonresident fellow at the Washington-based Hudson Institute, told The Epoch Times that cybersecurity comes under the aegis of national security cooperation. While the Quad is not a military alliance, its leaders have emphasized the military aspects of their partnership.

    In some areas, military cooperation has also progressed, he said. This obviously has geopolitical undertones.

    All four Quad countries are also involved in various military exercises involving each other. Thus, joint cyber counteroperations are feasible and attractive to them, according to the Tokyo-based expert.

    “One of the purposes of the Quad is to cooperate with India,” Nagao said. “Because India is the main supplier of software, this area is an attractive area of cooperation for the other three countries with India.”

    He said that cybercooperation has wider potential, including for software development, cyberdomain awareness, and cyberwarfare.

    The joint statement of the Quad 2024 summit highlights the need for protecting critical infrastructure from increasing cyberthreats.

    “We plan to coordinate joint efforts to identify vulnerabilities, protect national security networks, and critical infrastructure networks, and coordinate more closely including on policy responses to significant cyber security incidents affecting the QUAD’s shared priorities,” the joint statement reads.

    Nagao said the statement highlights that cybersecurity cooperation is part of the wider matrix of cooperation between Quad nations.

    According to Pathare, new rules mandate that attacks be immediately acknowledged and reported. This can help identify threats in a timely manner and enable swift countermeasures.

    “Economic penalties and cyber countermeasures should be aligned to deter aggressive state actors effectively,” he said.

    Ojha said that despite growing cooperation, several gaps hinder a joint effective counterespionage strategy. These gaps, he said, include a historical lack of trust in intelligence sharing and asymmetric cybercapabilities among the four nations. The United States leads in infrastructure development, while India is still working on its framework.

    Other hindering factors include diverging legal and policy frameworks, gaps in resources and technology, and differences in strategic priorities.

    “Addressing these bottlenecks requires building mutual trust, harmonizing legal frameworks, closing capability gaps through capacity-building initiatives, and fostering equitable technological collaboration,” Ojha said.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/22/2025 – 17:40

  • Massive New Fire Explodes North Of LA, Spreading Rapidly Along I-5
    Massive New Fire Explodes North Of LA, Spreading Rapidly Along I-5

    A massive new fire is spreading rapidly north of Los Angeles, threatening Interstate 5, one of California’s main transportation arteries.

    The Hughes Fire started just before 11 a.m. local time and quickly spread to more than 5,000 acres, spurring evacuation orders around Castaic Lake in northern Los Angeles County.

    All lane of the I-5 highway are now closed just north of SR-126 in the evacuation area and the critical link between northern and southern California is affected by heavy smoke.

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Cal Fire said there was “an immediate threat to life”, with many already speculating that the latest fire was not spontaneous but is the product of arson The reservoir is about 45 miles from Pacific Palisades, where a devastating fire killed 11 people, destroyed more than 6,380 structures and damaged another 867 since it ignited about two weeks ago.

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    In a post on X, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said the county’s fire department is “deploying our aerial fleet to knock this out as quickly as possible.”

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    They will have their cut out for them: according to the National Weather Service, winds are gusting to 37 miles per hour just to the north of the fire. A red flag warning issued from the National Weather Service said wind gusts of 35 to 50 mph will be common over much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, ensuring a rapid spread.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/22/2025 – 17:20

  • Fetterman Votes With Republicans To Advance Hegseth, Says He Won't Switch To GOP
    Fetterman Votes With Republicans To Advance Hegseth, Says He Won’t Switch To GOP

    Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) voted on Jan. 21 with Republicans to advance the nomination of Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump’s choice for defense secretary, but said that he will not switch to the Republican Party.

    Sen. John Fetterman arrives at the Capitol ahead of the inauguration of Donald Trump, on Jan. 20, 2025. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/Getty Images

    Fetterman was the only member of the Democratic Party to join Republicans in passing a motion to proceed with Hegseth’s nomination. Every other Democrat who voted, as well as the two independents in the Senate, voted against advancing the nomination.

    Fetterman’s vote was not required to move the nomination forward because Republicans hold 53 seats in the 100-member chamber, and a simple majority was needed. However, the vote marks the latest instance in which Fetterman has taken a position that differs from many members of his party.

    Fetterman met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago recently, appearing to be the only lawmaker from the Democratic Party to do so. He has also said he would vote for Trump’s nominee to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, joined Trump’s social media website, Truth Social, and attended Trump’s inauguration.

    Fetterman said in a new interview that he will not be switching parties or even leaving the Democratic Party.

    “If they think, ‘oh, it’s going to be like a Manchin or a Sinema play,’ that’s just not true, and that’s not going to happen,” Fetterman told Semafor. “It’s not gonna happen.”

    Fetterman said that he has informed leaders of the Democratic Party that his party affiliation and his membership in the Senate Democratic caucus is not going to change.

    Former Sens. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), during the most recently completed session of Congress, left the Democratic Party to become independents.

    Neither senator caucused with Republicans, although they each cast some votes with the GOP.

    Fetterman said on Truth Social before Trump was sworn in that it was “appropriate and the responsibility of a U.S. Senator to have a conversation with President-elect Trump’s nominees.”

    He added later: “My votes will come from an open-mind and an informed opinion after having a conversation with them. That’s not controversial, it’s my job.”

    The Jan. 21 full Senate vote followed a party-line vote by the Senate Armed Services Committee on Jan. 20 to advance Hegseth’s nomination to all senators.

    The final vote on Hegseth is expected in the coming days.

    Other Democratic Party senators have expressed opposition to the nomination.

    “The Secretary of Defense is one of the most important roles for keeping our country safe and we need someone who is ready to step into the job and succeed on day one. Pete Hegseth doesn’t bring the kind of experience that prepares someone to do this massive job,” Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) said this week.

    Republicans, on the other hand, have said they still support Hegseth.

    “The President’s pick for Secretary of Defense, Mr. Hegseth, has impressive academic qualifications, conducted himself very well in the Senate Armed Services hearing, and has a commendable record of service in uniform. He assured me he will surround himself with a strong support team,” Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said in a statement. “I will vote for his confirmation.”

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/22/2025 – 17:00

  • This Transition Is Already A Huge Historical Marker
    This Transition Is Already A Huge Historical Marker

    Authored by Jeffrey Tucker via The Epoch Times,

    There is plenty of time ahead for the peanut gallery to discuss the ins and outs of the daily goings-on with the new Trump administration. There will be good and bad, and everyone is free to call out which is what and can do so for fully four years.

    For now, we pause to consider the historic nature of what is taking place in our times and be grateful that we are all around to watch it unfold. And we should consider the lessons it offers for our own lives.

     

    There is the obvious data point that President Donald Trump is only the second nonconsecutive second-term president after Grover Cleveland. That’s interesting but hardly scratches the surface of the significance of this presidency.

     

    Anyone who prophesied two years ago that Trump would be taking the oath of office would have likely been considered a lunatic.

    The whole of corporate media was railing against his legacy. The historians were writing him off. Google was gaming its search results to shame anyone who still defended him. Big tech and nearly the whole of academia were united in loathing. The sneering on late-night television was the only consistent theme.

    Meanwhile, the big guns were coming for him personally with indictment after indictment. There is warfare and there is lawfare but the desire to destroy is the same. There was talk of confiscating Trump Tower and even jail. The revenge fantasies were out of control, while his attorneys’ fees were sky-high, millions upon millions of dollars.

    There was no power center in the United States or really the world that was not overflowing with loathing and brutal attacks, including every attempted extortion and smear.

    It is impossible to not give Trump personal credit for seeing his way through a series of threats and attacks that would have broken even the strongest character. Somehow he managed to get through it all with his physical and mental well-being not only saved but even strengthened.

    How did he sleep? How did he keep his spirits high? How did he see the light at the end of this long, dark tunnel? It’s unfathomable.

    I don’t care what your politics are: If you cannot see this example of steadfastness and courage as inspiring, there is something wrong. Is there anything wrong in your life to compare? It’s doubtful. He made it through and so can you. If nothing else is true, his personal example of courage in the face of grave danger is exemplary.

    He had plenty of competitors for the Republican nomination, and they were right to challenge him, not based on a lack of respect but simply because of their own confidence that they could do the job. But at this stage of history, Trump was already legendary and approaching a status of personal grandeur that no one could match. Thus did he get the nomination and his competitors defer.

    Panic among mainstream opinion makers ensued once again. The unthinkable happened: the first assassination attempt. It’s impossible to look at the circumstances surrounding that quarter-inch miss and not feel a sense of awe.

    It’s difficult to explain without taking recourse to divine intervention. Equally remarkable was Trump’s response, not to cower and collapse but stand and assure the people for whom he felt responsibility that he was alive. And he used that precious and catastrophic moment to rally the people with immortal words, fist in the air.

    Will that moment go down in history? It became obvious in the days following that the powers that be did not want it to do so. Within a week or so, it was hard to find information about this at all, as the major national media simply stopped talking about it. That left it to the masses of regular people who simply could not suppress their astonishment at what transpired.

    Alternative media swung into action as did the meme makers and the merchants with shirts, cups, and posters. There was to be no burying this event.

    Our times are absolutely desperate for examples of masculine heroism. The culture has been nearly purged of such, from movies to television to music. What Trump did was countercultural in every sense of the term: It went against the grain and disturbed the powers that be. This event became a mighty symbol of cultural renewal, a template for an entire generation to understand the sacrifices that are often necessary for success.

    Behind the scenes, the Trump loyalists were hard at work, mostly in private by design, and with one focus: Get him to a second term. How in the world could they have confidence that this was possible? It comes down to one word—math. They knew what the whole of mainstream culture denied, namely that the results of the 2020 election were not mathematically possible.

    Trump actually won more popular votes than he did four years earlier. The difference was the implausible appearance of 15 million to 20 million votes for his opponent that could not have reflected the choices and behaviors of real people. To right this wrong—or at least expose it—they attempted to use the courts, but the challenges were rejected on grounds of standing, as if voters themselves have no right at all to challenge what, for appearances, looked like voter fraud.

    Team Trump knew that the numbers did not add up, and so they plotted a return.

    It broke down to three steps.

    No. 1: They would work with states that were willing to tighten voter registration laws and crack down on mail-in balloting that everyone on the planet knows is more susceptible to fraud. They would recruit monitors. They would empower a grassroots movement to be vigilant against illicit balloting. And they would encourage early voting among the base. They knew that blue states would not cooperate, but they counted on a cultural movement to shame attempts to game the system.

    No. 2: They would fire up the most disenfranchised group in the United States about whom no one seems to care, namely men younger than the age of 35. This is a group that had long lost any hope in elections and has been wholly overlooked by cultural elites. To reach them, Trump went on many podcasts, including Joe Rogan’s and many others. He knew he already had their support, but he needed something else: for them to register and actually vote. That’s a big ask, but it worked.

    No. 3: The need to create a mass cultural movement that was larger and more powerful than the mass media. It needed hats, songs, rallies, and meetings. To this end, he flew all over the country to hold rallies at which he did what he does best, extemporaneous stand-ups talking about the events of the day, filled with humor, fun, and fury. These became massive events, with people lining up for a mile outside the venue, waiting in all weather for 12 hours and longer.

    By the end of the campaign, there was not a single indoor venue in America that could hold all the people who lined up to see Trump speak in any town or city in this country. That is an amazing accomplishment, never before seen in our history. The result was precisely what was planned, a mass movement that competed with or even outpaced the smearbund working to defeat him.

    Again, this was the plan all along, although it was never announced. It was like clockwork. The people least surprised on Election Night were all associated with Team Trump. They had mapped it out for years. As part of their planning, they deployed a method that has never before been seen in U.S. politics: absolute security of all information. No one associated with this group spoke to the press for four years.

    It’s been the same for the transition. It has been privately financed to keep the prying eyes of the administrative state away from understanding and thus subverting what it is they have been planning. This is why nearly every pick for the Cabinet and agency heads has been a shock but for those whom the team released early as a deliberate trial balloon.

    One must stand in admiration of all this, not just the administrative sophistication of the campaign and transition team but also the courage it required to follow through on all these plans despite the terrible odds. This alone is for the ages.

    Now we are at the moment that is the real test: the time of governing. We are in for some huge surprises, of that I am sure. The national media has been locked out and understandably so. Some of what will unfold in the coming days, weeks, and months I will like and some I will not. I’m sure you will say the same. That’s the way the real world works. We have plenty of time to argue about this or that.

    Let’s just take a moment to appreciate that we have this opportunity at all. Against all odds, Trump is president again. Let that be a lesson to all of us. Nothing is written that moral courage cannot overcome. That’s true in politics, and it is true in our own lives.

    Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times or ZeroHedge.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/22/2025 – 16:20

  • Biden's Big Blemish: Wages Didn't Keep Up With Inflation
    Biden’s Big Blemish: Wages Didn’t Keep Up With Inflation

    The largest blemish on Joe Biden’s economic legacy is the fact that, despite robust growth, low unemployment and a roaring stock market, many Americans felt worse off during his presidency than they did before. One of the reasons behind this seeming disconnect is simple and it has to do with inflation, disinflation and wage growth, or the lack thereof.

    Shortly after Biden took office in January 2021, inflation began to surge. The Covid-19 pandemic and the supply-chain crisis that followed, combined with generous stimulus spending and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 had created a perfect storm of inflationary pressures that resulted in prices climbing faster than they had since the early 1980s. And despite inflation coming down notably from its mid-2022 highs, prices have not come down – at least on the aggregate.

    That’s because bringing down inflation, i.e. disinflation, is not to be mistaken for falling prices, which would be deflation.

    While (moderately) rising prices are no problem per se and actually wanted in a functioning economy, hence the Fed’s 2-percent inflation target, inflation becomes a problem if it outpaces wage growth for a protracted period of time. As Statista’s Felix Richter shows in the chart below, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, this has been the case in the U.S. from April 2021 to April 2023, when prices increased faster than nominal wages did for 25 consecutive months, at least on a year-over-year basis.

    Infographic: Biden's Blemish: Wages Haven't Kept Up With Inflation | Statista

    You will find more infographics at Statista

    That resulted in an actual decline in real wages as nominal wage growth still hadn’t fully caught up with price increases by December 2024.

    As the chart shows, nominal average hourly earnings grew from $29.93 in January 2021 to $35.69 in December 2024 – a 19.2 percent increase.

    During the same period, prices, as measured here by the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U) climbed 21.0 percent, leading to a 1.5 percent decline in real wages.

    That means adjusted for price increases, people went from $29.93 an hour to $29.49 an hour during the Biden years.

    Considering that these are average earnings, it’s fair to assume that many people suffered considerably larger and actually noticeable declines in real wages, leading to the widespread frustration with the Biden economy.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/22/2025 – 15:45

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Jan 22

Today’s News 22nd January 2025

  • 2025: The Year The Global Order Unravels
    2025: The Year The Global Order Unravels

    Authored by Nick Giambruno via InternationalMan.com,

    World War 3 is already well underway, even though most don’t recognize it…

    Russia, China, and their allies want to transform the current US-led world order that has been in place since the end of WW2 from unipolar to multipolar—giving themselves a bigger seat at the table in the process.

    The US and its allies want the unipolar status quo to prevail.

    WW3 is unlikely to evolve into a direct kinetic war between the US, Russia, and China because that could invite nuclear Armageddon, where everyone loses.

    Instead, WW3 is playing out on different levels—proxy wars, economic wars, financial wars, cyber wars, biological wars, deniable sabotage, and information wars.

    This is World War 3. It’s happening right now and rapidly escalating.

    2025 could be the year it all comes to a head.

    As I see it, World War 3 is a conflict between two geopolitical blocks.

    The first block consists of the US and its allies who have hitched their wagons to the unipolar world order.

    I’m reluctant to call this block “the West” because the people who control it have values antithetical to Western Civilization.

    A more fitting label would be NATO & Friends.

    The other block comprises Russia, China, Iran, and other countries favorable to a multipolar world order.

    Let’s call them the BRICS+, which stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and other interested countries.

    BRICS+ is not a perfect label, but it’s a decent representation of the countries favorable to the multipolar world order.

    Some countries don’t fall decisively into one category. I’ve put these countries in a separate Non-Aligned category. They are prime arenas of competition for NATO & Friends and BRICS+.

    Below is an approximate map of the geopolitical chessboard as I see it. Click the image to enlarge.

    I believe proxy warfare will likely determine who wins World War 3 and gets to shape the new world order.

    Proxy wars are a method by which major powers fight their battles indirectly, using smaller nations or groups as stand-ins rather than confronting each other directly.

    Major powers support, equip, and finance smaller groups or nations in a proxy war to fight against a common adversary. This support can include military training, weapons, funding, and other resources. The critical point is that the major powers do not engage directly in combat.

    There are numerous ongoing proxy wars in World War 3.

    However, the ones I believe will prove decisive will be in Taiwan, Ukraine, and the Middle East. The other proxy wars are peripheral in comparison.

    Unlike in Europe (Russia) or East Asia (China), there is no sophisticated nuclear power to deter NATO & Friends from more aggressive military action in the Middle East. Iran is, therefore, the weak link in the BRICS+ alliance to push for a multipolar world order.

    That’s why I expect NATO & Friends will make their last stand to scuttle the emergence of a multipolar world order and preserve the US-led world order in the Middle East.

    The Middle East is roughly divided into two different geopolitical groups.

    The first is the US and its allies—Israel, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and others.

    (Though Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE are members of BRICS+, their true allegiance is with the agenda of NATO & Friends).

    The second group consists of Iran and its allies—the Houthis in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon, several Palestinian groups (including Hamas), and an assortment of militias in Iraq.

    Iran is a key member of BRICS+ and a proponent of a multipolar world order. That’s why Russia and China stand behind Iran with economic, political, and military support.

    In early 2024, the geopolitical momentum in the Middle East appeared to be with Iran and its allies.

    However, that all changed recently as the Middle East has undergone its most significant geopolitical transformation in generations.

    It culminated with militants supported by Turkey, Israel, and the US overthrowing Bashar al-Assad in Syria. It dealt a severe blow to Iran and its allies and, by extension, the multipolar agenda of BRICS+.

    Previously, it seemed Turkey was moving closer to BRICS+. However, after recent events, it’s now unambiguous. After delivering the biggest geopolitical win for NATO & Friends in decades, there’s little doubt Turkey is fully onboard with their agenda.

    Turkey has emerged as the dominant power and kingmaker in Syria, extending NATO & Friends’ influence into new strategic territory in the heart of the Middle East.

    Turkey’s ambitions likely extend well beyond Syria. Erdogan has made no secret of his intention to create a Neo-Ottoman Empire. He now has a golden opportunity to make this a reality with the help of NATO & Friends.

    Turkey’s conquest of Syria is not without immense challenges. The country remains fractured and unstable.

    Armed Kurdish forces, avowed foes of Turkey, control about a third of Syria.

    Assad loyalists are concentrated in the coastal region and other parts of the country. They remain heavily armed and hostile to the new Syrian authorities.

    There are ISIS remnants that haven’t submitted to the new government either.

    Then there is the Israeli military, which has destroyed all of Syria’s previously formidable air defense systems. The Israeli Air Force now has free reign over the skies of Syria. Israeli tanks and soldiers have occupied new strategic parts of the country.

    In short, the new Syrian authorities have a gigantic mess to deal with. They do not have a monopoly on the use of force within Syria’s borders, and it’s unlikely they’ll be able to achieve that anytime soon.

    That’s why Syria could easily continue being a geopolitical black hole, sucking in blood and treasury from anyone who tries to stabilize a situation that cannot be stabilized.

    Presuming Syria can be stabilized—which is a big if—who will pay for the hundreds of billions required for the country’s reconstruction after more than 14 years of war?

    Nobody knows.

    Turkey and, by extension, NATO & Friends were popping champagne over Assad’s ouster. But the celebration may end soon as they realize they have bit off more than they can chew.

    Turkey, the US, and Israel will be responsible for the chaos that comes out of Syria, which is likely to balkanize with unpredictable results.

    In any case, I have little doubt that NATO & Friends will try to use growing Turkish influence as a way to reshape the geopolitical landscape in the Middle East in their favor as the arbitrary lines (imposed by the Sykes-Picot Agreement of a century ago) that define most modern Middle East nation states collapse.

    In other words, NATO & Friends want an incipient Neo-Ottoman Empire to be the dominant power in the Middle East. BRICS+ wants Iran to be the dominant regional power.

    Nobody knows who will prevail in the Middle East and, by extension, WW3.

    The situation is fluid, volatile, and uncertain.

    There is an excellent chance that NATO & Friends will lose in Ukraine and Taiwan. I think that means they will not be able to stop the emergence of a multipolar world order unless they subdue the Middle East. And they can’t do that unless they overthrow the government in Iran.

    The fall of Assad is indeed a setback for BRICS+, but not a decisive defeat.

    If NATO & Friends want a decisive victory in the Middle East, they will need to take out the government in Iran.

    That’s why I think Iran will be the decisive battlefield of WW3.

    Here is an updated geopolitical map of the Middle East and surrounding region as I see it.

    With Iran’s allies across the Middle East suffering devastating blows in 2024, the US, Israel, and their allies have the most favorable conditions to attack Iran that have existed in decades.

    I suspect they will not let this window of opportunity close without taking advantage of it.

    It could happen in 2025.

    If an attack on Iran does happen, I believe it will be the defining battle of WW3.

    But it will not be a cakewalk…

    Unlike most other nation states in the Middle East, Iran (known as Persia before 1935) is not an artificial construct. By race, religion, and social history, it is a nation. European bureaucrats didn’t dream up Iran by drawing zigzags on a map. The map reflects the geographic reality of a country with natural, fortress-like mountain borders. In the east, the Roman Empire generally ended where the Persian Empire began.

    The US and its allies have tried to overthrow Iran’s government for over 46 years. They’ve tried pretty much everything short of a full-scale invasion.

    In short, NATO & Friends have few other cards to play against Iran.

    If the US really wants to decapitate the BRICS+ agenda in the Middle East, it would need to overthrow the Iranian government. That would require waging a full-scale regional war against all of Iran’s allies and launching a ground invasion of Iran.

    Remember, during the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988)—back when Saddam was a “good guy”—he threw over 500,000 Iraqi soldiers at the Iranian meat grinder, had the backing of the US AND the Soviet Union, and used chemical weapons on a scale not seen since WW1… and he barely made a dent in Iran.

    The reality is that if the US is serious about invading Iran, it would likely require total mobilization and bringing back the draft. That is not likely to happen, but even if it did, it would not guarantee US victory.

    If Iran thought the US was going to invade, it could also develop nuclear weapons as a deterrent within a matter of weeks or less. It might also already have a couple of secretly obtained nukes.

    Given those unfavorable prospects, NATO & Friends could decide to use nuclear weapons on Iran preemptively.

    Iran is well aware that the US or Israel could use nuclear weapons against it. It has contingency plans for that outcome to ensure the survival of its government. Iran’s plans also likely include making a dash for developing its own nuclear arsenal to be able to respond in kind.

    Further, it’s doubtful that Russia and China would just sit back and do nothing if NATO & Friends looked like they might nuke Iran. For example, Russia could decide to station nuclear weapons and Russian soldiers on Iranian soil as a deterrent.

    In short, NATO & Friends using nukes on Iran could lead to an unpredictable series of events that could quickly spiral out of control, so I don’t view it as a likely outcome.

    The Bottom Line

    NATO & Friends don’t have any attractive options when it comes to dealing with Iran.

    However, with the sun about to set on the US-led unipolar world order and the most favorable conditions to attack Iran that have existed in decades, they may think it’s their last best chance and go for it in 2025.

    What will happen, and who will prevail?

    Of course, no one can know that with certainty.

    That being said, I think we can count on escalating tensions that could culminate in war with Iran in 2025.

    The implications of that are difficult to overstate.

    War with Iran would undoubtedly destroy all models for the energy market and cause a global economic collapse.

    Most people don’t appreciate how close we are to the precipice of a historical disaster.

    Countless millions throughout history were wiped out financially—or worse—during the previous world wars because they failed to see the correct Big Picture and take appropriate action.

    Don’t be one of them.

    *  *  *

    That’s why I just released an urgent new report with all the details, including what you must do to prepare. It’s called The Most Dangerous Economic Crisis in 100 Years… the Top 3 Strategies You Need Right Now. Click here to download the PDF now.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/21/2025 – 23:15

  • All Federal DEI Offices To Be Closed By Wednesday EOD, Workers Placed On Paid Leave: White House
    All Federal DEI Offices To Be Closed By Wednesday EOD, Workers Placed On Paid Leave: White House

    The Trump Administration’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has notified the heads of all federal agencies and departments that Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) offices are to be closed by end of day Wednesday, and all staff to be placed on paid leave.

    According to the notice issued by Acting OPM Director Charles Ezell, all departments and agencies are to:

    • Send an agency-wide notice to employees informing them of the closure and asking employees if they know of any efforts to disguise these programs by using coded or imprecise language
    • Send a notification to all employees of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) offices that they are being placed on paid administrative leave effective immediately as the agency takes steps to close/end all DEIA initiatives, offices and programs.
    • Take down all outward facing media (websites, social media accounts, etc.) of DEIA offices
    • Withdraw any final or pending documents, directives, orders, materials and equity plans issued by the agency in response to the now-repealed Executive Order 14035, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce (June 25, 2021)
    • Cancel any DEIA-related trainings and terminate any DEIA-related contractors

    The heads of agencies and departments are also instructed to share the following with OPM by noon Thursday, Jan. 23;

    • A complete list of DEIA offices and any employees who were in those offices as of Nov. 5, 2024
    • A complete list of all DEIA-related agency contracts as of Nov. 5, 2024
    • Any agency plans to fully comply with the above executive orders and this memorandum

    By Friday at 5 p.m., agency heads must submit to OPM:

    • A written plan for executing a reduction-in-force action regarding the employees who work in a DEIA office
    • A list of all contract descriptions or personnel position descriptions that were changed since Nov. 5, 2024, to obscure their connection to DEIA programs

    The action comes after President Trump signed an Executive Order that eliminates all DEI programs within the federal government, and signed another order making it “the official policy of the U.S. government to only recognize two genders: male and female.”

    White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the action on X:

    Trump also signed an executive order rescinding Lyndon Johnson’s EO which established affirmative action.

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Meanwhile, the Trump State Department has told all Embassies and Outposts that they can only fly the American Flag at facilities, and no others…

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

     

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/21/2025 – 22:50

  • Why More Americans Are Turning To Holistic Health Care
    Why More Americans Are Turning To Holistic Health Care

    Authored by Maggie Miller via RealClearWire,

    A significant shift is underway in American healthcare as more people embrace alternative therapies that focus on identifying and addressing the root causes of health issues. This transition, often referred to as “root cause medicine,” represents a departure from traditional reactive medical practices toward a preventative and holistic approach. A movement that is expected to expand in 2025.

    According to a JAMA study, 37 percent of adults sought alternative treatments such as acupuncture, yoga, and specialized diagnostic testing—a sharp rise from just 19 percent two decades ago. This movement is also gaining traction among patients of all ages, particularly those over 55, as they seek to age gracefully and optimize their long-term health. Another study published in Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine shows that more Americans 55 and up are seeking a holistic or alternative medicine route and many times are not telling their doctor.

    Doctor Mitchell Ghen, a Florida-based holistic health doctor, has noticed this shift over the past few decades but believes that those numbers are not representative of the number of people using alternative medicine. He said, “I am a little bit surprised it’s 1/3 that’s doing it I would’ve thought it would be closer to 50 percent. Over time, people have that recognition that something’s not right, you can’t fix something unless you address the underlying issue and the underlying biochemistry that’s awry in the first place.”

    A Growing Awareness

    Experts attribute the shift to increased awareness of holistic health. “There’s a lot more knowledge now about mental health, physical health, and gut health,” Adam El- Hosseiny, COO of Access Medical Labs explains. “People want to age healthfully, not just treat symptoms when they arise. They’re choosing preventative care over reactive solutions.”

    Social media has played a pivotal role in exposing people to alternative options. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok feature influencers and healthcare professionals sharing insights into how diet, mindfulness, and personalized diagnostics can help address chronic issues. However, as Dr. Mitch, a practitioner with over 40 years of experience, noted, the trend also reflects growing dissatisfaction with conventional medicine. “Patients are tired of rushed appointments and being prescribed medications without understanding the underlying issue,” he said. “Many are seeking answers that traditional medicine doesn’t always provide.”

    The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated interest in holistic health, as many Americans became hyper-aware of their physical and mental well-being. With lingering health issues like long COVID and increased stress levels, patients began to demand deeper insights into their health. The pandemic served as a wake-up call, prompting people to prioritize preventative care and explore alternative therapies that could enhance their immune systems, energy levels, and overall resilience.

    Addressing Gaps in Traditional Care

    Traditional medicine often relies on an “if-then” model: if you have a symptom, then you’re prescribed a medication. While effective for acute conditions, this approach falls short. “Nutrients, vitamins, and minerals drive the body’s energy cycle. Medications aren’t part of that cycle—they treat symptoms but rarely fix the root problem,” Dr. Mitch said.

    This narrow focus leaves patients searching for more comprehensive solutions. “Unless you dive deeply into an individual’s biochemistry, it’s nearly impossible to fully understand what’s going on,” Dr. Mitch explained. For example, he pointed out that fatigue and brain fog—common complaints among patients—are often overlooked in routine checkups. Standard bloodwork might not flag deficiencies or hormonal imbalances that could explain these symptoms.

    Moreover, the structure of conventional healthcare often limits doctors to short, transactional appointments. “Most doctors have only 10 to 15 minutes per patient,” Dr. Mitch said. “That’s not enough time to ask the right questions, let alone uncover deeper issues.” This time constraint often leads to a cycle of trial-and-error treatments, leaving patients frustrated and seeking alternative solutions.

    The Holistic Approach

    Facilities like Access Medical Labs offer a new perspective, combining advanced diagnostics with a focus on whole-body health. Their testing panels go beyond standard bloodwork, analyzing everything from hormones and food sensitivities to heavy metals and thyroid function. These tests aim to uncover the root causes of common complaints such as fatigue, brain fog, and digestive issues.

    ”People are shocked when they discover foods they eat daily are causing fatigue or bloating. Eliminating those foods often leads to improved energy and mental clarity,” El-Hosseiny said. Comprehensive testing also extends to evaluating environmental allergens, nutrient levels, and even autonomic nervous system functionality, providing a detailed map of a patient’s health.

    A Preventative Paradigm

    Root cause medicine also emphasizes preventative care. For individuals over 55, this means conducting a comprehensive health evaluation akin to inspecting every part of an antique car. “You wouldn’t just check the engine—you’d inspect the entire vehicle to ensure it runs optimally,” El- Hosseiny explained. “You can’t reverse your chronological age, but you can age optimally. People want to look good longer, feel good longer, and ultimately achieve longevity.”

    Holistic health advocates stress that their approach isn’t meant to replace traditional medicine but to complement it. By broadening the lens and addressing blind spots in conventional care, root cause medicine empowers patients to take control of their health and longevity. “This isn’t about dismissing traditional care,” Dr. Mitch clarified. “It’s about enhancing it and taking healthcare to the next level.”

    Technology Driving the Shift

    Advanced laboratory technology has also played a crucial role in making root cause medicine more accessible and efficient. Some laboratories, like Access Medical Labs, use automation to ensure faster turnaround times and minimize human error. “Our automation not only speeds up testing—delivering results in 24 hours compared to the industry’s 7 to 10 day average—but also improves accuracy by reducing the chance of mistakes,” shared El-Hosseiny.

    These advancements have made comprehensive testing less invasive and more patient-friendly. Access Medical Labs requires 50 percent less blood than traditional methods, a convenience appreciated by both patients and physicians. El-Hosseiny shared, “If people are going to get a needle in their arm, they want it done as quickly and painlessly as possible.” Access Medical Labs has had to expand its infrastructure to keep up with demand in testing.

    The Future of Healthcare

    As holistic practices become more mainstream, the healthcare system needs to become more integrated— combining the strengths of traditional medicine with the preventative and personalized focus of root cause care. “People are waking up to the idea that health isn’t just about treating symptoms,” Dr. Mitch said. “It’s about understanding the body as a whole, addressing the underlying issues, and living a better, longer life.”

    *  *  *

    Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times or ZeroHedge.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/21/2025 – 22:25

  • "YOU'RE FIRED!": Trump Boots 4 High-Profile Biden Appointees Including Mark Milley
    “YOU’RE FIRED!”: Trump Boots 4 High-Profile Biden Appointees Including Mark Milley

    President Trump fired four high-profile presidential appointees just after midnight Tuesday, including Gen. Mark Milley, and Biden’s top envoy to Iran, Brian Hook (who also served in the role during Trump’s first term).

    “Our first day in the White House is not over yet! My Presidential Personnel Office is actively in the process of identifying and removing over a thousand Presidential Appointees from the previous Administration, who are not aligned with our vision to Make America Great Again,” Trump wrote on Truth social just after midnight Tuesday.

    “Let this serve as Official Notice of Dismissal for these 4 individuals, with many more, coming soon,” Trump said before listing off the four officials in the post that ended with “YOU’RE FIRED!”

    Hook was fired from the Wilson Center, Milley from the National Infrastructure Advisory Council, while celebrity chef José Andrés was chopped from the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, and former Atlanta mayor Keisha Bottoms was axed from the President’s Export Council, after she dropped out of the Atlanta mayor’s race to work as a senior advisor on Biden’s reelection campaign. 

    Andrés, the founder of World Central Kitchen, has questioned whether Trump can carry out his ambitious deportation plans, and seems to be considering a future in politics himself.

    The celebrity chef said he submitted his resignation from the post last week and that his term was already up. He elaborated that he was “honored” to work as the co-chair and asked Trump to allow the council to continue its work. -The Hill

    “I’m proud of what we accomplished on behalf of the American people…like a historic partnership between the White House and every major sports league to increase access to sports and health programs for kids,” Andres posted Tuesday morning on X.

    Coast Guard Commandant Fired

    Meanwhile, the acting secretary of Homeland Security removed the Coast Guard commandant from her position, according to USNI News.

    Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan salutes the national ensign while embarking U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Calhoun (WMSL-759), April 20, 2024. US Coast Guard Photo

    Adm. Linda Fagan, the first female commandant of the Coast Guard who assumed duties on June 1, 2022, was terminated over issues with recruitment, operational concerns, and a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion.

    “Under my statutory authority as the Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security I have relieved Admiral Linda L. Fagan of her duties as Commandant of the United States Coast Guard. She served a long and illustrious career, and I thank her for her service to our nation,” reads an ALCOAST message.

    Bye Felicias…

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/21/2025 – 22:23

  • The US 'Was' The Largest Contributor To The WHO
    The US ‘Was’ The Largest Contributor To The WHO

    Four and a half years after Donald Trump’s first attempt of withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organization, which was undone by his successor Joe Biden before taking affect, the newly inaugurated president wasted no time to take care of unfinished business.

    As Statista’s Felix Richter reports, as one of many first-day actions, Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday, announcing the U.S. withdrawal from the WHO due to the organization’s alleged mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic, its “failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states.”

    Trump also criticized the organization for demanding “unfairly onerous payments” from the U.S. in comparison to other member states and from China in particular.

    As Statista shows in the chart below, the United States is (was) indeed the largest contributor to the WHO.

    Infographic: The U.S. Is the Largest Contributor to the WHO | Statista

    You will find more infographics at Statista

    According to the latest figures published by the organization, the U.S. donated $1.28 billion to the WHO’s budget for the 2022-2023 biennium, including $218 million in assessed contributions, $1.02 billion in voluntary contributions and $47 million in contributions to a contingency fund for emergencies.

    China, in comparison, contributed a total of $157 million during the same period, including $115 million in assessed contributions.

    In an official statement, the WHO expressed its regret over the U.S. announcement to withdraw, highlighting the organization’s crucial role in protecting the health of the world’s people and the United States’ special role as a founding member and decade-long partner.

    “We hope the United States will reconsider and we look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the USA and WHO, for the benefit of the health and well-being of millions of people around the globe,” the statement concludes.

    For the 2022-2023 period, the WHO’s total approved budget amounted to $10.4 billion, meaning that the U.S. contributed 12 percent to the approved budget.

    Since the budget includes a $2-billion shortfall in funds, the actual U.S. share of total WHO funding was higher at roughly 15 percent.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/21/2025 – 22:00

  • Direction Of Global Crises To Depend On Trump's Next Steps, Russia's Lavrov Says
    Direction Of Global Crises To Depend On Trump’s Next Steps, Russia’s Lavrov Says

    Authored by Adam Morrow via The Epoch Times,

    The outcome of several international crises will depend on decisions made by the Trump administration, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.

    President Donald Trump returned to the White House on Jan. 20 for his second, albeit non-consecutive, four-year term in office.

    “A lot depends on the United States,” Lavrov said at a meeting of Russia’s Security Council held only hours before Trump’s inauguration in Washington.

    According to Moscow’s top diplomat, several key allies of Washington—including Australia, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand—are all “completely guided by the position of the White House.”

    “In this sense, they are waiting to see what its final position will be,” Lavrov said.

    He added that “numerous conflicts,” including the ongoing war in Ukraine, would likely be impacted by decisions taken by Trump and his administration.

    “The global media and social networks have been flooded with news from Washington, coinciding with the arrival of Trump and his team in the [U.S.] capital,” Lavrov said, according to the Kremlin’s transcript of the meeting.

    “Speculation, analytical assessments, and forecasts are also intensifying regarding how this event [Trump’s inauguration] may influence various conflicts across different regions of the world.”

    At the same Security Council meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Trump on becoming the 47th president of the United States.

    Putin also voiced hope of holding talks with Trump to reach a permanent settlement of the war in Ukraine, which will enter its third year next month.

    “Moscow is open for dialogue with the United States that will be built on an equal and mutually respectful basis,” the Russian leader said.

    Eliminating the conflict’s “root causes,” he added, “is the most essential thing.”

    Trump has pledged to quickly resolve the conflict in Ukraine, although it remains unclear how he plans to do so.

    Earlier this month, Trump told a meeting of U.S. Republican state governors that Putin “wants to meet, and we are setting it up.”

    Upon his return to the Oval Office, where he signed a raft of executive orders, Trump said on Jan. 20 that he could speak to his Russian counterpart “very soon.”

    When asked by reporters the following day if any arrangements had been made for a phone call between the two leaders, a Kremlin spokesman said, “Not yet.”

    ‘Bold Actions’

    In a related development, the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund appeared to praise Trump, saying the latter’s raft of executive orders showed “decisive leadership.”

    The executive orders, which Trump signed within hours of his inauguration, aim to increase U.S. energy production, curb illegal immigration, and reverse the previous administration’s climate agenda, among other agendas.

    “President Trump’s bold actions today prove that decisive leadership can change the course of history, unlocking economic growth and transforming global challenges into opportunities for dialogue,” Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), said on Jan. 21.

    A U.S.-educated former Goldman Sachs banker, Dmitriev helped establish contacts between Russian officials and Trump during the latter’s first term in the White House.

    Dmitriev is currently subject to U.S.-led sanctions, which Moscow regards as illegal and politically driven.

    The RDIF has not indicated whether Dmitriev would play a role in future contacts between Moscow and the Trump administration.

    According to the Kremlin, Dmitriev met Putin on Jan. 13—a week before Trump’s inauguration—to discuss the RDIF’s investment portfolio, which is currently valued at 2.3 trillion rubles ($22.53 billion).

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/21/2025 – 21:35

  • ACLU Sues Trump Over Order Ending Birthright Citizenship
    ACLU Sues Trump Over Order Ending Birthright Citizenship

    Groups sued President Donald Trump and his administration on Jan. 20 over his order ending birthright citizenship for certain individuals born in the United States in the future.

    The groups say the order violates the U.S. Constitution’s citizenship clause, which states that “all persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.”

    Trump’s order, signed within hours of his taking office, states that the clause “has never been interpreted to extend citizenship universally to everyone born within the United States” and “has always excluded from birthright citizenship persons who were born in the United States but not ’subject to the jurisdiction thereof.’”

    While most people born in the United States are citizens, citizenship is not automatically granted to those whose mothers are in the United States illegally and whose fathers are neither U.S. citizens nor lawful permanent residents, according to the order.

    As Zachary Stieber reports for The Epoch Times, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other groups suing over the order pointed to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1898 ruling in United States v. Wong Kim Ark, which concluded that a boy born in the United States to Chinese citizens present in the country at the time of his birth was a U.S. citizen.

    The groups also pointed to a law later passed by Congress that stated in part that a person born in the United States and “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” shall be a U.S. citizen at birth.

    “Every child born in the United States should be born with the same rights as every other child – and that’s why the U.S. Constitution ensures that no politician can ever decide who among those born in our country is worthy of citizenship,” SangYeob Kim, a senior staff attorney with the ACLU, said in a statement.

    “Trump’s executive order directly opposes our Constitution, values, and history, and it would create a permanent, multigenerational subclass of people born in the U.S. but who are denied full rights.”

    Other groups suing over the order include the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the Asian Law Caucus.

    Meanwhile, 22 Democrat-led states and two cities have also challenged the EO. Two separate lawsuits, filed in Massachusetts and Washington State have asked federal judges to rule that the order contradicts the Constitution, which grants citizenship to anyone born in the US under the 14th Amendment.

    “President Trump now seeks to abrogate this well-established and longstanding Constitutional principle by executive fiat,” one group of states wrote in their complaint.

    “The principle of birthright citizenship has been enshrined in the Constitution for more than 150 years. The Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment unambiguously and expressly confers citizenship on ‘[a]ll persons born’ in and ‘subject to the jurisdiction’ of the United States.”

    The White House has not yet commented on the lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in New Hampshire.

    The lawsuit seeks a court order declaring the policy unconstitutional and blocking the administration from enforcing it.

    After reporters raised the possibility of potential legal challenges against the order being successful, Trump said on Monday:

    “We think we have good ground, but you could be right. You’ll find out.”

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/21/2025 – 21:10

  • As US Cattle Ranchers Go Out Of Business, One Family Found A Way To Survive
    As US Cattle Ranchers Go Out Of Business, One Family Found A Way To Survive

    Authored by Kevin Stocklin via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    At a time when thousands of America’s independent cattle farmers are going under each year, and herds falling to a 70-year low, one young couple believes they have found a way to save their family farm.

    Marc and Avery Wrigglesworth, owners of Lily Hill Farm in West Point, Ga., in this file photo. Meg Shelnut

    Livestock farming is now a far cry from what it once was, when ranchers would sell into competitive markets with prices based on quality, as well as prevailing supply and demand.

    Today, four global meatpacking corporations—U.S.-based Cargill and Tyson Foods, and Brazilian-based JBS and National Beef/Marfrig—together buy 85 percent of all cattle in the United States, and many once-independent ranchers have devolved into contract labor for these companies, often selling at prices that don’t cover their costs.

    The result has been an aggregate loss of 655,000 cattle farms since 1980, with an average of 20,000 ranches going under per year in America over the past five years.

    After years of losing money under this system, however, Avery and Marc Wrigglesworth, owners of Lily Hill Farm in West Point, Georgia, decided to take a different path. The only way to survive, they said, was to build their own market that sells directly to customers.

    While Avery grew up on the Georgia farm, Marc was raised on Jersey, a small island in the English Channel. They met in Jersey where they both were working office jobs in the finance industry.

    In 2019, Avery was told by her father that the family’s farm, originally founded by her grandfather after he returned home to Georgia from a POW camp in Germany after World War II, would be sold. The herd had been sold off, down to 80 cattle, in order to pay debts, and the farm had fallen into what Marc calls a “death spiral.”

    What was left was no longer able to generate enough income to keep the business going. Avery and Marc decided to quit their jobs and move to Georgia, hoping that the farm could be saved.

    “We are now the third generation, and there’s always been something that’s drawn me to this place,” Avery told The Epoch Times. “It would have broken my heart to see it parceled up, and houses and subdivisions built all over it.

    “I just felt like it needed to have one last chance to see if we could turn it around.”

    Grass-fed cattle on Lily Hill Farm. Avery and Marc quit their jobs and moved to Georgia, hoping to save the family farm from having to be sold. Avery Wrigglesworth

    Struggling to Stay Afloat

    They soon realized that the farm could not survive the way it was being operated.

    “We were just selling the calf crop at the local stockyards—that’s generally how these cow-calf operations sell,” Marc said. But they weren’t getting enough from the processors to pay their expenses, and they had to find another way.

    They decided, rather than selling to the big packing companies, to try selling directly to customers.

    “It was a leap of faith, but we had no other option,” Avery said. “In the three years we’d been running this place, we had a net operating loss of nearly $600,000, so it was either pack it in and leave with our tail between our legs, or take an even bigger leap and see if this will work.”

    They used their social media skills to build a base of customers, but making the switch cost them both time and money, depleting their savings.

    “We just had to bite the bullet and keep everything back for two years with no farm revenue,” Marc said.

    Avery had already built up a following on Instagram, so they had the beginnings of a customer base. During the two years of transition, they designed their online store and expanded their following, and Avery sharpened her photography skills for a steady stream of online posts.

    They found a company in Alabama that would do the meat processing for them. Once processed, the beef is returned to them, stored in a walk-in freezer on their farm, and shipped out to customers via UPS, packed in dry ice.

    Beef awaits shipment while stored in a walk-in freezer at Lily Hill Farm. Avery and Marc found a company to process the meat. Once processed, the beef is returned to them, stored in a walk-in freezer on their farm, and shipped out to customers directly. Avery Wrigglesworth

    Two years ago, the Lily Hill Farm’s website and online store went live, selling beef directly to customers that is pasture-raised “without additional growth hormones, antibiotics, or animal by-products,” the website states. And through their social media sites, Avery and Marc work to establish personal connections with customers.

    “They want to know where their products are coming from,” Avery said. “They want to know it’s a family behind it, and they want to know the people and the story behind the products they’re purchasing.”

    After years in the red, this new business model has returned the farm to profitability.

    “When we launched in April of 2022, we hit the ground running, and it’s been unstoppable ever since,” Marc said.

    Read the rest here…

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/21/2025 – 20:45

  • Alinsky 101: NBC Runs Hegseth Hit Piece Despite Ex-Wife Debunking Accusation
    Alinsky 101: NBC Runs Hegseth Hit Piece Despite Ex-Wife Debunking Accusation

    Just in time for Pete Hegseth’s confirmation hearing, his brother’s ex-wife, Danielle Hegseth, came out with a wild, Kavanaugh-esque claim that Pete Hegseth, President Trump’s pick for Defense Secretary, made his second wife ‘fear for her safety.’

    Except, Hegseth’s second wife completely denied the claim, and NBC News decided to run the story anyway.

    When asked for comment, Hegseth’s ex, Samantha Hegseth, told the outlet, “I do not believe your information to be accurate, and I have cc’d my lawyer,” adding “There was no physical abuse in my marriage. This is the only further statement I will make to you.”

    An affidavit containing the allegation was delivered to Senators on Tuesday, the receipt of which came after Senate Armed Services Committee staffers were in contact with the ex-sister-in-law for several days.

    And who was it fed to? Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), after he requested a “statement” from the ex-sister-in-law, “attesting to your personal knowledge about Mr. Hegseth’s fitness to occupy this important position.”

    And what’s this? Jack Reed is connected to the Steele Dossier used to smear President Trump as a Russian asset!

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    To summarize: The ex-wife of Pete Hegseth’s brother lodged a false accusation against him, which the alleged victim denied, and NBC News decided to run the piece anyway.

    Or as journalist Kyle Becker puts it, Alinsky 101.

    Remember when NBC News worked with a foreign ‘misinformation’ outfit to smear ZeroHedge, lied about the details, and then stealth-edited the article? We remember.

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    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/21/2025 – 20:20

  • US Racing Against Time To Reclaim Supply Chain From China: Former Commerce Official
    US Racing Against Time To Reclaim Supply Chain From China: Former Commerce Official

    Authored by Terri Wu and Jan Jekielek via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    A former Department of Commerce official recently urged American officials and the general public to adopt an elevated sense of urgency to address the threat of U.S. supply chain dependence on communist China.

    An engineer checks a laser cutting machine, to be sold to automotive manufacturers for the production of new energy vehicles, at a facility in Wuhan, in China’s central Hubei province on June 12, 2023. STR/AFP via Getty Images

    “We are running out of time. We really need to race to solve this,” Nazak Nikakhtar, former assistant secretary for Industry and Analysis during the first Trump administration, recently told EpochTV’s “American Thought Leaders,” adding that the problem had been neglected for “at least two decades.”

    In her view, the issue stems from the deliberate strategic actions of the Chinese communist regime. She said that for many years, Beijing has engaged in unfair trade practices—often paying subsidiaries to flood the global market with cheap made-in-China products that others can’t compete with, thereby gaining control of an industry’s supply chain and moving on to undercut the next one.

    Compared to China’s dominance in the production of steel, batteries, solar cells, and personal protective equipment—all of which the American public is aware of due to the tariffs imposed during the Trump and Biden administrations—China’s dominance in lab-grown industrial diamond production is equally critical yet lesser known.

    These diamonds are essential for cutting tools—crucial for building, drilling, and manufacturing. The affected industries range from cars to aerospace and defense. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), China produces 95 percent of the world’s synthetic diamonds, and U.S. dependence on imports has fluctuated between 80 and 95 percent since 2018.

    On Dec. 3, China’s ruling communist party banned the export of industrial diamonds to the United States, along with gallium, germanium, and antimony—materials critical for making semiconductors. The decision was announced a day after the United States added advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment and software to its export controls to curb Beijing’s access to these critical elements for developing artificial intelligence.

    Diamonds for Industrial Power

    Also referred to as “super hard materials,” industrial diamonds are part of “Made in China 2025,” the Chinese communist regime’s ten-year industrial policy aimed at achieving dominance in advanced manufacturing worldwide.

    Since 2012, the regime has classified the manufacturing of diamonds and related equipment as “strategic new sectors.” Central and local authorities developed policies that promoted these businesses and provided subsidies.

    Although the specific amounts are unclear, sporadic Chinese media reports have revealed annual subsidies of between 10 million yuan ($1.3 million) and 50 million yuan ($6.8 million) per company.

    “Imagine a U.S. economy with zero manufacturing,” Nikakhtar warned.

    USGS data indicate that the nation lacks a stockpile of industrial diamonds, and in 2023, the estimated domestic production of the diamonds met only 16 percent of the total volume needed in the United States.

    “It’s just time to wake up. China has made clear that it is moving in this direction. We’ve got to take them at their word,” she said. “China has already shown us through its recent export controls that it means business, and it really has the ability to hurt the U.S. economy.”

    In the past eight decades, Congress has delegated extensive authority to the president to set tariff rates. A few laws allow America’s chief executive to use tariffs to set foreign policy and protect national security interests.

    During Nikakhtar’s tenure with the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Analysis, President Donald Trump invoked Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 in March 2018 to impose a 25 percent tariff on steel and a 10 percent levy on aluminum from all countries except Canada and Mexico.

    In October 2021, President Joe Biden reached an agreement with the European Union and the United Kingdom and replaced the tariffs with quotas in return for lifting the retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports.

    Trump also used Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to impose tariffs on Chinese imports worth approximately $300 billion annually. The Biden administration kept all the duties and added more last year, following a review conducted every four years.

    As Trump begins his second term, Nikakhtar stated that the new administration is “very confident in how they’ve utilized the novel laws in the past” and will continue leveraging available legal mechanisms to apply tariffs to correct market distortions caused by unfair trade practices.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/21/2025 – 19:55

  • Major US Firms Demand Suppliers Embrace "China + 1" Factory Strategy
    Major US Firms Demand Suppliers Embrace “China + 1” Factory Strategy

    The Covid pandemic sparked a wave of global trade uncertainty, prompting US companies to reevaluate their complex supply chains centered in China by either friend-shoring, near-shoring, or re-shoring. This shift toward friend-shoring in Southeast Asia (ex-China) has positioned Thailand as a pivotal ally in Washington’s US-China decoupling strategy.

    The ‘America First’ economic policy directed by President Trump will focus on, most importantly, re-shoring supply chains out of China and back to the US, followed by near-shoring and friend-shoring. Trump is also set to unleash tariffs on foreign goods as the US-China decoupling gathers pace. 

    Focusing on friend-shoring trends, Goldman’s Allen Chang, Verena Jeng, and others hosted the “Make in Thailand Tour” last week.

     

    During the visit to AI server liquid cooling, automotive electronics, electric vehicles, and other high-tech factories in the Southeast Asian country, Chang found a growing number of US companies are requiring suppliers to have not only Chinese factories but also a “plus one” location outside the world’s second-largest economy for diversification purposes. This has only sparked a boom in business activity in Thailand.

    Chang’s first takeaway from the visit to nine factories in Thailand is that geopolitical tensions between US-China are the primary driver of business expansion: 

    Companies shared that US clients started to mention “China + 1” (production sites outside of China) in 2018, turned more serious in 2022 during COVID with China under lockdown, and increased focus further in 2024 during the US elections. Companies shared some of their clients have stated that they will no longer accept suppliers (for new projects) without “China + 1” by end of 2025. We see geopolitical tensions as the major reason companies are diversifying production into Thailand.

    Here are the other main takeaways driving Thailand’s expansion: 

    • Clusters across Southeast Asia: Companies shared there are different clusters across countries in Southeast Asia, and supply chain usually moves with clients to secure timely services. Other than the consideration of distance to the clients, there are different features across different countries as well. For example, Vietnam is closest to China supply chain and developed early; Thailand is open for foreign investment with solid infrastructure; Malaysia’s labours have higher education especially Penang where global-tier semiconductors leaders are developing the OSAT industry since 1970s.

    •  AI servers, PCs, Automotive, LEO satellites are expanding in Thailand: Companies shared that three industries are showing a clear trend of supply chain expansion in Thailand: (1) AI servers supply chain: Quanta announced in Aug 2024 plans to invest US$24m; Inventec announced in late 2023 plans to invest US$152m; Auras’ investment of US$49m to US$55m for the second factory in Thailand; ZDT’s investment of US$250m; Delton’s investment of US$180m; WTT’s investment of US$75m; (2) PC supply chain: Chicony’s investment of US$45m for the phase 2; (3) LEO satellites: Compeq’s investment of US$302m; (4) Automotive: companies shared about more Chinese car OEMs expanding to Thailand, e.g. BYD, Chery, Neta, Greatwall, Geely, etc., leading to supply chain expansion.

    • Lower labour costs, but lower efficiency as well: Companies shared direct labour compensation is around 20-50% lower compared to China, or at Rmb3,000 (US$410) per month; however, for those who speak Mandarin, the costs could be double. Besides, the efficiency is one-third of Chinese labor, and thus the cost is 10-20% higher than China. To reduce costs, most companies have automated production in Thailand, and leverage government support (e.g. tax benefits, tariff benefits, etc.).

    • Hiring is not difficult: Companies shared that hiring is not difficult in Thailand, as there is also labour from countries nearby, e.g. Myanmar. Besides, the working environment is good (new air-conditioned factories) with accommodation or shuttle bus provided, making it easier to attract labour. Some companies shared they received about 90 applications for 20 labour positions.

    • Training in China: To meet US clients’ needs, most factories we visited target to start mass production by mid 2025. To secure a smooth production ramp up, most companies sent local labour to their factories in mainland China for training, and then back to Thailand. Some companies also shared they have 70% Chinese labour in their Thailand factories currently to secure a smooth trial run to production. In general, it takes 12-18 months for factory construction in Thailand (slower than China given there’s rainy season in Thailand), 6 months for equipment set up, 6 months for local labour training in mainland China, leading to mass production target by mid 2025.

    • OEM, ODM / assemblers are closer to airports and ports: We see OEMs, ODM / assemblers factories are 40-60mins drive from airports / ports, while supply chain / component makers are 2-3 hours drive away from airports / ports, but within 1 hour drive to OEMs, ODM / assemblers. Those who invested earlier in Thailand, also enjoy closer distance to airports / ports. For example, Chicony’s Thailand factory dates back to 1989; Auras invested in Thailand in 2019; PI was also early in Thailand and moved to the inner lands to enjoy more tax benefits from the local government.

    • Competition from local peers: All companies we visited didn’t seem worried about local competitors given Technology is not the focus of Thailand (i.e., less students majoring in Electrical Engineering). The government is also open to foreign investment without requirement of forming JV with local peers or cultivating local peers. However, the government strongly encourages local production. For example, the government expects car assembly and components to be produced in Thailand, but not necessarily by Thailand companies.

    • Government policies are supportive: Most companies we visited enjoy 8-year tax free, and they see a stable environment for business operations, with supportive government policies, such as BOI (Board of Investment of Thailand: up to 16 years tax free, tariff free for equipment and raw material imports, funding support for R&D centers, etc.) and EEC (Eastern Economic Corridor: tax free, tariff free for equipment and raw material imports, flexibility in foreign currency outward remittance, etc.). Infrastructure (e.g. road quality) and utilities (electricity, water supply) are also efficient, with stable labour conditions (e.g. less labour strike, disruptions etc).

    • EV market in Thailand: Companies shared that the EV penetration rate in Thailand is around 13-14% (in 2024), or 80k units, which is the largest EV market in Southeast Asia, and the penetration rate could further go up in 2025-26E. The major EV brands in Thailand are all from China, with BYD enjoying 30%+ market share in Thailand’s EV market, followed by Neta at 20%, and other major brands including Changan, SAIC, etc. Companies shared China remains the strongest market for EV, considering the infrastructure (e.g. charging stations) in Thailand is not yet as comprehensive as China.

    Major restructuring of supply chains has been underway since Trump’s first term as re-shoring, near-shoring, and friend-shoring trends will go into hyper-drive under Trump’s second term. 

    In a separate note, Goldman Chief Economist Jan Hatzius, alongside Alec Phillips, David Mericle, and others, commented on Trump’s day one of office on Monday, calling the president’s tariff reveal “more benign than expected.” This was mainly because Trump did not comment on China’s tariff policy while negotiations appeared ongoing with Chinese President Xi Jinping. However, Trump directed his trade efforts toward Canada and Mexico, threatening a 25% on both countries by February. 

    As for Thailand, it has become an integral part of the US friend-shoring strategy. The big takeaway comes from the Goldman note on US companies demanding suppliers have a plus one factory outside of China, providing tailwinds for Thailand.

    Meanwhile, economic tailwinds have likely produced the next yachting boom for the wealthy residents of Thailand.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/21/2025 – 19:30

  • Trump Pardons Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht, Slams "Scum" That Worked To Convict Him
    Trump Pardons Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht, Slams “Scum” That Worked To Convict Him

    Update (1900ET): Well it may not have been officially Day One but Trump kept his promise and just pardoned Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht after he spent 11 years in jail.

    In a statement on Truth Social, President Trump said:

    “I just called the mother of Ross William Ulbricht to let her know that in honor of her and the Libertarian Movement, which supported me so strongly, it was my pleasure to have just signed a full and unconditional pardon of her son, Ross.

    The scum that worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern day weaponization of government against me.

    He was given two life sentences, plus 40 years. Ridiculous!“

    Promise made. Promise kept…

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    Here was Ross back in May when Trump made the promise…

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    *  *  *

    “Ross will be freed too.”

    Those five words, posted by Elon Musk to his X account, sent the odds of a pardon for Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht soaring to near certainty.

    According to a contract on Polymarket, the odds of a Ulbricht pardon are now above 90%…

    A petition calling for clemency for Ulbricht on freeross.org has gathered over 600,000 signatures since his incarceration.

    The petition has garnered support from those who argue his life sentence is excessive and unjust, and from some bitcoiners that uphold Silk Road’s libertarian ideals.

    As CoinDesk’s Sam Reynolds reports, Trump first promised to pardon Ulbricht during a campaign stop at the Libertarian National Convention last May.

    “If you vote for me, on Day 1, I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht to a sentence of time served,” Trump said during a speech last year.

    “He’s already served 11 years, we’re gonna get him home.”

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    Ulbricht was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 2015 for his role in the operation of the Silk Road marketplace, which pioneered the use of the dark web.

    Supporters of Ulbricht say that his sentence was disproportionately long for the crime.

    Elsewhere on the Polymarket pardon list is Roger Ver, an early bitcoin investor and bitcoin cash (BCH) advocate, who was indicted for tax fraud last April, and the market is giving a 32% chance of a pardon taking place in the first 100 days.

    Despite crypto playing a prominent part of Trump’s campaign, Polymarket bettors are only giving a 43% of a crypto executive order, regarding the use, trading, or legal status of digital assets, happening in the first week.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/21/2025 – 19:20

  • The Sky Is Falling
    The Sky Is Falling

    Authored by Jeff Thomas via InternationalMan.com,

    Governments are in the flimflam business.

    Pared down to the bare essentials, governments can be very useful in passing and enforcing a small number of very basic laws. These laws should be limited to policing those who would seek to aggress against others, or their property. Governments may also have a value in providing protection from invasion – organizing an army of able-bodied people to address this collective problem, if and when it occurs.

    And that’s about it. Beyond that, the private sector can, and almost always does, do a better job at virtually everything else. Therefore, a government should be small, cost very little to run and do as little as possible.

    But since a government already exists, why not have it do more? Why not assign to it some of those tasks that tend not to attract businessmen?

    Well, the simple, but almost universally little-understood, reason is that governments do not actually produce anything. They are, in fact, a parasitical construct that consumes money but creates nothing of worth.

    Unlike businesses, they don’t operate on a profit basis. In fact, few politicians or civil servants have any grasp of the concept that prosperity is only created when someone invests his money in a venture, creates a profit and saves or re-invests the difference.

    Although this may seem like a harsh criticism, it’s borne out by the fact that all governments consume money and are more wasteful than any business would be. Worse, politicians and civil servants typically fail entirely to understand that this is a fundamental problem.

    And, yet, like all people, people in governments wish to personally advance, both in position and financial worth.

    And here is where the perennial bugbear of governments appears.

    Since governments, by rights, should never expand unless absolutely necessary, and since this is never enough for those who people any government, they must somehow con the public into believing that government expansion is “for the good of the people.”

    Ergo, even the smallest of governments, in the smallest of jurisdictions, will learn to cajole the public. As the government grows, the con-game grows and duplicity, trickery and skullduggery become the lifeblood of the government – any government.

    The con-game becomes, “Vote for me and I’ll provide you with something at the expense of someone else.”

    “It is the primary business of any government to grow its own power and wealth at the expense of its people.”

    At some point, all governments figure out that the greatest way to expand their own power and personal wealth is through fear. If a people can be made afraid, the government can bypass reason and appeal to emotion – always an easier sell.

    For millennia, governments (like organised religions and for the same reason) have peddled the fear of a demon – usually in the form of an aggressive opponent from outside the jurisdiction who can be regarded as wishing to aggress against the country. In modern times, however, the spin doctors have done this concept one better – they’ve learned to peddle, not an individual, country or army as the demon, but a concept.

    As the reader will know, in recent decades, all any government has needed to do is claim that something that they oppose is related somehow to terrorism and they will be given carte blanche to crush it, however implausible the given reasoning may be.

    Another highly successful demon is Climate Change.

    The Climate Change concept was invented out of whole fabric by the Club of Rome, which was created in 1968 by David Rockefeller. It was originally called “Global Cooling,” as, at that time, the earth was passing through one of its cyclic cooling periods. However, that period soon came to an end and the earth entered a global warming period. So, the same “science” that was used for Global Cooling was then attributed without any change whatever to the new “Global Warming.”

    When that cycle ended and the proponents of Global Warming again had egg on their faces for pushing warming during a new periodic cooling cycle, the proponents finally got clever and renamed it “Climate Change.”

    From that day forward, any flood, drought, hurricane, tornado or variation in the ice caps has immediately been blamed on “increased Climate Change,” even though such occurrences have been with us forever and will be with us forever.

    The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has repeatedly polled scientists as to whether they agree that climate change exists, and the IPCC states that over 97% agree. What is not asked is whether Climate Change is a direct result of man’s intervention. Asked if climate changes from time to time, the answer is, of course, “yes.” In fact, 100% of scientists should agree, based upon the wording of the question.

    But, of course, this is not science at all, but deception. Always phrase the question in such a way that you will receive the desired answer.

    So, the outcome is that the great majority of people are sold on the idea that Climate Change is due to man’s creation of CO2 and that mankind has to be controlled, or he will destroy the planet with CO2 emissions.

    Since “scientists” are represented as agreeing on this, people tend not to question the logic. The fact that all plants breathe CO2 and would die without it and that, if all plant life were to expire, all animal life would then expire, does not occur to the listener. His government has spoken and he needs to be afraid.

    Since the mid-1970s, politicians have periodically claimed that life on earth will come to an end in a decade or so if emissions are not eliminated globally. Whenever one of these deadlines passes, the presenters simply move up the date another decade or so, maintaining the fear, but never actually reaching the end of the world.

    Of course, the Great Lie should be exposed, due to the fact that governments do not actually pass laws to eliminate CO2 emissions; they merely create taxation and fines for those manufacturers who create CO2.

    So, apparently, it’s all right to end the world, if you pay a hefty tax, instead of cutting CO2.

    “The Jews will destroy Germany”… “The Iranians will destroy the world if they can make a nuclear bomb”… “Your car will destroy the earth”… but Air Force One, which creates 336 times the CO2 of a car, will not.

    With government propaganda, the sky is always falling.

    All the best propaganda appeals at a gut level. If people can be made to abandon reason and accept government-created fear, they can be controlled.

    This doesn’t mean that governments can’t ever be trusted, but it means that they shouldn’t ever be trusted. They should always be questioned, not only as their propaganda is so often false, but as they are, inherently, in the flimflam business.

    *  *  *

    The government never stops growing and extending its reach into new areas of life. It finances this by confiscating wealth through taxation, indebting future generations, and lots of money printing. Unfortunately, there’s little any individual can practically do to change the trajectory of these trends in motion. Most people won’t be prepared for what’s coming. That’s precisely why bestselling author Doug Casey and his team just released an essential guide to Surviving and Thriving and Thriving During an Economic Collapse. Click here to download the PDF now.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/21/2025 – 19:05

  • Davos Shocker: Countries Around The World Eyeing Bitcoin Strategic Reserves Thanks To Trump
    Davos Shocker: Countries Around The World Eyeing Bitcoin Strategic Reserves Thanks To Trump

    In a development once deemed unimaginable, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong revealed on Tuesday that finance ministers attending the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, are showing increasing interest in establishing their own Strategic Bitcoin Reserves. According to Armstrong, this growing momentum appears to be inspired by the United States’ consideration of a similar initiative.

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    ANDREW SORKIN: Take us inside the room. What was the feeling? We watched the crypto ball and everything also. There seems to be a full-on sea change in Washington about your world.

    BRIAN ARMSTRONG:  It’s the dawn of the new day for crypto. The energy was palpable throughout the room. You have to remember the last four years we felt we were being attacked by the administration and they tried to weaponize the lack of clarity and the rules and push back on the good actors. There were bad actors, to be fair, but they were going after the good actors. We are ready for new rules.

    ANDREW SORKIN: Did you expect an executive order yesterday? To the extent of Bitcoin prices is a signal of something.

    BRIAN ARMSTRONG: It’s been one day. I’m not too worried.

    ANDREW SORKIN: What is the executive order you are looking for?

    BRIAN ARMSTRONG: Directing the agency of the U.S. government to collaborate and look to clear rules passed. That would allow capital to flow into the United States and startups to be built there. Rearticulating the bill of rights with the self-custodial wallets. That was a big issue in the past four years as well. Operation Chokepoint 2.0. Those were some of the things that can be done with executive orders, it will really take congress.

    ANDREW SORKIN: Can I ask about the choke point 2.0? The question is do you believe people were being quote/unquote debanked because they owned crypto at all or debanked because they were seen at those banks as a risk of some sort to the bank?

    BRIAN ARMSTRONG: I think what happened is that the regulators likely cajoled by people like Elizabeth Warren applied a soft pressure to the banks and said we have concerns about crypto. Vague statements. Risk-based statements. If you are a bank CEO, that is hard to do if the regulator comes in and says we’re uncomfortable with this. You say is it illegal? No, we’re uncomfortable. That soft pressure was unlawful in my view was happening.

    ANDREW SORKIN: This became a commotion in the last 48 hours about crypto. What is your feeling about the Trump family involvement in crypto and President Trump put out a meme coin that was at some point worth tens of billions of dollars. Melania doing the same. There are some people inside crypto who are very critical of those decisions because they look like an enrichment of the president.

    BRIAN ARMSTRONG: Look, I think anybody should be able to create a collectible or piece of artwork. There are lots of crypto commodities and hopefully securities in the future. These meme coins are something anybody should put out there. We don’t recommend one asset. We look at the standards and let the market decide.

    ANDREW SORKIN: The concept of a memecoin. Is that good or bad for crypto? If enough people participate and lose, because more people lose than win, and the fact that the president of the United States and his family involved in the project, does that concern you?

    BRIAN ARMSTRONG: A lot of technology looks like a toy. Think about the early internet and people were putting animated gifs and things with cats. It turned out to be much more important than that. You have to be cautious. With meme coins, it is not something I’m trading all the time. I’m not particularly interested in it. It could evolve into something powerful. You have to keep an open mind. I think everybody should have the right.

    REBECCA QUICK: The disappointment that’s being read into the price of crypto today. It’s not down all that much. People are saying there’s disappointment because he didn’t enact on day one. If you look at crypto’s price since his election, bitcoin’s price since his election, it’s up almost 50%. I wonder how much of the positive news is baked into what you are seeing in the price of bitcoin? What you are seeing from here in terms of bitcoin’s growth or volatility that could come with that? A lot of the positive news is already recognized from the moment he was elected?

    BRIAN ARMSTRONG: We have seen an incredible growth and it hit an all-time high yesterday. We feel very good about that. I think over time, bitcoin will get in the millions price range. It is adopted by more and more customers. ETF with the inflow. If we get clear legislation in the U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. If the U.S. started, the rest of the G20 would follow. I discussed with leaders from different countries around the world, they are getting more interested in it because the U.S. is looking into it.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/21/2025 – 18:40

  • 'Have Mercy On The Crop-Pickers & Gay People, Mr President': Activist Bishop 'Weaponizes' Sermon At National Prayer Service
    ‘Have Mercy On The Crop-Pickers & Gay People, Mr President’: Activist Bishop ‘Weaponizes’ Sermon At National Prayer Service

    The looks on Trump and Vance’s faces (and their wives) tells you all you needed to know about how this morning’s Inauguration Prayer Service went…

    Just hours after President Trump signed executive orders to crack down on illegal immigration and one that states the government will only recognize the two sexes – male and female – Episcopalian Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde decided this was the perfect opportunity to politically weaponize her sermon, urging President Trump to “have mercy” on immigrants and transgender youth.

    “In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared,” Budde said from a pulpit.

    “There are gay, lesbian, transgender children, Democratic, Republican, independent families – some who fear for their lives.“

    It is unclear why they fear for their lives…

    But the bishop was not done yet, she had a lot more virtue to signal from her ‘bully pulpit’…

    “The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meatpacking plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals…

    …they may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals.”

    She outlined that those workers “pay taxes”, are “good neighbors” and are “faithful members” of U.S. churches, mosques, synagogues and temples, arguing that their children “fear their parents are going to be taken away.”

    Additionally, she called on Trump to aid people fleeing war zones and persecution.

    “Find compassion,” she said.

    Watch the full sermon here…

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    Perhaps some of that compassion should be found for the children that are trafficked; or for the American citizens who have been raped and/or murdered by numerous ‘illegal’ crop-pickers and office-cleaners?

    Reporters were desperate for a comment from Trump as he left the service, he threw it back in their faces:

    “What did you think, did you like it? Did you find it exciting? Not too exciting was it,” the president stated.

    “I think it was a great service.”

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    “They could do much better,” Trump added.

    Bishop Budde’s profile pic… of course!

    Finally, who could have seen this coming from such a virtuous member of the clergy…

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    Budde is no stranger to woke causes, proclaiming on her diocesan website that she is “an advocate and organizer in support of justice concerns, including racial equity, gun violence prevention, immigration reform, the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons, and the care of creation.”

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/21/2025 – 18:25

  • Correcting Progressive Errors About Why Trump Won
    Correcting Progressive Errors About Why Trump Won

    Authored by Peter Berkowitz via RealClearPolitics,

    Today, in defiance of mighty odds, Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States, took the oath of office to become the nation’s 47th president.

    Illiberalism of the left proved a major factor in Trump’s close but clear victory over Vice President Kamala Harris and in progressive elites’ far-fetched rationalizations of Harris’ defeat.

    Some Harris supporters, especially among the D.C. professional class, attribute Harris’ loss to Trump voters’ gullibility or malice. They say that America is thriving, crime is down, employment is low, and Biden passed major legislation to combat inflation and enhance America’s ability to compete with China. Therefore, only a public that fell for right-wing misinformation or backs Trump’s authoritarian dispositions could have elected him president. Among other things, this assessment overlooks that inflation, which surged during Biden’s presidency, battered working-class voters who form the core of Trump’s support, and that declining inflation does not mean that prices have returned to pre-inflation levels. It also underestimates the impact of lawless borders on middle-class and working-class voters. It avoids consideration of the consequences of mainstream-media gaslighting of Americans about Biden’s declining cognitive capabilities. And it ignores the electoral significance of Harris’ inability to distinguish herself from the Biden administration – known early on as the Biden-Harris administration – and to separate herself from the hard-left positions she took in 2019 in pursuit of her party’s presidential nomination and as a senator from, and attorney general of, California.

    Other Harris supporters blame her loss on racism and sexism. They maintain that the American people’s bigotry foiled the election of an African-American woman to the highest office in the land. Well-known facts undercut this accusation. In 2008, then-Sen. Barack Obama defeated John McCain – a center-right, white war hero – to become the first black person elected president of the United States. Following his January 2009 inauguration, President Obama enjoyed sky-high approval ratings that cut across party lines. Obama coasted to reelection in 2012 against Mitt Romney – a center-right, white, former businessman and former Massachusetts governor. And former President Obama and his African-American wife, former first lady Michelle Obama, remain popular. Moreover, though losing to Trump in 2016 in the Electoral College, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, demonstrating that a majority of Americans can prefer a woman in the White House.

    In early January in the New York Times, James Carville took a crack at explaining Harris’ loss. He, too, offered an implausible, one-dimensional account.

    In “James Carville: I Was Wrong About the 2024 Election. Here’s Why,” the veteran Democratic campaign advisor and longtime TV political commentator reasonably emphasized that “the most important thing for us now is to face that we were wrong and take action on the prevailing ‘why.’” But his “why” is a misleading cliché. A prominent figure in Bill Clinton’s successful 1992 presidential bid, Carville faulted Democrats in 2024 for neglecting a crucial truth associated with victory 32 years before: “We lost for one very simple reason: It was, it is, and it always will be the economy, stupid.”

    Carville greatly oversimplifies. The economy is a major factor in elections. Yet other matters, including citizens’ sense of personal security and overall well-being and candidates’ positions on culture and foreign affairs, not only shape political preferences but also influence voters’ interpretation of economic performance. For example, voters’ assessment of higher taxes and painful tariffs during wartime differ from their view of these burdens in peacetime.

    While Trump “decisively won by seizing a swath of middle-class and low-income voters focused on the economy,” according to Carville, it was, he contends, the stories that Republicans told about the economy – and that Democrats did not tell – that determined the outcome. “Democrats have flat-out lost the economic narrative,” writes Carville. “The only path to electoral salvation is to take it back. Perception is everything in politics, and a lot of Americans perceive us as out to lunch on the economy – not feeling their pain or caring too much about other things instead.” Accordingly, Carville instructs Democrats to “focus on revving up a transformed messaging machine for the new political paradigm we now find ourselves living in.” To better manage people’s perceptions, Democrats must devise a simple message and execute a disciplined, back-to-basics campaign – “Repetitive. Memorable. And entirely focused on the issues that affect Americans’ everyday lives.”

    Instead of directing ire toward Trump the man, Carville wants Democratic messaging to target the Trump administration’s likely economic measures: tax cuts for the wealthy, tariffs, and major cuts to health care benefits. These, Carville is confident, will hurt ordinary voters.

    He also calls on Democrats to develop their own policies. Implicitly recognizing that Trump tapped into genuine discontents, Carville counsels his party to go “on the offensive with a wildly popular and populist economic agenda” that Republicans cannot but oppose. That agenda should include raising the minimum wage, portraying the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade as an economic issue, and dividing the GOP by supporting immigration reform that encourages high-skilled and well-educated workers to come to America. And, Carville stresses, Democrats must aggressively employ “the new media paradigm” – podcasts, social media, and prominent influencers – to sell their policies.

    Musa al-Gharbi sees matters very differently and accounts for Harris’ defeat far more convincingly. In “A Graveyard of Bad Election Narratives,” he criticizes progressive scholars’ and journalists’ propensity to find the source of Trump’s victory in red-state voters’ moral and intellectual failings. An assistant professor of communication, journalism and, by courtesy, sociology at Stony Brook University, the young scholar – no fan of Trump’s – corrects the record through careful consideration of publicly available data.

    Al-Gharbi concentrates on “what wasn’t the problem” (emphasis in original) for Democrats. It wasn’t racism: Trump did worse with white voters this cycle than in 2020 and 2016; Harris did better with white voters – especially white men – than did Biden in 2020 and Clinton in 2016; and Trump improved his numbers significantly among non-white voters. It wasn’t sexism: While Trump received a share of the male vote similar to that of Nixon, Reagan, and both Bushes, he significantly increased his portion of the women’s vote. It wasn’t billionaires’ influence: Although Trump had Elon Musk and more than 50 other billionaires on his side, Harris had more than 80 billionaires on hers, raised much more money than Trump, and was preferred by the affluent. It wasn’t third parties: In the two states – Michigan and Wisconsin – where third parties received enough votes to make a difference, a majority of their votes had the third-party candidates not run probably would have gone to Trump. And the problem wasn’t voter turnout: Although down overall from 2020, most of the 2024 decrease came from sure-win states for one of the candidates while four swing states that together were decisive – Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Michigan – enjoyed record voter turnout.

    What then was Harris’ problem in election 2024? It starts, according to al-Gharbi, with her deficiencies as a candidate. Harris entered the race extremely late (Biden’s fault) and failed to communicate a compelling agenda (her fault). In addition, maintains al-Gharbi, by courting Liz Cheney and Dick Cheney she alienated her base without attracting swing voters. She neglected Democrats’ “blue wall” Rust Belt states. Speaking on her behalf, Obama antagonized black voters by scolding them for insufficiently supporting a black woman. And Harris declined an invitation from “The Joe Rogan Experience,” a podcast that typically reaches an audience of 11 million and on occasion as many as 50 million.

    The deeper reasons for Trump’s victory involve long-term trends also at work in other Western liberal democracies. The data indicate, argues al-Gharbi, that voters’ top three reasons for rejecting Harris were inflation, immigration, and progressive views on cultural issues. However, if it weren’t for inflation and immigration, argues al-Gharbi, Democrats in 2024 would have continued to shed votes among “non-whites, religious minorities, less affluent people” because of cultural issues’ persistent salience.

    For several election cycles, highly educated, prestigiously credentialed elites have alienated middle-class and working-class voters and driven them to the Republican Party, observes al-Gharbi. Over the last 15 years or so, the “Great Awokening,” he argues, intensified progressive elites’ promulgation of hard-left cultural stances. They championed assaults on free speech – by universities, the prestige press, social media, government, and sometimes all in tandem. They promoted a transgender ideology that encouraged adolescents to change their sex through drug therapy and surgery, and that endorsed the participation in women’s athletic competitions of biological men who declared themselves women. And they avidly advanced Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs that denounced merit as an artifact of white supremacy and sought to place in positions of power and prestige people of favored skin color, ethnicity, sex, and sexual orientation.

    Progressives’ embrace of illiberal doctrines had the strange consequence of transforming Donald Trump into the preferred candidate for president of many who cherish free speech, respect sexual difference while insisting on equal rights, and wish people to be judged based on competence and character. This goes a long way toward explaining Trump’s odds-defying return to the White House.

    Peter Berkowitz is the Tad and Dianne Taube senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. From 2019 to 2021, he served as director of the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. State Department. His writings are posted at PeterBerkowitz.com and he can be followed on X @BerkowitzPeter.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/21/2025 – 18:15

  • Grand Theft Auto VI Priced At $100? This Gaming Analyst Believes So
    Grand Theft Auto VI Priced At $100? This Gaming Analyst Believes So

    A gaming industry analyst penned a lengthy 200+ slide presentation about the state of the US video gaming industry for 2025. 

    Epyllion CEO Matthew Ball pointed out how the gaming industry has tumbled into a slump, pressuring developers and publishers, but new “hopes” center around Rockstar Games’ guaranteed mega-hit Grand Theft Auto 6 release this fall that “could re-establish packed video game prices after decades of deflation despite rampant cost growth.” 

    GTA 6, the long-awaited follow-up to 2013’s GTA 5, will hit store shelves for Xbox and PlayStation this fall. We should note GTA 6 has been previously delayed… 

    Ahead of GTA 5’s release, Goldman analysts reiterated in November a “Buy” rating on Take-Two, the owner of Rockstar Games, with a 12-month price target that was shifted up from $186 to $205. 

    DFC Intelligence, the oldest market analyst firm covering the video games industry, forecasted that GTA 6 could generate over $3 billion in its first year of sales, including $1 billion from just pre-orders. This positions GTA 6 to potentially become the largest-ever entertainment release in history. 

    Epyllion’s Ball predicts that GTA 6 could help reverse the deflationary downturn in the video game industry, stating: “Some game makers hope GTA 6 will be priced at $80-100, breaking the $70 barrier and helping $50 titles move up to $60, $60 to $70, $70 to $80.” 

    He also noted that at $70, GTA 6 would be the “cheapest” entry in the series in relative terms. This suggests a $10-$30 price increase is ahead for the release this fall, which could benefit the video game industry as a whole. 

    In the early 2000s, video games were priced around $50. By the mid-2000s, this increased to $60, and in 2020, the industry raised the price of AAA-rated games to $70. 

    “Packaged game prices have never been lower in real terms than they are today — even though budgets are at all-time highs and player growth is stalled,” Ball continued, adding, “GTA 6 could re-establish packed video game prices after decades of deflation despite rampant cost growth.”

    Reacting to Ball’s lengthy note, Michael Douse, publishing director at Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Larian, wrote on X, “You’re not supposed to say this out loud!”

    Douse continued, “A good company raises salaries in line with inflation so that their staff don’t die or something, but games prices haven’t risen with inflation. This isn’t the reason the industry is in the shit for now, but it is an uncomfortable truth. On the other hand, the responsibility for a game developer is to make sure that the game they show lives up to that promise, and that investment from the player.”

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    $70, $80, even $100—price increases are unlikely to deter hardcore gamers who have waited over a decade for GTA 6. 

    The question remains whether GTA 6 can single-handedly save the video game industry from a deflationary death spiral. 

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/21/2025 – 17:50

  • Elise Stefanik Will Deliver On President Trump's America First Agenda At The UN
    Elise Stefanik Will Deliver On President Trump’s America First Agenda At The UN

    Authored by Jim Banks via RealClearDefense,

    For four years, we have seen the consequences of weak leadership in the White House: a world rife with conflict, a foreign policy that has emboldened adversaries like Communist China and Iran and abandoned allies like Israel further degrading American security. 

    This past fall, the American people voted to usher in an era of renewed American strength. President Trump campaigned on a promise to restore American leadership on the world stage and is appointing the right team to ensure that promises made are promises kept. Specifically at international institutions like the United Nations, this America First leadership cannot come soon enough. Elise Stefanik is the perfect choice to deliver on President Trump’s agenda as Ambassador to the United Nations.

    Her pledge to bring “transparency and reform” to the international body is desperately needed. For too long, American interests have taken a backseat at the UN.

    The UN rakes in billions of American taxpayer dollars while actively undermining our interests. It allows the worst human rights abusers to sit on the so-called “Human Rights Council,” pushes a radical climate agenda that would destroy our energy industry, and persecutes our most greatest ally Israel while turning a blind eye to bad actors like China and Iran.

    Elise understands that there can be no equivocation in our support for our greatest ally, Israel. As a fellow member of the Armed Services Committee during our shared time in the House, she joined me in pushing legislation after legislation that ensures Israel’s right to defend itself and combat the rampant antisemitism polluting our institutions including the United Nations. 

    At a time when we face upheaval across the globe, Elise understands that security and peace can only be obtained through strength. Gone are the days of allowing our adversaries unchecked. And under President Trump’s historic national security team filled with my former colleagues and friends, we will restore American standing to the world stage. 

    During his first administration, President Trump successfully instituted a historic maximum pressure campaign to hold Iran accountable for its violent actions. Working alongside Congress and with President Trump in the White House, Elise will use her position at the UN to strengthen international pressure on the Iranian regime and hold them accountable once again. 

    In addition to standing with Israel and combating Iranian aggression, another key pillar of restoring American strength will be standing up to China, which continues to be a pressing threat to our nation’s security.

    Elise summed up the dire need for UN reform and specifically the influence of Communist China when she wrote, “We must strive for a UN in which no one nation is expected to foot the bill but receive no accountability or transparency in return, in which no despot or dictator can sit in judgment of others while deflecting attention away from their own human rights abuses, and in which no organization corrupted by the likes of the Chinese Communist Party can dictate sweeping conventions and international standards across its membership.”

    As we saw from their actions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN and its World Health Organization are in the pocket of Communist China and its leadership. Across the UN body, subagencies have become mouthpieces for Communist Chinese talking points turning a blind eye to their disgusting human rights violations as they hypocritically chastise other nations’ on the matter from their seat on the Human Rights Council. Under America First leadership and with Elise at the helm, the United Nations will root out this corruption, ensuring accountability for taxpayer dollars sent to the United Nation serve the American people first and foremost. Elise has proven time and time again to be a fighter who will not stand idly by while these international organizations do China’s bidding. 

    During her time in public office Elise has shown that she will fight to protect the interests of the American people, defend American sovereignty, and strengthen American security by empowering our allies like Israel and deterring the malign actions of our adversaries like Communist China and Iran. 

    Now more than ever that fighting spirit is needed at the UN. I look forward to voting in support of her nomination on the Senate floor and encourage my colleagues to follow suit. 

    Sen. Jim Banks (Rep,, Ind.) he preveiously represented Indiana’s 3rd District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/21/2025 – 17:30

  • Was Biden China's Manchurian Candidate The Entire Time?
    Was Biden China’s Manchurian Candidate The Entire Time?

    “Was Biden China’s Manchurian candidate the entire time?” David Asher, an expert on illicit financing who previously worked at the US Defense and State Departments, asked on X, following the last-minute pardons that former President Biden issued on Monday morning for family members, including his brother, James Biden; his sister-in-law, Sara Jones Biden; his sister, Valerie Biden Owens; his brother-in-law, John T. Owens; and his youngest brother, Francis Biden. 

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    Asher said, “Biden just pardoned his family, not just Hunter. It’s a clear indication that they have a secret to cover up. Bohai (aka BHR) is worth billions. Via beneficial interest, Biden family may own up to 27%.” 

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    Hollywood lawyer Kevin Morris, Hunter Biden’s “sugar brother,” purchased Hunter’s 10% stake in the China-backed investment firm BHR Partners during President Biden’s first year in office. The move allowed the Biden family to declare they had divested from foreign business interests. 

    Asher noted, “Hunter says he sold his shares in 2021 to his lawyer/landlord Smith but if that truly happened he would received several billion dollars,” adding, “No evidence of that. All signs are he owns at least 18.8%.” 

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    “Bohai appears to own China defense company, Zhongkui Group as well. So potential direct ties to the People’s Liberation Army and domestic/foreign Chinese intelligence. WTF??” Asher emphasized. 

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    Hmmm.

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    Asher questioned: “Are their associates (Bulger, Morris, et al.) “beneficial shareholders” and have been the whole time? What did they do to be given “golden” founders shares, to begin with, if not for the Biden’s?”

    He continued, “Their shares apparently were worth hundreds of millions and possibly billions, at least on paper? So they received this from a Chinese Communist Party company – it is apparently the oldest private equity fund in all of China. While Biden was Vice President and then President? Why are Hunter’s buddies still on the board and or “supervisors.” What’s the deal between Whitey Bulger’s family and the Bidens? Was Biden a Manchurian candidate for the ChiComms?” 

    Asher reposted a clip of Peter Schweizer, who said the Biden family pardons are merely “an extension of Joe Biden himself and his role in the family’s dealings.” 

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    Earlier, the former president said blanket pardons to family members do not acknowledge wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be viewed as an admission of guilt. They cover all nonviolent offenses beginning on Jan. 1, 2014. This comes as various Biden family members have been under investigation for influence peddling.

    Here’s Vice President Biden and Hunter Biden pictured with Hunter’s Chinese business associates at a 2013 dinner in Beijing. 

    Zero Hedge notes that former President Biden denied attending any dinner or meeting with Hunter’s Chinese business associates. 

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    Speaking with The Hill on Monday, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY.) said the pardons “validated” the investigations into Biden family members.

    “We finished our investigation, we published a very detailed report, and I think the pardons validate everything in that report,” Comer said, adding, “Now it’s Pam Bondi’s.”

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    Asher continued, “Trump is making history on day one. We are going to end the BS in the USG and make things in government and for the people more than great again. Trump’s better than he’s ever been before. Even old line conservatives need to get on board.” 

    “If I get back in, the deep State will be upended and we will make the Department of State great again under Secretary Rubio— who is a total genius and tremendous leader under the president. China will pay for COVID and fentanyl. Iran will not be forgiven for attempting to kill the president and many others while it moves to build nukes to destabilize the Middle East and threaten the US and Europe. We can do a great deal without resorting to kinetic force. Peace through strength!” he concluded. 

    The key takeaway is that the last-minute pardons for various members of the Biden family prompted Asher to conduct a public forensic analysis, which raises more questions than answers—particularly about whether Hunter still has ties (potentially beneficial interest) to BHR despite allegedly divesting several years ago. 

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    According to a 2022 Fox News report, Peter Schweizer stated that the CCP leadership employs a strategy known as “elite capture” to influence or buy off prominent US oligarchs—potentially including the Bidens—to avoid direct conflict.

    “If we [CCP] can capture them with sweetheart deals, with other benefits, we can effectively lobotomize the United States by making them unresponsive to our threats,” Schweizer said of Beijing’s strategy. 

    During Biden’s first term, China was largely unchecked in its military base expansion in the South China Sea, the presence of PLA ships in Japanese waters, the deployment of hypersonic missiles capable of destroying US aircraft carriers, and simulated war-gaming around Taiwan. Spy balloons floated over US territory, the drug crisis—fueled by fentanyl precursor chemicals from China smuggled via Mexican cartels across open southern and northern borders—intensified, the origins of Covid from a potential Chinese lab leak were dismissed, and the largest offensive cyberattack against the US (still ongoing) occurred, all without a clear policy response from the Biden administration and a rudderless Department of Defense.

    Asher concluded: “This honeypot strategy by the CCP is as old as time. It’s hard to believe the Bidens would fall for it—let alone get away with it—while the corporate media fails to grasp or report on the massive scale, scope, and influence of Bohai within the Chinese Communist Party establishment.”

    All of this may explain why former President Biden preemptively pardoned his family members.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/21/2025 – 17:10

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Jan 21

Today’s News 21st January 2025

  • Putting An End To Trump Derangement Syndrome
    Putting An End To Trump Derangement Syndrome

    Authored by J.Peder Zane via RealClearPolitics.com,

    My name is Peder and I suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome.

    My case is not full-blown – I don’t contend that the incoming president is a fascist bent on suspending elections, jailing his enemies, and otherwise erasing our constitutional republic. I find claims that he is a sexual predator as risible as the argument that he launched a coup on Jan. 6, 2021. I gleefully whack-a-mole all the whack-doodle fantasies that pass as conventional wisdom among progressives and conservative Never Trumpers.

    And yet, because it is more mild and subtle, my TDS may be more dangerous. Even though I generally support Donald Trump’s policies, I accepted the idea that he is beyond the pale. I agreed that his aggressive tweets, coarse language, and addiction to hyperbole were windows into a damaged soul. He just can’t help himself. I wished that the Republicans had somebody, anybody else to stand up against the Democrats because Trump seemed to lack the temperament and, yes, the character, to be president.

    These critiques are not pulled from thin air. Trump is Trump. My mistake was transforming these complaints into condemnation, defining the man by his off-putting traits instead of his manifest gifts. More disturbingly, I probably took this line to prove to his unhinged haters that I had not drunk the orange Kool-Aid.

    Not my finest hour.

    I offer this confession both to clear my conscience and to offer this message to other Trump supporters who might have a whiff of TDS: Stop! Our embrace of false narratives about Trump’s character gives them credence. It is a major reason why he didn’t defeat the ineffable unqualified Kamala Harris by an even larger margin and why his job approval ratings aren’t higher. They serve as springboard for more extreme attacks against him. Look, even his supporters think he’s off.

    Going forward, such wobbly support may undercut his ability to govern. We must continue to criticize him robustly when it is warranted, and those occasions will surely arise. And if there are people out there who think Trump’s perfect, I haven’t met them. But we must stop casting his all-too-human foibles as signs of something sinister.

    Instead of trying to brush off the character argument, we should transform it. Donald Trump possesses a quality that has been in short supply in American politics and culture: courage.

    This great strength is one source of the enmity against him.

    Recall that Trump was an accepted member of elite circles for much of his life – Bill and Hillary Clinton attended his wedding to Melania in 2005. Then, suddenly, he became a pariah in 2015 when he threw his hat into the ring and dared to challenge the assumptions of the ruling class. Trump called out business leaders and politicians from both parties for policies and practices that seemed to line their pockets at the expense of average Americans: dubious trade deals with the repressive Chinese government; a lax approach to immigration that undercut working class jobs and wages; security arrangements that allowed NATO allies to free-ride on American taxpayers for their military defense.

    He was an outlier, eager to challenge decades of beltline wisdom. He was a disruptor, determined to shake up a system in which consensus had smothered accountability. He was a powerful voice of dissent against a government where people got ahead by ignoring the hard questions. In a final insult, he became a symbol of our still vibrant democracy by winning not one, but two elections despite the visceral, intense, and highly organized opposition of the powers that be.

    These were the real sins his enemies could not and will not forgive. In the face of relentless and unfair attacks, most people would have buckled. It would have been so much easier to play ball. Trump, instead, stuck by his guns. The courage he displayed after an assassin came within in a whisker of taking his life last summer was a true reflection of his abiding character.

    The opposition to Trump will not fade during the next four years.

    Those who cheered the Biden administration as it opened the borders, defied the courts, and censored critics will continue to claim that Trump poses a singular threat to our Republic. Their fraudulence may be clear for all to see, but their case of Trump Derangement Syndrome seems too far gone to repair.

    As we turn a new page in our nation’s history, I am filled with hope because I see that we once again have a president with the character to provide the leadership we need.

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/20/2025 – 23:45

  • Houthis Halt Attacks On Red Sea Vessels As Gaza Truce Holds
    Houthis Halt Attacks On Red Sea Vessels As Gaza Truce Holds

    The Gaza ceasefire which went into effect Sunday morning, ending a 470-day conflict which has reportedly killed over 47,000 – has continued to hold. Palestinians are returning to northern Gaza in droves, picking through the rubble and seeking to identify their homes and belongings.

    Yemen’s Houthis starting last week signaled they would stop their missile and drone attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. As of Monday, the Houthis have announced a halt to these attacks, but with an important exception.

    Via Bloomberg

    International ships will no longer come under attack, the Houthis said, but attacks on Israeli-linked commercial and military vessels will continue.

    “We affirm that, in the event of any aggression against the Republic of Yemen by the United States of America, the United Kingdom, or the usurping Israeli entity, the sanctions will be reinstated against the aggressor,” the Houthis said in a written statement reported by Reuters.

    “You will be promptly informed of such measures should they be implemented,” it continued. The Houthis further said that even Israeli-linked ships will stop being targeted “upon the full implementation of all phases of the agreement.”

    The first of three phases is set for 42-days, during which time the terms of the subsequent phases will be negotiated and set. Hamas has already released three Israeli hostages, and dozens of Palestinians who were imprisoned in Israel have been exchanged.

    On Friday, just before the ceasefire was implemented, Houthi leader Abdulmalik Al-Houthi had warned that if the ceasefire didn’t hold, the Houthi attacks on commercial shipping would continue. “Any Israeli breach, massacre, or siege — we will be immediately ready to provide military support to Palestinians,” he had stressed.

    He said his movement, formally known as Ansar Allah, will “confront any aggression, whether by the Israelis, the Americans, or their allies, or any attempts to divert our country from its liberated jihadist path.”

    Bloomberg meanwhile reviewed that “Most Western-linked container ships have over the past year chosen to take the much longer route around southern Africa when sailing between Asia and Europe, and kept clear of the Red Sea. That’s squeezed global shipping capacity, lifting freight rates and boosted the earnings of carriers like Mitsui OSK.”

    “Container-shipping giants A.P. Moller Maersk A/S and Hapag-Lloyd AG last year announced a vessel-sharing partnership for the alternative route,” the report continues.

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    Egypt has said its taken a $7 billion hit in revenue decline from the Suez Canal for 2024, which marks about a 60% drop from prior years.

    If the Yemeni operations directly against Israel do persist in face of the truce, it would complicate or damage efforts to keep the peace in the Gaza Strip, as it’s already sure to be an extremely delicate and fragile truce. The Houthis have up to this point in the war launched several ballistic missiles on Israel, causing limited damage and casualties.

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/20/2025 – 23:10

  • Despite Biden Pardon, Fauci Still Faces Legal Perils. Here They Are.
    Despite Biden Pardon, Fauci Still Faces Legal Perils. Here They Are.

    Authored by Paul D. Thacker via RealClearInvestigations,

    President Biden’s pardon of Dr. Anthony Fauci may protect the former National Institutes of Health official from immediate criminal prosecution, but some critics say he is not completely out of legal jeopardy and that public sentiment might still condemn the man who became known during the COVID-19 pandemic as “Mr. Science.”

    In the days before Biden offered the pardon to Fauci, along with other critics of Donald Trump, some experts who have followed Fauci’s career and handling of the pandemic, as well as members of the Trump transition team, reiterated their assertion that Fauci perjured himself on several occasions during the pandemic – especially regarding his agency’s links to the lab in Wuhan, China, that might have created the virus that causes COVID-19.

    The pardon addresses any COVID-related offenses, and is backdated to 2014—the year a U.S. ban on so-called “gain of function” virus research took effect — research Fauci is accused of outsourcing to China.

    Despite reporting that Trump is bent on revenge, the appetite among MAGA appointees for holding Fauci accountable hasn’t been particularly vocal. But former Senate investigator Jason Foster, who now runs the whistleblower nonprofit Empower Oversight, says that Biden’s pardon creates new legal jeopardy for Fauci. Sen. Rand Paul has vowed to continue investigating the COVID origins question, and sources tell RealClearInvestigations that Sen. Ron Johnson and House Republican investigators plan to do so as well. When testifying in those inquiries or answering written depositions, Fauci will be unable to dodge questions by invoking his Fifth Amendment protections against self-incrimination. “They can ask him if he lied before, replough old ground,” Foster said. “And if he lies about any prior lie, he can be prosecuted for that or held in contempt.”

    Andrew Noymer, associate professor of population health and disease prevention at the University of California, Irvine, said such hearings are necessary for scientific and historical reasons. “I’m hopeful that he will now come clean about everything he knows about the origins of the virus,” Noymer said. “For the sake of public trust in science – explaining what killed 20 million people – that a complete account is much more important than speculation about what criminal penalties he may have avoided.”

    “These pardons will not stop Department of Justice investigations,” said one adviser to the Trump transition team, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “We expected this and look at it as a predicate to get truth from people who can no longer use the Fifth Amendment. Now we can bring every one of them in front of a grand jury.”

    Legacy media outlets promoted Fauci throughout the pandemic.

    There is no consensus on Fauci’s handling of the pandemic. Legacy media outlets have promoted Fauci throughout the pandemic as “America’s doctor” who “sticks to the facts” and applauded him as “the nation’s top infectious disease expert.” When he retired from the NIH after five decades in 2022, the New York Times granted him space on its opinion page to advise the next generation of scientists, citing his own accomplishments.

    Numerous social media outlets have provided a polar opposite perspective. Several X accounts have uploaded videos that show Fauci’s inconsistencies. For example, Fauci claimed in early 2022 interviews that he never recommended lockdowns, but later said he recommended shutting the country down. Independent journalist Matt Orfalea circulated another set of clips that show Fauci claiming he kept an “open mind” about how the pandemic started while alleging in others that the evidence points against a lab accident and “strongly” in favor of a natural spillover.

    As Fauci’s flip-flops generated attention in Republican circles and on social media, he charged that such criticism was “totally preposterous,” adding, “Attacks on me, quite frankly, are attacks on science.”

    Fauci’s many contradictory statements even caught the attention of a New York Times contributing opinion writer, Megan K. Stack, who chastised Fauci for “the largely one-sided nature of his public remarks” about the possibility the pandemic started from an accident at a lab his agency had helped fund – the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Initially, Fauci dismissed as a “conspiracy theory” the possibility of a Wuhan lab accident on a Feb. 9, 2020, podcast hosted by Newt Gingrich. Afterward, Fauci reversed himself, stating in several interviews that he had always kept an open mind.

    Later reports zeroed in on Fauci’s secret involvement in prominent March 2020 research, called the “proximal origin” paper, that turned public and scientific sentiment against the possibility of a lab accident. “Our analyses clearly show that SARS-CoV-2 is not a laboratory construct or a purposefully manipulated virus,” the paper concluded, adding, “We do not believe that any type of laboratory-based scenario is plausible.” Published in the prestigious Nature Medicine journal, “proximal origin” is the most-cited scientific paper of 2020.

    Subsequent emails showed that Fauci helped guide the “proximal origin” paper to publication, as congressional probers found, “without revealing that he had been involved with its creation and had even, according to the emails, given it his approval.”

    Distancing himself from his own emails, Fauci later told the Times that he wasn’t sure he even got around to reading the paper. But the House later released a multi-day deposition of Fauci where he was asked about his involvement in the “proximal origin” paper. Under oath, Fauci admitted to having received and read several drafts of the paper.

    But while dissembling to the media is not a crime, lying to Congress is illegal. And the Department of Justice has two referrals from Congress already requesting that Fauci be prosecuted for lying under oath.

    Lies as Legal Jeopardy

    Fauci and Sen. Rand Paul, facing off in the public arena. “He definitely misled the senator,” said the ex-head of the CDC.

    Fauci’s habit of bending the truth, as some see it, was notably on display at a July 2021 Senate hearing when Rand Paul, the Kentucky Republican, bore into the funding Fauci approved for gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. While Fauci attempted to downplay his financial involvement with the Chinese government lab, reports were already percolating.

    In April 2020, Newsweek reported that Fauci had approved a grant for risky “gain of function” virus research at the Wuhan lab. The Washington Post editorial board in March 2021 then called for an independent investigation into EcoHealth Alliance, a nonprofit funded by the Fauci-run National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases. With this grant, EcoHealth subcontracted research to the Chinese, the Post noted, to do experiments involving “modifying viral genomes to give them new properties, including the ability to infect lung cells of laboratory mice that had been genetically modified to respond as human respiratory cells would.”

    Fox News reported Sunday that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has barred EcoHealth Alliance Inc. and its former president, Dr. Peter Daszak, from receiving federal funds for five years. EcoHealth allegedly failed to report dangerous gain-of-function experiments to the government, which eventually led to the five-year ban. 

    A month prior to Fauci’s hearing with Paul, Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs confirmed that U.S.-funded research at the WIV consisted of gain-of-function virus research that could have started the pandemic. “[I]t is clear that the NIH co-funded research at the WIV that deserves scrutiny under the hypothesis of a laboratory-related release of the virus.” At that time, Dr. Sachs led a commission formed by a British medical journal, The Lancet, to investigate how the pandemic began.

    But when Paul began grilling Fauci about these details and called him out for what he characterized as evasive answers, Fauci pointed the finger back at Paul. “If anybody is lying here, senator, it is you,” Fauci said. Paul then sent a criminal referral to the Department of Justice requesting they investigate whether Fauci had committed perjury.

    “He definitely misled the senator,” said former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield. When Redfield looked at all the evidence, including still-classified information, he said the weight falls in the direction of a lab accident. “Fauci manipulated the public to believe there was only one possible cause for the pandemic, a natural spillover.”

    Months after Paul’s referral to the Justice Department, liberal news nonprofit ProPublica released new documents confirming the Wuhan lab had conducted such studies. “Grant money for the controversial experiment came from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which is headed by Anthony Fauci,” ProPublica reported on September 9, 2021.

    “NIH admits funding risky virus research in Wuhan,” Vanity Fair reported a week after ProPublica, referencing a letter NIH sent to Congress.

    Paul sent a second referral to the Department of Justice in July 2023, reiterating his demand that Fauci be investigated. At that time, House investigators released emails showing that, in early 2020, Fauci admitted that scientists were concerned the COVID virus had been engineered and researchers in Wuhan were engaged in gain-of-function research.  

    “Everything he has been telling us from the very beginning has been a lie,” Sen. Paul told Fox News. “We have documented it’s a lie and it’s a felony to lie to Congress.”

    Biden’s pardon negates the two Senate referrals for criminal activity. But future hearings could still require Fauci to respond to evidence that he might have perjured himself, and open him up to future prosecution if he stands by statements that can be proven to be false.

    Hiding Use of Private Email

    Fauci is said to have communicated over a back channel about controversial beagle research.

    Another area of potential inquiry is Fauci’s congressional testimony last summer denying his use of private email to conduct official business,  “Let me state for the record that to the best of my knowledge I have never conducted official business via my personal email,” Fauci wrote in his sworn statement to Congress.

    This testimony seemed to contradict evidence in a 35-page memo compiled by Republican investigative staff. One email showed Fauci’s second-in-command, Dr. David Morens, suggesting someone speak with Fauci through an unofficial, private channel. In another email, Morens wrote that he would contact Fauci on Gmail.

    After Fauci’s testimony, the writer of this article reported in the DisInformation Chronicle that Morens had connected KFF Health News reporter Arthur Allen with Fauci on Fauci’s private email back in May 2021. The NIH did not respond to comment about Fauci’s use of private email to conduct government business with reporters. 

    In a second example, the New York Post reported that the watchdog group White Coat Waste Project accused Fauci of lying to Congress about his private email use after they released documents showing Fauci was backchanneling with a Washington Post reporter on his private email.

    “I will send you an e-mail via my gmail account,” Fauci wrote in an email dated Oct. 29, 2021, to Washington Post reporter Yasmeen Abutaleb.

    Fauci’s lawyer told the Post that Fauci was discussing a personal matter with the Washington Post reporter, although he did not explain what this personal matter was. 

    Justin Goodman, senior vice president at White Coat Waste Project, said the evidence is clear that Fauci contacted the Washington Post about issues regarding his NIH work and then denied it to Congress. “He should be prosecuted, not pardoned.”

    Follow the Money

    This misleading article helped to absolve Fauci of funding research that led to the pandemic, for a time. See center paragraph from its abstract on “strong evidence that SARS-CoV-2 is not the product of purposeful manipulation.”

    Congressional hearings might also delve into Fauci’s involvement in research misconduct with the “proximal origin” paper and a grant he approved for the paper’s lead author, Scripps Research Institute’s Kristian Andersen.

    “There needs to be a criminal investigation of this grant and paper,” said a former law enforcement official who has worked with congressional staff investigating Fauci and his grants. “Nobody inside the executive branch has taken ownership of this.”

    Shortly after the COVID virus outbreak, Fauci began discussing with several virologists, including Andersen, how the pandemic started. In a Feb. 1, 2020 email, Andersen wrote to Fauci that he had analyzed the COVID virus genetic sequence and “some of the features (potentially) look engineered.” Andersen added that, while opinions could change, he and other virologists felt the virus was not natural or consistent with “expectations with evolutionary theory.”

    Later that same day, Fauci held a phone call with Andersen and other virologists and then emailed that the scientists were suspicious that a “mutation was intentionally inserted” into the virus. Other emails show that Fauci was concerned that his funding for research in China may have led to the COVID virus.

    Despite their initial suspicions, Andersen and other virologists reversed course six weeks later and published the “proximal origin” paper on March 16, 2020, that absolved Fauci of funding research that led to the pandemic. Fauci then promoted the Andersen “proximal origin” paper to reporters at a White House briefing on April 17 without disclosing that he had helped marshal the study into publication.

    A month later, Fauci signed off on an $8.9 million grant to Kristian Andersen. Both Andersen and Fauci have denied the grant was quid pro quo for Andersen publishing the “proximal origin” paper that absolved Fauci, but the group Biosafety Now has called twice for the paper to be retracted. 

    “It is imperative that this clearly fraudulent and clearly damaging paper be removed from the scientific literature,” reads an online petition signed by over 5,000 scientists.

    Richard Ebright, a professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Rutgers University and co-founder of Biosafety Now, said that Fauci should have been prosecuted for “criminal conspiracy” for his secret involvement in the “proximal origin” paper. Ebright added that the grant Fauci gave to Andersen after he published the paper likely also involved criminal behavior.

    With Republicans running both the Senate and House, investigations of Fauci will likely continue as members resume digging into any NIH culpability in funding research that started the pandemic. Trump’s CIA nominee, John Ratcliffe, told House members during a 2023 hearing that classified intelligence points toward a lab accident. Ratcliffe is likely to be confirmed, and a Trump transition team source said he would likely then declassify that information, further undermining Fauci’s claims that the pandemic started from a natural spillover.

    Ongoing investigations of Fauci, RCI has been told, will only further erode his credibility, even if criminal charges can no longer be filed. “This pardon means he can no longer be brought to justice,” said an adviser to the Trump transition team. “But it guarantees he will be further exposed.”

    “I trusted everything Fauci said during the pandemic, and I did everything he told me,” said Bri Dressen, a former preschool teacher in Saratoga Springs, Utah. “I masked, wiped down my groceries with alcohol, kept my kids away from other kids so they wouldn’t catch the virus, and then I got vaccinated.” Dressen ended up injured by AstraZeneca’s vaccine as a volunteer in the company’s clinical trial, and founded React19.org, whose 36,000 members advocate for victims of COVID vaccine harm.

    “It was the steepest learning curve in my entire life. The people in authority like Fauci are the ones I shouldn’t have trusted,” Dressen said. “It’s been a huge paradigm shift to see a hero actually turn into a villain.”

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/20/2025 – 22:35

  • The Lousiest President Of All Time
    The Lousiest President Of All Time

    Authored by Jeremy Egerer via American Thinker,

    Anybody who wants to explain how bad the Biden administration is has to start with COVID. 

    Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.

    As such, we knew a few things early on in the pandemic, and they were as follows:

    1. The average age of death from the virus was in the 80s.
    2. It had almost zero effect on young people and children.
    3. Most people who died from it had three or more co-morbidities — that is, they were old as hell, fat as a hog, and really liked smoking, or drinking, or cancer.
    4. It was in the same class of virus as the common cold.

    Once we knew these things, especially the last one, the obvious thing to do was to give up.  There was no point crippling the strong for the sake of the weak when the weak depend upon the strong and most of the weak aren’t affected by COVID anyway.  We should have put the elderly on welfare and expanded Medicaid a bit and let the rest of us run loose.  No — we should have subsidized tickets to bath houses and any place kids eat that has a ball pit.

    We like to say “hindsight is 20/20,” but this isn’t hindsight at all.  Hell, it was 2020.  The stuff I mentioned above was the conclusion every person with regular sight came to the second our government called most workers “non-essential.”  Yet this society was immediately cleaved in two.  All the healthy and thoughtful people were pitted against the sanctimonious do-gooders, the goose-steppers, and the hysterical weaklings.  And they beat us into submission, big time.

    And Joe Biden was their champion.

    Almost overnight, millions were thrown out of work, and a vaccine was made up that nobody had properly tested, which no company was liable for and, in its experimental form, until the pandemic hit, had never been approved by the FDA.  Joe Biden tried to force every American in a company of more than 100 people to take it or lose his job — around two thirds of the whole country, it turned out.  Heart attacks in teenagers went through the roof.  People had to choose between gambling their health and losing their homes.  Pfizer was completely unaccountable and made a windfall.  Mom-and-Pop stores across the nation went bankrupt, and gyms and churches were forced shut, and Walmart and Amazon made a killing.

    To make up for the mass unemployment Democrats caused and encouraged, Joe decided to print more money than anyone ever did in American history — a bill worth $1.9 trillion, which singlehandedly made the dollar implode.  This made everybody in the country take a giant pay cut, effectively, and now most Americans can’t afford the groceries they were buying in 2019.  Or used cars.  Or (many times) the rent.

    Some people escaped this crushing poverty: the ultra-rich, the people who broke the country, and people who broke into the country.  The border was left wide open for nearly Biden’s whole term, and depending on where they went, illegal aliens were given not only free housing and medical care, but also smartphones and thousands of dollars.

    Haitians and Chinese and Middle Eastern gate-crashers were seen marching in by the thousands.  Venezuela went so far as to unload its prisons on us.  Independent journalists began spotting obvious gang members and people on the terrorist watchlist.  The Texans put up blockades, and the Border Patrol, under Biden’s orders, tore them right down.  In some places, gates were broken open to ensure that nobody was denied access.  In total, the BBC estimates (and I would say lowly) that over eight million people invaded.

    Americans were disturbed by footage of hordes pouring over the border, so Biden closed the airspace so we couldn’t see it.  This was in fact his modus operandi whenever we started asking questions.  When doctors from places like Harvard and Stanford questioned the vaccine, he sent the FBI to bully Facebook into banning them and anyone who supported them — a clearly illegal move for which nobody, to my knowledge, has been prosecuted.  When Ashley Biden’s diary was going to be published, with all kinds of weird information about his behavior, the FBI raided the homes of journalists.  When his son’s laptop was found to contain incriminating information, he had the FBI bully social media again during an election season.  When his son was finally going to pay for taking quid-pro-quo bribes from the Ukrainians, or for doing crack and hookers on camera and buying guns illegally, Joe Biden pardoned him for everything he ever did over a ten-year period.  This was right after he went on TV to say “nobody is above the law” — an attack on, you guessed it, his own political rivals.

    Whether or not anyone could measure up to the law, it’s clear that during Biden’s presidency, nobody could measure up to the government.  That’s because he was the DIE hirer-in-chief and made sure almost nobody, from top to bottom, was fit for command.  He sent a fat and mentally ill man, “Rachel” Levine, to run the United States Public Health Service.  He put Ketanji Brown on the Supreme Court — a woman so stupid that she couldn’t define “woman,” thinks being a street junkie is a constitutional right, and doesn’t have (quote) “a judicial philosophy per se.”  Despite her not having anything good to say, she speaks more, ex cathedra, according to the Washington Times, than all the other Supreme Court justices.

    Because of Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, a gay man with zero experience in public transportation, is now the secretary of transportation.  Biden wanted his Cabinet to “look like America,” so he stuffed it with Jews and zero Evangelicals.  He promised us a black woman as a vice president, and the only person available was the most shrill, obnoxious, embarrassing person in the whole party.  When it became clear he had dementia, she was nominated as his successor without the public’s consent.

    We could go on for hours.  When he abandoned Afghanistan — something that had to be done sooner or later — he did it so badly that not only did we lose billions of dollars of equipment, which immediately fell into the hands of the enemy, but he forgot to evacuate all our civilians, and allies, and green card–holders.  Whoopsie-daisy!

    Where was Biden when our cities were getting burned down by Black Lives Matter?  Why did Antifa rioters get their charges dismissed after attacking federal buildings and officers — half of all charges, according to The Wall Street Journal?  And why were the Proud Boys locked up for trying to stop Antifa?  Why did he commute almost all the sentences on federal death row but not pardon Daniel Penny for protecting women on a subway train?  Joe Biden pardoned former Pennsylvania judge Michael Conahan, who sent falsely convicted children to for-profit prisons in exchange for kickbacks.  He left Enrique Tarrio in prison for trying to defend people from rioters.

    His whole career has been helping everyone but the talented, the upright, or the American majority.  Biden canceled our Keystone Pipeline while approving the Nord Stream pipeline from Russia to Germany.  Newsweek said that at the same time he restricted domestic oil and gas production, causing prices to soar, he asked OPEC and Russia to make more oil so we could reduce our prices.  The New York Post says FEMA couldn’t find funding for victims of Hurricane Helene — our second deadliest hurricane in the last 50 years, which closed 400 roads and destroyed entire towns — because they’d already spent $1.4 billion on illegal aliens.  Israel, from October 2023 to October 2024, got a record $17.9 billion in military aid.  According to the Government Accountability Office, since 2022, Ukraine has gotten $174 billion.  According to U.S. News, we send foreign aid to more than 180 countries, and FEMA said nobody could find the money for our hurricane victims.

    An important question might be asked here.  How much of this is really Joe Biden’s fault?  This is the guy we caught, on camera, in his first days after the election, mumbling I don’t know what I’m signing here when he was green-lighting executive orders willy-nilly.  Biden garbles more sentences than Lil’ Pump.  If he’s not directed off the stage, he could get stuck on it.

    Like the line between the sovereignty of God and our own free will, we’ll probably never know, until the Final Judgment, who was really responsible.  But Biden is the guy we elected to take the blame for it.  He chose to be there.  The whole Democrat party said for years that he was in great shape.  So I say hang him out to dry.  He’s a coward, a sleazeball, a crook and a pardoner of crooks, an embarrassment to the already embarrassing Pope Francis, a horrible public speaker, both a profligate liar and a constant dupe, a prosecutor of truth-tellers and truth-publishers, the enemy of unborn children, a defender of everyone’s border but his own, a burden to the hardworking and the virtuous, a friend to the untalented and the envious, a sniffer of women and children, an incapable father, a consistent and regrettable clown, and a stain on the great legacy of this nation.

    Jeremy Egerer is the author of Prejudices — a collection of questionable essays on Substack.

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/20/2025 – 21:25

  • Go Figure: Walgreens CEO Admits Locking Up Merchandise Makes It Hard To Sell
    Go Figure: Walgreens CEO Admits Locking Up Merchandise Makes It Hard To Sell

    What genius retail executive mind could have figured this one out – that locking up merchandise in stores actually makes its more difficult for honest, paying customers to get to, and buy what they want?

    Walgreens – facing a significant drop in year-over-year earnings – just announced plans to close 450 more stores nationwide, according to Futurism/The Byte. 

    Efforts to curb “shrink” — losses from theft or fraud — included increased security measures, such as locking merchandise in containers requiring staff assistance.

    However, these measures proved ineffective and counterproductive, frustrating customers.

    CEO Tim Wentworth said on the company’s earning’s call: “It is a hand-to-hand combat battle still, unfortunately.”

    “But it does impact how sales work through the store because when you lock things up. For example, you don’t sell as many of them. We’ve kind of proven that pretty conclusively,” he continued. 

    The report says that Walgreens is struggling with rising prices, which are making it harder for consumers to afford products. The company faces challenges in its retail business due to inflation and higher interest rates, leading to more cost-conscious shopping and changes in purchasing habits.

    In 2021, Walgreens faced backlash for closing five stores in San Francisco, citing “organized” shoplifting, though police records showed only 23 incidents between 2018 and 2021.

    During a 2023 earnings call, Walgreens CFO James Kehoe admitted the company may have over-invested in security to address theft, acknowledging the company had perhaps exaggerated the problem. This suggests Walgreens has often used theft concerns as a cover for deeper issues within its retail operations.

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/20/2025 – 20:50

  • Former Oakland Mayor Charged In Alleged Corruption Scheme
    Former Oakland Mayor Charged In Alleged Corruption Scheme

    Authored by Travis Gillmore via The Epoch Times,

    Former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and three other defendants were charged by federal prosecutors in an eight-count indictment unsealed on Jan. 17 alleging the group participated in a bribery and corruption scheme that sought to benefit a company with nearly $90 million in city contracts. 

    The recently recalled Thao, who was arraigned during a 10:30 a.m. court hearing in Oakland, pleaded not guilty to six charges and was released on a $50,000 bond. 

    Thao and Andre Jones, described in charging documents as her “longtime romantic partner,” and businessmen David Trung Duong and Andy Hung Duong, father and son, respectively, are charged with a litany of crimes.  

    “The public deserves honesty and transparency from City Hall,” first assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Robbins said in a statement.

    “When elected officials agree to a pay-to-play system to benefit themselves rather than work for the best interests of their constituents, that breaches the public trust.” 

    He said communities relying on leaders for critical government services are hurt by their misdeeds. 

    “The public needs to know it can trust those in charge of City Hall to work for the best interests of the people of Oakland,” he said during a press conference announcing the indictment.

    “This public trust is broken when elected officials agree to a pay-to-play system to benefit themselves.” 

    According to the indictment filed by the grand jury on Jan. 9, in the weeks before Thao was elected mayor in November 2022, and after taking office, she offered influence and city contracts to the Duongs in exchange for campaign support and financial gain. 

    Thao agreed to purchase units from the Duongs’ housing company, extend a contract with the Duongs’ recycling company, and allow the Duongs to select candidates for certain city appointments. 

    In exchange, the Duongs allegedly paid $75,000 to fund a negative mailer campaign against Thao’s political rivals, founded websites attacking her opponents, and made $95,000 in payments through Jones to benefit him and Thao. 

    After taking office, Thao allegedly used her power in office to allow the Duongs to appoint unnamed “high-level” city officials and asked her staff to tour the housing company.  

    The indictment also alleges the group discussed a $3 million bribe payment if the city purchased 300 housing units from an unnamed co-conspirator’s company. The housing company stood to earn about $90 million, according to the indictment. 

    In an attempt to conceal the payments, the arrangement was allegedly for the money to be paid as wages to Jones for a no-show job, and fake invoices were created, among other maneuvers.

    Prosecutors allege improprieties involving a trip Thao took to Vietnam in July and August of 2023 with the Duongs, which cost tens of thousands of dollars and was partially paid for by the Port of Oakland. 

    The unnamed co-conspirator was appointed to a city position and received $1.4 million from entities associated with Duong, according to the indictment.

    Among the agencies involved in what is described as an ongoing investigation is the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division. 

    “The alleged crimes committed against the citizens of Oakland by former Mayor Thao and her co-conspirators are a clear breach of public trust and cannot be tolerated,” Linda Nguyen, special agent in charge for the division’s Oakland field office, said in a statement.

    “Public corruption schemes are rooted in greed and typically leave a money trail behind.  [Our division] specializes in following that trail and building cases that lead to justice.” 

    FBI agents also helped unravel the scheme, including raiding Thao’s Oakland home in June 2024. Thao was recalled in November 2024.

    “Our communities are entitled to leaders who act in their best interest, free from the shadow of corruption,” Dan Costin, special agent in charge for the FBI, said in a statement.

    “Today’s actions demonstrate our resolute determination to protect the integrity of our government and ensure accountability for those who betray the public’s trust.” 

    U.S. postal inspectors were also involved because the scheme allegedly involved mail fraud. 

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/20/2025 – 20:15

  • Trump Pardons Approximately 1,500 Jan. 6 Political 'Hostages'
    Trump Pardons Approximately 1,500 Jan. 6 Political ‘Hostages’

    President Trump on Monday gave a ‘full pardon’ to over 1,500 political prisoners who were involved in the Jan. 6 riot.

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Earlier in the day, Trump told a yuge crowd at the Capitol One Arena that he was going to “release our great hostages,” referring to the Jan. 6 prisoners.

    “As soon as I leave, I’m going to the Oval Office, and we’ll be signing pardons for a lot of people, a lot of people,” Trump continued.

    Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy, is currently being processed for release from FCI Pollock, a medium security federal prison in Louisiana, NBC News reports. Tarrio had been sentenced to 22 years in federal prison after his conviction.

    “He is being processed out,” said his attorney, Nayib Hasssan. “We do not know what type of clemency he is receiving.”

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/20/2025 – 19:49

  • U.S. Navy Corpsman Disciplined Last Year After Trying To Access President Biden's Health Records
    U.S. Navy Corpsman Disciplined Last Year After Trying To Access President Biden’s Health Records

    A U.S. Navy corpsman was administratively reprimanded last year after he attempted to access President Biden’s medical records, according to a new report from CBS.

    On Feb. 22, at the Naval Medical Readiness and Training Center at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, a Navy corpsman sat at his desk amidst the hum of computers and quiet chatter. Nearby, a licensed civilian nurse and an Army soldier worked.

    The routine setting took a turn when a colleague left her workstation, her Common Access Card (CAC) still logged in. This smart card, about the size of a credit card, grants access to secure military networks and facilities.

    The group began discussing the security risk of unattended CACs, with one person noting the potential for misuse: “Someone could maliciously use your CAC when you walk away.”

    Spurred by “curiosity” and this conversation, the corpsman accessed restricted files. According to a Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) report obtained by CBS News through a Freedom of Information Act request, the low-ranking sailor attempted to access the president’s medical records.

    The investigation led to a nonjudicial punishment for dereliction of duty under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The corpsman, whose identity was withheld, was demoted from E-3 to E-2, given 20 days of extra duty, and had pay reduced by half for six months. An E-2 with two to three years of service earns about $2,260 monthly.

    The CBS report says that during a discussion about the risks of unattended CAC accounts, someone suggested such access could be used to view the president’s medical records. Curious, the Navy corpsman tested this by searching “Joseph Biden” in the Genesis Medical Health System. A single record appeared, with a matching birthdate verified via Google. The file was accessed for about 20 seconds, revealing minimal information, including a doctor’s name, which didn’t match publicly available details.

    Realizing the seriousness of his actions, the corpsman closed the file. A female colleague advised him to self-report, but he delayed. Another coworker reported the violation first. The corpsman later confessed, citing curiosity and denying any intent to save, share, or document the record.

    NCIS launched an investigation, discovering no link between the corpsman and political motives or hacktivist groups, though a reverse image search on his Instagram profile hinted at potential Anonymous imagery. Searches on his laptop included terms like “Biden” and “Anonymous.” His devices, seized and analyzed, were eventually returned.

    The accessed record was later confirmed to be non-legitimate. The president was informed quickly, undergoing an unrelated physical two days after the investigation began, where he was deemed “fit for duty.” The corpsman faced disciplinary action but cooperated fully throughout the inquiry.

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/20/2025 – 19:40

  • Watch: Trump Signing J6 Pardons For "A Lot Of People"
    Watch: Trump Signing J6 Pardons For “A Lot Of People”

    Update (1837ET):

    “Tonight, I’m going to be signing on the J6 hostages – pardons – to get them out – and as soon as I leave, we’re going to be signing pardons for a lot of people,” President Donald Trump said at the Capital One Arena to more than 20,000 supporters. 

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    Trump signed more exec orders:

    • Recision of 78 Biden-Era Executive Orders
    • Freeze federal regulations
    • Freeze on federal hiring
    • Federal workers must return to full-time in-person work immediately
    • Directive to address the cost of living crisis
    • Withdrawal from the Paris Climate Treaty
    • Directive to restore Free Speech and eliminate government censorship
    • Directive to end government weaponization against political opponents

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    There are a lot more expected in the hours and days ahead. 

    *   *   * 

    Update (1325 ET):

    Welcome back, Mr. President. 

    President Trump declared, “America’s decline is over,” during his second inaugural address delivered in the US Capitol Rotunda. He described the election as a mandate to end “a horrible betrayal” and pledged to prioritize an “America First” agenda. The president also vowed to “rebalance” the scales of justice. 

    “Our sovereignty will be reclaimed, our safety will be restored, the scales of justice will be rebalanced. The vicious, violent, and unfair weaponization of the Justice Department and our government will end,” Trump said. 

    He said climate, education, and public health policies will change “starting today and very quickly.”  

    Trump promised to sign an executive order to “immediately stop all government censorship and bring back free speech to America.”

    He stated, “From this moment on, America’s decline is over.” 

    The president then spoke about unity and criticized the Biden administration: “In the United States of America, as we gather today, our government confronts a crisis of trust. For many years, a radical and corrupt establishment has extracted power and wealth from our citizens while the pillars of our society lay broken and seemingly incomplete disrepair …  We now have a government that cannot manage even a simple crisis at home, while at the same time, stumbling into a continuing catalog of catastrophic events abroad.” 

    Trump continued on the subject of unity: “National unity is now returning to America, and confidence and pride is soaring like never before in everything we do. My administration will be inspired by a strong pursuit of excellence and unrelenting success. We will not forget our country. We will not forget our Constitution. And we will not forget our God.”

    Trump shifted his speech to the migrant invasion crisis. He said that “criminal aliens” would be deported, catch and release would end, and US troops would secure the border, adding that drug cartels would soon be deemed terrorist organizations. 

    “As Commander in Chief, I have no higher responsibility than to defend our country from threats and invasions, and that is exactly what I am going to do. We will do it at a level that nobody has ever seen before,” Trump spoke about the migrant crisis that Democrats and their globalist buddies unleashed across the Heartland. 

    Trump addressed the inflation monster, saying, “I will direct all members of my cabinet to marshal the vast powers at their disposal to defeat what was record inflation and rapidly bring down costs and prices.”

    “We will drill baby drill,” Trump said, adding that a national energy emergency would be declared. We discussed this earlier… 

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    Trump’s policy rollout has been as expected and is consistent with his campaign pledges.

    He said he would sign a “series of historic executive orders” and “with these actions, we will begin the complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense.”

    Regarding gender, Trump said: “As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government, that there are only two genders: male and female.”

    The president noted that all efforts to “​socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life” will be halted dead in its tracks. Instead, he said, he will “forge a society that is colorblind and merit-based.”

    Trump then declared that the Gulf of Mexico would be renamed the “Gulf of America.” 

    He praised President McKinley for the Panama Canal and his efforts during the Spanish-American war. He stated, “China is operating the Panama Canal,” indicating, “We’re taking it back.”  

    Trump then spoke about space and wanted to “plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars.” 

    He pledged to “end the chronic disease epidemic“… 

    During Trump’s speech, the White House released a summary of Trump’s America First Priorities:

    Make America Safe Again

    • President Trump will take bold action to secure our border and protect American communities. This includes ending Biden’s catch-and-release policies, reinstating Remain in Mexico, building the wall, ending asylum for illegal border crossers, cracking down on criminal sanctuaries, and enhancing vetting and screening of aliens.

    • President Trump’s deportation operation will address the record border crossings of criminal aliens under the prior administration.

    • The president is suspending refugee resettlement, after communities were forced to house large and unsustainable populations of migrants, straining community safety and resources.

    • The Armed Forces, including the National Guard, will engage in border security, which is national security, and will be deployed to the border to assist existing law enforcement personnel.

    • President Trump will begin the process of designating cartels, including the dangerous Tren de Aragua, as foreign terrorist organizations and use the Alien Enemies Act to remove them.

    • The Department of Justice will seek the death penalty as the appropriate punishment for heinous crimes against humanity, including those who kill law enforcement officers and illegal migrants who maim and murder Americans.

    Make America Affordable And Energy Dominant Again

    • The president will unleash American energy by ending Biden’s policies of climate extremism, streamlining permitting, and reviewing for rescission all regulations that impose undue burdens on energy production and use, including mining and processing of non-fuel minerals.

    • President Trump’s energy actions empower consumer choice in vehicles, showerheads, toilets, washing machines, lightbulbs and dishwashers.

    • President Trump will declare an energy emergency and use all necessary resources to build critical infrastructure.

    • President Trump’s energy policies will end leasing to massive wind farms that degrade our natural landscapes and fail to serve American energy consumers.

    • President Trump will withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord.

    • All agencies will take emergency measures to reduce the cost of living.

    • President Trump will announce the America First Trade Policy.

    • America will no longer be beholden to foreign organizations for our national tax policy, which punishes American businesses.

    Drain The Swamp

    • The president will usher a Golden Age for America by reforming and improving the government bureaucracy to work for the American people. He will freeze bureaucrat hiring except in essential areas to end the onslaught of useless and overpaid DEI activists buried into the federal workforce. He will pause burdensome and radical regulations not yet in effect that Biden announced.

    • President Trump is announcing an unprecedented slate of executive orders for rescission.

    • President Trump is planning for improved accountability of government bureaucrats. The American people deserve the highest-quality service from people who love our country.

    • The president will also return federal workers to work, as only 6% of employees currently work in person.

    • President Trump is taking swift action to end the weaponization of government against political rivals and ordering all document retention as required by law. President Trump is also ending the unconstitutional censorship by the federal government. No longer will government employees pick and require the erasure of entirely true speech.

    • On the president’s direction, the State Department will have an America-First foreign policy.

    Bring Back American Values

    • The president will establish male and female as biological reality and protect women from radical gender ideology.

    • American landmarks will be named to appropriately honor our Nation’s history.

    White House website: “America Is Back”… 

    Listen to Trump’s speech here:

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    Now, it’s time for a barrage of executive orders. 

    *   *   * 

    President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance are set to take the oath of office in the US Capitol Rotunda in just a few short hours, officially ushering in the era of Trump 2.0 (‘America First’). The ceremony marks the peaceful power transfer from the Biden-Harris regime to Trump-Vance-MAGA.

    Trump and Vance will be sworn in at 11:40 AM ET inside the US Capitol Rotunda, a decision attributed to dangerously cold temperatures outside (though speculation about security concerns, such as potential drone threats…). 

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    Chief Justice John Roberts will administer the oath of office to Trump on the Lincoln Bible and a Bible gifted to him by his mother in 1955. Then, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh will administer the oath of office to Vance. 

    President Joe Biden’s and Vice President Kamala Harris’ terms will officially end at noon, as directed by the 20th Amendment in the Constitution.

    Trump, as president, will then deliver his inaugural address, where he is expected to lay out the America First vision for his second term. 

    According to CBS News, the inaugural ceremonies were planned by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota.

    Klobuchar’s committee oversees eight events on Inauguration Day:

    • the procession to the Capitol;

    • the vice president’s swearing-in ceremony;

    • the president’s swearing-in ceremony;

    • the inaugural address;

    • the honorary departure of the outgoing president and vice president;

    • the signing ceremony, during which the new president signs nominations, memorandums, proclamations or executive orders;

    • the inaugural luncheon;

    • the pass in review, during which the president and vice president review military troops;

    • and the presidential parade, which will take place at Capital One arena in downtown Washington due to the cold.

    Exact Timing of Today’s Inauguration Ceremony: 

    After the inaugural ceremony, the Trump-Vance administration will be hard at work – expected to issue “close to 100” executive orders, if not more…

    CNN cited sources that Stephen Miller, Trump’s incoming deputy chief of staff for policy, reviewed some of the planned executive orders with senior congressional Republicans on Sunday. 

    One of the executive orders Trump is expected to issue is “declaring a national energy emergency…” 

    We expect a barrage of lawsuits from DC swamp law firms to hit the Trump administration in the hours and days after taking power to slow the ‘America First’ progress that will upend many swamp creatures. 

    As for the state of the economy as Trump enters the White House, Jan Hatzius, chief economist at Goldman Sachs, told clients earlier:

    On Inauguration Day 2025, the US economy is in the sweet spot of healthy growth and gradual disinflation. We estimate that real GDP grew 2.6% in Q4 and expect a similar pace in 2025. Our forecast is ½pp above the latest Bloomberg consensus, in part because we are still more confident than others that real disposable personal income will grow solidly in 2025 and in part because of a sturdy forecast for business investment. That said, we are not as far above consensus as for most of the last two years because other forecasters have become more optimistic given ongoing strength in the data and, in some cases, high expectations for the growth-positive aspects of the Trump agenda.

    Maybe Hatzius forgot to mention that the economy’s “sweet spot” is being produced by debt rising $1 trillion every 100 days.

    We suspect BlueSky users suffering from ‘TDS’ will rage this afternoon.

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    *Follow this running blog for more updates. 

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/20/2025 – 18:37

  • WTF: Asylum Seekers Caught With 30,000 High-Caliber Rifle Rounds In Arizona
    WTF: Asylum Seekers Caught With 30,000 High-Caliber Rifle Rounds In Arizona

    President Donald Trump’s imminent executive orders addressing the illegal alien invasion, border crisis, and cartel violence could not come soon enough, as a new report out of Arizona says a multi-agency investigation led to the arrest of several asylum seekers and a US citizen in possession of 30,000 rounds of ammunition. 

    Sheriff Mark Dannels of Cochise County, Arizona, revealed Sunday in a Facebook post that in mid-January, Cochise County Counter Narcotics, Trafficking Alliance assisted Homeland Security Investigations and Burau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives seized 10,000 rounds of .50 caliber ammunition and 19,640 rounds of 7.62×39 ammunition from multiple vehicles, operated by several asylum seekers and one US citizen from Texas.

    Dannels’ Facebook post read:

    Multi-agency investigation results in ammunition seizure

    In mid-January of 2025, the Cochise County Counter Narcotics and Trafficking Alliance (CNTA) assisted Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Burau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) with an investigation leading to the seizure of 10,000 rounds of .50 caliber ammunition and 19,640 rounds of 7.62×39 ammunition.

    The .50 caliber and 7.62×39 rounds were separated within two vehicles traveling east on Interstate 10 from the Phoenix area. The vehicle containing the 7.62×39 ammunition was interdicted by the Pinal County Sheriff’s office. Still, the second vehicle containing the .50 caliber ammunition was located by CNTA investigators at Motel 6 in Benson.

    CNTA, HSI, and USBP contacted the vehicle’s two occupants at the motel. One of the occupants was found to be an asylum seeker out of Cuba and the second individual was identified as a US citizen out of Texas. The second vehicle was occupied by two asylum seekers. This investigation is ongoing and led by HSI and ATF.

    Images of the seizure: 

    Facebook users responded to the sheriff’s post with disgust: 

    “This isn’t even the tip of the iceberg of what has traveled from this country. Smh Hope they never see American soil again!” one Facebook user said. 

    Another person said the ammo was mostly likely destined for cartels. 

    “Bet it was heading to the border or worse, heading to all the illegals who are planning an attack on US soil! So many people from different countries came here and we know nothing of their past or their true intentions,” someone else said. 

    “Deportation for all. Go, Trump,” someone else said. 

    Local law enforcement and federal agencies have yet to disclose the buyer or final destination of the ammo. Speculation points to cartels as the likely customer, but the billion-dollar question remains: for cartel operations in the US or in Mexico? Or worse, terror organizations within the US could’ve outsourced ammunition and weapons procurement to migrants.

    The good news, according to President Trump earlier today, is that the era of open southern borders under globalist Democrats, which has threatened national security to unprecedented levels, is coming to an end. After being sworn in, Trump assured Americans that he would designate drug cartels as terrorist organizations.

    Law and order must be restored. That’s the mandate the American people have given Trump. 

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/20/2025 – 18:30

  • What CNN's Loss In The Florida Defamation Case Says About American Journalism
    What CNN’s Loss In The Florida Defamation Case Says About American Journalism

    Authored by Jonathan Turley,

    “Your credibility with me … is about none.”

    Those words to CNN counsel by Judge William Henry also clearly spoke for the Florida jury which, on Friday, awarded $5 million for Navy veteran Zachary Young and approved an additional amount, still to be determined, for punitive damages.

    The CNN loss is only the latest in a series of media cases that have reversed decades of case law where the media largely prevailed under highly protective legal standards. It says a great deal about the state of modern journalism and its unrelenting efforts at self-destruction.

    In “The Indispensable Right,” I discuss the radical shift in American journalism that occurred with the rejection of neutrality and objectivity in favor of advocacy journalism. J-schools now teach that objectivity is a dated concept. As former New York Times writer (and now Howard University journalism professor) Nikole Hannah-Jones has explained, “All journalism is activism.”

    After interviewing more than 75 media leaders, Leonard Downie Jr., former Washington Post executive editor, and Andrew Heyward, former CBS News president, detailed how media leaders view neutrality and objectivity as dated concepts that inhibit social and political agendas.

    The public’s response to this trend has been both predictable and pronounced. The famous “Let’s Go, Brandon” incident after a NASCAR race, after all, was more of a criticism of the media than of Joe Biden — a “Yankee Doodling” of the press for its distortion of facts.

    Revenue and ratings for media outlets have plummeted, although there are other contributing factors. During the trial, CNN host Jake Tapper was challenged for his testimony that he “doesn’t pay attention to ratings.” That does not appear to be the case at the network, which is cratering and desperately trying to reverse the ratings plunge. CNN has reportedly lost half of its viewership, hitting lows not seen in three decades.

    The jury clearly believed, as the network’s slogan claims, that “This is CNN.” That is probably the reason it will soon award punitive damages. However, this is not just CNN. The case itself highlighted everything wrong with modern media.

    The segment aired on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper” on Nov. 11, 2021, and trashed Young in a story about Afghans being preyed upon by groups promising to get them out of the country amid the disastrous withdrawal of U.S. forces. Tapper told his audience ominously how CNN correspondent Alex Marquardt discovered that “Afghans trying to get out of the country face a black market full of promises, demands of exorbitant fees, and no guarantee of safety or success.”

    Marquardt detailed how “desperate Afghans are being exploited” and need to pay “exorbitant, often impossible amounts” and then named Young and his company as examples.

    The trial revealed internal messages from Marquardt that he wanted to “nail this Zachary Young motherf—–” and thought the story would be Young’s “funeral.” After promising to “nail” Young, CNN editor Matthew Philips responded that he was “gonna hold you to that cowboy!” CNN senior editor Fuzz Hogan described Young as “a s—.”

    As often occurs today, CNN allegedly gave Young only two hours to respond before the story ran. It is a typical ploy of the press to claim that they gave someone a chance to respond. The call often comes at the end of the day to create the appearance of fairness.  Nevertheless, Young did respond to the chagrin of CNN producers and made clear that key elements of the story were untrue.

    CNN’s defense in court was a case study in how not to defend a defamation lawsuit. It included a series of self-inflicted wounds, delivered in front of the jury. However, it is only the latest loss for major media, given recent courthouse setbacks for the New York Times, NBC, and Deadspin. ABC News recently settled its own defamation case out of court, and previously Fox News paid a massive settlement.

    Nevertheless, some outlets appear to be doubling down in the hope that they can ride anti-Trump coverage back to robust ratings. Last week, NBC announced that it was bringing Yamiche Alcindor to the White House press corps. Alcindon, who also worked for PBS, was widely criticized for often preceding questions with attacks on conservatives or over-the-top praise for Joe Biden or Democrats. While others saw raw political bias, Alcindor explained that it was her job to use journalism to bend the “moral arc toward justice.”

    For decades, the media found ample protection within the protective shell created by the Supreme Court after New York Times v. Sullivan. The Court sought to create “breathing space” for the media by articulating a standard that now applies to both public officials and public figures. The demanding standard requires a showing of “actual malice,” where the media had actual knowledge of a statement’s falsity or showed reckless disregard for whether it was true or false.

    The string of media losses reflects a change not in the law but in the media itself. As the press increasingly engages in advocacy journalism, reckless disregard for the truth is becoming the norm, as shown in the CNN case. It could get worse.

    Some have questioned the extension of this protective standard to cases involving public figures, which encompasses anyone who has achieved a modicum of fame in business, sports, or other pursuits. A couple of justices have also expressed skepticism about why non-public figures should shoulder such a burden when people lie about them.

    Meanwhile, the public is abandoning legacy media at a run, turning to new media in the form of blogs and citizen journalists. Recently, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of such a citizen journalist in a criminal case — a woman known as La Gordiloca (loosely translated as “fat, crazy lady”). Describing her as a “swearing muckraker who is upending border journalism,” the New York Times admitted that La Gordiloca “reflects how many people on the border now prefer to get their news.”

    The rise in citizen journalists in new media and advocacy journalism in legacy media will only likely increase the number of such cases in the coming years. For mainstream media, the skepticism that they are facing in society is now becoming equally evident in courts. To paraphrase Judge Henry, their credibility with the public is about none.

    *  *  *

    Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro professor of public interest law at George Washington University and the author of “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.”

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/20/2025 – 17:55

  • Trump Vows To Refill SPR "Right To The Top" As China Tanker Rates Soar
    Trump Vows To Refill SPR “Right To The Top” As China Tanker Rates Soar

    For much of the past year, oil traders were desperate to find a bullish thesis. Now, in the span of just a few weeks, they have two.

    On one hand, amid mounting fears of a supply and inventory glut, Biden’s parting gift of accelerated sanctions against Russian oil exporters and tankers appears to have promptly removed as much as 1.5 million barrels in daily supply, and pushed oil prices to a 5 month high.

    But while Russian supply is set to shrink materially for the next few months, US demand is about to surge. That’s because President Donald Trump said during his inaugural address that he plans to refill the US’s strategic oil reserve “right to the top” after it reached lows not seen since the 1980s under Joe Biden’s handlers, who drained about half of the SPR after the Ukraine war to prevent a surge in oil prices.

    Trump vowed to “bring prices down, fill our strategic reserves up again right to the top and export American energy all over the world” during his inaugural address at the Capitol Monday.

    The Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which has a maximum capacity of about 700 million barrels, currently stands at at 394.4 million barrels following a record selloff during Biden’s administration, which drained about half by late 2023. The drawdowns under Biden included selling 180 million barrels into the global market in an attempt to bring down gasoline prices following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

    Biden had begun slowly refilling the emergency cache, which was created in the aftermath of Arab oil embargo in the 1970s, but ran out of funding to buy more crude after purchasing about 60 million barrels. It would take an act of Congress to appropriate more money for the Energy Department’s petroleum account.

    Of course, the moment such act is passed, oil traders will start frontrunning the US government and push crude prices sharply higher, especially if and when China finally capitulates and unleashes the massive stimulus its economy so badly needs.

    But while it will take some time before Trump’s plan to refill the SPR is implemented, the Russian export squeeze is already hitting the global commodity market hard, with costs to hire an oil supertanker on key routes to China more than doubling since the US imposed sanctions on Russia two weeks ago, showing the extent to which the move has upended the global shipping market.

    The sanctions have jolted a freight market that was, until recently, dealing with softer demand due to supply curbs, a tepid Chinese economy, and an easing of Middle East tensions. The number of confirmed journeys hasn’t changed much, but the pool of available ships has shrunken rapidly, and there’s intense competition on certain routes.

    As shown below, daily rates for very-large crude carriers on the Middle East-to-China route surged 112% to $57,589 in the week through Friday, according to Baltic Exchange data, after Washington sanctioned nearly 160 tankers hauling Russian crude on Jan. 10. Those on the US Gulf-to-China journey jumped 102%, while West Africa-to-China saw an increase of 90%.

    The reason for the surge in tanker rates is that in recent days, major Chinese refiners have been been rushing to buy crude from the Middle East, Africa and the Americas to make up for the loss of Russian oil. A VLCC from the US Gulf to China was hired for $9.5 million last week, compared to a low-$7 million range over the last couple of months, shipping fixtures show.  Indian Oil Corp. is also snapping upup Middle Eastern barrels, adding to the pressure.

    Separately, there’s concern that tanker rates could remain elevated if Trump takes a tougher line against Tehran, which he has also promised to do.

    “Rates could hold at these levels if Trump dials up the pressure on Iranian oil shipments, which is more likely than not,” said Junjie Ting, a Singapore-based shipping analyst at Oil Brokerage.

    The rising demand for VLCCs, which can carry around 2 million barrels of oil, is also feeding through to costs for smaller vessels, which tend to be viewed as less cost-efficient on longer routes. Rates for Suezmaxes, that hold about 1 million barrels, have climbed on increased demand and tight supply, shipbroker SSY said in a report.

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/20/2025 – 17:20

  • When 'Future Shock' Meets 'Mass Formation Psychosis'
    When ‘Future Shock’ Meets ‘Mass Formation Psychosis’

    Authored by Mark Jeftovic via BombThrower.com,

    Frazzledrip Overdrive

    In 1970, futurists Alvin and Heidi Toffler released the first of three seminal books about the trajectory that America, and the world was on. They published them at roughly decade intervals: Future Shock (1970), Power Shift, (1984), and Third Wave (1991). There were others (like War & Anti-War and Revolutionary Wealth), but those three laid out what was coming down the pipe and they were largely correct about it because their core premise was so simple:

    The rate of change was accelerating.

    That was it. But it affected everything. The ramifications went beyond cycle theory or long waves because it meant that cycles and long waves would themselves accelerate.

    As this acceleration accelerated, it would begin to overwhelm the coping mechanisms of both individuals and institutions alike. Nobody would be exempt, and everybody was facing a kind of technological and cultural shell shock, which they called: Future Shock:

    It is impossible to produce future shock in large numbers of individuals without affecting the rationality of the society as a whole. Today, according to Daniel P. Moynihan, the chief White House advisor on urban affairs, the United States “exhibits the qualities of an individual going through a nervous breakdown.” For the cumulative impact of sensory, cognitive or decisional overstimulation, not to mention the physical effects of neural or endocrine overload, creates sickness in our midst.

    Of course, the “today” in the above passage was in 1970.

    The Tofflers probably underestimated how bang-on they were, and the pace of change we’re experiencing just over the past few years (since “The Jackpot” event of 2020) probably would have dazzled both of them (Alvin passed away in 2016 and his wife Heidi in 2019).

    I have long ascribed the kind of rampant “mass formation psychosis” (to use the Dr. Peter Malone term) to one thing above all else: Future Shock.

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    While the Tofflers exhaustively explored the coming breakdown of our prevailing systems of government, education, military and business, there a few additional catalysts at play today – since the Jackpot – which are converging, and adding even more instability and disruption to the future shock.

    I can think of three:

    #1) We’re in a Crack-Up Boom

    The first Future Shock book dropped right on the cusp of the Fiat Era. Less than a year later, the Nixon Shock would rug-pull the concept of “money”, and set in motion yet another accelerant: compounding debt and money creation.

    Take all the cognitive dissonance and social breakdown that the Tofflers said future shock would cause, and add to that a doom-loop of money-printing and Cantillon Effect (if you don’t know what that is, just think of it in terms of accelerating wealth inequality).

    All fiat currencies throughout history have gone to zero, no exceptions and as they approach their final glide path, society starts to experience the effects through ever accelerating inflation (sound familiar?)

    There have been close to a dozen hyperinflations over the course of the 20th century, and there have already been a few in the 21st (the Venezuela and Zimbabwe) and a couple that have been teetering on the precipice (Argentina still struggling with 104% inflation in 2024, Turkey, Nigeria).

    Usually when this occurs, it’s isolated to a single currency and there at least theoretically exists the option for capital flight into other currencies.

    But owing to the global debt super-bubble, and rampant money creation of the fiat era, which accelerated through The Jackpot (Covid), high inflation is now happening pretty well everywhere (the only country I note that is experiencing deflation right now is Afghanistan).

    Most significantly, the currency experiencing inflation (albeit officially “under control”) is the US dollar, the global reserve currency.

    For months in The Bitcoin Capitalist (since that 50bps cut in September), we’ve been tracking how the Fed has lost control of the yield curve, and this portends a massive crisis regardless of what the official CPI is.

    This is also why whenever we see something like a memecoin rocket from zero to stratospheric valuations, we don’t think of it in terms of a crypto bubble, we rather suspect what the Austrian School economists called “Katastrophenhausse” – literally “Catastrophic boom” or “Crack-up Boom“.

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    When a currency is in a real hyper-inflation territory, the crack-up boom becomes a flight to safety of “anything but“ the currency, which is in the process of disintegrating (see: It’s the Denominator, Stupid“)

    We aren’t there yet. We may be a few years away from that – and so the pile-in to these memecoins isn’t about the preservation of purchasing power. But I suspect it is about financial nihilism: and the realization the the current system is doomed; that the path for “getting ahead” lies in being early on crazy moonshots and only needing to be right once.

    The Tofflers never talked about how a global hyperinflationary event would effect their thesis. I can fill in the blanks: it’s like pouring accelerant on it.

    #2) The Singularity Has Already Happened

    The Tofflers never came out and said that the accelerating pace of change would result in humanity evolving into something else entirely; just that the effect of this ever quickening change would have profound effects on the collective psyche.

    The pronouncement that it would result in an evolutionary quantum leap would be made by others, in later decades. “We will merge with machines”, was the overall theme. We will upload our consciousness into the cloud. We will transcend our physicality, we will experience a “post-biological” existence. We could even become …immortal.

    What would make all this possible is the virtuous cycle created by digital computer networks, powered by Moore’s Law, incessantly halving their physical footprint while doubling their processing power – eventually we would achieve, and then surpass, the interconnectivity and the processing power of the human brain itself.

    When that happened, all bets were off.

    The assumption is that somewhere along this continuum, when the right thresholds of parallelism and power were surpassed, “mind” itself would leap out of the process – emerging with a vengeance and folding back in on itself, forking off subprocesses even more intelligent than itself, and so on, ad infinitum.

    “Our final invention” will then survey the world, with all its deficiencies and inefficiencies, and being infinitely smarter than all human minds combined, will deftly solve everything.

    At that point there will be little left for us clunky, slow-witted humans to do.

    We can then retire into a life of leisure, experiencing anything existence has to offer courtesy of the super-intelligent beings we had engineered into existence. We can even shed our mortal coils and experience it all from within the safety and comfort of an artificial computer generated construct. Our own personal, chrooted universes where we could experience anything our minds desired.

    The likes of Ray Kurzweil and Peter Diamondis posit this oncoming event as “The Singularity”. Kurzweil (who turns 77 next month) thinks it’ll happen by 2045, and reputedly guzzles about 300 capsules per day of various nutrients and supplements in a bid to keep his mortal coil alive long enough to make the leap into immortality.

    There are various problems with this scenario, in fact back before Covid (“The Jackpot event“), I started writing a book about it which has since languished on the back-burner (my focus over 2025 will be to finish the CBDC Survival Guide).

    As a general rule, things never play out along the lines of the best forecasts. I’ve written about this before, and borrowed the term recipriversexclusion from the Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy to describe it. In the Douglas Adams book, it meant a number whose value could be anything but itself (i.e “The given hour for a dinner party is the one moment in time that it is impossible for any of the guests to arrive”).

    In our context, it’s that consensus estimates and expert forecasts describe the single timeline that is impossible to occur.

    I’ll go one further. I think that we are already in the post-singularity era. Right now. 

    It happened within the last couple years with the AI wave – of third major technological wave of this century (internet, crypto, now AI) and the eighth major technological leap since the industrial revolution (electricity, radio/TV, telephones, semi-conductors, personal computers).

    Now we’re past the point where the code is coding. The feedback loop there is already underway, and it too is accelerating…

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    #3) We’re in a bizarro-verse alternate reality

    We crossed into it on July 13, 2024.

    At that moment, our entire reality phase-shifted into another timeline. This happens constantly (JFK assassination, 9/11), but sometimes, the most monumental shifts are the result of almost accidental “hinge moments”  (there’s an excellent book by that name that lays out a few of them over the past thousand years).

    Hanging chads in 2000 US election. Trump turning his head to point toward a chart at a key moment…

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    (That’s a Bill McClintock mash-up, btw, be sure you crank it loud)

    So now, we’re in an ever-accelerating technology loop, amidst an Austrian School Crack-Up Boom, taking place within the early innings of a global hyper-inflationary event, in the early days after the technological Singularity.

    And, we’ve flipped timelines, into what looks like some kind of bizarro-verse.

    Earth 29, from the DC Multi-verse, apparently.

    At least that’s what it feels like. 

    This is one of the symptoms of Future Shock.

    And the craazy thing is, we’re aren’t even in the parabolic acceleration phase yet. We’re still just rounding the corner, in the inflection point:

    So What Does “Frazzledrip” Mean?

    Anything you relied upon for stability and predictability in the past is over. Governments are near-comedic basket cases, healthcare under nearly every system is a disaster, educational systems near-catatonic. Businesses are moving with the times, some with aplomb, some bomb.

    But the most visible casualty of them all is the real-time self-destruction of the corporate, state-approved media complex.

    How information travels between nodes has shifted from broadcast to interlocking networks (neural nets) and this will never revert back.

    Today we get higher signal news, and faster, on X, than we do from the MSM – the latter of which gets to “breaking news” hours or even days after the fact; and only then after it gets pureed through an intersectional sieve of agitprop.

    But the flip side is that in this super-conductive neural net of unrestrained signal, a lot of truly unhinged stuff gains traction.

    In the past, we had a centrally organized information publishing ecosystem: news, publications, broadcast, and they all had editorial processes and filters that, for awhile, almost looked objective and neutral – focusing more on “getting it right” than punditry.

    That all went by the wayside over the past decades, especially since the twin populist crimes of 2016: Brexit, and the first Trump election. That was when it became clear that the gatekeepers were now curating informational pathways that most people were in the process of abandoning.

    In the emergent system – the decentralized, internet system, there is no effective way to manage or control “misinformation” or “disinformation”. In fact, after reading countless NGO and policy papers on the topic, I rarely see one that can even offer a clear definition of what those terms mean.

    So we’re all stuck trying to cope with sensory overload – note that I didn’t say information overload, because a lot of it isn’t information – a lot of it is conjecture, conspiracy and shared neurosis.

    My catch-all phrase for everything that seems crazy and unprovable is “Frazzledrip”, which is the name of my bookmarks folder where I keep all my clippings that fit in this bucket…

    Frazzledrip is my preferred term to “conspiracy theory” (because there are a lot of real conspiracies):

    • Directed energy weapons caused fires so that oligarchs could buy property cheap
    • Michelle Obama and Brigette Marcon are dudes
    • Flat Earth “truthers”

    Basically the common theme among Frazzledrips is that everything that happens anywhere is the result of a carefully calculated cabal that rules the world and is intentionally destroying civilization to serve their own ends.

    Before you get mad at me because you suspect I don’t subscribe to one of your personal Frazzledrips, we have to acknowledge that:

    • Powerful groups do conspire to protect their own power, increase their wealth and wield outsize influence.
    • There really is a lot of crazy, unhinged stuff actually happening.

    The reality is, those powerful groups conspiring to their own ends are not a monolith, they are factions, and those factions are fractal. There is not only no consensus between these groups, aside from temporary, ever-shifting alignments of interest – there is active conflict between them. Possibly to the point where geopolitical events of the day are more likely the result of internecine factional conflicts than between identifiable sovereigns.

    Even still, none of them are in control – let alone one of them, or even all of them: we live in an out of control world, and for many – that is a more terrifying prospect than the possibility that we live in a dystopian caste-based society, lorded over by an insular class of dynastic, elites (who are really shape-shifting lizards).

    (Source?)

    The reason people are prone to believe these narratives is because, in a weird way, they provide some semblance of structure, some kind of mental model that can explain the high weirdness (not to mention institutionalized incompetence) which typifies our day-to-day existence.

    But the reason we live in a world of high weirdness and incompetence, is (you guessed it) Future Shock. 

    Just to make it even harder to parse reality – it turns out there are heterodox narratives which really do have a higher probability of being accurate (like the Covid lab-leak, Epstein didn’t kill himself, or even 9/11 was an inside job), but are less likely to be widely believed than your typical “Frazzledrip”.

    What’s To Be Done

    The bitterest pill to swallow coming out of Covid, even after being a Libertarian and aspiring Sovereign Individual for most of my adult life, was the realization of just how on our own, each of us are.

    Most normies live their entire lives under this assumption that “the system mostly works”, along with its support structures, governance models and information apparatus.

    People like you and me had an awareness that this wasn’t as guaranteed as most others thought, and that we were on a path where this would become less reliable over time.

    With Covid it seemed like complete institutional breakdown: our governments became openly tyrannical and the media complex went full brainwashing mode, while the healthcare system imploded. Suddenly, we, as individuals were tasked with shouldering a level of personal responsibility unlike anything we had ever faced before – it was one thing to lean toward self-reliance in the Beforetimes. Now we not only had to fill the vacuum left by a dysfunctional system, that system was openly hostile toward us.

    Add to that, yet another technological revolution with AI blowing wide open and posing its own unique existential threat to anything that was still left intact.

    I would submit that this actually isn’t  the time for radical self-reliance, you just have to be a lot more thoughtful about what and on whom you rely on.

    This is probably a major contributor to why the Bitcoin culture has taken such hold. As a zeitgeist (Bitcoin is it’s own kind of morphic field, very distinct from “crypto”) – In addition to providing something an immutable: a globally dispersed ledger secured by Proof-of-Work, Bitcoin places heavy emphasis on personal fitness, contemplative practices (mindfulness, meditation) and family; which overflows into a kind of tribalism that I predict will come to define this era.

    We also have to train ourselves to think more in terms of probabilities than binary true or false – if only because the truth is practically impossible for any of us to know when it comes to events and matters outside our own immediate frame of reference. Especially with AI, deepfakes, and botnets.

    Finally, we have to focus on our own internal states and own personal goals – if we’re not examining all this wild mayhem happening around us through the lens of how it impacts (or even empowers) our ability to pursue our own goals, then we’re just a pinball being batted around everybody else’s machine.

    (Last year I soft-launched an email list focusing on this called Sovereign Mind, which I’m going to get into gear in 2025).

    Events are accelerating so fast, we have moved well beyond Hanlon’s Razor (“Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.”) I don’t actually believe politicians, central bankers, technocrats or pundits are stupid.

    But they are all, as a group, collectively out of their depth and completely tone-deaf. They’re trying to function in a 3D world that’s in the process of turning into a hypercube.

    They keep insisting on trying to apply Cartesian boundaries and frameworks on to a place that has been undergoing a rather disorderly phase shift into another dimension.

    (That dimension, was the advent of cyberspace, and I’ll have more to say about this transition from our 3D to a hypercubic world in the next piece. Subscribe here to get it when it drops).

    We’ll close with a final warning from the Tofflers:

    “Social rationality presupposes individual rationality, and this, in turn, depends not only on certain biological equipment, but on continuity, order and regularity in the environment.

    …

    It is premised on some correlation between the pace and complexity of change and man’s decisional capacities.

    By blindly stepping up the rate of change, the level of novelty, and the extent of choice, we are thoughtlessly tampering with these environmental preconditions of rationality. We are condemning countless millions to future shock.”

    Fast forward 50 years, and we’re soaking in it.

    *  *  *

    The Bitcoin Capitalist Letter, my premium newsletter that covers Bitcoin, crypto stocks and the digital asset space. You can catch a trial deal here.

    Sign up for the Bombthrower mailing list and get a free copy of the Crypto Capitalist Manifesto here

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/20/2025 – 16:45

  • Are US Presidents Getting Older?
    Are US Presidents Getting Older?

    Joe Biden and Donald Trump are the oldest presidents ever to be inaugurated in the United States.

    While Biden was 78 years old in 2021 and remains a one-term president, Trump was 70 at the time of his inauguration in 2017 and is 78 starting his second, non-consecutive term on Monday. Ronald Reagan, who was 69 years old in 1981, comes third. Like Biden, Trump’s age will be 82 when finishing his term. Biden would have been 86 years old at the end of a hypothetical second term.

    As Statista’s Katharina Buchholz details below, taking a look at all presidents’ ages at the time of their inauguration since 1789, no clear trend is visible.

    Infographic: Are U.S. Presidents Getting Older? | Statista

    You will find more infographics at Statista

    Before Trump and Biden, presidents’ ages were actually well below average.

    Barack Obama took office at 47 years and 169 days, according to Potus.com, making him the fifth youngest president at the time of inauguration.

    Bill Clinton, who was 46 when he took over, was the third youngest – only John F. Kennedy (43) and Teddy Roosevelt (42) were younger.

    Some of the oldest presidents hail from past centuries.

    William Henry Harrison was 68 at his inauguration in 1841 (he died a month later of typhoid and pneumonia), making him the fourth-oldest president ever. James Buchanan, who took office in 1857, was the fifth-oldest president at 65.

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/20/2025 – 16:10

  • Obama's Shadow: The Deep State And Its Real Faces
    Obama’s Shadow: The Deep State And Its Real Faces

    Authored by Jeff Carlson and Hans Mahncke via TruthOverNews.org,

    In contemporary political discourse, the term “deep state” frequently arises as a catch-all phrase to describe the entrenched bureaucracy and unseen forces that shape U.S. governance. Washington, D.C., is often portrayed as the epicenter of this so-called deep state, where power dynamics operate independently of electoral outcomes. Some also refer to it as the “blob.”

    While it is true that U.S. governance is steered by unelected and unaccountable entities, such as the military and intelligence complexes, the concept of the “deep state” can oversimplify the complexities of governance in Washington, D.C. It can also serve to deflect accountability from those most responsible for the damage inflicted on our country.

    The deep state may appear to be a monolithic entity. However, it is, in reality, a complex web of human actors with genuine agency. Among these individuals, Barack Obama stands out as a pivotal figure whose influence and legacy have significantly shaped the political landscape over the past 17 years.

    In this concluding piece of our series on Barack Obama, we explore his instrumental role in shaping U.S. policy, not just during his own presidency but also during Trump’s first term and the Biden presidency – sometimes referred to as Obama’s third and fourth terms – and how this unfortunate era may now be approaching its end.

    Agency

    Obama exemplifies the concept of agency within what is usually referred to as the “deep state.” His presidency not only brought about significant division and policy shifts but also laid the groundwork for a network of fanatical loyalists and ideological allies, many of whom have remained entrenched in both governmental and non-governmental institutions. These figures, many of whom are former members of the Obama administration, have undermined democracy and the will of the people across multiple presidencies.

    Obama’s post-presidential endeavors—such as his political advocacy, mentorship of rising Democratic leaders, and the fact that he was the first former president since the dying Woodrow Wilson to remain in Washington—highlight his ongoing influence. Unlike the faceless bureaucracy typically associated with the term “deep state,” Obama embodies the reality of its true nature: not a monolithic entity, but a network of individuals, like him, who shape policy and public opinion, often from behind the scenes.

    A closer examination reveals that many individuals who served under Obama have remained active in government roles through multiple administrations. Key figures in intelligence, defense, and other critical sectors often retain their positions or reemerge in different roles, reinforcing the perception of undemocratic continuity in American governance.

    This phenomenon is not unique to the Obama administration. Historically, Washington has witnessed the recycling of officials and advisors across different presidencies, giving rise to an insider class that operates with a high degree of autonomy from the will of the people. But Obama undoubtedly took things to a new level. Here are some examples.

    The Names of Permanent Washington

    Antony Blinken was Deputy Secretary of State and Deputy National Security Advisor under Obama before becoming Secretary of State under Biden. He continued disastrous Obama policies, ranging from Iran to Ukraine.

    Jake Sullivan cosplayed in various national security roles under Obama before becoming National Security Advisor under Biden. In between those jobs, he was pivotal in pushing the Russia collusion hoax. While he may no longer hold a government position, his wife, Margaret Goodlander, was recently sworn in as a new member of Congress.

    Victoria Nuland seeded the Ukraine war in 2014 when she was Assistant Secretary of State under Obama. She later became Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs under Biden. She too played a key role in advancing the fraudulent Russia collusion narrative. Nuland’s husband, Robert Kagan is a commentator at the Brookings Institution and was, until recently, a fervently anti-Trump editor-at-large at The Washington Post.

    Susan Rice shifted from National Security Advisor and U.N. Ambassador under Obama to Director of the Domestic Policy Council in Biden’s administration. Rice infamously attempted to cover up Obama’s involvement in weaponizing the government against Trump through the Russia collusion hoax, particularly Obama’s role in the dismissal of General Michael Flynn.

    Mary McCord was Assistant Attorney General under Obama, a position from which she too played a role in advancing the Russia collusion narrative. Later, she became legal counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives during the sham January 6th inquiry. Most recently, she has been trying to derail the appointments of Pam Bondi as Attorney General and Kash Patel as FBI Director. Her husband, Sheldon Snook, worked for Chief Justice John Roberts from 2014 to 2020. In December 2020, he authored an anti-Trump article in the left-wing rag, The Atlantic.

    Lisa Monaco, another Russia collusion hoaxer, was Homeland Security Advisor under Obama and became Deputy Attorney General under Biden. She effectively led the Department of Justice’s lawfare campaign against both President Trump and the January 6 protesters.

    John Carlin held a national security role under Obama and returned to the Biden administration as Deputy Attorney General to help Monaco to pursue Obama’s lawfare agenda.

    Janet Yellen transitioned from Chair of the Federal Reserve under Obama to Secretary of the Treasury in Biden’s administration.

    Ron Klain moved from Chief of Staff to Vice President Biden to White House Chief of Staff under Biden.

    John Kerry served as Secretary of State under Obama and became the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate under Biden.

    Denis McDonough went from White House Chief of Staff under Obama to Secretary of Veterans Affairs under Biden.

    Samantha Power, who was U.N. Ambassador under Obama, became the Administrator of USAID under Biden.

    Jen Psaki worked as Deputy Press Secretary and State Department Spokesperson under Obama before becoming White House Press Secretary under Biden.

    Amos Hochstein, who helped Hunter Biden cover up his family’s corrupt entanglements in Ukraine, was Obama’s Special Envoy for Energy Affairs. He was rewarded with a similar role under Biden.

    Alejandro Mayorkas was the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security under Obama before becoming Secretary of Homeland Security under Biden.

    Jerome Powell served as a Federal Reserve Board Governor under Obama, became Chair under Trump, and retained the role under Biden. He’s been printing money recklessly to maintain the illusion of a thriving Biden economy.

    David Shulkin was the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs under Obama before serving as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under Trump until he was finally fired in 2018.

    Norm Eisen transitioned seamlessly from his roles in the Obama Administration, including serving as Ambassador to Czechia, to leading lawfare operations against Trump at establishment front organizations such as the Brookings Institution.

    Others, like Obama’s two key intelligence officials, John Brennan and James Clapper, may not have held official roles in subsequent administrations, but they were placed in highly influential legacy media outlets—Brennan at NBC and Clapper at CNN—where they could shape public discourse. Not surprisingly, it was these two men who led the infamous intelligence community letter falsely claiming that Hunter Biden’s laptop was a Russian disinformation campaign. Their actions played a pivotal role in undermining Trump’s chances in the 2020 election.

    There are many more names, including figures such as Anthony Fauci, who were part of the unelected government before Obama’s presidency and remained in their positions afterward.

    We could go on, but the point is clear: Permanent Washington is not a faceless “blob,” but a network of interconnected elites.

    Trump

    Donald Trump’s presidency, characterized by its outsider status posed a significant challenge to this established order. His election in 2016 was seen by many as a populist revolt against the entrenched Washington elites. However, the mechanisms of the deep state—or more accurately, the entrenched bureaucracy and long-standing networks—proved resilient and dangerously effective. It didn’t help that many of the individuals mentioned above, along with others, remained in Washington in government or quasi-government roles, actively working to undermine Trump’s presidency.

    Trump’s second term presents a unique opportunity to challenge the entrenched system and potentially bring about seismic shifts in the political landscape. Whether he will be able to permanently disrupt the continuity of Washington elites or merely cause a temporary shift in power remains uncertain.

    The challenge is certainly formidable. Institutional inertia runs deep, and the sophisticated networks of influence, built over decades with figures like Obama at the helm, are firmly entrenched, as are the military and intelligence complexes that operate behind the political scenes. The first step is to hire the right people and on that front Trump 47 seems to be doing a lot better than Trump 45.

    There will be no fifth term for Obama—not for a while, anyway. The veil has been lifted, and Republicans are no longer falling for the same tricks. Obama’s political standing also took a significant hit from his vocal support of the disastrous candidacy of Kamala Harris. However, that doesn’t mean he won’t try to mount a comeback. His cordial interaction with Trump at President Carter’s funeral hints at possible plotting.

    While our national nightmare may be ending with Biden gone and Obama out of the picture—at least for now—we must remain vigilant to ensure history does not repeat itself.

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/20/2025 – 15:35

  • Extreme Cold, Snow Places Texas Power Grid & Permian On Alert
    Extreme Cold, Snow Places Texas Power Grid & Permian On Alert

    Texas’ top electricity regulator issued a “Weather Watch” from Monday morning through Thursday, citing “extreme cold weather” and the potential for snow, which could send electrical demand soaring across the state. 

    According to the National Weather Service, snow is forecasted to begin in Houston on Monday evening and accumulate to upwards of 4 inches by Tuesday. After the snow, frigid temperatures are expected to sweep in, bringing dangerously cold conditions that could jeopardize the power grid and energy infrastructure. 

    “Weather Watch goes into effect today through January 23 due to forecasted extreme cold weather across the ERCOT region, higher electrical demand, and the potential for lower reserves,” the Electric Reliability Council of Texas wrote on X, adding, “Winter precipitation is also expected across parts of the state. Grid conditions are expected to be normal.”

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Tony Fracasso, a senior branch forecaster at the US Weather Prediction Center, said, “It’s a significant storm for so far south.” 

    “It looks like almost the entirety of Texas has some chance of wintery precipitation,” Fracasso noted. 

    The early alert issued by ERCOT implies that extreme cold could pressure the power grid. ERCOT stated that peak electricity demand is expected to rise over the next two days, reaching about 77.2 gigawatts. Even though ERCOT predicts high demand, it anticipates having sufficient supply to meet demand. 

    “As freezing temps blanket Texas, the power grid is performing better than ever,” Governor Greg Abbott wrote on X Sunday evening, adding, “There is ample supply of power available to meet your needs.”

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Besides potential grid strains, frigid temperatures could curtail natural gas supplies due to the freezing of oil and gas wells and pipes, known as “freeze-offs” by energy analysts. 

    On Tuesday, West Texas temperatures will average around 29F. Through Saturday, average temperatures in the oil-rich Permian basin will remain below the 30-year average of 47F for this time of year. This cold could disrupt oil and gas output by freezing water in wells and pipelines. 

    Ahead of the snow, Houston Airports announced that flights at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, William P. Hobby Airport, and Ellington Airport will be suspended on Tuesday morning. 

    The storm is expected to blanket snow across the  Gulf Coast and Deep South coastal areas. 

    Meteorologist Tony Pann questioned if this wintery weather for the Gulf Coast was a “once-in-a-lifetime event“…

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Here’s our latest reporting on the polar vortex and energy markets:

    Where did global warming go? Please come back. 

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/20/2025 – 15:00

  • On Biden's So-Called "Oligarchs"
    On Biden’s So-Called “Oligarchs”

    Authored by Victor Davis Hanson via American Greatness,

    In his last address, Joe Biden offered a Parthian shot at “oligarchs” and the dangers these “billionaires” pose to the republic. At the same time, left-wing senators hammered Trump cabinet nominees on the grounds that they would be too complacent in the face of a supposed takeover of the country by Trump’s “billionaires” and their “oligarchy.”

    Many things could be said about Biden’s farewell address, but I will limit them to three.

    First, Biden was attempting to copycat the warnings of outgoing president and iconic war hero Dwight D. Eisenhower.

    Some 64 years earlier—on January 17, 1961, the near day of Biden’s “farewell address,” a departing Eisenhower warned of a new “military-industrial complex” threat to the republic that had grown out of World War II and was cresting during the ongoing Cold War of the 1950s.

    The fear, as Ike outlined it, was that a new small tech-corporate elite would sell the country on all sorts of expensive weapons and programs to ensure a near-permanent condition of hyper-military readiness and national insolvency.

    This resulting “garrison state” would make the arms merchants and technocrats rich but also exhaust the U.S. treasury in the process. What would follow for the American people was a government octopus that demanded ever higher taxes while spending money in ways increasingly unknown or irrelevant to the public interest.

    Eisenhower worried the grandees of the military-industrial complex—ex-generals revolving into defense contractor lobbyists and board members—would redefine the ancient laws of war and peace in terms of mumbo-jumbo techno-jargon. The resulting esoterica was designed to justify budget-busting defense expenditures, without enough care that the federal government would expand while the now overtaxed and overregulated citizen would be at their mercy.

    Apparently, a departing Biden sought to graft his own “oligarchy” speech onto Eisenhower’s earlier blueprint.

    But Ike was speaking as a successful two-term president. And he was an iconic war hero, as the architect of the successful American role in defeating Hitler—from the beaches of Normandy to the occupation of the defeated German homeland.

    The postwar president Eisenhower was worried about a new world in which new nuclear-tipped missiles threatened to turn any conventional war between superpowers into nuclear Armageddon. In other words, Americans listened to Eisenhower, given his probity, gravitas, and experience—and the dangers of the new corporate-government fusion. But they have no reason to listen to Biden.

    Or to paraphrase a famous quip from 1988 Democratic vice presidential candidate Lloyd Bentsen, “President Biden, you’re no Dwight Eisenhower.” Biden was removed by his own party insiders from the Democratic ticket before he did further damage to his party as he was finishing his failing one-term presidency. He left the country in shambles, at home with hyperinflation, 12 million illegal entries, a nonexistent border, spiking crime, and destroyed deterrence abroad. He humiliated the armed forces in Afghanistan, encouraging enemies that prompted two theater-wide wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

    Moreover, after swearing he would not pardon his own son as Hunter Biden faced numerous felony indictments and convictions, Biden did just that—thereby likely preventing further investigations into the entire corrupt Biden family.

    Biden leaves office desperate to sabotage his successor, extending even to the pettiest detail, such as selling off critical steel panels essential to the construction of the border wall that he suspended.

    Again, Ike had credibility; not so with Biden.

    Second, until November 2024, Biden had no problems with oligarchs.

    In fact, he courted and used them. And they, in turn, eagerly donated lavishly to his agenda. Multibillionaire George Soros nearly wrecked the criminal justice system by pouring millions of dollars into big-city radical district attorney races to ensure the election of left-wing ideologues who would not arrest, indict, jail, convict or incarcerate thousands of dangerous violent felons—all in pursuit of bankrupt progressive ideas like “critical legal theory” and “critical race theory”.

    So happy was Biden with Soros’s nihilistic multimillion-dollar work and his lavish contributions to Biden’s two presidential runs that he awarded the Soros the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

    In 2020, Meta/Facebook CEO and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg did the bidding of the Biden campaign team by pouring $419 million into Biden-related PACs and voting groups to change voting laws and absorb the work of the registrars in key states. And on the eve of the last 2020 presidential debate, it was Facebook, under pressure from Biden lackeys, that began censoring accurate news stories about the incriminating Hunter Biden laptop, in hopes of arming Biden with a credible lie.

    Biden also mumbled about “censorship” and the loss of “fact-checkers.” But when the “oligarchs” who run Apple, Facebook, and Google decided to conspire to destroy upstart conservative social media platform Parler in 2021, Biden apparently thought it was wonderful. And, of course, he uttered not a peep of criticism of oligarchic-government strangulation of the market.

    So why is Biden so worried about oligarchy?

    The answer is as easy as it is insulting.

    “Oligarchs” like Elon Musk, David Sachs, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Andreesen all realized that Biden’s ruthless team was leveraging their liberalism to use these “oligarchs” as illiberal megaphones for his own power and reelection.

    When they understood that the new Democratic dream was to fuse their social media and high-tech companies with the government—but under the control of left-wing anticapitalism activists to help the obsequious and punish the free-thinking—they revolted.

    In other words, they realized that their freedom was endangered by the left and that the country under Biden was descending into cultural chaos.

    Third, quite unlike Biden, Trump is leveraging support from “billionaires,” many of whom have not donated to his campaign and were not previously his political supporters.

    His appeal to them is not, as alleged, to further the Trump one-term presidency in political terms.

    Rather, Trump, in his brief four years, has enlisted “billionaires” like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, David Sachs, and Mark Andresen in the way that Franklin Roosevelt, in 1941-1942, reached out to his other party’s millionaire captains of industry to fuel a Depression-era-recovering economy to produce the type and number of weapons to defeat Germany and Japan, who had a near decade head start. Roosevelt essentially gave these “oligarchs” and “multimillionaires” wide latitude to produce as much as they could to win the war.

    The result was that shipbuilder and aluminum magnate Henry Kaiser began mass-producing historic Liberty and Freedom cargo ships in astronomical numbers to supply our troops overseas. The neo-socialist FDR even reached out to arch-paleoconservative Henry Ford. By 1949 Ford was building one B-24 heavy bomber per hour at his innovative and gargantuan Willow Run plant.

    Roosevelt also created a “war production board,” staffed by the arch-conservative capitalists—and in Biden’s terms “oligarchs”—like Charles E. Wilson, the head of General Electric; William Murphy of Campbell Soup; Matthew Fox of Universal Pictures; and others, to create a national marriage of labor, capital, media, and advisors to radically reboot the nascent war effort.

    The result by 1945 was that a once stagnant and virtually unarmed nation that was surprised at Pearl Harbor, in a short four years, built a navy larger than all the ships of the major combatants combined. America’s capitalists eventually fueled a GDP larger than all our major allies and enemies together. By the end of the war, they were supplying much of the entire Allied effort with everything from aviation and trucks to fuel, radios, and rations.

    Trump knows that the current multitrillion-dollar annual deficits and $36 trillion debt are unsustainable—while high taxes, Draconian regulation, and profligate spending are strangulating the economy. And Trump further realizes that our dilemma is the work of both political parties in Congress and past Democrat and Republican administrations.

    Trump fears the rise of China that seeks to absorb Taiwan, coerce our friends in the Pacific like Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, and steal our technology.

    So, he further insists that in the future, the U.S. must master emerging technologies and services—such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, cyberwarfare, cryptocurrency, drones, emerging fuels like small nuclear plants, hydrogen, and mega-batteries, and deadly new weaponry from lasers to hypersonic missiles.

    In that regard, he knows that the talent that created and mastered these technologies and new services are not greedy billionaires and “oligarchs,” but, if enlisted in a common cause for their fellow citizens, could become the modern successors to Kaiser, Knudson, Ford, and Wilson.

    Biden’s hypocritical parting shot at “oligarchs” should be filed with his eleventh-hour crazy pardons, his final lies about pardoning his son, and the bizarre edict that unconstitutionally, as some dictator, he could pass a 28th Amendment by fiat: all the sad end of a sadder presidency.

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/20/2025 – 14:30

  • Mexico Is All Talk: They Have No Power To Stop Trump's Mass Deportation Plans
    Mexico Is All Talk: They Have No Power To Stop Trump’s Mass Deportation Plans

    In the weeks leading up to Donald Trump’s inauguration there has been an escalation in rhetoric from Mexico and the rest of Central America in regards to the plan for mass deportations of illegal immigrants.  The prevailing message from these neighbors to the south was, initially, that they will do anything they can to make the process difficult.  Trump, expecting this response, has used the threat of tariffs as leverage to gain cooperation.  And frankly, it’s working.

    Progressive Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has been full of bluster but she is slowly and surely falling in line.  Sheibaum has been publicly combative with Trump on the issue of deportations, denying Trump’s claim that Mexico was planning to secure their border and threatening economic retaliation should tariffs be used.  She recently stated that Mexico’s policy was:

    “…Not to close borders but to build bridges between governments and people”.

    Whatever that means.  Analysts dealing in US/Mexico relations claim Sheinbaum is on the right track to ensure a strong ongoing relationship with Trump.  “She’s sending this message that she is a strong political leader,” said Gema Kloppe-Santamaria, a global fellow of the Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute, pointing to recent polling that shows Sheinbaum has increased her popularity to a staggering 80% approval rating, opens new tab after her first 100 days in office.  “Trump without a doubt comes with a lot of power and legitimacy, but she does as well,” Kloppe-Santamaria added. 

    But does the Mexican president’s approval rating mean anything when it comes to deportation policy?  Not really.  After all, Mexico has been a parasitic element feeding on the US economy for quite some time; it’s not surprising that a large portion of the population wants the bloodletting to continue.

    For example, Mexico receives billions of dollars in foreign assistance from the US every year.  In 2023 alone, the country was given over $63 billion in payoffs, right out of the pockets of American taxpayers.  This money is given to Mexico with the stated intent of “reducing irregular migration, yet illegal border crossings only skyrocketed along with subsidies.

    Mexico is not alone.  Many Central and South American countries receive billions in foreign assistance from the US in the name of slowing immigration caravans.  In other words, these nations keep their borders open and allow millions of illegals to cross into the US, and then extort the US for cash to make the pain stop.  Then, when they get the money, they let even more illegals flood the border.  It’s an endless sham.

    Beyond the subsidies is the exploitation of the US border as a steam valve to get rid of undesirables.  Criminals, malcontents and the poverty stricken are encouraged to migrate to the US illegally so that Mexico and other countries can avoid civil disturbances.  These corrupt governments don’t want to fix their own problems, they outsource them to the US instead. 

    Border security is now a non-negotiable factor in America’s geopolitical agenda (as it should be) and the notion that the US is supposed to act as a sponge soaking up the refuse leaking out of the third world has lost all favor among native borne citizens (many legal migrants also oppose open borders).  With the majority of Americans in support the deportations are going to happen and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop them.

    Trump’s tariff strategy carries real weight, especially when it comes to Mexico.  More than 80% of Mexico’s exports go to the U.S., causing much of its economy to depend on American markets. The most prominent exports from Mexico to its northern neighbor are cars and car parts, while the U.S. purchases approximately 92% of Mexican agricultural exports.  Tariffs of 10% or more could wreck the Mexican economy within months.  They have no choice but to comply.

    Mexican leaders argue that tariffs will also hurt the US, claiming that this will trigger inflation.  Claudia Sheinbaum asserts that there will also be extensive job losses in the US due to tariffs and deportations.  It’s clear she doesn’t understand how these things work.

    Tariffs create job opportunities by encouraging companies to bring production back into the United States so they can avoid extra import costs.  Deportations, obviously, stop millions of illegal migrant workers from gaming the system by working under the table for much lower wages compared to American laborers.  The very presence of these people drives down the overall wage rate and makes it difficult for native born citizens to find jobs.

    In terms of inflation, tariffs can raise prices on foreign goods, but illegal immigrants raise prices more.  The ten million-plus illegals that have entered the US under the Biden Administration have helped to drive up housing prices exponentially.  Their demand for goods and services creates shortages in necessities and because they are often subsidized by tax dollars through welfare programs they drive up the national debt at the same time.      

    Mexico remains the leading country of origin for immigrants in the U.S., representing 23% of all migrants, according to the Pew Research Center.  Not only that, but the vast majority of migrants from other parts of the world use Mexico as an open highway to the southern border and the Mexican government does little to interfere. 

    This is about to change.  The Mexican president has been adjusting her tune in the past week, stating that Mexico will be preparing to accept deported migrants.  Not only migrants from Mexico, but also those not from outside Mexico (they created the crisis by not securing their own border, so now they get to clean up the mess).   

    Sheinbaum announced on Friday that her administration has outlined a contingency plan for Mexican nationals expected to be deported by the incoming United States President.   During her morning press conference, Sheinbaum announced jobs and social programs for ousted Mexicans if Trump decides to carry out his threats of mass deportations when he resumes power on January 20th.  

    “We have been preparing to receive Mexicans who have a space at the border and in other places so that they can have access to social programs, employment, and be able to move within our national territory to return to their places of origin…”

    It’s not that Mexico has become more reasonable in the past month; these kinds of mood changes require a sharp slap upside the skull.  It appears that Mexican and Central American authorities are finally being taken behind the woodshed after years of obstinate behavior. 

     

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/20/2025 – 14:05

  • TIME Magazine Describes Trump's Second Term As A "Disruption"
    TIME Magazine Describes Trump’s Second Term As A “Disruption”

    Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

    In a post unveiling a special Inauguration day cover depicting President Trump sweeping away everything on the Resolute Desk in the White House, TIME Magazine has captioned the image “Donald Trump’s disruption is back.”

    An animated online version of the cover, featuring sleepy Joe Biden’s trademark aviator sunglasses, was posted by the publication.

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    Respondents pointed out that while Trump’s second term might be a disruption to the agenda of the leftist media, it was the past four years that were really the disruption to the prosperity of the country.

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    Others pointed out that this is yet another example of TIME unintentionally making Trump look badass.

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    Meanwhile over at the White House today:

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    *  *  *

    Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/20/2025 – 13:40

Digest powered by RSS Digest

Jan 20

Today’s News 20th January 2025

  • Outgoing FBI Director Says China Is 'Defining Threat of Our Generation'
    Outgoing FBI Director Says China Is ‘Defining Threat of Our Generation’

    Authored by Tom Ozimek via The Epoch Times,

    FBI Director Christopher Wray, who is stepping down from his role at the helm of the agency, has penned a public farewell message in which he delivers a stark assessment of the dangers facing America, while identifying hostile actions by the Chinese regime as “the defining threat of our generation.”

    Reflecting on his more than seven years leading the FBI, he wrote in a Jan. 18 op-ed published by Fox News that the threats facing the country are more severe than at any time in his career—and warned they’re about to get worse.

    “From where I sit, these threats are more dangerous and complex than at any time I can recall since I began my career in law enforcement almost 30 years ago,” he wrote.

    “Looking ahead, the challenges to our security will grow even more daunting, and our margin for error will continue to shrink.”

    Adversaries—including cartels, gangs, hackers, hostile nations, and terrorists—are now more resourceful and technologically advanced than ever, Wray warned. Cyberattacks can disrupt critical infrastructure, encrypted apps enable secret terrorist plotting, and cartels exploit global supply chains to produce highly potent drugs that are trafficked across the border and threaten the lives of millions of Americans, he noted.

    Terrorism threats are escalating, with foreign and domestic actors inspired by events such as the Hamas terror attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2024, Wray said, adding bad actors are mobilizing quickly and making detection increasingly difficult.

    Foreign adversaries such as China, Russia, and Iran are targeting Americans by stealing personal data, conducting cyberattacks on key infrastructure, exploiting businesses, and even exporting repression to U.S. shores.

    “The Chinese government, in particular, has engineered an unprecedented effort to gut American innovation, steal our most precious personal data, and meddle in our free and open society. History will mark this as the defining threat of our generation,” Wray wrote.

    Wray urged the the United States to prioritize unity and vigilance, warning that the margin for error in combating these threats is shrinking rapidly.

    “From my seat, I see serious grown-up threats that demand serious grown-up attention,” he warned.

    The outgoing director also praised the actions the FBI has taken in recent years to make the country safer and more secure. He said the agency and its partners have made significant strides in recent years, arresting nearly 50 violent criminals daily, rescuing hundreds of children, and imprisoning numerous predators. They have dismantled gangs, seized enough fentanyl to kill tens of millions of Americans, and prevented cybercriminals from extorting nearly $800 million from potential victims, he said.

    The agency has also thwarted numerous terrorist attacks, including plots against places of worship, public events, and communities nationwide, Wray said. He expressed immense pride in the efforts and sacrifices of the FBI’s rank-and-file but warned them against being complacent or distracted by politics.

    “Our focus must be on the threats and our work, rather than on what divides us,” he wrote. “We must continue to tackle the dangers facing our country with objectivity, rigor, and professionalism. It’s what the American people expect and deserve.”

    Wray’s farewell op-ed was published just days before he steps down as FBI director. He announced his resignation in December.

    Wray explained recently that he resigned because President-elect Donald Trump wants a change of leadership at the FBI.

    “The president-elect had made clear that he intended to make a change and the law is that that is something he’s able to do for any reason or no reason at all,” Wray said in a CBS interview.

    Trump has nominated Kash Patel to head the agency. Calling him a “brilliant lawyer, investigator, and ‘America First’ fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending Justice, and protecting the American people,” Trump expressed confidence that the FBI under Patel’s leadership.

    Tyler Durden
    Sun, 01/19/2025 – 23:20

  • Supreme Court Will Consider If Maryland Parents Can Opt Children Out Of Pro-LGBT Storybooks
    Supreme Court Will Consider If Maryland Parents Can Opt Children Out Of Pro-LGBT Storybooks

    Authored by Matthew Vadum via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 17 agreed to hear a request from a group of Maryland parents to opt their young children out of having storybooks that promote LGBT lifestyles read to them.

    The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington on Jan. 15, 2025. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

    The court granted the petition in Mahmoud v. Taylor in an unsigned order. No justices dissented, and the court did not explain its decision.

    The petition was filed on Sept. 12, 2024, after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit turned away the parents’ request for an injunction to halt the Montgomery County Board of Education’s policy of promoting the books.

    The case goes back to November 2022, when the board mandated new “LGBTQ-inclusive” storybooks for elementary school students that promote gender transitions, Pride parades, and same-sex romance between young children.

    The board instructed employees responsible for selecting the books to use an “LGBTQ+ Lens” and to question whether “cisnormativity,” “stereotypes,” and “power hierarchies” are “reinforced or disrupted,” the petition said.

    Parents were initially told they could opt out on behalf of their children when the storybooks were read, according to the petition. The board changed its policy in March 2023. Beginning with the 2023–2024 academic year, the opt-out policy would no longer be in effect.

    “If parents did not like what was taught to their elementary school kids, their only choice was to send them to private school or to homeschool,” the petition said.

    Hundreds of parents, largely Eastern Orthodox Christians and Muslims, showed up at board meetings and testified that their respective religions required that young children not be exposed to instruction on gender and sexuality that was inconsistent with their religion.

    After “parents emphasized how impressionable young children are and how they lack independent judgment to process such complex and sensitive issues,” the board members accused parents of promoting “hate” and likened them to “white supremacists” and “xenophobes,” according to the petition.

    The parents sued after the board declined to accommodate them, arguing that they had a constitutional right to opt out of such instruction.

    On Aug. 24, 2023, U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman denied the parents’ application for an injunction to block the cancellation of the opt-out policy.

    A divided Fourth Circuit panel upheld the ruling on May 15, 2024, holding that the parents had failed to demonstrate that an injunction was justified. The panel added that it took no view as to whether the parents would be able to produce enough evidence later in the proceeding to succeed in their case.

    The panel also found that there was no evidence that the policy change burdened the parents’ right to free exercise of religion.

    Eric Baxter, vice president and senior counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which is representing the parents, welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to take the case.

    “Cramming down controversial gender ideology on 3-year-olds without their parents’ permission is an affront to our nation’s traditions, parental rights, and basic human decency.

    “The Court must make clear: parents, not the state, should be the ones deciding how and when to introduce their children to sensitive issues about gender and sexuality,” he said in a statement.

    It is unclear when the Supreme Court will hear the case.

    The Epoch Times reached out for comment to the attorney for the Montgomery County Board of Education, Alan Schoenfeld of Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale, and Dorr in New York City. No reply was received by publication time.

    Tyler Durden
    Sun, 01/19/2025 – 22:10

  • Trump To Suspend Security Clearances For CIA Contractors Who Colluded To Discredit Hunter Biden Laptop Story
    Trump To Suspend Security Clearances For CIA Contractors Who Colluded To Discredit Hunter Biden Laptop Story

    President-elect Donald Trump will suspend the security clearances of 51 former intelligence officials who were found to have coordinated with the 2020 Biden campaign to discredit credible and serious allegations contained on Hunter Biden’s laptop about his family’s influence peddling operation.

    According to the Fox News, citing a senior administration official, Trump will take action against the so-called “Spies Who Lie,” as one of at least 100 executive orders he’s expected to sign on his first day back in the Oval Office.

    Not only did federal investigators eventually confirm that Hunter’s laptop was authentic, a June 2024 report from the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of Federal Government and the Permanent Select Subcommittee on Intelligence found that “The 51 former intelligence officials’ Hunter Biden statement was a blatant political operation from the start. It originated with a call from top Biden campaign official—and now Secretary of State—Antony Blinken to former Deputy Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Michael Morell.

    “The Committees’ investigation revealed that without this outreach from Blinken, Morell would not have written the statement. Indeed, Morell told the Committees that the Blinken phone call “triggered” his intent to write the statement. The statement’s drafters were open about the goal of the project: “[W]e think Trump will attack Biden on the issue at this week’s debate”6 and “we want to give the [Vice President] a talking point to use in response.”

    The Committees also found that:

    • High ranking CIA officials, up to and including then-CIA Director Gina Haspel, were made aware of the Hunter Biden statement prior to its approval and publication.
    • Some of the statement’s signatories, including Michael Morell, were on active contract with the CIA at the time of the Hunter Biden statement’s publication.
    • After publication of the Hunter Biden statement, CIA employees internally expressed concern about the statement’s politicized content, acknowledging it was not “helpful to the Agency in the long run.”

    It’s going to be a fun week, eh?

    Tyler Durden
    Sun, 01/19/2025 – 21:35

  • North Carolina Voters Confirm Growing National Momentum For Term Limits
    North Carolina Voters Confirm Growing National Momentum For Term Limits

    Authored by John Tamny via RealClearPolicy,

    North Carolina’s legislature recently passed a Congressional Term Limits resolution in bipartisan fashion. The Tar Heel state is the third one in 2024 (joining Louisiana and Tennessee) to make the historic leap. 

    Voter momentum favors limiting the amount of time those elected to Congress can serve. Which is a crucial step toward better times ahead.

    To see why, simply stop and consider voter disdain for Congress. It’s well known. The latest polls from 2024 indicate that Congress’s approval rating languishes in the 19% range.

    Less well known is voter support for congressional term limits. A recent Pew poll revealed that 86% of Democrats and 90% of Republicans favor term limits for Congress. Voter displeasure with Congress and support for term limits are arguably related.

    To understand why, readers should never forget that being elected to Congress has little relation to success while in Congress. Those who seek election frequently promise “change” and all manner of plans meant to “throw the bums out” while disrupting “business as usual.” It doesn’t matter if the base of voters swings right or left, people want to be told that their vote will bring about change. Only for reality to mug the would-be change agents.  

    Upon being sworn in, the newly elected to Congress quickly realize that they will change little to nothing. And they won’t because power in Congress resides within the hands of the very few, and the very few attain that power through a demonstrated ability to work well with, and raise funds for those they promised to throw out in the first place. Only for a status quo that has authored the growth of more and more government to run roughshod over those promising the change.

    It’s been said that time in Congress changes the politician. The analysis is backwards. More realistically, politicians capable of being consistently re-elected change to reflect their evolution from a reformer who reforms nothing to a politician capable of getting things done based on a reasoned view that power rarely finds its way to those who vote no on everything, who want to change how things are done, or both. See former Congressman Ron Paul if you’re confused.

    Which explains why term limits are so necessary. What limits terms in Congress limits time in Congress, which means the greatest attribute of term limits is that they would alter the incentives driving the elected.

    Precisely because three terms is insufficient time for most any congressman to amass power, there will be reduced desire to acquire power to begin with. In other words, those who arrive in Washington with reform very much on their minds will have less time or reason to morph into the kind of politician that they arrived in Washington to neuter.

    Which is why it’s hoped that Louisiana, North Carolina and Tennessee are a signal of a trend. People who run for high office aren’t inherently bad people, but the desire to be consequential once in high office brings out the bad in them. See Congress’s approval rating yet again.

    The good news is that the solution to voter disdain for Congress and congressmen can be found in term limits. A lack of them presently warps the incentives of those who arrive in Washington with good intentions, but who quickly realize they must shed their idealistic ways if they want to live up to even a fraction of the idealism that first got them elected.    

    John Tamny is editor of RealClearMarkets, President of the Parkview Institute, a senior fellow at the Market Institute, and a senior economic adviser to Applied Finance Advisors (www.appliedfinance.com). His next book is The Deficit Delusion: Why Everything Left, Right and Supply Side Tell You About the National Debt Is Wrong. 

    Tyler Durden
    Sun, 01/19/2025 – 21:00

  • US Defense Contractor To Build 'Hyperscale' Weapons Manufacturing Facility In Ohio
    US Defense Contractor To Build ‘Hyperscale’ Weapons Manufacturing Facility In Ohio

    Authored by Katabella Roberts via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    U.S. defense contractor Anduril Industries unveiled plans on Jan. 16 to build an advanced “hyperscale” manufacturing facility in Columbus, Ohio, aimed at increasing the scale and speed at which autonomous systems and weapons can be produced for both the United States and its allies.

    This image provided by Anduril Industries shows a rendering of a manufacturing facility Anduril Industries is preparing to build in central Ohio state officials announced Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025.Anduril Industries via AP

    The Cosa Mesa, California-based defense technology company said in a statement that it plans to begin constructing the manufacturing facility, called “Arsenal-1,” once state and local approvals are secured, after which manufacturing will begin in July 2026.

    Anduril is investing nearly $1 billion into the development, which will span more than 5 million square feet (464,515 square meters) at full scale and will be located next to Rickenbacker Airport.

    The factory is expected to create more than 4,000 direct jobs in Ohio, making it the largest single job-creation project in the state’s history.

    Anduril said it chose to construct the facility in Ohio following an extensive, year-long search process that evaluated numerous locations across the country.

    The company praised Ohio as being the “ideal” location for the weapons-making factory, citing its robust infrastructure, highly skilled and diverse manufacturing workforce, and history of advanced aviation.

    It said the site’s development marks a “monumental and essential step” toward rebuilding America’s defense industrial base, bolstering warfighting capabilities, and enhancing deterrence amid rising global threats.

    “Arsenal-1 represents a step forward in how we manufacture the autonomous systems and weapons that our nation and our allies need to remain secure” said Anduril CEO Brian Schimpf.

    “By harnessing a world-class workforce and a scalable, software-driven approach to manufacturing, Arsenal-1 will set the standard for how we respond to the challenges of the future fight.”

    Underpinning the facility is Arsenal, which Anduril said is a software-defined manufacturing platform optimized to mass-produce autonomous systems and weapons. The platform will allow Arsenal-1 to produce tens of thousands of military systems annually, according to the company.

    Anduril noted that the decision to build the facility in Ohio is contingent upon state and local approvals of incentives, and other legal and regulatory matters.

    According to its official website, Anduril Industries was founded in 2017 and supports operations with the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Australian Defence Force, the UK Ministry of Defence, and others.

    The company mainly produces autonomous air and underwater systems, as well as rocket motors.

    Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine welcomed the development, while praising Ohio’s history of advancing aviation, aerospace, and national defense, which began with the Wright brothers.

    “At this critical moment in time, our country needs rapid technological innovation, which Anduril will deliver using Ohio’s skilled, hardworking labor force,” the governor said. “The future of American air power will be made in Ohio!”

    Ohio is also home to the headquarters of aircraft engine supplier GE Aerospace and a new Joby Aviation manufacturing facility near Dayton. Joby is currently preparing to manufacture electric taxi—known as vertical takeoff and landing, or eVTOL—aircraft at the factory beginning this year.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Tyler Durden
    Sun, 01/19/2025 – 20:25

  • Reverse Biden Administration's Illegal Student Loan Giveaway
    Reverse Biden Administration’s Illegal Student Loan Giveaway

    Authored by Abhishek Kambli & Erin Gaide via RealClearPolicy,

    Even in the waning days of the Biden administration, they are circumventing Congress and the rule of law to illegally forgive billions of dollars in student loan debt through the collusive class action settlement of Sweet v. Cardona. As one of his first acts on January 20, President-elect Trump should shut down this travesty.

    The controversy stems from a class action lawsuit against the federal Department of Education initiated by borrowers in 2019. The Trump administration negotiated a legal settlement, but it was rejected by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in 2020. Once the Biden administration took office, the parties negotiated a fresh settlement in what became Sweet v. Cardona. The 2022 settlement included something that had never been on the table: erasing $6 billion in student loan debt for roughly 200,000 borrowers.

    The settlement has no statutory or regulatory basis. In reaching the settlement, Biden’s Education Secretary, Miguel Cardona, disregarded his duty to faithfully follow his statutory and regulatory responsibilities and, in doing so, he infringed on Congress’ power of the purse. Furthermore, by approving a settlement that, by design, undermines the Constitution’s separation of powers protections, the district court also abused its discretion.

    Also troubling are the procedural defects. The revised settlement fails to meet basic class certification requirements, creating three subclasses with divergent claims and relief. One blatant example of the settlement’s procedural flaws is its violation of Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which requires a unified class. The district court should have rejected this settlement outright, but it did not. But by approving this collusive settlement, the court allowed the Biden administration’s unlawful actions to stand.

    And there were those who properly objected to the settlement as well. Four of the schools that were maligned in the case were initially allowed to intervene to object.  But though the district court found the schools had a legal interest in the case, it ignored their valid concerns and approved the settlement.

    The settlement was temporarily put on pause pending an appeal filed by the schools in 2023. Unfortunately, on November 5 of this year, the Ninth Circuit ruled 2-1 to uphold the Biden administration’s blatant abuse of executive power. The ruling thereby affirmed the district court’s approval of the underlying revised settlement that was struck between the Biden administration’s Department of Education and a plaintiff class of student borrowers seeking relief from federal student loan payments under the borrower-defense statute, 20 U.S.C. 1087e(h), and accompanying regulations.  It also disregarded the schools’ objection, creating a novel test to keep them out of the case and avoid reaching the tough questions as to the legality of the settlement.  

    Judge Daniel Collins recognized these issues in his dissenting opinion. Collins rightly noted the settlement’s lack of legal basis and failure to meet class certification standards. His dissent also provides a roadmap for further legal challenges.

    The settlement represents a dangerous erosion of the separation of powers. The Biden administration and Education Secretary Cardona have failed to faithfully execute the law, instead using clearly flawed settlements to achieve political aims. By disguising what amounts to legislation as a judicial settlement, the Biden administration’s class action settlement creates a backdoor for broader student debt relief, which has long been a major political goal of the Biden administration.  If allowed to stand, this precedent will open the door to further abuses.

    The incoming Trump administration must move swiftly to challenge and overturn this unconstitutional settlement. The Department of Education, under Trump’s watch, should admit error and work to correct this overreach. Congress should also investigate the Education Department’s misuse of settlement authority to circumvent the legislative process.

     Our system of government depends on each branch respecting constitutional limits. The Sweet v. Cardona settlement flagrantly violates those limits. It must not be allowed to stand. And it won’t, if the incoming Trump administration makes it a priority.

    Abhishek Kambli is a Deputy Attorney General at the Office of the Kansas Attorney General where he leads the Special Litigation Division. Erin Gaide is an Assistant Attorney General in the Special Litigation Division at the Office of the Kansas Attorney General.

    Tyler Durden
    Sun, 01/19/2025 – 19:50

  • Hedge Fund CIO: "This Is What A Credible Revolution Looks Like"
    Hedge Fund CIO: “This Is What A Credible Revolution Looks Like”

    By Eric Peters, CIO of One River Asset Management

    Each generation believes it can create a better world. Were it not so, we would still live in caves.

    Some generations thirst for change through revolution. That probably has to do with longer-term economic and political cycles. But for whatever reason, amongst these revolutionary generations, some are more determined, effective.

    The 1960s-70s youth seemed radical, but they were far from French revolutionaries. Their actions failed to spark an inferno. My wife Mara grew up in a hippy enclave during that period. Her town sought to opt out of the system by going backward, living off the land, returning to simpler times.

    But history rarely turns back the clock for long. That generation never had a credible plan to replace the system with something better. Nor did it have new technology to amplify force. The establishment knew this. The youth back then presented no real threat, just the appearance of instability. Daisies and LSD.

    But today’s youth have built the technologies to power revolution. Their protocols remain nascent, but if they’re allowed to flourish (or if they cannot be stopped), they will credibly replace incumbent industries that the masses have come to despise (retail banks, commercial banks, central banks, wall street, money transfer agents, credit card companies, social media companies, exchanges of every kind, censors, and the list has just started).

    Someday these technologies may threaten our notion of centralized government control. In the 1960s-70s, incumbents knew the revolutionaries had no credible plan.

    This time, revolutionary technologies are already being rolled out. They are more efficient, cheaper, faster. They cut out the middlemen. And empower the individual.

    Today’s incumbents are threatened with extinction. In fact, if today’s business leaders were 30yrs younger, most would be racing to build their companies/wealth in this new field of blockchain.

    This is what a credible revolution looks like, waged by brilliant youth, impassioned, with fantastic ideas, immense wealth, and humanity’s most powerful technologies, applied in ways that incumbents can barely understand.

    And it is too early to tell exactly where this new generation will lead us, only that it is to a profoundly different future.

    Tyler Durden
    Sun, 01/19/2025 – 19:15

  • Is China Ready For Trump 2.0?
    Is China Ready For Trump 2.0?

    Authored by Milton Azrati via The Epoch Times,

    A recent Wall Street Journal article describes China as ready to “come out swinging” in response to the looming trade war Trump has promised. However, a careful analysis of the facts on the ground suggests little in the way of such preparations.

    To continue with the boxing metaphor, China seems ready to jab at opportunities as they arise. Though perhaps Beijing, in the event, will muster more power punches, the implication is that China’s weak economy has made jabbing the most that Beijing can do.

    During the election campaign, Trump floated the idea of at least 10 percent tariffs on all of America’s trading partners and at least 60 percent tariffs on Chinese goods entering the United States. Of late, some ambiguity about these figures has emerged as Trump’s spokespeople have spoken of additional tariffs of 10 percent where China is concerned. This kind of uncertainty is pure Trumpian negotiating tactics. He throws up different figures at different times to unbalance his adversaries and gain concessions by leaving them unsure of what he is willing to do.

    If Chinese authorities don’t yet know what level Trump will set tariffs at, they know this for sure: The tariffs that Trump imposed on Chinese imports in 2018 and 2019 during his first term remain in force. Though President Joe Biden criticized these tariffs during the 2020 presidential election campaign, his trade representative, Katherine Tai, explained that he kept them in place to pressure Beijing to abandon the unfair trade practices that prompted the Trump tariffs in the first place.

    The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) also knows that the Biden White House, with bipartisan support from Congress, pursued the trade war with China at least as aggressively as Trump did, imposing 100 percent tariffs on electric vehicles and parts as well as batteries, offering subsidies for semiconductor manufacturers to place facilities in the United States, and blocking the sale of advanced semiconductors and advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China.

    The CCP also knows that Trump is hardly likely to rescind any of these Biden measures, except in the unlikely event that China makes concessions on the original disputed trade practices. Even if there is no doubt about how much higher Trump will build the tariff wall, Chinese officials know that he will add to its height. They can also surmise that wherever Trump initially sets the new tariffs, he will raise them if the negotiations with Beijing do not go well, which is in Washington’s favor.

    China’s countermeasures to date are hardly likely to intimidate today’s Washington, and certainly not a Trump administration. Beijing has launched a regulatory probe into the U.S. firm Nvidia, a semiconductor manufacturer with leading artificial intelligence capabilities.

    The CCP has also threatened to blacklist the products of certain American apparel makers and slowed or blocked the export to the United States of drones and what Beijing describes as “critical materials,” which, if past behavior is any guide, means rare earth elements.

    No doubt such actions by the CCP will hurt the U.S. economy, at least at the margin, and prompt lobbying by the affected firms, but otherwise, moves like this on Beijing’s part play into Trump’s broader effort to add to domestic U.S. production capacities and otherwise limit China’s stature globally.

    One area where China could hurt the U.S. economy is in simpler computer chips, which are called “mature” or “legacy” chips. Though Biden’s restrictions have stymied China’s progress in producing advanced chips, the nation’s chipmakers—such as Semiconductor Manufacturing International (or SMIC) and Hua Hong Semiconductor—have gained global advantage in these simpler “legacy” semiconductors. They are essential in automobiles and household appliances.

    American dependence on imports became apparent in 2021 when shortages in just these areas impeded the U.S. economy’s ability to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. China cannot yet claim dominance, but it has increased its stature in global supply chains from 14 percent in 2017 to 18 percent in 2023, the most recent period for which complete data are available.

    As much as this area might give Beijing leverage in negotiations with the Trump White House, Chinese officials are probably reluctant to play such a card. They know that China’s troubled economy relies heavily on exports of these products to the global market, notably the United States. Indeed, with the collapse of China’s property market leading to declines in construction activity, consumer spending, and private investment, China has become increasingly dependent on exports, particularly these “legacy” chips, including to the United States. This points to Beijing’s basic disadvantage: Although an interruption in U.S.–China trade would hurt both economies, China is more reliant on trade with the United States than vice versa.

    In light of Trump’s proposed tariffs, were Beijing to stimulate the domestic Chinese economy through building, consumer spending, and capital spending by private Chinese businesses, it could lower China’s reliance on exports and trade with the United States, and therefore be in a stronger negotiating position with Trump.

    But so far, Beijing hasn’t done this. And any prospect of bolder stimulative moves seems set to wait until the CCP’s rubber-stamp legislature meets in March. By then, Trump will have been in office for almost two months. Coming out “swinging,” indeed.

    *  *  *

    Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times or ZeroHedge.

    Tyler Durden
    Sun, 01/19/2025 – 18:40

  • Trump Inauguration Beats Funding Record As Donors Line Up
    Trump Inauguration Beats Funding Record As Donors Line Up

    Ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20, donors lined up to contribute to the president-elect’s swearing in ceremony and accompanying events.

    As Statista’s Felix Richter shows in the chart below, according to the New York Times, Trump’s inaugural committee has raised more than $170 million, easily beating the previous record set at Trump’s first inauguration eight years ago.

    Infographic: Trump Inauguration Beats Funding Record as Donors Line Up | Statista

    You will find more infographics at Statista

    In stark contrast to 2017, when Trump was met with skepticism, corporate America is playing nice with the president-elect ahead of his second term.

    Tech giants Amazon, Meta, Google and Microsoft as well numerous other companies and the CEOs of Apple and OpenAI have made large contribution to Trump’s inauguration fund in an attempt to curry favor or at least not get on the bad side of the man known for holding grudges and not shying away from favoritism.

    Tyler Durden
    Sun, 01/19/2025 – 18:05

  • Senate Democrats Help Republicans Pass Laken Riley Immigration Crackdown
    Senate Democrats Help Republicans Pass Laken Riley Immigration Crackdown

    Authored by Mike Shedlock via MishTalk.com,

    Democrats see the light. The Laken Riley deportation bill passed the Senate easily.

    Good News From Senate Democrats

    By a filibuster-proof margin, Senate Democrats Help Republicans Advance Immigration Crackdown.

    Ten Democrats sided with Republicans to advance the legislation, called the Laken Riley Act, a sign of the Democrats’ shifting stance on immigration. Polls showed voters consistently favored Republicans’ hard line on the border and immigration, following a surge of illegal crossings that has since subsided. A bipartisan bill backed by President Biden stalled last year.

    The chamber voted 61-35 to end debate on the bill, above the 60-vote threshold required for most legislation to advance. The vote puts the bill on track to clear the Senate next week on a simple majority, which would then send it back to the House to be approved and forwarded on to President-elect Donald Trump’s desk.

    “We have irresponsible, open-border, soft-on-crime policies, and that must end,” said Sen. Katie Britt (R., Ala.), who led the legislation that was joined by two Democratic co-sponsors, Ruben Gallego of Arizona and Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman. “This bill will prevent countless nightmares,” she said.

    Some Democrats attempted to force votes on amendments to exclude Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, recipients, as well as minors who arrived in the country illegally but aren’t DACA-eligible. But Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R., S.D.) declined to bring any to a vote.

    The Laken Riley bill would widen the group of people eligible for deportation by including nonconvicted individuals, raising due-process concerns and rapidly expanding the pool of individuals who would be eligible for deportation.

    A second provision of the bill would grant state attorneys general legal standing to sue federal immigration officials and to request intervention for individual cases. Some Democrats and legal experts said they expect the standing provision, a doctrine grounded in the Constitution, to be challenged as unconstitutional.

    The Laken Riley Act could cost billions and take years to fully implement. A memo from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement circulated among senators before Friday’s vote estimated the annual cost of encoding the bill to be nearly $27 billion—about a quarter of the Homeland Security Department’s budget for the 2025 fiscal year.

    The estimate accounts for the hiring of more than 10,000 enforcement officers, who conduct arrests and manage detention facilities, at a cost of $2.6 billion. The deportation push could also require the addition of multiple aircraft and ground transportation vehicles, along with more than 100,000 additional detention-facility beds.

    An amendment introduced by Sen. John Cornyn (R., Texas) and added to the bill broadens the list of offenses that would require detention, including any arrest for assault of a law enforcement officer.

    The legislation’s namesake, Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student in Athens, Ga., was murdered by a Venezuelan national living in the U.S. illegally. Jose Antonio Ibarra was found guilty of murder, kidnapping and other charges in the February 2024 killing. In November, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole and was set to serve additional shorter sentences consecutively.

    “A Blinding Flash of Common Sense”

    On January 11, I reported “A Blinding Flash of Common Sense” from Democrats on Illegal Immigration

    That’s six known with only one more [Democrat] needed to break any filibuster.

    And even if it stopped at 6, I doubt senators would put their career on the line with a filibuster of this bill against clear national sentiment.

    I expect another 6-12 Democrats will sign on, if not more.

    Four more signed on. It would have been more were it not for a provision that may be unconstitutional.

    Blinding Display of Expected Idiocy

    In a blinding display of expected idiocy, the extreme Left-wing lunatics at The Slate call the bill a Horrifying Trojan Horse.

    If the Slate is against something, I am highly likely for it, and vice versa.

    Heading Toward a Sensible Policy

    On December 24, I commented Trump Backs Down From Strong Sweeping Deportation Promise

    Both Trump and his border czar are sending strong messages that Trump’s deportation plan won’t live up to his campaign hype.

    Deal for Dreamers

    I suspect Trump privately got some heat from some governors who understand the economic insanity of “deport them all”.

    Regardless why, I get to say “I told you so” once again to those who cling to every word Trump says.

    To get a bill through congress for more border patrols, ICE agents, and to finish the wall, Trump is going to have to cut a deal.

    And that deal will be amnesty for dreamers.

    If you want to know what kind of dreamer deal to expect, please see my November 7, 2024 post The New Home for Hispanics is the Republican Party

    The great news today is there is a clear majority for sensible actions.

    Deport them all won’t happen, but deport the criminals and seal the border will. That’s what I wanted all along.

    We are rapidly heading in that direction due to “A Blinding Flash of Common Sense” in uncommon places.

    Trump may get to sign this act on day one!

    Tyler Durden
    Sun, 01/19/2025 – 16:55

  • Trump Faces Complex Foreign Policy Challenges Ahead Of Second Term
    Trump Faces Complex Foreign Policy Challenges Ahead Of Second Term

    Submitted by John Sitilides, Geopolitical Strategist at Trilogy Advisors and Senior Fellow for National Security at the Foreign Policy Research Institute,

    On Jan. 20, President-elect Donald Trump will inherit a kaleidoscopic portfolio of disordered foreign policy and national security effects that he and his team must address, redirect, and resolve to achieve an enhanced and revitalized American posture, abroad and at home.

    The foundations for the current geopolitical disorder – especially the hot wars in Europe and the Middle East and the cold peace with China – are many, rooted in foreign capitals, international markets, and domestic political choices. The second Trump administration is determined to right much of what it understands to be wrong with the Biden Administration’s policies and outcomes.

    Even as the 47th president bolsters his options, and those of our negotiating partners in allied and adversarial capitals, with incentives, he will find those options constrained by hard truths and tough choices.

    Serious global commercial, technological, and military competition with China tops the list. Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping has embarked on a “China Shock 2” worldwide export strategy to resolve excess industrial capacity, massively distorting trade balances and defying the World Trade Organization with near impunity as it has for more than two decades.

    The technology race to dominate the global economy of the 21st century is well-advanced, as President Biden has widened the original Trump sanctions regime, preventing China from directly procuring cutting-edge semiconductors needed to accelerate artificial intelligence, data centers, and quantum computing development. Beijing is responding through super-investments into domestic technology firms to outpace Western competitors. It is also escalating pressure on Taiwan, with unparalleled military exercises at sea and on land in seeming preparation for naval and air blockades and subsequent amphibious occupation of the island, with potential global economic damage estimated to cost $5 trillion, or 5% of global GDP.

    Russia’s second invasion of Ukraine is entering its fourth year, and human carnage accumulates as Vladimir Putin and Volodomyr Zelenskyy stand fast on their respective negotiation conditions.

    The U.S.-led sanctions on Russia have dented its economy. Still, Mr. Putin observed the experiences of North Korea, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela and other countries sanctioned by Washington and incorporated salvaging measures into the Russian economy, especially in redirecting trade towards China, India, and much of the global South hungry for valuable Russian natural resources, commodities, and military hardware.

    The details of Mr. Trump’s ceasefire efforts will lead to NATO pushback, especially from eastern and central European allies nearest to Ukraine and concerned about U.S. commitments to their defense. This could open a profound debate about whether Washington believed it would ever have to risk U.S. cities to defend European cities during the past three decades of NATO expansion.

    Israel has reordered the security architecture of the Middle East after devastating Hamas and Hezbollah, facilitating the ouster of the Syrian government and demonstrating its ability to strike at most of Iran’s surface assets.

    Mr. Trump may face a decision regarding Tehran’s accelerating uranium enrichment if the Supreme Leader or an imminent successor opts to cross the nuclear weapons threshold. With Syria’s failed state coming under radical Islamist rule after Mr. Trump successfully achieved the defeat of Islamic State in 2018, the situation is further complicated by the inordinate influence in Damascus of NATO ally Turkey, now emboldened to attack U.S. allies in eastern Syria’s Kurdish region.

    The Iranian-sponsored Houthi militia controlling Yemen continues to disrupt global shipping through the Red Sea, a direct assault on the U.S.-led international trading system that will frustrate the Trump White House since the NATO economies that suffer the greatest impact have delivered the least muscular response.

    In this hemisphere, Mr. Trump is refocusing the national security establishment on securing the U.S. border, ending the free flow of illegal aliens into the country, and immediately deporting alien criminals and others most harmful to the American citizenry. He will revisit trade agreements with Canada and Mexico, the latter increasingly exploited by China to bypass U.S. tariffs. He seeks to protect existing shipping lanes in Panama and explore new shipping lanes and natural resources in Greenland, the geopolitical prize in an Arctic region increasingly engaged by Russia and China.

    Shock law enforcement policies in El Salvador transformed the small nation from the world’s murder capital to one of the safest anywhere, and shock economic policies in Argentina signal a potential return to fiscal and monetary normalcy – both potential examples for Trump domestic policies to address crime and runaway government spending. The administration will likely pursue the deeper isolation of Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, all three of which have welcomed Russia’s port visit and signed onto China’s “Belt Road” predatory infrastructure network.

    Mr. Trump is unwavering in his intention to incentivize robust U.S. oil and natural gas production to export worldwide and will seek to reverse the severe restrictions the Biden administration placed during this transition on new oil and gas production across 625 million acres of U.S. coastal and offshore waters.

    The need to provide far greater power levels to grow the domestic A.I., data centers, and other electricity-hungry industries is leading to a potential renaissance for nuclear energy, the most efficient energy form in both massive power density and limited physical footprint. The Trump strategy is straightforward: Vast oil, gas, and coal production to power the U.S. economy, maximize export revenues and reverse our allies’ deindustrialization woes with cheaper energy, coupled with clean and reliable nuclear energy that Meta, Oracle, Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and other U.S. companies require to lead the global technology economy.

    Mr. Trump will also confront serious headwinds in implementing his preferred policies.

    With federal debt service now set to exceed defense spending annually for the foreseeable future, joined to Mr. Trump’s campaign commitments to leave Social Security and Medicare unreformed, rebuilding America’s military and enhancing global deterrence will be far more challenging than in his first term.

    Thirty years of American uncontested military dominance is ending, as the Commission on National Defense Strategy concluded in July 2024 that “the threats the United States faces are the most serious and most challenging the nation has encountered since 1945 and include the potential for near-term major war.”

    The Commission concluded that China, in many sectors, such as shipbuilding and drone production, is already outpacing the U.S. in military production and has largely negated the U.S. military advantage in the Western Pacific after two decades of intense investment. Beijing is increasing its annual defense spending by an average of 7% annually, Moscow is spending 6% of GDP to reconstitute its national military forces, and both are actively enhancing their already considerable strategic, space, and cyber capabilities. If Trump is serious about NATO members spending 5% of GDP on defense, the U.S. annual military budget will need to increase from $841 billion in FY 2024 to about $1.2 trillion.

    Against these serious challenges, our nation’s economic, political, military, technological, societal and constitutional foundations remain the surest and strongest in the world. At the same time, the need for greater wisdom and a clear-eyed vision among all our nation’s political, business, and civic leaders, from President-elect Trump down to everyday citizens, is urgent. Such is the era of incentives, constraints, and tradeoffs, ideally to thwart national decline and achieve national revitalization across the international security landscape that greets the new president on Jan. 20.

    Tyler Durden
    Sun, 01/19/2025 – 16:20

  • The Next Phase Of Gold's Bull Market Has Just Begun
    The Next Phase Of Gold’s Bull Market Has Just Begun

    By Jesse Colombo, author of TheBubbleBubble

    Following more than two months of stagnation after the U.S. presidential election, gold is now breaking out decisively, signaling its readiness to resume its rally toward $3,000 and beyond. While this recent pause has tested the patience of many investors, I’ve consistently maintained that it was a healthy consolidation phase, paving the way for even greater gains. Now, as I’ll demonstrate with numerous charts, gold is breaking out of its post-election trading range across nearly every major currency, reaffirming its bullish momentum.

    In my view, the most important gold chart to monitor is the COMEX gold futures chart, priced in U.S. dollars. Over the past few months, a triangle pattern has taken shape—a formation that is typically a continuation pattern, suggesting the uptrend preceding it is likely to persist. Today, gold broke out of this triangle, an encouraging development. Notably, as I recently explained, a similar triangle formed in late 2007, and its breakout signaled substantial gains in the ensuing months.

    To fully confirm that today’s breakout is genuine, I’m looking for a decisive, high-volume close above the key $2,800 resistance level. Breakouts above horizontal resistance levels carry greater validity than those above diagonal ones, making this milestone particularly significant. The $2,800 resistance level holds particular significance as it marked gold’s peak in late October before the recent pullback. Additionally, it serves as a key psychological level, reinforcing its importance in the eyes of investors.

    The next critical chart to watch is gold priced in euros. This chart is particularly informative because it eliminates the influence of U.S. dollar fluctuations, providing a clearer view of gold’s intrinsic strength. Over the past two months, gold priced in euros has outperformed gold priced in U.S. dollars, largely due to the dollar’s strong rally, which has made gold seem weaker than it truly is. Just a few days ago, gold priced in euros closed above the key €2,600 resistance level—an all-time high—delivering a strong bullish signal.

    Similarly, gold priced in British pounds recently closed above the critical £2,150 resistance level, providing a strong bullish confirmation:

    Gold priced in Swiss francs recently closed above its 2,440 resistance level to hit an all-time high. This chart deserves close attention, as Switzerland plays a pivotal role in the global gold industry. With its renowned mints, world-class refiners, and a robust gold trading and banking sector, Switzerland remains an important hub for the international gold market, as I recently explained.

     

    The chart below shows gold priced in euros, British pounds, and Swiss francs. I find that this particular mix shows gold’s movements very clearly. Gold priced in this mix of currencies recently closed above the key 7,200 resistance level signaling that the yellow metal’s bull market is ready to continue once again.

    Gold priced in Canadian dollars recently broke out of a triangle pattern, signaling bullish momentum. For further confirmation, I’m looking for a decisive close above the horizontal 3,900 resistance level. This chart holds particular significance as Canada ranks among the world’s top gold producers, claiming the fourth spot globally with 200 metric tons of gold produced in 2023.

    Gold priced in Australian dollars close above the key 4,250 resistance level, signaling a highly bullish development. Australia is the world’s second largest gold producer with 310 metric tons of gold produced in 2023.

    China’s gold benchmark, the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) gold futures, closed above the critical 640 resistance level on Thursday. As the world’s largest producer of gold—producing 370 metric tons in 2023—and one of its largest consumers, China plays a pivotal role in the global gold market. For months, I’ve theorized that a resurgence of Chinese gold futures traders—who were instrumental in driving gold’s surge in March and April—could be the catalyst to propel prices toward $3,000 and beyond. I believe that today’s bullish breakout will turn that forecast into reality.

    Gold priced in Singapore dollars recently broke out of a triangle pattern, signaling bullish momentum. For further confirmation, I’m looking for a decisive close above the horizontal 3,700 resistance level. This chart is particularly noteworthy, as Singapore is a key regional gold trading hub with growing influence in the global gold market. Its strategic position and expanding role in the gold industry make gold priced in Singapore dollars an important indicator to watch.

    Gold priced in Hong Kong dollars also broke out of a triangle pattern, issuing a bullish signal. For further confirmation, I’m looking for a convincing close above the horizontal 21,600 resistance level. Like Singapore, Hong Kong serves as a major global banking and gold trading hub, making this chart worth monitoring.

    Gold priced in Indian rupees is another important chart to monitor, as India, like China, is one of the world’s largest gold consumers. Gold priced in Indian rupees recently broke out of a triangle pattern and is now in the process of breaking above the 234,000 resistance level.

    Gold priced in Japanese yen is still trading in a range between 390,000 and 428,000, but is likely to soon experience a breakout of its own as gold’s bull market heats up once again.

    One key reason gold’s bull market is gaining momentum again is the increasing risk of a U.S. recession. Recessions are typically bullish for gold, as they lead to interest rate cuts and quantitative easing (QE)—essentially digital money printing. To explore the growing risk of a U.S. recession and its expected bullish impact on gold, be sure to read my related report.

    There are other reasons to believe that gold’s bull market is still quite young. For example, there is a strong tendency for gold to continue to rise strongly after the first fed funds rate cut in a rate-cutting cycle. As the In Gold We Trust report aptly stated, “rate cuts are like rocket fuel for gold.” The report showed that over the past three rate-cutting cycles, gold has risen an average of 32% within two years of the initial rate cut. If gold follows a similar trajectory this time—following the Fed’s rate cut on September 18—it could rise to $3,380, representing a 25% increase from its current level of $2,714.

    Another key reason gold’s bull market is still in its infancy is the massive bubble in the U.S. stock market, which will end in a significant bear market. This downturn will lead to a substantial transfer of capital from stocks into gold, as I explained recently. Notably, the Dow-to-gold ratio broke below its uptrend line in the spring of 2024, signaling that the rotation of capital from stocks to gold has already begun. This shift will gain momentum as the stock market bubble inevitably bursts.

    In conclusion, gold is undergoing a significant breakout from its recent consolidation period, signaling the continuation of its bull market. This rally is poised to propel gold to $3,000 and much higher as the global paper money experiment inevitably unravels. Additionally, inflated asset prices, such as U.S. stocks, are destined to correct sharply, driving a massive shift of capital into safe havens like gold. While many investors remain bored or pessimistic about gold, now is the time for optimism. The outlook for gold is exceptionally bright, offering a promising opportunity for those paying attention.

    If you enjoyed this article, please visit Jesse’s Substack for more content like this.

    Tyler Durden
    Sun, 01/19/2025 – 15:45

  • TikTok Restores US Service, Credits Trump As Democrats Freak Out
    TikTok Restores US Service, Credits Trump As Democrats Freak Out

    Update (1518 ET):

    TikTok users were greeted with an unexpected message from the Chinese video-sharing app on Sunday afternoon, thanking President-elect Donald Trump for allowing the conditions to restore service in the US after it went dark for more than 12 hours. Trump announced earlier that he would extend the divest-or-ban deadline through an executive order on Monday. This action—painting Trump as a savior could potentially trigger a significant surge in his popularity, as more than 170 million Americans use the controversial Chinese app.

    TikTokers were greeted on their smartphones with a message that praised “Trump’s efforts” that led to the app being restored. This should be seen as a solid olive branch by Beijing extended to the incoming Trump administration. 

    Welcome back! Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the US! You can continue to create, share and discover all the things you love on TikTok.

    Separately, TikTok released this statement: 

    In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive.

    It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Mounting fears about national security concerns surrounding the Chinese-owned video-sharing app have exploded in recent years, as China hawks say the app is designed to maximize addiction. However, implementing a ban would set the Western world—particularly the US—on a potentially dangerous path toward increased censorship.

    Earlier, Mike Nellis, a Democratic strategist involved with “White Dudes for Harris,” freaked out on X about Trump becoming a possible savior to tens of millions of TikTokers. 

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Many X users said Trump’s ‘Art of the Deal’ efforts in restoring TikTok will likely lead to a massive surge in popularity…

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    *   *   * 

    Update (1035ET):

    President-elect Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the divest-or-ban deadline and allow enough time for a deal in which the US will have 50% ownership via a joint venture with TikTok’s Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance. 

    Trump’s statement was posted on Truth Social on Sunday morning:

    I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark! I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security. The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.

    Americans deserve to see our exciting Inauguration on Monday, as well as other events and conversations.

    I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture. By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to say up. Without US approval, there is no Tik Tok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars – maybe trillions.

    Therefore, my initial thought is a joint venture between the current owners and/or new owners whereby the US gets a 50% ownership in a joint venture set up between the US and whichever purchase we so choose.

    Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale made a great point on X: 

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    Meanwhile, Mike Nellis, a Democratic strategist involved with “White Dudes for Harris,” freaked out on X as Trump could save TikTok: “And Trump is going to position himself as the savior. JFC.”

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    *   *   * 

    Chinese video-sharing platform TikTok suspended all US services early Sunday morning, while Apple and Google removed the app from their app stores to avoid hefty penalties under a new law. This follows the expiration of the divest-or-ban deadline for TikTok at midnight, just one day after the Supreme Court upheld the mandate.

    “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!” TikTok’s US website landing page reads. 

    On Saturday, President-elect Donald Trump said he would give TikTok’s owner, Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance, a three-month reprieve from the ban to find a buyer.

    “The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate,” Trump told NBC News in an exclusive interview, adding, “If I decide to do that, I’ll probably announce it on Monday.”

    Bloomberg noted, “It was TikTok’s choice to suspend availability late Saturday” or “face enormous penalties.” 

    The unprecedented shutdown of TikTok will mobilize its massive base of 170 million monthly US users and demand action against political leaders who have been trying to nuke the Chinese video-sharing app, as well as, call on Trump to reverse the ban.

    The Biden-Harris administration has made it very clear to the incoming administration to take action against TikTok over national security concerns. 

    Early Sunday, Elon Musk confirmed that X is exploring the very real possibility of bringing back the short-form video app Vine in some capacity to his social media platform, which has become a central hub for Americans to access news.

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    TikTokers are freaking out about the ban…

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    Goldman told clients on Thursday that “Tiktok refugees” were finding alternative video-sharing platforms worldwide, such as downloading the Chinese app RedNote… 

    TikTok influencer Tiffany Cianci told Bloomberg she hopes that Trump can deliver to reverse the ban: “This is a promise Trump made and it is a promise he used to get a large number of young people to vote for him,” adding, “We are calling on him to deliver immediately.”

    Tyler Durden
    Sun, 01/19/2025 – 15:18

  • $Trump, TikTok, And Trea$urie$
    $Trump, TikTok, And Trea$urie$

    By Peter Tchir of Academy Securities

    $Trump, TikTok, and Trea$urie$

    It isn’t often that I wake up and a T-Report has written itself, but this was one of those days. Since the main theme of this weekend’s report was going to be “we will learn a lot early this week,” it saved me from writing a dull report. We will have more updates to our views this week as we expect the headlines to come in fast and furious, but let’s just check out three things that occurred after the market closed on Friday.

    Before anything else, here is the replay to Academy’s 2025 Geopolitical Outlook webinar.

    $Trump

    Apparently, and I can hardly believe that I’m writing this, there is an “official” Trump Meme Coin. The President-elect’s Twitter account tweeted out in support of the coin. The running “joke” on social media is that the coin is up more in 24 hours than the S&P 500 is since 1980! (current price) This site has the market cap at “only” $5 billion, but I think that is “only” based on circulating supply, not total potential supply (if that matters to anyone).

    On Kalshi, the betting market has around a 70% chance that the U.S. creates a National Bitcoin Reserve this year. This is up from 40% just a week or so ago.

    The only thing I know for certain is:

    • I’m a bit nervous about providing these links, but they all seem legit.
    • It is highly likely that the President-elect and some of his crypto folks are sitting on huge potential gains after this launch.

    Things that we can now speculate about:

    • Does this make support for a Bitcoin Reserve more likely? I think so. It seems like this group donated a lot and backed the right candidate(s) this time around and are being rewarded for it.
    • Does this new meme coin have the potential for a “rug pull” like we’ve seen happen to some others? Would that tarnish those involved? Would it diminish interest from other politicians to support any crypto bills? Or will jealousy that they don’t have their own multibillion-dollar meme coin cause them to be unsupportive?
    • Kalshi, as far as I can tell, didn’t even have bets on whether President-elect Trump would create his own meme coin, and they have bets (it seems) on just about everything else, so that tells us something. Kalshi and crypto insiders didn’t see this coming.

    I’m honestly still trying to digest what I think about this, which is probably my way of saying this seems weird at best, but I am forcing myself to try to see the good in it.

    What it does tell us is that “outside the box” might not do justice to just how far outside the box some potential policies might be.

    TikTok

    The Supreme Court upheld the bipartisan law requiring TikTok to sell its U.S. business to American buyers.

    Rather than enforcing the rule and banning TikTok this Sunday, President Biden seems to be “deferring” (I think that’s the right word) this to the Trump administration. In many ways, that makes sense, since it would be awkward to ban it for a day, only for the new administration to unban it.

    But, as you noticed, I highlighted Supreme Court and bipartisan in the first sentence. I’m not sure how much in D.C. has been truly bipartisan of late (I don’t think very much), but this was. The Supreme Court acted very quickly in support, which also seemed a bit out of character.

    This is all happening as President-elect Trump has expressed some sort of interest in keeping TikTok going (both presidential candidates used the platform during their campaigns).

    In the past weeks, we’ve been discussing TikTok as a “tell” for how tough, or not tough, Trump will be with China once he takes office. It came up during our Bloomberg TV interview (the 1:45 mark).

    We’ve been wondering if once he takes over, and spends time with his National Security team, whether his view will change. Again, something triggered D.C. to set up this bipartisan law in the first place, which makes us wonder how easy or wise it is not to force the issue.

    Is this a gift for the new president from the old president? Or is this leaving something that D.C. doesn’t like, but the nation seems to love, in the new president’s hands, which might prove troublesome?

    Certainly, it will be interesting to see how this plays out, especially as there have been stories about Musk being the potential acquirer.

    Trea$urie$

    Apparently the Treasury Department will need to use “extraordinary measures” on January 21st to avoid hitting the debt ceiling.
    That seems like big news, and anything but a gift to the new administration. I don’t remember hearing that we were that close (the day after President-elect Trump is sworn in) and it was certainly not mentioned during Yellen’s presentation in NYC on Wednesday that I had the pleasure of attending (with a front row seat). I wouldn’t play poker with her after that though. Lots of talk about how they did everything right, and basically the deficit is where it needed to be, but has to be fixed going forward. However, no mention of the imminent need to take “extraordinary measures.”

    I listened to a lot of Scott Bessent’s hearings (I was driving on my way to the homeland, which as of now, is not yet the 51st state), and didn’t hear anything about how he would need to use extraordinary measures once he takes office. I honestly don’t know when he gets confirmed, but that was also because I didn’t think day one of the administration would coincide with the start of a dumpster fire.

    One of my favorite “measures” is that the Treasury has the ability to give certain funds (the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund, for example) IOUs for Treasuries rather than Treasuries. Since a Treasury bond is already to some extent an IOU, it seems both circular and bizarre, but it is part of the law of the land.

    With this ability to issue “IOUs for Treasuries” rather than Treasuries, I presume there are many more loopholes that wouldn’t make sense to any market participant, but made sense to the lawmakers, so I’m not worried about the potential for a breach.
    Having said that, some within the new administration might see breaching the ceiling and being forced to stop a variety of payments and activities as a step towards cutting the deficit. Seems like a crazy idea and would be well “outside the box,” but since we now have what is effectively a presidential meme coin, I’d be hesitant to say that anything is too far-fetched!

    Clinging to Me$$y

    We started the year by saying that things would be messy, not chaotic. I’m going to stick to that view for now (but the three things above seem at least a little messy, and the combination does start feeling a bit chaotic).

    We will do our best to update our views as the new administration starts laying out policy and approving executive orders. For now, we still think that 10s push towards 5% (more convinced of that than ever after the barrage of headlines), and that you need to be small and nimble on risk (nibbling on down days, selling on strength).

    In any case, Monday might be one of the most interesting days we’ve had (with markets closed) in quite some time. Good luck and here’s to hoping messy holds on, as chaos is not good at all!

    Tyler Durden
    Sun, 01/19/2025 – 15:10

  • Epstein's Cellmate Claims Feds Offered Plea Deal In Exchange For Framing Trump
    Epstein’s Cellmate Claims Feds Offered Plea Deal In Exchange For Framing Trump

    Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

    Sex trafficker pedophile to the elite Jeffrey Epstein was offered a sweetheart plea deal in exchange for providing incriminating information against then President Trump, according to a man who shared a cell with Epstein.

    The New York Post reports that Epstein’s bunkmate, former cop turned convicted killer Nicholas Tartaglione, claims the billionaire told him he met with federal authorities and that they were looking for cooperation to take down Trump.

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    Tartaglione allegedly told an independent journalist in California that Epstein asked him “‘When you were a cop, what do you know about proffers and cooperating?’ I said, ‘Jeff, it’s pretty simple, the prosecutors, you know, they caught a fish — you. They’re not gonna let that fish off the hook unless you give them a bigger fish.”

    The inmate, who is now serving four consecutive life sentences, then recalled that Epstein told him that ‘big fish’ the Feds wanted was Trump.

    “He said, ‘Yeah, well, that’s what they said… They told me they’d let me plead out something small, and I’ll do just a couple of years in a camp, if I can give them something on Trump to get him impeached,’” Tartaglione is reported to have commented.

    “He says, but the government told me I don’t have to prove what I say about Trump, as long as Trump’s people can’t disprove it,” Tartaglione allegedly further claimed, adding that Epstein even considered “making stuff up” to save himself.

    The inmate also remarked that Epstein told him he didn’t really know Trump, that he had nothing on him, and there was bad blood because he’d been thrown out of a party at Mar-a-Lago by Trump after being too forward with young women.

    Tartaglione was Epstein’s cellmate up until the pedophile was moved to suicide watch, three weeks before he was found dead in 2019.

    Epstein had told his lawyers that Tartaglione had “roughed him up,” which the killer later denied.

    People on X have some thoughts…

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    Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.

    Tyler Durden
    Sun, 01/19/2025 – 14:35

  • Biden Leaves Office With Mixed Reactions To His Legacy
    Biden Leaves Office With Mixed Reactions To His Legacy

    President Joe Biden took office amid one of the most sweeping public health crises in the nation’s history, promising to “restore the soul” of the country and bring unity. As his term comes to an end, his presidency has been met with a mix of praise and criticism, leaving behind a divided legacy.

    In his inaugural address in 2021, Biden described the moment as a “winter of peril and possibility.” Four years later, in his farewell speech to the nation on Jan. 15, he expressed pride in his administration’s achievements.

    “I’ve kept my commitment to be president for all Americans through one of the toughest periods in our nation’s history,” Biden said, reflecting on the successes and challenges of his tenure.

    Some regarded the president a hero, arriving just in time to navigate the country through the COVID-19 pandemic, mandate vaccines, fix supply chains, spur economic growth, and defend democracy.

    Yet, as Emel Akan writes for The Epoch Times, for others, his presidency became a source of frustration due to concerns about government overspending, soaring inflation, escalating wars, and a deepening border crisis.

    One of the defining issues of Biden’s presidency was inflation, which hit a 40-year high during his term. Rising grocery and energy costs strained the daily lives of many Americans, especially those in the lower and middle classes, whom Biden had pledged to support.

    Though Biden and his administration argued that inflation was a global phenomenon caused by the pandemic and Russia’s war in Ukraine, rising costs played a significant role in fueling negative perceptions of his economic agenda, known as “Bidenomics.”

    A grocery store in Columbia, Md., on Oct. 24, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

    The 82-year-old president leaves office believing he has achieved significant wins for the country. But his approval ratings remained persistently low throughout much of his term.

    According to a recent CNN poll, 36 percent of U.S. adults at the end of his presidency approve of how Biden managed the country. It was also the lowest rating of his term.

    He received especially low approval ratings on his handling of immigration, foreign affairs, and the economy. However, his approval was relatively higher in other areas, such as protecting democracy, and handling environmental and health care policies.

    A recent Gallup survey also found that 54 percent of U.S. adults believe Biden will be remembered as a “poor” or “below average” president.

    Some Democrats, however, say Biden was not fully appreciated during his time in office, arguing that history will eventually give him more credit than the current polls suggest.

    According to Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), it’s important to remember the context in which Biden took office.

    “If you look back to four years ago, we faced mass unemployment, and in January 2021, we were right in the middle of the worst and deadliest month of the COVID pandemic. The economy was on its knees,” Boyle told The Epoch Times.

    “He leaves office four years later with the strongest economy in the world,” he said. “On foreign affairs, he rebuilt our NATO alliance. We were able to stand up to Russian aggression in Ukraine. So overall, while there are still things that we need to improve, America is much stronger and economically more prosperous today than when he entered office four years ago.”

    Many will view Biden’s presidency as a period of significant legislative achievements, particularly in areas such as infrastructure and manufacturing. As part of his “Investing in America” agenda, the president directed nearly $221 billion in federal funds during his term—through loans, grants, tax credits, and other incentives—into boosting domestic manufacturing. According to the White House, these incentives unlocked more than $1 trillion in private-sector investment across industries such as semiconductors, solar energy, batteries, critical minerals, and nuclear energy.

    Workers install solar panels on a rooftop at the Port of Los Angeles, in Los Angeles on April 21, 2023. Mario Tama/Getty Images

    Biden said he created jobs every single month during his presidency, claiming to have achieved the lowest average unemployment rate of any administration in the last 50 years.

    “We changed the basic formula of how to make an economy work,” Biden said in his final sit-down interview with MSNBC on Jan. 17, highlighting how his administration had empowered labor unions.

    “He’s been a good president. He’s delivered on a lot,” Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) told The Epoch Times.

    The outgoing president repeatedly said many of his legislative achievements are focused on the long term, arguing that their positive effects will become more evident over time.

    In a recent interview with USA Today, Biden also expressed regret for not taking enough credit for these accomplishments, admitting that he could have done more to communicate what he had delivered for the American people.

    Biden was reluctant to engage with the media during his time in office. A July study found that he held fewer press conferences and gave fewer media interviews than any president since Ronald Reagan.

    The Age Factor

    As the oldest president in U.S. history, Biden faced frequent questions about his age and mental fitness. Many believed he was not fit to run for a second term. After a poor debate performance in June, he faced mounting pressure and eventually announced that he was stepping aside as the party’s presidential nominee, and passed the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris.

    Biden recently said he believed he could have won the 2024 presidential election if he had stayed in the race. However, he told USA Today that he wasn’t sure he had the energy to serve another four years in office.

    “Who knows what I’m going to be when I’m 86 years old?” he said.

    Democrat strategist Theryn Bond defines Biden’s time in office in two words—”consequential and controversial.”

    “There were a number of things over the course of his entire political career that many may have viewed as problematic, while others may have viewed as wildly successful,” she told The Epoch Times.

    Bond believes that Biden came to office like a “superhero” because people were unhappy with President Donald Trump’s COVID-19 response and other policy decisions four years ago and assumed Biden would “save the day.”

    Bond also pointed out that he will be judged not just for his presidency but for the actions he’s taken throughout his entire political career.

    Some will praise him for the programs and initiatives he introduced that benefited them directly, she said, such as student loan forgiveness.

    “People also know him as ‘Crime Bill Joe,’ a legacy that left a sour taste in many folks’ mouths for decades,” she added, referring to the 1994 Crime Bill and its controversial impact, particularly on communities of color.

    In the final weeks of his presidency, Biden faced backlash for pardoning his son, Hunter, who was facing sentencing in two criminal cases, despite previously ruling out such action. His decision drew sharp criticism, even from within his party, with many accusing him of setting an unusual precedent for future presidents.

    Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, and Beau Jr., in Nantucket, Mass., on Nov. 29, 2024. Craig Hudson/Reuters

    Foreign Policy Legacy

    Throughout his presidency, Biden said he worked to strengthen alliances and partnerships, particularly to counter Russia and China. He took pride in bolstering NATO by welcoming new members, Sweden and Finland, into the alliance.

    The outgoing commander-in-chief emphasized that, despite challenges, he kept America out of war.

    However, his foreign policy faced significant scrutiny, especially because of the chaotic withdrawal of the U.S. military from Afghanistan in 2021. The fall of Kabul to the Taliban after the U.S. pullout, along with the tragic killing of 13 U.S. troops in a suicide bombing at the Kabul airport, led to widespread criticism of the administration’s handling of the crisis. The images of desperate Afghans clinging to planes to escape the country shocked the world, and many U.S. allies questioned America’s leadership on the world stage.

    During his foreign policy speech at the State Department on Jan. 13, Biden took credit for the Afghanistan withdrawal, stating that he ended the nation’s longest war after 20 years of fighting.

    However, the incident marked a turning point in his presidency, leading to the first significant decline in his approval ratings.

    Passengers board a U.S. Air Force C-17 at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 24, 2021. Master Sgt. Donald R. Allen/U.S. Air Forces Europe-Africa via Getty Images

    Biden largely continued the trade war with communist China initiated by Trump during his first term. However, Biden’s approach furthered efforts focused on strengthening alliances in the Indo-Pacific region to address climate change and technology, while also working to limit China’s access to critical American technologies.

    Biden also called Chinese communist party leader Xi Jinping a dictator and declared that the United States would not hesitate to use military force if China attempted to invade Taiwan.

    ‘Tech-Industrial Complex’

    During his farewell address from the Oval Office on Jan. 15, Biden said “an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power, and influence.”

    He also echoed President Dwight Eisenhower’s famous 1961 farewell address that warned of the dangers of the “military-industrial complex.”

    “Six decades later, I’m equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech-industrial complex that could pose real dangers for our country,” Biden said.

    Many believed that Biden’s comments were aimed at billionaire Elon Musk, owner of social media platform X, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the latter of whom recently reformed Meta’s fact-checking program to be more like the X-style community notes, calling third-party fact checkers “too politically biased.”

    In a recent interview with Joe Rogan, Zuckerberg said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, officials in the Biden administration pushed to censor vaccine-related content.

    “We did generally defer to the government on some of these policies that in retrospect I probably wouldn’t, knowing what I know now,” Zuckerberg said.

    Christopher Hale, a political commentator and former Obama White House and campaign alum, said Biden’s farewell address wasn’t crafted to win the immediate moment.

    “It was designed to shape the broader, enduring argument,” Hale told The Epoch Times.

    “If his diagnosis of a tech-industrial oligarchy as the defining threat of our era proves correct, this could become the pivotal moment of his presidency. However, it will take a generation to fully judge its significance.”

    Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington on Jan. 31, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

    What Is Next?

    Biden is visiting Charleston, South Carolina, on Sunday, just one day before leaving office—a state where his journey to the White House began more than four years ago. South Carolina holds particular significance for Biden, as he won the state’s primary in 2020 thanks to strong support from its black voters. This victory was a pivotal moment that helped his campaign regain momentum and eventually secure the party’s presidential nomination after struggling in earlier primaries.

    The end of Biden’s presidency also marks the conclusion of his political career, which has spanned five decades and included roles as a senator from Delaware and as vice president under President Barack Obama.

    On Jan. 20, Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will attend Trump’s inauguration. Following the swearing-in ceremony, the Bidens will reportedly travel to central California for some personal time.

    The outgoing president indicated on Jan. 10 that he will continue to work on domestic policy matters after leaving office.

    When asked about his plans, Biden told reporters jokingly, “I’m not going to be out of sight or out of mind.”

    Tyler Durden
    Sun, 01/19/2025 – 14:00

  • Polar Vortex, Back-To-Back-To-Back Winter Storms Target Eastern Half Of US
    Polar Vortex, Back-To-Back-To-Back Winter Storms Target Eastern Half Of US

    Authored by meteorologist Ben Noll,

    Snow, sub-zero temperatures, and frigid wind chills.

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    The week ahead will have all of that. Spring is just… two months away.

    It could easily turn out to be the coldest week of the year in the Hudson Valley as a lobe of the polar vortex, which typically sits near Greenland, swirls across the country. Watch:

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    A winter storm warning is in effect starting Sunday afternoon. It’ll turn out to be a good, old-fashioned snowstorm for the area.

    Here’s what you need to know

    • What? Snow, moderate to heavy at times.

    • When? Starting between 1 and 4 p.m. Sunday from southwest to northeast. Ending by 4 a.m. Monday.

    • How much? 4 to 8 inches of powdery snow.

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    Impact? Roads and sidewalks will become snow-covered on Sunday afternoon. The heaviest snow will fall during the evening, when snow rates could reach an inch per hour and travel will be most treacherous. Temperatures will drop into the single digits early Monday as the storm departs. The powdery nature of the snow will make it easier to clear.

    The week ahead

    The rest of the week looks very cold but probably dry in the Hudson Valley. Wintry weather is expected from Texas to the Carolinas on Tuesday and Wednesday, with travel grinding to a halt as a major storm brings snow to places that don’t have plows! Houston, New Orleans, Tallahassee, Charleston, and Myrtle Beach are among the places where significant snow may fall.

    It could be the biggest snow storm on record in parts of the Deep South, where snowfall could eclipse half a foot in some places. The deepest snow depths across that part of the country generally happened decades ago, so the event will be unusual and rare.

    *   *   * 

    Here’s our latest reporting on the polar vortex and energy markets:

    Brrr! 

    Tyler Durden
    Sun, 01/19/2025 – 13:25

  • Federal Reserve Withdraws From Global Climate Group As Trump Set To Assume Power
    Federal Reserve Withdraws From Global Climate Group As Trump Set To Assume Power

    Authored by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times,

    The U.S. Federal Reserve is exiting a global climate change coalition days before the new Trump administration is set to take power on Jan. 20.

    The Federal Reserve had joined the Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) in December 2020. NGFS, composed of global central banks and supervisors, aims to integrate climate and environmental risk management into the financial sector and mobilize “finance to support the transition toward a sustainable economy,” according to the group’s website. On Friday, the Federal Reserve announced its withdrawal from the 143-member coalition.

    “The work of the NGFS has increasingly broadened in scope, covering a wider range of issues that are outside of the Board’s statutory mandate,” the agency said. Five Federal Reserve officials, including chair Jerome Powell, voted for the withdrawal, while two officials did not vote.

    Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) welcomed the Federal Reserve decision, calling it a “step in the right direction,” according to a Jan. 18 post on social media platform X.

    “By pulling out from the NGFS, the Fed sets itself up to reprioritize the needs of American citizens and the U.S. financial system “instead of the wants of unelected, foreign bureaucrats,” he said.

    Ben Cushing, campaign director for the Sierra Club’s Fossil-Free Finance campaign, blamed the upcoming Trump administration for the Fed’s recent decision to exit NGFS, according to a Jan. 17 statement.

    “The incoming administration’s efforts to deny and exacerbate the climate crisis should be a reason for the Fed to assert its independence by addressing climate risks, but instead it’s doing the opposite,” Cushing said.

    “If the Fed continues to bow to political pressure and avoid acting on climate, it will further isolate the U.S. on the global stage and put the economy in greater jeopardy.”

    Relatedly, President-elect Donald Trump is expected to pull the United States from the Paris Climate Accords, which he also did in 2019.

    He has called the deal a “total disaster” for the American economy and too lenient towards the Chinese communist regime. After Biden assumed office in 2021, the United States rejoined the agreement.

    The Fed and the Climate

    Speaking to a House committee in 2023, Powell said that the central bank was not framing policies on climate matters.

    “We are not looking to move into an area where we’re actually becoming a climate policymaker,” he said.

    “Over time, that border needs to be very carefully guarded.”

    The same year, a group of Senate Republicans sent a letter to Powell, criticizing the incorporation of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) ideologies into banking risk analyses, referred to as a “climate stress test.”

    “This is policy masquerading as ‘risk analysis,’” the lawmakers said.

    “The Fed is actively signaling that bank activities that do not further the goals of net zero by 2050 are inherently risky and disfavored.

    “This drives capital away from traditional energy development at a critical time for our economic and national security, while empowering America’s adversaries. This climate stress test is the logical result of a persistent and growing track record of climate activism at the Fed,” the lawmakers wrote.

    The Fed’s focus on climate has come under criticism from Stephen Miran, who has been nominated to chair the Council of Economic Advisers in the Trump administration.

    In a paper co-authored last year, Miran said the Federal Reserve was pushing climate-related principles into the framework of bank regulations.

    “The Fed’s proposals would force the banking system to devote significant resources toward studying climate change and structuring the banking sector’s strategic planning, policies, and procedures around climate,” the paper said.

    “The Fed’s increasing attention to climate issues has accompanied worse performance on its traditional bank regulatory responsibilities.”

    The Fed’s Financial Stability Oversight Council called climate change a top priority prior to the failure of the Silicon Valley Bank in 2023, the authors wrote. This was the second biggest bank failure in American history at the time.

    “Had the Fed been paying attention to the banking system’s interest-rate risk instead of climate risk, the system might have been spared significant volatility,” the paper said.

    Tyler Durden
    Sun, 01/19/2025 – 12:50

  • As First 3 Israeli Hostages Freed, Biden Declares 'Today Guns In Gaza Silenced'
    As First 3 Israeli Hostages Freed, Biden Declares ‘Today Guns In Gaza Silenced’

    Hamas has released the first round of three Israeli hostages on Sunday morning, and officials on both sides are hailing the ceasefire deal as it appears to be sticking. For the first time in well over a year, war has been quieted throughout the Strip.

    Hostages Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher first reached an Israeli military facility near the border with the Gaza Strip and have been reunited with their families, the IDF has announced. Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari in a press briefing said that Romi, Emily, and Doron and are now in “safe hands”. He said, “They are now with us and on their way home.”

    Hostage freed, via Reuters

    President Biden in a speech marking the exchange of hostages, and on his last day as US president, declared “Today, the guns in Gaza have gone silent.”

    “This is one of the toughest negotiations I’ve been part of … but we’ve reached this point today because of the pressure by Israel on Hamas backed by the US,” he said.

    “Now the region has been fundamentally transformed,” he continued, given that both the Hezbollah ceasefire and now Gaza truce are holding. He noted that hundreds of humanitarian aid trucks are entering Gaza from Egypt to assist the desperate population.

    United Nations secretary-general also welcomed the huge development in a post on X stating:

    I welcome the start of the implementation of the ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza. We stand ready to support this implementation & scale up the delivery of sustained humanitarian relief to the countless Palestinians who continue to suffer.  

    It is imperative that this ceasefire removes the significant security & political obstacles to delivering aid.

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    By day’s end, the first 90 Palestinian prisoners are expected to be freed as part of the first hostage/prisoner swap. Over 1,000 total will be freed throughout the first 42-day phase of the deal, reports say.

    Meanwhile, huge crowds are in central Tel Aviv throughout the night celebrating the release of the hostages, and a deal which some are seeing as a defeat for Netanyahu’s stance of wanting to see the military operation through to the end (of Hamas’ eradication).

    But Hamas is clearly still intact, as now with the ceasefire in effect masked men with green headbands in scarfs have been seen openly on the streets of Gaza.

    Biden and the UN chief in their initial remarks called for the deal to be fully implemented across their multiple phases, which will last weeks.

    Large celebratory crowds in Tel Aviv watch hostages freed on big screens…

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    Hamas too said it plans to stick to its commitments inked in Doha, with spokesman Abu Ubaida saying in video address, “The agreement reached could have been made a year ago if it had aligned with [Prime Minister] Netanyahu’s ambitions.” He added: “We are committed to the ceasefire agreement, but this depends on the enemy’s adherence.”

    Tyler Durden
    Sun, 01/19/2025 – 12:15

Digest powered by RSS Digest

Jan 19

Today’s News 19th January 2025

  • These Are The 25 Most Affordable Cities In America
    These Are The 25 Most Affordable Cities In America

    Most Americans know living costs vary widely across the country, with the coasts being significantly more expensive than Middle America.

    From rent and groceries to gas, the Midwest often stands out for its affordability. But just how far does this pattern extend?

    To find out, Visual Capitalist’s Pallavi Rao ranked the 25 most affordable cities among America’s 50 largest, based on average monthly household spending on 10 common bills.

    Data is sourced from payment platform Doxo’s annual report tracking household expenditure.

    America’s Least Expensive City: Detroit

    Detroit, still home to America’s big three automakers, is the most affordable large American city.

    Households in Detroit spend about $1,600 a month, almost $100 less than second-ranked Cleveland, Ohio. This is also the largest gap between cities on this list.

    As previously suspected, America’s most affordable large cities are clustered in the Midwest (particularly around the Great Lakes) and the South.

    In fact, only five cities on the entire list are not in one of the two regions. Of them, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ($2,060/month) is the only one that can be considered on the seaboard.

    But of course, just dollars spent isn’t everything.

    By looking at the share of monthly income put towards these bills, new patterns emerge.

    For example, Detroit households spent nearly half of their monthly income on these bills, far more than 25th ranked Fort Worth households (37%).

    So which cities spend the most on bills? Check out: America’s Least Affordable Cities Going Into 2025 for a breakdown.

    Tyler Durden
    Sat, 01/18/2025 – 23:00

  • Trump Unveils "Official" MemeCoin Late Friday; 12 Hours Later It Is Up 16,000% To $30 Billion
    Trump Unveils “Official” MemeCoin Late Friday; 12 Hours Later It Is Up 16,000% To $30 Billion

    Just hours after Gary Gensler left the SEC headquarter for the last time in his life…

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    … Trump showed the world what an outsized role crypto, and certainly memecoins, will have in his administration.

    After nearly a year of frenzied speculation which of the dozens of Trump-linked memecoins the 47th president will pick as his own, just before 10pm ET on Friday night – and just two days before his inauguration as the 47th president of the United States – Trump stunned the world when he unveiled on his Truth Social and X accounts, his “official” meme coin, TRUMP…

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    … which in the 12 hours since its unveiling has surged to a $30 billion market capitalization, roughly three times bigger than Trump’s other momentum chasing venture, DJT (whose market cap is $8.7 billion and has roughly the same amount of revenue or cash flow as the meme coin) as part of an exponential move that has seen its market cap rise (and occasionally fall) by a billion dollars every few minutes.

    “My NEW Official Trump Meme is HERE! It’s time to celebrate everything we stand for: WINNING! Join my very special Trump Community. GET YOUR $TRUMP NOW,” Trump wrote on his social media platform.

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    The token started trading at an opening price of $0.1824, but within 12 hours had jumped over 15,000%, trading at roughly $30 as of 10:00am ET, 12 hours after its launch. Its market cap stood at ~$30 billion at the time.

    Initially, the crypto community initially voiced concerns about the token’s legitimacy, with some warning of a possible hack or social engineering scheme. According to blockchain engineer cygaar, the project’s official website mirrors those of Trump’s previous NFT collections and suggested that “either this is the greatest cyber heist of all time, or this is legitimate.” However, as Trump’s posts remained online, and with Polymarket data suggesting only a 10% chance of account compromise, skepticism began to subside, pushing the price of the token further up.

    The token’s explosive growth has also drawn concerns regarding its allocation.

    “80% of the token supply is locked in a multisignature wallet, amounting to $3 billion controlled by the creator, who also added $40 million in liquidity,” Conor Grogan, head of product business operations at Coinbase, said in a post on X, adding that the project was seeded with millions of dollars of funds from Binance and Gate, two exchanges that don’t serve US customers. Other analysts noted that 80% of the token’s circulating supply is allocated to Fight Fight Fight LLC and CIC Digital LLC, entities linked to the Trump Organization, with only 20% of the supply split equally between public investors and liquidity.

    While Trump controls the vast majority of the tokens, they remain locked which means the US president is unlikely to “rug” millions of his most ardent fans… at least for now.

    Meanwhile, amid the panicked buying frenzy, the market value of the token is now $30BN, meaning it has surpassed such veteran cryptocurrencies as TRON, Avalanche, Chainlink and Shiba Inu.

    Separately, while the Solana-linked memecoin has pushed the market cap of Solana – a cryptocurrency conceived with the purpose of create such shitcoin pump and dump schemes – to a record $118 billion, there has been an offsetting drain in the price of Ethereum, which has served as the primary source of liquidity, and whose market cap has dropped by 5% overnight, losing about $240BN in value.

    TRUMP’s launch comes as the president-elect continues to align himself with cryptocurrency initiatives. Once an outspoken crypto-skeptic, he made a U-turn during his election campaign and pledged to reshape the US cryptocurrency landscape to make the country the “crypto capital of the planet.” Paul Atkins, Trump’s pick to chair the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), is expected to spearhead these efforts. A known crypto advocate and former SEC commissioner, Atkins will replace Gary Gensler, who has been criticized for his crackdown on the industry.

    Finally, while many are delighted to jump on board of the biggest momentum trade in history which is eclipsing even such social media phenomena as Gamestop and AMC, some such as Bloomberg ETF guru are voicing skepticism that this particular foray by Trump “seems exploitative” and is an “unforced error in the making”.

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    Whether he is right or not will depend on how long before this particular bubble bursts.

    Tyler Durden
    Sat, 01/18/2025 – 22:30

  • Here's Why The Stage Has Been Set For War With Iran…
    Here’s Why The Stage Has Been Set For War With Iran…

    Authored by Chris Macintosh via InternationalMan.com,

    The stage is set for a major war with Iran. Let’s first go back to what’s happened and potential implications.

    Ten days after the attacks of 11 September 2001, former US Army General Wesley Clark revealed a controversial military strategy. In a conversation in the corridors of the Pentagon, Clark learned of a secret plan to “eliminate seven countries in five years.” This 2007 revelation raised many questions about the real motivations of the “War on Terror” and the garbage narrative fed to the world via mainstream media.

    Clark reported that the plan was to invade Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and, finally, Iran. The surprisingly extensive list raised questions about US intentions and global strategy after the 9/11 attacks.

    According to Clark, the decision to attack Iraq was made without clear justification, underlining officials’ inability to deal with the terrorist threat effectively. The conversation that took place between Clark and another senior Pentagon official revealed the uncertainty and confusion within the upper echelons of the military. “Are we going to war with Iraq? Why?,” asked Clark. The answer was puzzling: “I don’t know. I guess they don’t know what else to do.”

    This admission highlighted the lack of a coherent strategy and a willingness to use military power to topple governments rather than directly confront the terrorist threat. Clark’s statement emphasized how the “War on Terror” had been executed ineffectively and for political reasons rather than a real need for national security.

    The list of target countries seemed aimed at consolidating US political and military influence in strategically important regions rather than eliminating concrete threats. Twenty years after the 9/11 attacks, Clark’s words still resonate as a warning.

    Remembering these events is crucial to understanding today’s geopolitical dynamics and the consequences of the decisions made then. The war in Iraq, which began in 2003, was only the first step in a series of military interventions conducted at the behest of Israel, which have had significant repercussions throughout the Middle East and beyond.

    Remember General Wesley Clark?

    For a reminder, watch this.

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    In any event, the West is nearly wetting themselves with glee saying that Syria is now “free.” By free, of course, they have this guy.

    Jolani, we are told, is the face of freedom. Who is he? Al-Jolani who fought against the US in Iraq before joining Islamic State and Al-Qaeda and later founding the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda, earning a $10 million bounty on his head. As the head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), he oversaw a regime of what the UN classified as “war crimes” in Idlib province.

    But fortunately for Western media, they’re mostly talking to a bunch of ignorant peasants who won’t do even a cursory investigation into whether or not they’re being fed porkies or not, so here he is, a reformed, legitimate, moderate leader.

    Since the 7 countries in 5 years project is entirely an Israeli-led initiative, it is no surprise to see Israel stampeding into the country bombing the isht out of much of it. The operation to divide Syria up will now commence. My guess is Erdy struck a deal and will get a chunk of the north, and Israel will move forward with the greater Israel project.

    Just keep in mind that as we watch this taking place in front of our very eyes, any statements to the facts mentioned will be immediately met with the label of “anti semitism.”

    It is the same strategy that has been used to silence truth. The labels of “conspiracy theorist,” “anti vaxxer,” “climate denier,” etc. — all are specifically designed to shut down any debate on the topic at hand while ridiculing those pointing out the obvious. The “anti semitism” label is no different. Expect to see it wielded with greater tyranny over the coming years.

    The US and therefore NATO will be brought to the fore in order to fight these wars on behalf of Israel. You didn’t think that Jeffrey Epstein’s hard work for Mossad wouldn’t be put to work, did you?

    Which brings me to….

    Did Erdy Just Sign His Own Death Warrant?

    Erdy has been in power since March 2003. That’s a long time. He’s repeatedly made reference to his vision of restoring Turkey’s influence over former Ottoman territories. This has led to a rebellious (and often ambitious) foreign policy, however he is what I like to call politically promiscuous — he’ll screw anyone.

    Before we get into what’s just happened — namely Turkey providing military support for the Jihadists to overthrow Assad — let’s dial back the clock to 2016.

    In a CIA-led coup attempt, Erdy found himself in a pickle. He was trapped in his resort in Marmaris, pleading on FaceTime with the citizenry after narrowly escaping assisination. It was reportedly Russian intelligence that saved his skin, notifying him of the incoming threat. Since that event, Russian-Turkish relations have been a lot more positive.

    So a couple things happened there. Erdogan had become vehemently anti-Israel, and the coup was a strong message from the West that opposition to Israel would not be tolerated. Secondly, he now owed his life to the Russkies.

    The way he’s played it ever since has been with ever increasing trade between the Russians while spewing empty rhetoric about his resistance to Israel, but with no actions taken. For example, despite calling out the genocide in Gaza, he has continued the uninterrupted supply of oil to Israel. Furthermore, he’s continued to undermine the Assad government, which — aside from Iran — has been the most anti-Israel government in the region. This also goes against both Russian and Chinese interests, both of whom have been supporters of Assad. Like I said, politically promiscuous.

    So as you can see, it’s complicated. But here’s the thing. When you travel around Turkey, you see that all the major developments are financed by… wait for it, Chinese banks. And much of the infrastructure development is in partnership with or exclusively Russian. Mmmm, tricky!

    So why did Erdy collaborate with Israel to take out Assad now? I suspect he’ll walk away with a chunk of northern Syria in a deal already struck. I see Israel taking Western Syria and Turkey taking the Kurdish areas and what it can. Plus, the Americans saying, “Well, we’re here for all the oil, but we’ll give it to Israel.”

    The issue is Erdy now has decisively pissed off the Russians for sure as well as the Chinese. And you know what else?

    Well, the recent cosying up to Russia and China by the Saudis is likely getting a rethink.

    They’ll be correctly thinking, “Hmmm, they’re really trying to grab the whole Near East. Maybe we should be very careful about joining BRICS and threatening to move our assets out of the dollar because we could be next.”

    They’re familiar with what happened to the US puppet Saddam Hussein, who was originally installed by the CIA, only to then fall out of favour. They know what happened to him. He developed weapons of mass destruction so well concealed they’ve never to this day been found, and furthermore, 9/11… you know, Al Qaeda was linked to… oh, I dunno. He was a bad man, OK.

    The Saudis know that the stories told to the peasants in the West don’t even need to make sense and they will fall for it hook, line, and sinker.

    This brings up a point I want to make regarding BRICS. It will shortly dawn on the Chinese in particular and the rest of BRICS that formalising BRICS as an economic alliance will not be tolerated, and if they are to have a multi polar world, then they will be forced to form a military alliance, too. And that means WW3. And yes, I know we are already in it, but it will by necessity go overt.

    What else? As is always the case it is worth following the money. Here is the money…

    So what we’re likely now to see is the Qatar-Turkey pipeline being pushed. I don’t think it’ll happen for the simple reason that it looks more likely that Syria becomes the next Afghanistan. In other words, a fustercluck. Getting any infrastructure built with dozens of factions of warring tribes will prove costly and ultimately won’t happen — at least not within the next five years or so. This in turn is great news for another country, halfway across the world…

    *  *  *

    The Western system is undergoing substantial changes, and the signs of moral decay, corruption, and increasing debt are impossible to ignore. With the Great Reset in motion, the United Nations, World Economic Forum, IMF, WHO, World Bank, and Davos man are all promoting a unified agenda that will affect us all. To get ahead of the chaos, download our free PDF report “Clash of the Systems: Thoughts on Investing at a Unique Point in Time” by clicking here.

    Tyler Durden
    Sat, 01/18/2025 – 22:10

  • These Are What 'Experts' See As The Largest Risks Faced By The World
    These Are What ‘Experts’ See As The Largest Risks Faced By The World

    Over the next 10 years, climate change and its consequences will pose the greatest risk to the world. That’s according to more than 900 global experts from academia, business and politics, who were asked to evaluate 33 global risks over a two-year and a 10-year horizon for the World Economic Forum’s annual Global Risks Report.

    With inflation having eased in most parts of the world, the experts no longer consider the cost-of-living crisis one of the most pressing issue in the short-term.

    Instead, as Statista’s Felix Richter details below, for the second year in a row, misinformation and disinformation is considered the most severe risk over the next two years. Following the “super election year” 2024, misinformation is still considered a major risk, as AI tools have facilitated the creation of false information, be it in the form of text, image or even video. It has the potential to further sow division, resulting in even more polarized societies, which are prone to radicalization and political unrest.

    Looking at the 10-year horizon, misinformation is expected to remain a major threat, but the four most severe risks faced by the world are all predicted to be related to climate change over the coming decade.

    Climate change is no longer seen as a long-term problem only, however, as this year’s report reveals a growing sense of alarm in the short term as well. Extreme weather events are rated as the second most severe risk for the present and the near future, marking a notable shift from past editions of the report.

    The following chart nicely illustrates the difference between what experts consider short-term risks and which challenges will shape the world for years or even decades to come.

    Infographic: The Largest Risks Faced by the World | Statista

    You will find more infographics at Statista

    In conclusion, the 20th edition of the WEF’s Global Risks Report finds “an increasingly fractured global landscape, where escalating geopolitical, environmental, societal and technological challenges threaten stability and progress.”

    Tyler Durden
    Sat, 01/18/2025 – 21:35

  • Pro-Bitcoin Lawmakers Pack Congress But Partisan Gridlock Looms
    Pro-Bitcoin Lawmakers Pack Congress But Partisan Gridlock Looms

    Authored by Aaron Wood via CoinTelegraph.com,

    Ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, the Republican-majority US Congress has been busy appointing pro-crypto lawmakers to key positions in the legislature.

    The House of Representatives Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology and Artificial Intelligence — part of the Financial Services Committee — is now packed with pro-crypto legislators. 

    But in an era of hyper-partisanship in Washington, observers are skeptical whether common-sense legislation for cryptocurrencies can overcome partisan gridlock. 

    And while crypto lobbies and political action committees played a crucial role in funding a number of campaigns in 2024, there are other pressing matters facing lawmakers — like the rising cost of living and escalating conflicts in Europe and the Middle East.

    Crypto simply may not be at the top of the list of legislative priorities. 

    How crypto may get caught in partisan gridlock

    The majority of Congressional Republicans have already shown themselves as proponents of a pro-crypto, laissez-faire approach to regulation. The party has taken great pains to contrast itself with the more cautious Democrats, who prioritize investor protections and financial oversight.

    Indeed, the Grand Old Party’s official 2024 platform states:

    “Republicans will end Democrats’ unlawful and unAmerican Crypto crackdown and oppose the creation of a Central Bank Digital Currency. We will defend the right to mine Bitcoin, and ensure every American has the right to self-custody of their Digital Assets, and transact free from Government Surveillance and Control.”

    The site DoTheySupportIt (“it” being crypto) tracks various representatives’ stances on crypto. The methodology is rough, but it gives a snapshot of who supports crypto in Washington — and it’s almost all Republicans.

    Still, it isn’t as politicized as “wedge” issues like reproductive rights, gun ownership, or LGBTQ+ inclusivity and acceptance. At least not yet.

    One reason it isn’t so politicized is the complicated nature of crypto regulation. As noted by Dylan Desjardins, a research associate at George Washington University’s Regulatory Studies Center, “Grouping voter sentiments into neat categories is further complicated by the complexity of crypto-related issues generally.”

    “For example, government propagation of digital currency might be thought of as loosening crypto regulation, but cuts against conservative distrust of government.”

    Speaking to Cointelegraph, Representative Tom Emmer — who was recently appointed to the House Digital Assets Subcommittee — disputed the idea that crypto was a partisan issue, noting that a number of House Democrats supported digital-assets-related bill FIT21 last year:

    “This isn’t a Republican or Democrat issue. This is an American issue, and I am confident that we will continue to come together, in a nonpartisan way, to provide the necessary regulatory guardrails to give digital asset entrepreneurs the confidence to innovate and everyday Americans the confidence to engage with this technology.”

    Filecoin Foundation chair Marta Belcher would seem to agree, telling Cointelegraph, “Many policymakers on both sides of the aisle support crypto. I don’t think crypto is a partisan issue, just like ‘the internet’ isn’t a partisan issue. I don’t think, in 2025, either party can be ‘anti’ an entire technology if they’re thinking seriously about America’s future.”

    However, as Desjardins notes, recent experience shows that formerly uncommon issues like trans rights or “critical race theory” can balloon into major points of contention. Another market crash or FTX-like incident — wherein investors lose billions due to lack of oversight — could change public perceptions around crypto and how it should be regulated.

    Is crypto a priority?

    The crypto industry in the US collectively spent over $130 million soliciting promises and guarantees from lawmakers — but Washington’s K Street is full of moneyed interest groups, and crypto is still a relative newcomer to the political process.

    Speaking to CBS, House Speaker Mike Johnson said the Republican-led Congress’ priorities include tax breaks and to “get the economy humming again.”

    Americans for Prosperity, a powerful libertarian conservative think tank affiliated with the Koch brothers, noted legislative priorities like renewing the 2017 Trump-era tax cuts, deregulating restrictions on the energy industry, and ending what it perceives to be wasteful government spending.

    Emmer, who refers to Trump as the “first crypto president,” says crypto fits into Trump’s broader efforts to stimulate the economy. “We advocate for policies that empower everyday Americans to control their financial futures. By providing clear guidance for crypto businesses, we ensure everyone can confidently engage with this revolutionary technology.”

    According to Emmer, Congress’ first priorities vis-a-vis crypto are to “focus on passing comprehensive market structure and stablecoin legislation.”

    Indeed, stablecoins could be an easy win for representatives who took money from crypto lobbies. There is more bipartisan support for stablecoin legislation in Congress.

    In recent years, Representative Patrick McHenry introduced the Clarity for Payment Stablecoins Act of 2023, while Wyoming Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis and New York Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand submitted the Lummis-Gillibrand Payment Stablecoin Act. 

    Miller Whitehouse-Levine, CEO of decentralized finance research and advocacy group DeFi Education Fund, told Bloomberg there’s a “broad consensus” regarding stablecoin regulation.

    “The McHenry bill that was marked-up in mid-2023 has been well-socialized and was negotiated with [Democratic Representative Maxine] Waters. I think that anything that passes will look largely similar to that bill.”

    What can the crypto industry expect from Congress? 

    If Congress is known for anything, expediency is not it. Even if crypto is high on representatives’ docket, the wheels of legislation move slowly. Various rewritings and drafts must pass through committees before they can even reach a vote — let alone the president’s desk. 

    Major changes pushed by the crypto industry could still take a long time and may not look exactly as proponents expect.

    Belcher said that “crypto market structure legislation is likely to move relatively fast this year — or, fast for Congress.” 

    Crypto lobbyists’ more ambitious plans, like the Bitcoin reserve bill, may have less of a chance. Castle Island Ventures founding partner Nic Carter said in a recent interview with Bloomberg that he thought it was a long shot, as support in Congress for a Bitcoin reserve is tepid. 

    Dave Grimaldi, executive vice president of government relations at Blockchain Association, said that electoral calculus could affect how quickly crypto legislation moves forward. Firstly, he argued that pro-crypto Republicans will likely show some bipartisanship in passing new regulations before the mid-terms in 2026, when the majority could change.

    Secondly, he noted the influence of the crypto lobby and the crypto as a voter issue:

    “Members of Congress have seen that it is a good and fortuitous thing for them to be on the open-minded side of this industry rather than against it.”

    “There are […] pro-crypto candidates who won and were funded by our industry and had votes coming to them from crypto users in their district. […] And then there were also incumbent, sitting members of Congress who lost their seats because they were so negative for completely unnecessary and illogical reasons.”

    Crypto industry lobby Fairshake is already raising money for the mid-term elections in 2026, so anyone in a vulnerable district — i.e., anyone looking at a competitive race in 2026 — can’t afford to be seen as anti-crypto.

    For crypto, the dust of the crypto landscape in Washington hasn’t settled. Certain elements of the industry enjoy tentative bipartisan support, but there is still potential for crypto to turn into a political football. 

    Much will depend on whether the industry gets the guardrails it believes it deserves, which — if you’re counting on Congress — could take a very long time. 

    Tyler Durden
    Sat, 01/18/2025 – 21:00

  • US Suspends EcoHealth Alliance, Peter Daszak After COVID-19 Evidence Uncovered By House Committee
    US Suspends EcoHealth Alliance, Peter Daszak After COVID-19 Evidence Uncovered By House Committee

    EcoHealth Alliance, the nonprofit that Dr. Anthony Fauci used to offshore risky gain-of-function research 6 months before the Obama administration banned it, has finally been cut off by the US Government – along with its former president, Peter Daszak, for a period of five years following scrutiny over its work in Wuhan, China ahead of the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Peter Daszak toasts with Wuhan Institute of Virology ‘bat lady’ Shi Zhengli

    The decision by the Department of Health and Human Services was based on findings by the House Oversight Committee, which announced on Friday that EcoHealth and Daszak had been disbarred.

    “Justice for the American people was served today,” said Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) in a statement. “Bad actor EcoHealth Alliance and its corrupt former President, Dr. Peter Daszak, were formally debarred by HHS for using taxpayer funds to facilitate dangerous gain-of-function research in China. Today’s decision is not only a victory for the U.S. taxpayer, but also for American national security and the safety of citizens worldwide.”

    EcoHealth funding had been suspended in May by HHS, which recommended a permanent ban on funding the nonprofit.

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    “Given that a lab-related incident involving gain-of-function research is the most likely origin of COVID-19, EcoHealth and its former President should never again receive a single cent from the U.S. taxpayer,” Comer continued.

    As journalist Paul Thacker noted in June, the NIH lied about EcoHealth’s gain-of-function research, feeding lies to reporters, while lying to Congress. Meanwhile, former NIAID director Dr. Anthony Fauci ‘prompted’ the fabrication of a paper by a cadre of scientists aimed at disproving the Covid-19 lab-leak theory.

    According to US Right to Know, emails obtained in 2020 revealed that a statement in The Lancet authored by 27 prominent public health scientists condemning “conspiracy theories suggesting that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin” was organized by employees of EcoHealth Alliance, a non-profit group that has received millions of dollars of U.S. taxpayer funding to genetically manipulate coronaviruses with scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

    The emails obtained via public records requests show that EcoHealth Alliance President Peter Daszak drafted the Lancet statement, and that he intended it to “not be identifiable as coming from any one organization or person” but rather to be seen as “simply a letter from leading scientists”.

    To review;

    The US was doing risky gain-of-function research on US soil until 2014, when the Obama administration banned it. Four months before the ban, Dr. Fauci offshored it to Wuhan, China through New York nonprofit, EcoHealth Alliance.

    After Sars-CoV-2 broke out down the street from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, Fauci engaged in a massive campaign to deny the possibility of a lab-leak from the lab he funded, and instead pin the blame on a yet-to-be discovered zoonotic intermediary species.

    And if you’d like to dig even deeper, this is perhaps the best, most comprehensive summary of the “proximal origin” timeline.

    Further reading:

     

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    Tyler Durden
    Sat, 01/18/2025 – 20:25

  • Rental Price-Gouging & Scamming Fueling The Flames For California Wildfire Victims
    Rental Price-Gouging & Scamming Fueling The Flames For California Wildfire Victims

    Authored by Mary Prenon via The Epoch Times,

    Ever since the deadly California wildfires began, Lauren Ravitz has often been jolted out of bed at 6 a.m. by phone calls from homeless fire victims desperately seeking a place to live. A realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Global Network in Los Angeles, Ravitz, has also been receiving up to 100 emails or texts daily.

    “It’s a dire situation here, and it’s devastating for those who have lost everything—they’re all scrambling to find a place to rent,” Ravitz told The Epoch Times.

    “Many have temporarily moved into hotels, some are living in Airbnb’s, and others are sleeping on friend’s sofas.”

    To make matters even worse, some wildfire victims, according to Ravitz, have also experienced rental price gouging, despite California Penal Code section 396, which limits rent increases to 10 percent above pre-emergency levels during a state of emergency. That law applies to both existing rentals and new leases.

    “Some people were so desperate to find housing that they paid the inflated rates, but now others are starting to realize this and report it,” said Ravitz.

    The law states that violators can face up to $10,000 in fines and up to one year in jail. The City of Los Angeles has a separate penalty for landlords who price gauge, increasing fines to up to $30,000.

    In addition, scammers have started to pop up, offering bogus properties for rent and then asking potential renters to wire them a deposit in order to hold the rental.

    “People are so overwhelmed and in such a frenzy that they often send the money, only to discover that the properties don’t even exist,” Ravitz said.

    In the meantime, the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs is asking residents to report price gouging and other scams to their department.

    With the wildfires still uncontained, former homeowners whose properties have now been reduced to rubble are faced with the decision to either rebuild, sell the land and move to another area, or leave the state altogether.

    To date, several of Ravitz’s clients have already reached out to architects and builders in hopes of returning to newly constructed homes by next year. Others are moving to nearby Manhattan Beach, where local schools are readily accepting more student enrollments.

    “So many people are going through so much in addition to trying to cope with their financial losses,” she said.

    “I have one client who’s starting chemo and another dealing with Parkinson’s disease. I just want to cry every day.”

    Anne Russell, president of the Greater Los Angeles Association of Realtors (GLAR), has already experienced being evacuated from her home but was fortunate enough to be able to return the following day. Her office in Los Angeles is also safe for the time being.

    Russell told The Epoch Times that rent gouging is not uncommon, despite the law prohibiting it.

    “I’ve told all of our 13,500 realtor members to be aware of this and to share it with their clients,” she said.

    “Hundreds of people are now vying for rentals, and most in the area have been taken up. Many seem to be flocking to Santa Monica now, because local hotels can be very expensive.”

    GLAR’s website is also cautioning local residents about additional scams involving text messages that pretend to assist people but are in fact phishing scams trying to extract personal information or ask for payments for fake charities.

    “Please do not click on links from phone numbers you do not recognize,” the website warns.

    Russell considers herself fortunate to have been spared so far from the raging fires.

    “My previous office in Pacific Palisade is gone, and I have many friends there who have lost everything,” she said.

    While six regional fires have been contained, four continue to burn in the Los Angeles area, including Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, and Auto. The blazes have destroyed thousands of acres and claimed at least 27 lives.

    “We have wildfires here all the time, but it’s never happened that we have so many huge fires burning simultaneously,” Russell said.

    “Add to that our very little rainfall, the strong Santa Ana winds, and an empty Palisades reservoir due to repairs and you have a recipe for disaster.”

    GLAR meanwhile has been working with local agencies to provide gift cards for people to buy groceries, clothing, and other necessities. Both the California Association of Realtors Disaster Relief Fund and the National Association of Realtors’ Realtor Relief Fund are standing ready to assist with recovery efforts.

    As for the real estate market in the regions affected, Russell noted that those with insurance and financial stability will rebuild.

    “The most important thing is for them to choose architects and contractors who have had experience working with insurance claims,” she said.

    Prior to the wildfires, the regional inventory had started to climb slightly, but now with all of the losses, housing will again be scarce.

    “We believe it’s critical that homes are built again, but that they be built better with special fire retardant materials,” Russell said. “Still it’s going to be a real insurance battle for fire coverage.”

    Tyler Durden
    Sat, 01/18/2025 – 19:50

  • Large-Scale Deportations To Begin Tuesday With Chicago Raid
    Large-Scale Deportations To Begin Tuesday With Chicago Raid

    Just one day after President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated for the second time, the new administration will kick off large-scale deportations, starting with a massive raid in Chicago, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing four anonymous individuals ‘familiar with the planning.’

    The raid, expected to begin on Tuesday morning, will involve 100-200 officers from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (and is of course being reported in the WSJ so the migrants have ample warning to relocate).

    As the Journal notes further, the Trump administration will target illegal immigrants with criminal backgrounds first. Many of them had offenses ‘too minor’ for the Biden administration to pursue, however if any illegals are present during a raid or an arrest, regardless of criminal history, they will be taken and deported as well.

    The transition team had been contemplating cities to target in a day-one operation as a way of making an example of so-called sanctuary cities, which adopt policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities. They settled on Chicago both because of the large number of immigrants who could be possible targets and because of the Trump team’s high-profile feud with the city’s Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson.

    Though it isn’t clear how many people the operation will actually target, Trump’s team is planning to work with several right-leaning media outlets to amplify its efforts. -WSJ

    Incoming border czar Tom Homan teased the raid last month during a visit to Chicago.

    “We’re going to start right here in Chicago, Illinois,” he said at a holiday party on Chicago’ North Side. “And if the Chicago mayor doesn’t want to help, he can step aside. But if he impedes us, if he knowingly harbors or conceals an illegal alien, I will prosecute him.“

    Tom Homan

    In response, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) said “I’m going to make sure to follow the law. I’m concerned that the Trump administration and his lackeys aren’t going to follow the law.”

    ‘Sanctuary Cities’ In The Crosshairs

    In addition to Chicago, large immigrant centers such as New York, Los Angeles, Denver and Miami are looking at raids of their own. To carry out these actions, the Trump administration is weighing a broad mix of changes that would give sheriffs more power – and reward jurisdictions that cooperate, while financially punishing those which don’t. Homan has already threatened to throw the mayor of Denver in jail.

    Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has already said they wouldn’t help, saying in a statement that local officials banned cooperation with ICE in 2020, and that “We are here to protect the communities we serve, not to enforce immigration laws.”

    Which means they can say goodbye to potentially billions of dollars in federal grants.

    Migrant rights groups are freaking out, meanwhile.

    “If the intent is to instill a sense of terror and persecution, that’s what the Trump administration is doing very well,” said Jorge-Mario Cabrera, spokesman for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, which says it has conducted over 140 workshops since the election to teach illegals how to avoid, and resist, the incoming Trump administration.

    Under the Biden administration an official 10 million migrants have entered the US illegally – however unofficial figures peg the number north of 20 million.

    Tyler Durden
    Sat, 01/18/2025 – 19:15

  • 'I See Dead Amendments': President Biden Issues Otherworldly ERA Declaration
    ‘I See Dead Amendments’: President Biden Issues Otherworldly ERA Declaration

    Authored by Jonathan Turley,

    President Joe Biden wants people to know that he sees dead amendments. Just before leaving office, Biden declared that we have a 28th amendment despite dying in the ratification process years ago.

    Not since the movie Sixth Sense has there been a more creepy moment. To paraphrase Cole Sear in the film, Biden does not see them in constitutional coffins but “Walking around like regular [amendments]. They don’t know they’re dead.” Neither does Biden.

    Biden waited to shortly before leaving office to pander to the most delusional elements of the Democratic party in unilaterally announcing that the Equal Rights Amendment is now part of the Constitution. The farcical moment was then amplified by figures like Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D., N.Y.) rejoicing and falsely telling women that they can now go to court and enforce the amendment to restore such things as abortion rights.

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    This bizarre group fantasy was triggered by the following declaration:

    “In keeping with my oath and duty to Constitution and country, I affirm what I believe and what three-fourths of the states have ratified: the 28th Amendment is the law of the land, guaranteeing all Americans equal rights and protections under the law regardless of their sex.”

    Without naming them, Biden cites dozens of “constitutional experts” to support this absurd claim.

    Biden’s last-minute declaration is more creepy than the movie because it requires not just the departure from the constitutional process but reality. Despite running as the champion of democracy, Biden is simply brushing aside the fact that the ERA was not ratified, as made clear by the Justice Department, various judges, and his own archivist just weeks ago.

    Even the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg declared the amendment dead.

    Archivist, Colleen Shogan recently explained that neither her office nor the White House have the authority to publish the amendment unilaterally or waive the deadline for ratification:

    “In 2020 and again in 2022, the Office of Legal Counsel of the U.S. Department of Justice affirmed that the ratification deadline established by Congress for the ERA is valid and enforceable,” she wrote. “The OLC concluded that extending or removing the deadline requires new action by Congress or the courts.”

    “Therefore, the Archivist of the United States cannot legally publish the Equal Rights Amendment. As the leaders of the National Archives, we will abide by these legal precedents and support the constitutional framework in which we operate.”

    The reason is simple. The underlying argument is utterly ridiculous.

    As I have previously written, the ERA is a dead as Dillinger.

    The deadline for ratification of the ERA was set for March 22, 1979 — allowing seven years to secure the required approval by three-quarters of the states, or 38 states. It failed to do so. Even worse,  four states — Nebraska, Tennessee, Idaho, Kentucky — rescinded their prior ratifications and a fifth, South Dakota, set its ratification to expire if the ERA was not adopted by the 1979 deadline.

    Kentucky also had an additional problem because its Democratic lieutenant governor vetoed the resolution rescinding the ratification when the governor was out of town. However, Article V speaks of ratifications by state legislatures.

    Notably, during the extended period, not a single state was added. Even assuming that the five states could be counted despite the votes to rescind their ratifications, the ERA was still three states short when it missed the second deadline.

    Democrats then insisted that states could not rescind their votes, even before ratification was finalized.  So, Democrats and then-President Carter simply extended the deadline to June 30, 1982. However, in 1981, a federal district court ruled in Idaho v. Freeman that Congress could not extend the ERA’s ratification deadline. (The Supreme Court later stayed that order but then declared the matter moot.)

    In 2021 federal Judge Rudolph Contreras ruled that it would have been “absurd” for the Archivist to disregard the deadline and unilaterally add the unratified amendment to the Constitution. On appeal, a unanimous D.C. Circuit panel rejected the appeal of Illinois and Nevada that the Archivist should be ordered to publish the ERA, holding “The States’ argument that the proposing clause is akin to the inoperative prefatory clause in a bill is unpersuasive…because if that were the case, then the specification of the mode of ratification in every amendment in our nation’s history would also be inoperative.”

    None of this matters to the defenders of democracy who ignored the votes in these states and dismissed constitutional deadlines and procedures.  Harvard Law Professors Laurence Tribe and Kathleen Sullivan ran a column declaring “The ERA is Now Law!” as if amplification and exclamation points would somehow make it true.  (This is the same Laurence Tribe that declared that Trump to be charged with the attempted murder of former Vice President Mike Pence and that the law was clear “without any doubt, beyond a reasonable doubt, beyond any doubt”).

    Notably, Biden did not issue an executive order to the archivist as many activists wanted. The reason is simple: the White House knew that it could be challenged in court and would quickly collapse under judicial review. They would prefer Biden to declare Caesar-like that we have a new amendment and treat it as a fact.

    With the declaration, Biden gave “the last full measure of devotion” to the radical left of his party. It was a pandering and frankly pathetic moment for a president who is currently one of the least popular presidents in leaving office.

    His action on the ERA is precisely why he is viewed as a “failed” president. Biden has always sacrificed principle for the politics of the moment. This was a participation trophy given to activists that lacked any substance or basis. It is also why voters saw Biden as the greater threat to democracy than Trump.

    It is chilling to think that Biden actually believes this nonsense and sees dead amendments walking around the White House. After all, insides have described the White House in the final days as a virtual “morgue.” Yet, the truth may be even scarier: He simply does not care. He sees dead amendments in the hope of restoring life to his legacy. Both, however, now belong to the ranks of the corpus mortuus.

    *  *  *

    Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. He is the author of “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.”

    Tyler Durden
    Sat, 01/18/2025 – 18:40

  • 'Zynning': Zyn Nicotine Pouches Win Marketing Approval From FDA
    ‘Zynning’: Zyn Nicotine Pouches Win Marketing Approval From FDA

    Zyn nicotine pouches, popular with millennials and GenZers, will soon be featured in advertisements nationwide after the US Food and Drug Administration authorized marketing for twenty Zyn products.

    On Thursday, the FDA authorized the marketing of 20 Zyn products (manufactured by Philip Morris International), including cinnamon, citrus, coffee, and mint, claiming the nicotine pouches outweigh the risks to public health… 

    “To receive marketing authorizations, the FDA must have sufficient evidence that the new products offer greater benefits to population health than risks,” Matthew Farrelly, Ph.D., director of the Office of Science in the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, wrote in a statement. 

    Farrelly noted, “In this case, the data show that these nicotine pouch products meet that bar by benefiting adults who use cigarettes and/or smokeless tobacco products and completely switch to these products.”

    The announcement comes in the final days of the Biden-Harris administration. Earlier this week, the FDA proposed a rule to reduce nicotine levels in cigarettes to make combustible tobacco products less addictive.

    Kenneth Shea, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, described the FDA’s marketing approval as a significant competitive advantage for Philip Morris, which holds about 34.5% share of the $12 billion oral nicotine market, according to data from Circana-measured channels. 

    ‘Zynning’… 

    Tyler Durden
    Sat, 01/18/2025 – 18:05

  • The 'Monkey Wrench' Sabotage Of America Begs For An Authoritarian Response
    The ‘Monkey Wrench’ Sabotage Of America Begs For An Authoritarian Response

    Authored by Brandon Smith via Alt-Market.us,

    Accidents and crime happen, all the time in fact, and generally the American public barely takes notice of the number of such events that occur on a monthly basis. The reason for this is because the vast majority of incidents don’t lead to economic and infrastructure damage on a large scale.  A disaster has to be pretty extensive to get the attention of the public and usually that attention doesn’t last long because most people are still able to go on with their day without much inconvenience.

    But let’s say you are a villain; a terrorist or a social engineer (same thing).  Let’s say you are a person or group with malicious intent and you have deliberately set out to destroy a country, or a society or a civilization.  Do you try to do this with a single elaborately planned event?  Probably not.  Instead, you would coordinate and encourage thousands of smaller acts of sabotage that go largely unnoticed by the population until infrastructure breaks down and the country is in ruins.

    The concept is actually rather common – We see it in the covert instigation of civil unrest and color revolutions throughout history.  We have seen it in the US with groups like the leftist/communist “Weather Underground” in the 1970s.  Such plans were executed broadly by western governments in Europe under Operation Gladio, which was exposed in the 1990s.

    An interesting fictional example of this idea is the movie ‘Invasion USA’ starring Chuck Norris, about a communist network using America’s open borders to sneak thousands of foreign agents into the country.  They then coordinate a series of infrastructure and terror attacks nationwide in order to expedite a civil breakdown and economic crash.

    The point is, the public doesn’t know they are under attack because all the incidents seem to be far apart and unrelated.  I believe that such a strategy is well underway within the US and parts of Europe right now, but instead of covert agents or terrorists working at the behest of some foreign adversary I argue that our OWN GOVERNMENTS are engaged in this sabotage.

    I call this strategy “Monkey Wrenching”, based on the book ‘The Monkey Wrench Gang’ by Edward Abbey and published in 1975.  I touched on the concept in my article ‘Open Borders Have Created A Terror Attack Time Bomb In The US In 2025’ published last December, and then again in my article ‘Terror Attacks Kick Off In 2025 – It’s Only Going To Get Worse So Be Prepared’.

    I want to go a little more in-depth on the “monkey wrench” concept because, as I predicted last year, 2025 just started and already we’ve seen multiple terror attacks including the car attack in New Orleans and the car bombing in front of Donald Trump’s hotel in Las Vegas.

    These events follow some strange and disturbing incidents in 2024, including the armed invasion of Venezuelan cartels into multiple US neighborhoods and cities, two assassination attempts on Donald Trump by leftists as well as the assassination of an insurance CEO in New York by Luigi Mangione (identified as politically ambiguous by the media but widely applauded by leftists).

    Then there’s the natural disaster issue.  The government displayed what appears to be total incompetence during the horrific fires in Maui, the lack of adequate federal response after Hurricane Helene in states like North Carolina, and of course there’s the absolute neglect of practical fire precautions in LA leading to one of the worst disasters in US history (more and more evidence is being released showing that these fires were, at least in part, started by a flurry of arsonists).  But what if government apathy and inaction in the face of fires and floods are just another deliberate form of monkey wrenching?

    And let’s not forget about human-composed disasters like the mass illegal immigration created by the Biden Administration.  Dropping tens-of-millions of third-world aliens into the US economy in the span of a few years is a calamity bigger than anything Mother Nature could possibly produce.

    But how are any of these things connected?  Aren’t they just the natural random noise of civilization?  It couldn’t possibly be maliciously planned, right?  Well, it depends – Chaos is not always directly created, but it can be encouraged into being through policy.

    Is this conspiracy theory?  We’ve seen many conspiracy theories proven true over the past couple years, from the covid pandemic lockdowns, mandates and death numbers being exposed as a sham, Twitter and Facebook now outed for colluding with government officials to censor conservatives, the US government and Ukraine blowing up the Nordstream gas pipeline to Europe.  Conspiracy theorists are racking up an impressive list of wins lately.

    If it seems to you as it does to me that the frequency of destabilizing events is increasing, that’s probably because it is.  It’s not a symptom of internet “information overload” as the media claims; the internet has been around a long time now and we’re used to the ease of info access.  No, this is something new.

    The Monkey Wrench Gang

    Edward Abbey’s politically charged book titled ‘The Monkey Wrench Gang’ portrays a group of environmentalist extremists out to stop the “pollution” of the southwestern US using sabotage of machines and infrastructure as a means to grind development to a halt.

    The Monkey Wrench Gang has long been considered an inspirational work of fiction for the political left, but it is also treated as a sort of instruction manual for leftists and anarchists – A guide for bringing down the system. It depicts the destruction of minor targets like billboards and bulldozers, up to and including the destruction of bridges, the derailment of trains and the attempted bombing of a dam. It’s sort of like the leftist version of The Turner Diaries.

    The idea is that one small attack alone doesn’t do much, but thousands of attacks have an accumulative effect that can result in the downfall of a country or system.

    What the book does not address is the idea that a shadow government would HELP or fund these kinds of attacks.  With the government on their side as it remains passive, saboteurs can operate with impunity. They can then commit acts of sabotage in a way that avoids drawing too many questions – In other words, they would have the ability to make the events look like accidents, or commit crimes in a way that looks random.

    Leftist Reactions To Losing Political Power – The Rise Of Marxist Terror

    Leftists throughout modern history have a habit of engaging in destabilization efforts when they don’t get what they want.  They view their motivations as sacrosanct and beyond criticism, be it “saving democracy” or “saving the planet” or “taking down capitalists and colonists”. 

    In every case where the political left had influence over social conditions and then lost that power, they revert to directed exponential disruption and violence from riots to assassination.  They claim to care about the right of the majority to have their voices heard, but in reality they don’t care at all.  When the majority goes against the leftist narrative, leftists go rogue.

    If I could come up with one word to describe progressives and their behavior it’s this:  Petty.

    That might sound too reserved, but there’s nothing more dangerous than people who are petty; they’re capable of justifying anything.  We saw this on a large scale after Donald Trump’s first election win in 2016 and I guarantee we’re going to see a lot more as he enters office again in 2025.  Establishment gatekeepers in the media and among globalist institutions have conjured an atmosphere in which at least 30% of the country believes that “democracy” is facing an existential threat from Donald Trump and conservatives.

    They think they’re headed for concentration camps once Trump settles into the White House and that all their rights are about to be taken away.  Ironically, it’s their pettiness and propensity for sabotage that might actually end up creating the desire among conservatives for putting these people behind bars for a long time.

    Establishment elites have fostered an environment in which random attacks are more easily triggered, but they also participate in the direct funding and training of Marxist extremist groups.  For anyone who thinks this kind of thing never happens, I suggest you look into the true history behind the leftist terrorists of the Weather Underground and how many of those people (who were wanted by the FBI) ended working within the government and teaching at major universities.

    There WILL be a number of these groups active in the coming years.  These people will not accept failure and they will lash out any way they can.  Some of them will be given help from establishment elites with extensive resources.

    The Tempting Authoritarian Response To Monkey Wrenching

    The temptation in the face of mass induced sabotage of a nation is to respond with cold and calculated power.  Frankly, it’s hard to see another solution at times.  As most Libertarians will point out, government power is like the Ring of Sauron from Lord Of The Rings – You might think you can wield it for good, but ultimately it will corrupt you just as it corrupts everyone.  I tend to agree.

    In the decade after WWI Germany faced a series of Marxist provocations from economic sabotage to armed violence and assassinations.  The German government and traditionalist citizens eventually responded in kind, creating militias to quell leftists and imprisoning or killing some in their leadership.  Germans were well aware of what happened under Marxism in other nations and the havoc it inspired.  Those years of instability in the 1920s and the fear they induced led to the ultimate formation of the Nazi Party and the rise of National Socialism.

    Disturbingly, fascism was presented as the counter to Marxism, but even Adolph Hitler admitted on multiple occasions that fascism was inspired by Marxism. The German people, in a desperate effort to return to normalcy and prosperity, embraced a Marxist inspired political system in order to undo the chaos created by Marxist revolutionaries.

    We stand at a dangerous crossroads in 2025, but this does not mean we sit back and do nothing (which, unfortunately, seems to be a common Libertarian response).  Do we form citizen militias like the Germans did and take down leftist agitators?  Or, do we let the government under Trump flirt with unconstitutional measures?  Do we arrest Democrat city or state officials that refuse to fix infrastructure problems?  Do we remove them by force if they continue protecting illegals from deportation?

    Recent surveys show that nearly HALF of all federal employees plan to resist or obstruct the plans of the Trump Administration, which means they will be actively trying to sabotage the implementation of policies that most Americans voted for.  They’re telling you that the will of the voter doesn’t matter.  What should be done about these people?

    These are the kinds of questions that are going to come up frequently in the next four years and we need to consider them seriously.

    Some would argue that any violence of action whatsoever is authoritarian in nature, but I see little chance of reversing the damage done by globalists and leftists without some form of violence.  For example, mass deportations of millions of illegal immigrants will be presented by critics as authoritarian in nature.  Yet, this strategy is entirely necessary if our country is to be saved.

    Do the ends justify the means?  In this case, yes.  When your civilization is under attack it is morally acceptable to defend it.  The problems arise when the act of retaliation against an enemy results in the loss of the very freedom and prosperity your society hopes to protect.  This is the conundrum created by the monkey wrench:  It’s an internal war, with internal enemies, and to strike at internal enemies you sometimes take the risk of striking yourself.

    *  *  *

    If you would like to support the work that Alt-Market does while also receiving content on advanced tactics for defeating the globalist agenda, subscribe to our exclusive newsletter The Wild Bunch Dispatch.  Learn more about it HERE.

    Tyler Durden
    Sat, 01/18/2025 – 17:30

  • How Much Of The World's Plastic Waste Actually Gets Recycled?
    How Much Of The World’s Plastic Waste Actually Gets Recycled?

    The United States, the world’s largest plastic polluter, recycles a mere 5% of its household plastic waste.

    Around the world, the situation is slightly better, but a staggering 91% of plastic waste is still incinerated, landfilled, or mismanaged (e.g. dumped into the ocean).

    As Visual Capitalist’s Nick Routley details below, the graphic below, by Rosey Eason, using OECD data (via Our World in Data), paints a clear picture of the situation. Here’s a global overview of how plastic waste is disposed of:

    There is growing awareness of the world’s plastic waste challenges, so why isn’t that translating into higher rates of recycling?

    The Illusion of Recycling

    The recycling system itself is deeply flawed. Most plastics are incompatible, making sorting costly and inefficient. Only PET (#1) and HDPE (#2) are widely recycled. In short, once most plastic products are created and reach the end of their usefulness, they’re tough to repurpose.

    The economics of recycling are also stacked against success. Virgin plastic, often subsidized by fossil fuel subsidies, is cheaper than recycled plastic. This price disparity discourages the use of recycled materials.

    Furthermore, the rise of flexible packaging—those lightweight packets for snacks and food—exacerbates the problem. These multi-layered packets, while convenient, are incredibly difficult to recycle due to contamination and complex composition.

    What Can Be Done About Plastic Waste?

    Addressing the global plastic crisis requires systemic change. Here are some steps that could help stem the tide of plastic waste:

    • Bans on single-use and/or unrecyclable plastics

    • A global plastics treaty

    • Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies

    • Implementing and strengthening responsibility programs for plastic producers

    Our day-to-day experience of using cheap and convenient plastics often supersedes any negative externalities that happen further down the chain. Solving the problem will require a fundamental shift in our relationship with plastic, driven by policy and innovation.

    Tyler Durden
    Sat, 01/18/2025 – 16:55

  • It's Time To Retire 'Misinformation'
    It’s Time To Retire ‘Misinformation’

    Authored by Pierre Kory via The Brownstone Institute,

    In a seismic political shift, Republicans have laid claim to an issue that Democrats left in the gutter – the declining health of Americans. True, it took a Democrat with a famous name to ask why so many people are chronically ill, disabled, and dying younger than in 47 other countries. But the message resonated with the GOP.

    We have a proposal in this unfolding milieu. Let’s have a serious, nuanced discussion. Let’s retire labels that have been weaponized against Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., nominated for Health and Human Services Secretary, and many people like him. 

    Start with discarding threadbare words like “conspiracy theory,” “anti-vax,” and the ever-changing “misinformation.”     

    These linguistic sleights of hand have been deployed—by government, media, and vested interests—to dismiss policy critics and thwart debate. If post-election developments tell us anything, it is that such scorn may no longer work for a population skeptical of government overreach.

    Although RFK has been lambasted for months in the press, he just scored a 47 percent approval rating in a CBS poll. 

    Americans are asking: Is RFK on to something?

    Perhaps, as he contends, a 1986 law that all but absolved vaccine manufacturers from liability has spawned an industry driven more by profit than protection. 

    Maybe Americans agree with RFK that the FDA, which gets 69 percent of its budget from pharmaceutical companies, is potentially compromised. Maybe Big Pharma, similarly, gets a free pass from the television news media that it generously supports. The US and New Zealand, incidentally, are the only nations on earth that allow “direct-to-consumer” TV ads. 

    Finally, just maybe there’s a straight line from this unhealthy alliance to the growing list of 80 childhood shots, inevitably approved after cursory industry studies with no placebo controls. The Hepatitis B vaccine trial, for one, monitored the effects on newborns for just five days. Babies are given three doses of this questionably necessary product—intended to prevent a disease spread through sex and drug use.

    Pointing out such conflicts and flaws earns critics a label: “anti-vaxxer.”  

    Misinformation?

    If RFK is accused of being extreme or misdirected, consider the Covid-19 axioms that Americans were told by their government.    

    The first: The pandemic started in animals in Wuhan, China. To think otherwise, Wikipedia states, is a “conspiracy theory,” fueled by “misplaced suspicion” and “anti-Chinese racism.” 

    Not so fast. In a new 520-page report, a Congressional subcommittee linked the outbreak to risky US-supported virus research at a Wuhan lab at the pandemic epicenter. After 25 hearings, the subcommittee found no evidence of “natural origin.” 

    Is the report a slam dunk? Maybe not. But neither is an outright dismissal of a lab leak.

    The same goes for other pandemic dogma, including the utility of (ineffective) masks, (harmful) lockdowns, (arbitrary) six-foot spacing, and, most prominently, vaccines that millions were coerced to take and that harmed some. 

    Americans were told, wrongly, that two shots would prevent Covid and stop the spread. Natural immunity from previous infection was ignored to maximize vaccine uptake.

    Yet there was scant scientific support for vaccinating babies with little risk, which few other countries did; pregnant women (whose deaths soared 40 percent after the rollout), and healthy adolescents, including some who suffered a heart injury called myocarditis. The CDC calls the condition “rare;” but a new study found 223 times more cases in 2021 than the average for all vaccines in the previous 30 years.

    Truth Muzzled? 

    Beyond this, pandemic decrees were not open to question. Millions of social media posts were removed at the behest of the White House. The ranks grew both of well-funded fact-checkers and retractions of countervailing science.

    The FDA, meantime, created a popular and false storyline that the Nobel Prize-winning early-treatment drug ivermectin was for horses, not people, and might cause coma and death. Under pressure from a federal court, the FDA removed its infamous webpage, but not before it cleared the way for unapproved vaccines, possible under the law only if no alternative was available.

    An emergency situation can spawn official missteps. But they become insidious when dissent is suppressed and truth is molded to fit a narrative. 

    The government’s failures of transparency and oversight are why we are at this juncture today. RFK—should he overcome powerful opposition—may have the last word. 

    The conversation he proposes won’t mean the end of vaccines or of respect for science. It will mean accountability for what happened in Covid and reform of a dysfunctional system that made it possible.     

    Republished from RealClearHealth

    Tyler Durden
    Sat, 01/18/2025 – 16:20

  • Netanyahu Says Trump "Emphasized" To Him That The Gaza Ceasefire Is "Temporary"
    Netanyahu Says Trump “Emphasized” To Him That The Gaza Ceasefire Is “Temporary”

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued some surprisingly bold assertions in a national televised address given just 12-hours before the much anticipated Gaza ceasefire is set to go into effect Sunday morning.

    Both Biden and Trump have hailed and celebrated the deal, but it’s the Republican president-elect who is by and large receiving the most credit for seeing it to the finish line. Some Israeli media outlets have represented the whole thing as a ‘defeat’ for Netanyahu, who appeared to want to keep the war going until Hamas is completely eradicated.

    Among Netanyahu’s most provocative words on Saturday was his claim that he has the support of President-elect Trump in the scenario Israel feels it must abandon the ceasefire and keep fighting. He says he has Trump’s full backing to resume the war, and has claimed further that Trump too agreed that the truce is just “temporary”. Watch below:

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    “Netanyahu also asserted that he negotiated the best deal possible, even as Israel’s far-right Public Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he and most of his party would resign from the government in opposition to it,” Times of Israel notes of the remarks.

    And there’s some some last-minute details which threaten implementation of the ceasefire…

    The prime minister had warned earlier that a ceasefire wouldn’t go forward unless Israel received the names of hostages to be released, as had been agreed. His statement came almost three hours after Israel had expected to receive the names from mediator Qatar. There was no immediate response from Qatar or Hamas.

    But without doubt Netanyahu is feeling the pressure, both within but even more from external allies, especially Washington – which writes the checks for the Israeli war machine.

    As for Netanyahu’s talk of the deal being ‘temporary’ it’s unclear whether the Trump team agrees with this assessment. There hasn’t been any initial reaction from Trump as he prepares for the inauguration Monday.

    But Trump without doubt wants a ceasefire to stick, and is likely to be celebrating its implementation during some of Monday’s inaugural remarks. He has vowed to wind down various conflict hot spots, especially Ukraine, and bring peace.

    He has also warned that there will be “hell to pay” if Hamas doesn’t uphold its end of the truce deal. This suggests Netanyahu could be telling the truth, or at least an interpretation of it. An initial small group of hostages are expected to be returned to Israel by Sunday evening, with hopeful families awaiting and on edge.

    Tyler Durden
    Sat, 01/18/2025 – 15:45

  • TIME Magazine Suggests Leftists Form 'Crying Groups' On Inauguration Day
    TIME Magazine Suggests Leftists Form ‘Crying Groups’ On Inauguration Day

    Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

    TIME magazine has published an article offering advice to leftists who might not be able to cope on Inauguration Day Monday, suggesting that they hold group crying sessions and go ‘forest bathing.’

    The publication, which begrudgingly named President Trump as its man of the year, produced a guide on what to do to avoid “spiralling” as Trump is sworn in, and its unintentionally hilarious.

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    The piece asks “Why so much distress after months of processing the outcome of this divisive election?”

    Maybe it’s because the legacy media told fragile leftists that it would literally be the end of the country and the world if Trump won?

    The article then lists 11 ways to avoid seeing Trump take the oath, consulting “experts to share their favorite science-backed suggestions.”

    OK, this should be funny.

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Along with smiling, dancing and journaling, it suggests blue haired people gather in groups to have a communal cry, or go ‘forest bathing.’

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    It’s basically, “walking aimlessly and slowly” through the woods.

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Who else would pay to watch sad leftists doing this?

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    There is something better they could do…

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    TIME was getting so mercilessly mocked that they changed the headline:

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    It’s all a cult.

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    It’s over for them.

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    *  *  *

    Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.

    Tyler Durden
    Sat, 01/18/2025 – 15:10

  • States Follow Musk's Lead With Bold DOGE-Like Initiatives
    States Follow Musk’s Lead With Bold DOGE-Like Initiatives

    DOGE co-heads Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are inspiring governors across a handful of states to launch their own ambitious cost-cutting initiatives ahead of President-elect Donald Trump assuming the White House for a second term.

    Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R), during her Tuesday evening address before lawmakers, announced the creation of a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for the Hawkeye State aimed at cutting wasteful spending.

    “I like to say that we were doing DOGE before DOGE was a thing,” Reynolds stated. “And to build on our success, I’m launching our own state DOGE to find even greater savings and efficiencies in both state and local government.”

    Emily Schmitt, general counsel of Sukup Manufacturing, will head the program, the governor said.

    Last week, New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) unveiled in her inauguration address plans to create a DOGE commission to dramatically reduce spending.

    “In just a few short years, we’ve turned our state into a national model for bold, get-it-done government. And we’re not stopping,” Ayotte said. “We need to make sure that the government is operating more like the lean process in manufacturing, where waste is eliminated each step in the process for a better result.”

    “And to help us do this, because I know there is nothing harder than politicians and asking them not to spend money. So today, I’m announcing the creation of the Commission on Government Efficiency, or I like to call it the COGE,” the governor added.

    In December, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry (R) revealed plans to launch a program aimed at cutting waste and eliminating outdated regulations. He issued an executive order to create a new government efficiency body and appointed oil and gas executive Steve Orlando as the state’s first Financial Responsibility Czar.

    In the same month, Wisconsin State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R) moved to establish a DOGE-like panel called the Governmental, Oversight, Accountability and Transparency Committee (GOAT).

    “I think that we can look at a lot of ideas and try to find ways to make the government do a better job than we currently are,” Vos said in an interview with Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

    “I’m super excited that we’re going to now kind of focus on, not just how do we layer more things on, but how do we make the things that we already have work better,” the lawmaker added.

    Last November, Trump appointed Musk and Ramaswamy to co-lead DOGE to slash up to $2 trillion off of the federal budget.

    “Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies—essential to the ‘Save America’ Movement,” Trump wrote in a statement at the time. “I look forward to Elon and Vivek making changes to the Federal Bureaucracy with an eye on efficiency and, at the same time, making life better for all Americans.”

    While it’s unclear what measures DOGE will take come next week, Musk has expressed his intention to chop 30% of spending from the $6 trillion budget, while Ramaswamy has proposed reducing the federal workforce by half by forcing staff to report for in-office work.

    Tyler Durden
    Sat, 01/18/2025 – 14:35

  • Illegal Immigrants Have Begun Deporting Themselves; Report
    Illegal Immigrants Have Begun Deporting Themselves; Report

    Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

    Illegals in the US have started self-deporting ahead of Trump taking office according to an immigration attorney.

    Rolando Vasquez told NewsNation that there has been a surge in immigrant voluntarily leaving with Trump’s promised mass deportations on the horizon and with Mexico agreeing to take non-Mexican deportees.

    Another driving factor is that Cuba and Venezuela generally do not accept deportation flights from the United States but may accept them from Mexico.

    “This is causing many migrants to leave on their own, knowing that they’re either going to be deported to their home country or be deported to Mexico,” Vasquez said, adding “The overwhelming majority of them do not want to be in Mexico.”

    NewsNation reporter Jorge Ventura also warned sources have told him that newly deported migrants are targets for extortion or even abduction by Mexican cartels and human smugglers.

    Watch:

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    The news comes amid rumours that the Trump administration will carry out its first large-scale deportation operation in the ‘sanctuary city’ of Chicago next Tuesday, according to The Wall Street Journal.

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    Trump’s border czar Tom Homan noted Friday “We’re going to concentrate on public safety threats and national security threats right out of the gate. That’s our priority. We’re going to go for the worst first. And I find it hard to believe any elected official doesn’t want public safety threat out of their communities.”

    Homan warned governors and mayors in so called ‘sanctuary’ areas not to impede the process, asserting “Just stay out of the way and we will do it. You can sit back and let us do the job. It’s going to be less efficient, it will be more dangerous without their assistance, but we’re going to do the job regardless.”

    *  *  *

    Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.

    Tyler Durden
    Sat, 01/18/2025 – 14:00

  • Gaza Ceasefire Will Begin 8:30AM Sunday – 33 Israeli Hostages To Be Freed In 1st Phase
    Gaza Ceasefire Will Begin 8:30AM Sunday – 33 Israeli Hostages To Be Freed In 1st Phase

    After Israel’s cabinet on Friday approved the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal, it is expected to finally take effect beginning at 8:30am Sunday (local), and initially three Israeli women are expected to be named and freed.

    “As coordinated by the parties to the agreement and the mediators, the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, January 19, local time in Gaza,” Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari announced on X. “We advise the inhabitants to take precaution, exercise the utmost caution, and wait for directions from official sources.”

    CNN writes of the Israeli government that “The 33-member group of ministers approved the agreement following a recommendation earlier Friday by the smaller security cabinet. Deliberations stretched over seven hours, late into the night on Friday into early Saturday morning local time.”

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    The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also confirmed the ceasefire’s start time, and three civilian women who are on a list of 33 hostages to be freed in the 42-day first phase of the deal are set to be handed over, after which up to 1,904 Palestinian prisoners will be released from Israeli prisons. 735 of these prisoners will be released in the first phase. 

    “The State of Israel is committed to achieving all the goals of the war, including the return of all our hostages – both living and dead,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.

    Times of Israel notes that the Palestinian freed will include “several serving multiple life sentences for deadly terror attacks and murders.”

    At least 50 humanitarian aid and fuel trucks are awaiting to enter the Strip as soon as the truce takes effect Sunday morning. 

    A surge of homeless Gazan refugees are expected to seek to return to their communities in Northern Gaza, but the Israeli army is warning that the situation will still be dangerous.

    The Israeli army’s Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued instructions for Palestinians for when the ceasefire takes effect. Al Jazeera listed out a translation of the instructions as follows:

    • Moving from the south to the north of the Gaza Strip or towards the Netzarim Corridor remains dangerous in light of the military activities in the area. Once movement is permitted, instructions will be given.
    • The Israeli army will remain deployed in specific areas of the Gaza Strip. You must not approach its officers until further notice and doing so could expose you to danger.
    • It is dangerous to approach the Rafah crossing, the Philadelphi Corridor and all areas in southern Gaza where Israeli forces are deployed.
    • In the coastal area along the Strip, fishing, swimming and diving is dangerous and we warn against entering the sea in the coming days.
    • It is forbidden to approach Israeli territory and the buffer zone. Approaching the buffer zone is very dangerous.

    Still, there’s some last minute details still reportedly being worked out, including a demand by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who says Israel will not proceed with the ceasefire until a list of the 33 captives who will be released by Hamas in the first phase is received.

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    “We will not move forward with the agreement until we receive the list of hostages who will be released, as agreed. Israel will not tolerate violations of the agreement. The sole responsibility lies with Hamas,” Netanyahu said on X.

    Tyler Durden
    Sat, 01/18/2025 – 13:25

  • Top Priorities For Trump's Presidency
    Top Priorities For Trump’s Presidency

    Authored by Tom Ozimek via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    Readers of The Epoch Times have identified border security, fiscal responsibility, and national defense as the top priorities for President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration.

    A poll of 26,740 readers, conducted between Jan. 10–13, points to these issues as key areas of focus, reflecting widespread concern over unchecked immigration, economic instability, and global security threats.

    Meanwhile, write-in responses by readers of The Epoch Times highlighted strong support for government reform, coupled with opposition to progressive policies such as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

    Border security and deportations topped the list, with 90 percent of respondents considering it “extremely important.” This aligns with Trump’s campaign pledge to launch what he has described as the largest deportation operation in American history, set to begin immediately after his inauguration on Jan. 20.

    “On my first day back in the Oval Office, I will sign a historic slate of executive orders to close our border to illegal aliens and stop the invasion of our country,” Trump said during a Turning Point USA conference in Phoenix in December 2024.

    Besides vowing to deport millions of illegal immigrants, Trump also plans to end birthright citizenship, in which anyone born in the United States is currently given automatic citizenship, including to parents of illegal immigrants.

    Fiscal Discipline and Economic Stability

    Government spending and debt reduction ranked as the second-highest priority, with 82 percent of respondents highlighting the need for fiscal discipline.

    Concerns over the ballooning national debt—now at $36.22 trillion—is a key concern. The president-elect has said he intends to address these issues through measures such as cutting wasteful spending and reforming federal agencies.

    U.S. President-elect Donald Trump smiles during Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest at the Phoenix Convention Center on December 22, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. The annual four day conference geared toward energizing and connecting conservative youth hosts some of the country’s leading conservative politicians and activists. Photo by Rebecca Noble/Getty Images

    To spearhead these efforts, Trump has proposed the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—with Tesla CEO Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy tapped to lead the initiative. DOGE aims to slash $2 trillion from the federal budget.

    “Your money is being wasted,” Musk said at a Trump rally in New York in October 2024, underscoring Trump’s commitment to tackle government inefficiency and cut wasteful spending.

    The federal government spent $6.75 trillion in fiscal year 2024—which was $1.83 trillion more than it collected in revenue—pushing the national debt up to $36.22 trillion, according to the Treasury Department.

    So far in fiscal year 2025, which runs until the end of September, the government has already spent $1.79 trillion.

    The issue of debt sustainability, long a concern of fiscal conservatives, has clearly been on Trump’s radar. In a statement announcing the nomination of Scott Bessent to serve as his Treasury secretary, Trump said his administration would “reinvigorate the private sector, and help curb the unsustainable path of federal debt.”

    The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has warned about the unsustainable trajectory of federal debt, projecting it to climb to a hefty 181 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2053.

    If left unchecked, this rising debt is expected to slow economic growth, increase interest payments to foreign creditors, and limit lawmakers’ flexibility to address future fiscal and economic challenges, according to the CBO.

    Strengthening National Defense and Securing Elections

    Military strength and national security emerged as the third most important priority, with 77 percent of respondents citing it as “extremely important.”

    Concerns over global threats from adversaries such as China and Russia have amplified calls for bolstering America’s defense capabilities.

    Trump’s proposed “peace through strength” agenda emphasizes modernizing the military, increasing operational readiness, and reinforcing U.S. deterrence on the world stage. On the campaign trail, Trump vowed to reform the U.S. military, criticizing “woke” policies that he says undermine the nation’s warfighting capacity.

    Read the rest here…

    Tyler Durden
    Sat, 01/18/2025 – 12:50

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Jan 18

Today’s News 18th January 2025

  • Corrupting The Presidential Pardon Power
    Corrupting The Presidential Pardon Power

    Authored by Ron Faucheux via RealClearPolitics,

    The U.S. Constitution gives presidents the power to grant pardons and commutations for federal crimes. This unique, unchecked power was meant to be used sparingly, as a last resort to correct injustices in the system. Pardons shouldn’t be gifts for friends, donors, and relatives who happen to be lawbreakers. It’s intended to right wrongs, not cause new ones.

    Not all presidents have misused the pardon power, but some have. How you see it often depends upon your politics. To paraphrase an old saw: One man’s shady pardon is another man’s pursuit of justice.

    President Gerald Ford’s pardon of predecessor Richard Nixon was roundly criticized at the time, and may have cost Ford the 1976 election. Nixon had picked Ford to be vice president, which led to Ford’s accession to the presidency when Nixon resigned.

    President Jimmy Carter granted amnesty to Vietnam War draft evaders – keeping a promise he made during his campaign. He wanted to move the nation beyond a grim moment in history, similar to what Ford did with Nixon’s pardon.

    Shortly before he left office, President George H.W. Bush pardoned Reagan administration officials who had been involved in the Iran-Contra scandal, including former Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger. Bush’s connection to these officials, as vice president in the same administration, raised eyebrows. Was he just trying to protect colleagues, or worse, himself? But because the pardons came after the 1992 election, which Bush lost, it never became a campaign issue.

    In 1999, President Bill Clinton commuted sentences for 16 members of FALN, a Puerto Rican paramilitary group that set off 120 bombing attacks in the United States. Clinton’s action was supported by archbishops in New York and Puerto Rico – but condemned by the FBI, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the U.S. attorney’s office and a big majority of Congress. Some critics saw it as a political gambit to boost Hillary Clinton’s Senate candidacy in New York, a state with a large Puerto Rican population. 

    On his last day as president, Clinton pardoned dozens of federal offenders, including billionaire fugitive Marc Rich, whose wife contributed big money to the Clinton Library and Hillary Clinton’s campaign, and Susan McDougal, who refused to testify about the president’s role in the Whitewater scandal. He also pardoned two convicted felons who paid $400,000 to Hillary Clinton’s brother, attorney Hugh Rodman, to represent them. His half-brother, Roger Clinton, and two former Democratic congressmen were also on the clemency list.

    President Donald Trump’s use of the pardon power to keep allies out of prison has been unusually barefaced. His first pardon went to a prominent supporter, former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio. Later, he pardoned his former national security advisor, retired General Michael Flynn, and his own daughter’s father-in-law, Charles Kushner.

    Trump additionally granted clemency to a slew of former political advisers and supporters, including Paul Manafort, Steve Bannon, and longtime counselor Roger Stone. Democrats in Congress questioned whether Stone’s pardon was a reward for protecting Trump; Sen. Mitt Romney called it an act of “unprecedented, historic corruption.”

    In the 2024 campaign, Trump said that during a second term he’d likely pardon some of those involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. 

    The most recent clemency controversy was President Joe Biden’s “full and unconditional pardon” of his son Hunter Biden, which covered a 10-year period of possible federal offenses. He had previously said he wouldn’t do it. Biden also commuted sentences for 37 of 40 convicts on death row in federal prisons, which was largely a policy statement against capital punishment.

    There isn’t much that can be done about dubious pardons – it’s a constitutional grant of power. But two things may help clean up the process. 

    First, make pardons a bigger campaign issue. The news media should start asking presidential candidates about their clemency policies – and get them on record. Will they pardon friends and relatives? Political supporters? Witnesses in legal matters? It’s amazing how rarely these questions are asked.

    Second, change the Constitution to prevent pardons and commutations during the last 100 days of each four-year presidential term. This means no clemency after mid-October of election years.

    During Thanksgiving, presidents usually grant pardons to turkeys – for laughs, of course. But when the turkeys are well-connected criminals, it’s not so funny.

    Ron Faucheux is a nonpartisan political analyst and pollster. He’s the author of “Running for Office” and publishes a national newsletter on public opinion, LunchtimePolitics.com.

    Tyler Durden
    Fri, 01/17/2025 – 23:25

  • In Her Last Official Act, Yellen Warns US Will Hit Debt Ceiling One Day After Trump Inauguration
    In Her Last Official Act, Yellen Warns US Will Hit Debt Ceiling One Day After Trump Inauguration

    Back in the last week of December, when the stock market was desperately trying to reverse the slump of the Santa rally which prevented stocks from closing 2024 at an all time high, we warned that a bigger threat than a modest 1% market drawdown was looming: the countdown to the next debt ceiling crisis. We quoted Democratic operative – and the only US government official who has personally overseen total debt increase by a staggering $15 trillion under her watch at both the Fed and Treasury – Janet Yellen…

    … the said the United States would hit its statutory debt ceiling around the middle of January, at which point the Treasury would resort to “extraordinary measures” to prevent the government from defaulting on its obligations.

    While it may not feel like it, we are now in mid-January, and late on Friday, Janet Yellen, in what is almost certainly the last ever official announcement of her long and undistinguished political career, said that the US would hit its debt ceiling the day after President Trump is inaugurated, and that the Treasury will launch “extraordinary measures” to stave off the threat of a national default.

    After a previous 20-month suspension of the debt limit expired earlier this month, Yellen wrote in a letter to bipartisan congressional leaders Friday she was advising them “of the extraordinary measures that Treasury will begin using on January 21.” That will be a day after the Biden administration leaves office. “I respectfully urge Congress to act promptly to protect the full faith and credit of the United States.”

    The letter marked the second notification in the latest tussle over the debt limit, which kicked back in as of Jan. 2, and the last ever for Yellen before the Trump administration takes office Jan. 20. Congress had suspended the ceiling in 2023 after a close-fought battle by lawmakers to avert a default on federal obligations. The limit is currently set at about $36 trillion.

    While some strategists anticipate an easier path to an agreement to suspend or lift the cap given Republicans’ unified control of Congress and the White House once Trump takes office again on Jan. 20, until that action is taken the Treasury will need to deploy measures used repeatedly over the decades to avoid breaching the limit.

    As Bloomberg reminds us, during his Senate confirmation hearing, Trump’s nominee to succeed Yellen as Treasury chief, Scott Bessent, vowed that there’d be no default on his watch… which is glaringly obvious. Which nominee for Treasury secretary would ever say out loud: “Yes, I fully intend on watching the US default under my watch.”

    While nothing new to those familiar with the periodic song and dance when the US enters its debt ceiling crunch, Yellen advised that the Treasury’s extraordinary measures would begin by redeeming a portion of, and suspending full investments in, the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund. It will also suspend additional investments of amounts credited to the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund. Those funds will be made whole after Congress acts on the debt ceiling, Yellen said. She gave no indication how long the accounting measures and Treasury’s cash balance would last.

    “The period of time that extraordinary measures may last is subject to considerable uncertainty, including the challenges of forecasting the payments and receipts of the US government months into the future,” she wrote.

    One thing we do know, is that the Treasury currently has $680 billion in cash in the Treasury General Account which will now be drained at an accelerated pace, and potentially hit $0 by the summer, until a new debt ceiling deal is reached (it will be, it’s just a matter of when). What is just as notable is that as we first described it at the start of 2021, this rapid drain of Treasury cash serves to goose risk assets aggressively, and according to some strategists, has an even greater impact on prices than the Fed’s QE, since there is no new net debt issuance for the duration of the debt ceiling suspension.

    And speaking of debt issuance suspension, total US debt will now remain frozen at around $36.2 trillion for the next ~6 months, until the next debt deal is reached, at which point the debt issuance will “catch up” to where it was supposed to be, and surge by almost $2 trillion overnight.

    The above assumes of course that after the requisite fire and brimstone, a new debt deal will be reached. Naturally, should the Treasury become unable to issue fresh debt and then run out of cash, the US government would be in danger of defaulting on some financial obligations. Wall Street is already trying to handicap how long the US government has before it’s unable to pay its bills because of the newly re-imposed debt ceiling. That so-called X-date has been estimated by some strategists as looming around July or August.

    In the event of congressional standoffs, investors tend to dump the Treasury bills most vulnerable to a potential default in favor of securities maturing before or after the X-date, creating a kink in the curve. Right now, though, the bill market is showing no signs of angst, given the uncertainties about the outlook.

    Tyler Durden
    Fri, 01/17/2025 – 23:17

  • South Korea Looks To Boost American Oil & Gas Purchases To Appease Trump
    South Korea Looks To Boost American Oil & Gas Purchases To Appease Trump

    South Korea is looking at a plan to purchase more US oil and gas to diversify its energy sources, and also ‘potentially head off the threat of President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs,’ Bloomberg reports.

    The possible move would be aimed at reducing the trade surplus with America, as well as improving the country’s energy security, according to Thursday comments in Seoul from Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ahn Duk-geun. The country is also considering additional government support for companies so they can import more oil and gas from countries outside the Middle East.

    “Other countries are all talking about how they need to ease the growing trade deficit under the Trump administration,” said Ahn. “We are pretty much in the same situation so we are thinking about increasing energy imports, and there’s also a need to diversify supplies to improve energy security.”

    Ahn Duk-geunPhotographer: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg

    South Korea is heavily dependent on exports to drive its economic growth – with the US being one of its top trading partners.

    The move comes after Trump promised an array of protectionist policies – including universal tariffs – to try and reduce an out-of-control US trade deficit with other nations.

    South Korea, the world’s third-largest buyer of liquefied natural gas, follows several other nations who are looking at boosting their purchases of US fossil fuels, including Taiwan, Vietnam and the EU.

    Tyler Durden
    Fri, 01/17/2025 – 23:00

  • DeSantis Chooses Florida AG Ashley Moody To Replace Rubio In Senate
    DeSantis Chooses Florida AG Ashley Moody To Replace Rubio In Senate

    Authored by T.J. Muscaro via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Jan. 16 announced that Ashley Moody, Florida’s attorney general, will replace Sen. Marco Rubio in the U.S. Senate, praising her as someone who will deliver results in step with the incoming administration’s America-first agenda.

    Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody speaks at a press conference, in a file photograph. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

    “Florida deserves a senator who stands unapologetically for conservative principles, supports law enforcement, has a strong record of combatting illegal immigration, and is ready to deliver on President Trump’s agenda. Attorney General Ashley Moody’s exemplary track record shows her commitment to these principles,” DeSantis said.

    Rubio is expected to resign from his seat upon receiving Senate approval to become the next U.S. Secretary of State, and DeSantis said Moody will quickly fill the vacant seat.

    Joining DeSantis for the announcement, Moody accepted the appointment and promised to bring “the same persistence and passion and tenacity” to her role as a senator that she brought to her role as attorney general.

    “You better believe, as a United States Senator, I will work for you, those that stand on that thin line between chaos and order, between safety and crime,” Moody said. “I have got your back … and we will all work to protect the American people and make all of our cities and states stronger and safer together.

    “And so I have one message right now to President Trump and to my new colleagues on the United States Senate: America first, let’s get it done.”

    DeSantis praised Moody for the work she’s done in the past six years as Florida’s attorney general, stating, “I’m happy to say we’ve had an attorney general who has been somebody that has acted time and time again to support the values that we all share.”

    He summarized her track record, touting her tough-on-crime stance and her work fighting against issues such as illegal immigration, the opioid and fentanyl crisis, anti-Semitism, influence and land ownership by communist China, and federal government overreach by agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

    He praised Moody for taking legal action against the Federal Emergency Management Agency for alleged discrimination, urging the Supreme Court to remove illegal immigrants from voter rolls before the last election, speaking out against the now-failed state Amendments 3 and 4, and fighting to ban transgender surgeries for minors.

    Moody said that what angered her most as a state attorney general was the past four years of having to fight against federal government overreach.

    She promised to work to give power back to the American people.

    “The only way to return this country to the people, the people who govern it, is to make sure we have a strong Congress doing its job passing laws and actually approving the regulations that these unelected bureaucrats are trying to cram down on the American people,” she said.

    She pointed out that she has already served in the judiciary and executive branches of government, and joked that she might be the only senator to serve in a third branch.

    She also stressed that she is a trained accountant and could “shrink the bloat of the federal government.”

    DeSantis said he won’t appoint Moody’s replacement as Florida’s attorney general before the position is available, but he expects to appoint his Chief of Staff James Uthmeier.

    “James Uthmeier is kind of like Ashley,” he said. “He’s proven himself in these fights.”

    DeSantis added that he thinks Moody is leaving “big shoes to fill,” but that Uthmeier would do a good job.

    Rubio has not yet submitted his resignation, although DeSantis anticipates that Moody will likely take office on Jan. 20.

    “I want to thank Senator Rubio for his service in the United States Senate,” DeSantis said. “I think he will serve the country ably as Secretary of State, and we need it, because the last four years has been a total disaster.”

    Florida’s other senator, Rick Scott, celebrated Moody’s appointment on social media platform X, welcoming her to the Senate.

    “Ashley has done an incredible job fighting for Floridians and keeping our communities safe as Attorney General,” he wrote. “I have no doubt she will do an incredible job as senator.”

    DeSantis said that he notified Moody the night before the announcement. He praised the array of choices he had to choose from at both state and federal levels.

    He specifically called out Florida Representatives Cory Mills and Kat Cammack, as well as Florida’s Secretary of State Cord Byrd, and State Senator Jay Collins.

    Byrd and Collins both congratulated Moody on X shortly after the announcement, and expressed their gratitude to the governor for considering them.

    DeSantis also said he “got a kick out of” speculation that he would appoint himself, but said that it was better to “hold the fort down” in Florida, saying that his team can be very helpful to President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda.

    “I think we can play a good supporting role when senators like Ashley Moody are fighting for us, and we can be there in support for some of those policies to bring power back to the states,” he said.

    Tyler Durden
    Fri, 01/17/2025 – 22:35

  • Pakistan's Imran Khan Sentenced To 14 Years In Prison, Supporters Want Trump To Free Him
    Pakistan’s Imran Khan Sentenced To 14 Years In Prison, Supporters Want Trump To Free Him

    The unfortunate saga of Pakistani state persecution against former Prime Minister Imran Khan continues, as a Pakistani court on Friday sentenced Khan and this wife to 14 and seven years in prison after finding them guilty of corruption.

    He had already been held in jail for a couple years, despite many months of huge protests in various places by supporters demanding his release, after he and his wife were accused of accepting a gift of land from a real estate tycoon in exchange for laundered money, amid many additional pending graft investigations.

    Via Reuters

    Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party reject the allegations, and the former prime minister had pled non-guilty in the case.

    “Whilst we wait for a detailed decision, it’s important to note that the Al Qadir Trust case against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi lacks any solid foundation and is bound to collapse,” PTI’s foreign media wing asserted in a statement.

    PTI plans to challenge the verdict in higher courts, with Khan pledging after this conviction: “I will neither make any deal nor seek any relief.”

    Khan has meanwhile insisted that his arrest in 2023 was simply politically motivated, designed by his rivals and enemies to keep the popular politician from power. According to a review of the last couple years of turmoil which has gripped Pakistan over Khan’s fate:

    While imprisoned, Khan has been facing dozens of cases ranging from charges of graft and misuse of power to inciting violence against the state after being removed from office in a parliamentary vote of confidence in April 2022.

    He has either been acquitted or his sentences suspended in most cases, except for this one and another on charges of inciting supporters to rampage through military facilities to protest against his arrest on May 9, 2023.

    His supporters have led several violent protest rallies since the May 9 incidents.

    He’s gotten some international support and backing amid the saga, with a United Nations panel of exports having announced last year that his detention “had no legal basis and appears to have been intended to disqualify him from running for political office“.

    During Trump’s first term in office, via AFP

    Importantly, Khan’s supporters are expressing hope that Trump will use his influence to free him. According to the NY Times on Friday:

    Supporters of Imran Khan, the imprisoned former prime minister, are now pinning their hopes on getting him freed — however fanciful — on the wild card among the three: the incoming administration of Donald J. Trump.

    Mr. Trump has said nothing publicly to indicate that he plans to intervene in Mr. Khan’s case. Once he is sworn in as president on Monday, Pakistan is unlikely to rank high among Mr. Trump’s foreign policy priorities.

    But a series of posts on social media by one of Mr. Trump’s close allies has inspired almost messianic certainty among Mr. Khan’s followers that the once and future American president will help secure his freedom.

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    PTI had made a better than expected showing in February 2024 parliamentary elections and had decried that this was all a conspiracy to prevent his return to office by the military-run deep state. There are ultimately a whopping 170 legal cases against Khan.

    Current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who emerged victorious in the last elections while Khan had languished in jail, was seen more as the “military’s man” in Islamabad, while Khan’s legacy has sought to be erased by those same elite powers.

    Tyler Durden
    Fri, 01/17/2025 – 22:10

  • Pete Hegseth Is The Leader Our Military Needs
    Pete Hegseth Is The Leader Our Military Needs

    Authored by Horace Cooper via American Greatness,

    This week, Pete Hegseth appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee for his confirmation hearing to be secretary of defense. Some Senate Democrats tried to make the process as grueling as possible, following months of allegations and character assassination since his nomination. They didn’t succeed.

    The dawn is breaking. The left took their best shot and missed, and now Pete Hegseth looks to be headed for a successful confirmation. His political opponents weren’t able to build enough opposition to stop him and Senators Hirono and Warren’s feigned moral outrage was no match for his poise and take-charge style. In fact, he’s likely to get some bipartisan support.

    Mr. Hegseth, like many of President Trump’s nominees, represents a break from the status quo. His nomination directly challenges the internal culture, decision-making process, and politicization of the Department of Defense that the Biden Administration has propagated for the last four years. This leadership, experience, and commitment to reform make him a threat to the status quo, which is why progressives have tried to do whatever it takes to stop him.

    After graduating from Princeton in 2003, Pete Hegseth was commissioned as an infantry officer in the Minnesota National Guard. After being stationed in Guantanamo Bay, Hegseth would go on to have a storied career, earning two Bronze Stars during his time in Iraq and Afghanistan, obtaining a master’s degree from Harvard, and serving as CEO of Concerned Veterans for America.

    But, like many Americans who have dedicated their lives to serving in the armed forces, he was ultimately betrayed by the very system he spent his career defending and consequently left the service for good.

    While serving with the D.C. National Guard in 2021, Pete Hegseth was pulled from his unit assigned to protect Joe Biden’s inauguration. A fellow service member had reported Hegseth’s Jerusalem cross tattoo as a “white supremacist” symbol, and he was subsequently flagged as an insider threat. Just the whisper of such a smear was sufficient to tar him.

    But this incident revealed more about the decline in our military than it did anything about Pete Hegseth. As detailed in Hegseth’s book, “The War on Warriors,” politics has been injected at every level of our nation’s armed forces, from the Pentagon all the way down to the military academies, ultimately harming troop morale and recruitment numbers.

    Under Joe Biden, DEI initiatives, racial quotas, and diversity have become the central focus and the new standard of success in our nation’s military. Merit and lethality, the rules and standard measurement of any fighting force, have been displaced by progressive ideology. So much so that one of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s first actions leading the DOD was a branch-wide witch hunt for white supremacists in their ranks.

    This waste of resources had repercussions across the board. For soldiers looking to make a career in the military, the traditional values of commitment and excellence have been entirely overshadowed by racial considerations. This shift is exemplified by Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., who was a vocal proponent of DEI and race-based hiring in the military before being promoted to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

    Hegseth, like many of us, sees this changing culture as a betrayal both of the typical soldier and the American taxpayer. The prestige, importance, and opportunity that come from service have been entirely lost to a neo-Marxist crusade to remedy racial injustice, ultimately resulting in our war-fighting capacity being diminished and precious budget resources also wasted in the process.

    As a result, recruitment numbers have continued to decline under the Biden Administration. In 2023, the Army failed to meet recruitment goals for the second year in a row, leaving it with the smallest active-duty force since 1940. In the Air Force, rather than addressing their failed recruitment efforts, leadership simply axed its standards on body fat composition and, worse, began accepting recruits who tested positive for illegal drugs (previously a permanent disqualification).

    At a time when Russia is helping to accelerate North Korea’s nuclear program, China is expanding its sphere of influence across the globe, and tensions in the Middle East are at all-time highs, the strategic pitfalls of a US military at war with itself are deeply concerning.

    Our nation’s military needs a leader who can reorient the strategic mission of our armed forces, rebuild military readiness, and restore America’s position as the world’s preeminent fighting force. Pete Hegseth brings the experience needed to lead and a first-hand understanding of the challenges plaguing our armed forces today.

    He’s spent his career serving in the military, advocating for its Veterans, and being an open critic of its flaws. Hegseth also understands the realities of serving in combat and the profound impact that poor decision-making by career bureaucrats can have on the lives of everyday soldiers. But most importantly, his confirmation will lead to a recruitment bonanza and restore trust in a corroded institution.

    This week’s confirmation hearing was a pivotal moment for our nation’s military. Under Pete Hegseth, who has been entrusted by Trump and the American people to lead our armed forces, we have the opportunity to face America’s challenges on the global stage and prevail. The Senate must confirm Pete Hegseth and give our military the leader it needs.

    Tyler Durden
    Fri, 01/17/2025 – 21:45

  • Israel 'Confiscates' Thousands Of Abandoned Weapons, Including Tanks, From Syria
    Israel ‘Confiscates’ Thousands Of Abandoned Weapons, Including Tanks, From Syria

    Something unprecedented is happening in southern Syrian areas being occupied by Israel’s military. In the wake of Bashar al-Assad’s overthrow, Israel is actually stealing or in its words “confiscating” former Syrian Army weaponry and heavy equipment, even tanks.

    The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged in a statement Wednesday that soldiers operating in Syria have taken more than 3,300 weapons and other gear belonging to the Syrian Army. An IDF statement on X featured video of transporting an abandoned tank from Syria.

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    Assad fled the country as the al-Qaeda linked group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham entered the environs of Damascus on December 8 of last year.

    Since then Israel has mounted literally hundreds of attacks degrading and destroying former Syrian military complexes, bases, and weaponry. Israeli officials have explained that this is to prevent Syria’s advanced weapons from ever being used against Israeli again, or from falling into the hands of the Iranians or their proxies.

    Israel has also been taking and occupying Syrian villages and territory, including the Syrian side of Mt. Hermon, and reportedly positioning forces a mere 20 miles from the Syrian capital.

    Syria analyst Charles Lister, who has long been in support of radical armed groups which sought to topple Assad, has commented that “Israel hasn’t just been destroying Syria’s military infrastructure and heavy weaponry in recent weeks, it’s also been taking it, intact, back to Israel – tanks, missiles, rockets and more. All of this via a de facto invasion of sovereign territory.”

    Most of the equipment is reported to be Russian-made. Another regional analyst, the University of Oklahoma’s Joshua Landis has written, “Israel picks up lots of second-hand military equipment from its new conquests on Syria’s front lines.”

    Indeed Israel appears to be positively boasting about this in its official social media postings. But Syria no longer has an army to deal with it, so essentially the IDF is now acting with complete impunity in southern Syria and the Golan region. Assad once had the most advanced air defense systems in the Middle East, but Israeli warplanes have destroyed all the anti-air batteries at this point.

    Weapons of the former Syrian Armed Forces seized by Israeli military, Jan. 15, 2024. Source: IDF

    Any future Syrian government which emerges is left with nothing at this point. Forces of the IDF’s 210th “Bashan” Division have continue operations inside Syria to “provide security and protection for the residents of Israel and the Golan Heights in particular,” according to the IDF’s official statements justifying the land and equipment theft.

    The Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has of late urged Washington to pressure Israel to withdraw from the extended Golan buffer zone as well as Mt. Hermon. But post-Assad Damascus has zero leverage, as there’s no military infrastructure left to speak of.

    Tyler Durden
    Fri, 01/17/2025 – 21:20

  • Pillaged By Paper Money
    Pillaged By Paper Money

    Authored by Jeffrey Tucker via The Epoch Times,

    The American people are going to be paying a high price for the 2024 U.S. presidential election and probably for years. I’m not speaking of the results which astonished the world; I’m speaking of the attempt to game the intended results that began more than a year earlier.

    It won’t come in the form of higher taxes. It will be inflation, which is another form of taxation.

    The problem of dollar devaluation could have been over by now but no. All evidence is that the Biden administration, in service of larger interests and in accommodation of Congressional spending, deployed the printing presses starting in 2023 as a means of assuring its reelection chances. It did not work and now we are stuck with the bill.

    To be sure, there was never an overt policy but what I said above is a reasonable interpretation of why the Federal Reserve reversed its stance on the money spigot in 2023 and following.

    There was never an excuse to do so. Inflation had already ravaged producers and consumers. The first priority was getting it under control. Instead, they went the other way, thus risking a second wave, which might just be getting going.

    The latest producer and consumer price reports look simply awful, a full-on reversal of downward trends to reveal a renewed problem.

    Now that Trump is taking office, the corporate media and the Bureau of Labor Statistics is suddenly being more forthcoming about the problem. Inflation is running at 3 percent or 50 percent above target. The low-end estimate of purchasing power losses since 2020 is 23 cents on the dollar. The real-time estimates are closer to 30 cents. The reality depending on what you buy is far higher.

    Let there be no confusion about the source of the problem.

    It is not gouging grocers. It is not greedy consumers. It is not opportunistic suppliers. It is not even restrictions on energy production.

    It is the money printers in D.C. who have deployed their powers to print in service of a Congress that has spent without limit, as if the resources will all appear just like magic. The flood of debt has granted the Fed an enormous portfolio available for playing politics.

    Again, one only needs to observe the relationship between M2, the most accurate rendering of the money stock we have, against the CPI. The relationship is impossible to deny both in terms of the data and also the theory. It’s not complicated really but requires just a bit of thought.

    Thomas Massie gives the example of 10 apples and 10 dollars, in an economy where all money is spent. Each apple costs a dollar. If the money stock is doubled, each apple costs two dollars. And so on. It’s a simple example but gets the point across. In the real world, there is a lag of the effect, between 12 and 18 months. In this case, the lag hits the 12-month mark almost exactly.

    (Data: Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED), St. Louis Fed; Chart: Jeffrey A. Tucker)

    None of this is a mystery. Hatred of paper-money printing traces to the very foundation of the nation. Thomas Paine wrote about it extensively. He was an opponent of tyranny and a very thoughtful and brilliant person. He read extensively on history and economic theory as it stood in his time. He stated very clearly:

    • “I know not why we should be so fond of paper money; it has no intrinsic value, and is not money, but a promise to pay money.”

    • “Paper money is like dram-drinking, it relieves for a moment by deceit.”

    • “The evils of paper money have no end. It is a swindle upon the people, and the foundation of all other swindles.”

    His views were shared widely among the Founding Fathers. When the Constitution was written, it included a clause requiring states (which managed money) to use only gold and silver in coinage. That clause was long adjudicated by the courts and eventually the proponents of paper money found a means around it, via various emergency declarations and suspensions. The gold standard was restored following the Civil War but suspended again and again. Eventually, the specie backing was removed entirely.

    For a long time, between 1933 and 1974, it was illegal even to own gold for investment purposes. That changed and then the United States started minting gold coins again but not as part of official money. They are collectibles, very beautiful but not usable as legal tender. The link between U.S. monetary policy and gold is entirely broken.

    Ideally it would be restored. Problem: no one really knows how this could happen. There is no real viable plan to get from here to there. The United States would have to own vast quantities of gold and there would need to be a fixed ratio of exchange, and this would have to pertain not only in the United States but also abroad. The decision alone would cause a mass repatriation of dollars and exhaust the gold stock in a day.

    In short, the practical problems associated with restoring a genuine gold standard are inconceivably huge. An even bigger problem is mustering the political will to do it. Both parties benefit from the paper-money system and the flexible monetary policy, for which the U.S. citizen ultimately pays the highest price.

    There are other paths toward sound money. The money stock could be instantly frozen, but that would induce deflation on a scale that would be seen as intolerable. I happen not to think this would be a bad thing. A growing purchasing power of money would benefit the people. But the expert class disagrees, warning of a terrible recession. And the reality would likely back that prediction.

    The trouble is that the U.S. economy and, really, the world economy, are deeply addicted to debt finance. Putting a stop to that would be very painful. The political will to do that simply is not there.

    The genuinely constitutional solution would be to return all responsibility for monetary policy to the states alone, abolishing the central bank entirely. The U.S. Treasury could mint its own currency but that poses dangers of its own. Whether and to what extent those dangers would be as bad as the Fed now is another question.

    In the near term, the solution is simply to force the Fed to stop playing politics with its monetary powers. The interest rates should be completely set free from Fed intervention. Open market operations and debt buying and selling should stop entirely. The rest would take care of itself.

    Economists I respect suggest a quantity rule that would tie monetary policy to output. While that solution looks good on paper, measuring output accurately is no longer such an easy task. The GDP numbers as they stand are very sketchy and so are the numbers on the inflation rate itself. Without accurate numbers, the capacity of the Fed to conduct monetary policy in any scientific manner pretty well evaporates.

    Let us hope that the new Trump administration eventually gets around to dealing with the problem of paper-money inflation. It might have to do so given the genuine risk of a second wave of inflation that could literally doom its political legacy.

    I hope someone in the Trump administration is listening: at minimum the Fed must stop its quantitative easing and commit itself to a policy of monetary stabilization at the very least. Yes, we could face a technical recession and that is politically dangerous. But a continuation of inflation is even more so.

    Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times or ZeroHedge.

    Tyler Durden
    Fri, 01/17/2025 – 20:55

  • Progressive Congressional Staffers Throw Tantrum, Demand 32-Hour Work Week
    Progressive Congressional Staffers Throw Tantrum, Demand 32-Hour Work Week

    With many Americans working two jobs to make ends meet, mollycoddled progressive staffers on Capitol Hill are now demanding 32-hour workweek.

    In a letter to top House and Senate leaders Thursday, the Congressional Progressive Staff Association proposed establishing a rotating 32-hour workweek on the Hill, claiming that reduced hours could “improve worker satisfaction, increase staff retention in Congress, and model a more sustainable approach to work on a national level,” Politico reports.

    Under the proposal, congressional staffers would still work long hours when their boss is around. But when Congress is in session, district office staffers would be entitled to an abbreviated, 20-percent-lighter schedule, and when it is not, D.C.-based staff would have a lighter week.

    “We do not want a 32-hour workweek to just be another special benefit for Congressional staff,” the group said in its letter requesting the special benefit. “We hope that by adopting this policy, Members of Congress can help to advance the discussion around a more sustainable workweek as a national priority and model how it can work for private and public employers across the country and the world.”

    Ah – so by granting rich-kid, connected staffers their 32-hour workweek (and we assume therapy ponies are next), they can set an exaaaample (Michael Savage voice) for the rest of the country – and the world.

    Socialists are ecstatic at the idea:

    It’s an idea that’s gained some traction on the left, with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introducing legislation to implement a 32-hour workweek nationally. But those on the right and some corners of the left immediately panned the plan when it was released Thursday.

    That said, others think it’s a terrible idea:

    For some Democrats, the cusp of Trump’s inauguration was the wrong time to pitch working less. Said Tim Hogan, a Democratic communications consultant and former Hill staffer: “lol read the room guys.” -Politico

    Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) mocked the idea on X, posting “Why not be bold and ask for a 0-hour workweek? I wonder how blue-collar Americans would feel about white-collar workers demanding a 32-hour workweek.”

    Republicans also mocked the idea, suggesting that it was a good one as long as they scale back their salaries to match.

    “Progressives should opt in. Easy place to cut 20%+ @elonmusk,” posted Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) on X.

    The rich kids slapped back, with group spokesperson Michael Suchecki saying “The frustration about this initiative comes from a fundamental misunderstanding. CPSA is not calling for Congress to jeopardize its productivity with a new office schedule. We believe — and researchers agree — that implementing a rotating 32-hour work week will not maintain existing levels of productivity and work quality, but increase them.“

     

    Tyler Durden
    Fri, 01/17/2025 – 20:30

  • Steve Witkoff: The Real Estate Investor Who Sealed The Gaza Ceasefire
    Steve Witkoff: The Real Estate Investor Who Sealed The Gaza Ceasefire

    Via Middle East Eye

    On Saturday, Gaza ceasefire talks were down to the wire, and President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy wanted to hash out the deal once and for all with Benjamin Netanyahu, but the Israeli leader’s office said he could not be roused during Shabbat.

    Steve Witkoff allegedly gave a “salty” reply, making it clear he didn’t care if it was the Sabbath, the Jewish day of rest. In the words of one report from Haaretz, Witkoff said Trump expected Israel to agree to the ceasefire, and “things that Netanyahu had termed life-and-death issues…suddenly vanished.”

    Steve Witkoff stands onstage with President-elect Donald Trump during a campaign rally, via Reuters

    So, who is Witkoff, Trump’s new man in the Middle East?

    Witkoff is a Republican and a billionaire Jewish-American real estate developer. His soft, slightly nasally voice masks his reputation as a hard-charging negotiator who developed the nerve for leveraged loans as a teenager betting at the racetrack. When he was starting off in the cut-throat world of New York City real estate in the 1990s, he wore a handgun strapped to his ankle, according to a Wall Street Journal expose from the time. 

    Witkoff has been praised for pushing the ceasefire across the finish line. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani credited him in a speech announcing the deal on Wednesday, albeit one usurped by Trump’s earlier proclamation that an “EPIC” ceasefire had been reached. It is important to note that Witkoff was mentioned before the sitting Biden administration’s envoy, Brett McGurk. 

    The New Yorker turned south Floridian has no official training as a diplomat and his appointment epitomizes Trump’s disdain for traditional bureaucrats and policy wonks, who are steeped in area expertise and boast graduate degrees in international relations but lack private sector experience.

    “We have people that know everything about the Middle East, but they can’t speak properly…he is a great negotiator,” Trump said at a press conference in January, praising his friend.

    There, Trump reiterated his now infamous pledge that “all hell will break out” in the Middle East if the hostages held in Gaza were not freed by the time he takes office on 20 January. “You know what that means, do I have to define it for you,” he barked at a journalist, who pressed for details.

    Witkoff may not have Trump’s bravado, but the two golfing friends go back nearly forty years.

    Fix, lease, sell…or refinance

    Witkoff first met Trump in 1986 when he was a young real estate lawyer at a white-shoe law firm where the future president was a client. Associates say Witkoff was inspired to ditch his corporate job and enter real estate because of Trump.

    Witkoff started out by buying small tenements in the Bronx and Harlem during the 1987 real estate crash. His early deals were a far cry from globe-trotting ones he would strike later in the Gulf. He relied on a small regional bank called M&T in Buffalo, New York, for loans.

    To cut costs, he performed the labor on his buildings himself – even reportedly leaving a 1992 New Year’s Eve dinner party to dig a sewage trench.

    Like Trump, his real estate empire was based on debt and a close-knit circle of family, friends, and their relatives – some of whom he hired when they were out of work. “We fix buildings, lease them up, and then sell or refinance them,” Witkoff told The Wall Street Journal in a 1998 interview.

    By then, Witkoff was a proper player in New York real estate with bodyguards and a sprawling empire of office buildings. Witkoff Group’s portfolio comprises properties in New York, southern Florida and Los Angeles. One of his latest projects is Shell Bay, a luxury golf development near Miami, where one-bedroom condos start at $1.9m.

    Praise on Gulf states

    Like the Trump organixation, Witkoff’s firm has done business with the energy-rich Gulf.

    In 2023, he sold Manhattan’s swanky Park Lane Hotel to the Qatari Investment Authority, the country’s sovereign wealth fund, for $623m. Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund also took a stake.

    Trump has tapped a slew of Middle East experts for senior government positions, often those who have been critical of Qatar and Islam.

    Witkoff’s incoming deputy, former State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus, said she converted to Judaism in Saudi Arabia, where people “hate Jews”.

    Trump tapped Eric Tagger, a Republican Senate staffer who has slammed Qatar for its alleged ties to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, as the top official overseeing the Middle East at the National Security Council. However, Witkoff has rarely waded into the details of Middle Eastern culture and religion or debates on groups like the Muslim Brotherhood. He is all business and has been universal in heaping praise on Gulf states. 

    At Qatar’s 20204 Economic Forum, he praised Qatar, calling it “very, really impressive”, adding, “whoever they had who master planned here did a really good job…this is solid government. The hotels here are magnificent.”

    Witkoff has expressed similar admiration for the UAE’s pro-business agenda. In December, he took the stage at Bitcoin MENA, a cryptocurrency conference in Abu Dhabi. Witkoff and Trump’s sons are cofounders of World Liberty, a crypto company.

    Witkoff doesn’t speak much in public, but when he does, he is measured and deliberate. Appearing on Fox News in January, he said Trump’s “strong stance, his certitude in asserting that ‘all hell would break loose’ is moving people,” when asked about the ceasefire talks. 

    He added: “They (the hostages) are living in terrible conditions, and it’s time for everybody to come back.” His remark that “There will be plenty of Palestinians who will be released as a result of this and they will go home to their families,” did not elicit a response from Fox News host Sean Hannity.

    With Trump saying he will use the hostage deal to expand the 2020 Abraham Accord agreements, Witkoff is likely set to delve deeper into the world of Gulf politics and the Israel-Palestine conflict.

    He has also said he wants to solve tensions with Iran over a nuclear weapon “diplomatically…if people are willing to adhere to their agreements,” but, ever the negotiator, he did not show too much of his hand: “We are not going to have a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.”

    Tyler Durden
    Fri, 01/17/2025 – 20:05

  • 11 Year Old New York Schoolgirl "Burst Into Tears" After Being Falsely Arrested For Being A Car Thief
    11 Year Old New York Schoolgirl “Burst Into Tears” After Being Falsely Arrested For Being A Car Thief

    An 11-year-old New York girl burst into tears when deputies mistakenly handcuffed her for several minutes, believing she was a car thief.

    Video footage shows the girl was walking home from Brighton Academy Middle School in Syracuse with friends when Onondaga County deputies stopped her, just five blocks from where teens had abandoned a stolen Kia, according to the NY Post.

    Video from her cousin showed that the deputies detained her for seven minutes, citing her pink puffer jacket, camo pants, and white sneakers as matching the description of a suspect. 

    The other children repeatedly told deputies they had the wrong person, but the officers insisted she was the suspect, even showing them a photo for comparison, the footage shows.

    “Girl, you gonna tell me this ain’t you?” an officer says to the girl. Another added: “It is what it is. If you’re honest, it will make it easy.”

    Photo: NY Post

    The girl’s cousin pointed out that the suspect had lighter skin and longer hair.

    The NY Post report says that when more deputies arrived, the 11-year-old began crying as the situation sank in. After nearly seven minutes, deputies realized their mistake, released her, and apologized.

    “I’m sorry about it, but you matched the description pretty clearly,” the officer later said. 

    “That was the only freedom she had, and it’s now gone,” the girl’s mother said, referring to her walk to school. “I can’t make sense of it. I couldn’t even finish watching the video. Even if it wasn’t my child, I wouldn’t be able to finish watching the video because that’s not how you handle children.”

    The stolen Kia led to a brief chase before four occupants fled. Police arrested three boys, but the suspect in the pink coat remains at large.

    The sheriff’s office defended detaining the girl, citing her clothing and location, and stated handcuffing is standard for control. Sheriff Tobias Shelley, after meeting with the girl’s mother, promised to notify parents when juveniles are detained.

    Tyler Durden
    Fri, 01/17/2025 – 19:40

  • Nearly Half Of Federal Employees Say They Plan To Resist Trump's Incoming Administration; New Poll
    Nearly Half Of Federal Employees Say They Plan To Resist Trump’s Incoming Administration; New Poll

    Via American Greatness,

    A poll conducted by RMG Research reveals a startling number of federal government managers who say they will actively oppose the incoming administration when Donald Trump is inaugurated on January 20.

    The Daily Signal reports that RMG Research polled three separate segments of the population including what it calls the “Elite 1%”  with postgraduate degrees, earning more than $150,000 annually and live in highly populated areas, “Main Street Americans” who represent roughly 75% of the U.S. population and, finally, federal managers who live near the nation’s Capital city and earn $75,000 or more annually.

    When asked if they would most likely be supporting or resisting the Trump administration over the next four years, government managers were almost evenly split with 44% saying they would support the administration and 42% saying they would resist.

    But the divide between those federal managers who would resist and those who would support the incoming Trump administration grew much sharper when respondents were questioned along party lines.

    89% of Republican federal employees said they would either “somewhat support” or “strongly support” the administration, while 73% of Democrat bureaucrats surveyed said they would either “somewhat resist” or “strongly resist.”

    Removing bad or insubordinate employees from federal service has become more difficult over the years with truly bad employees typically being promoted or transferred to less visible positions while retaining their employment.

    Given the incoming Trump administration’s stated goal of finding and cutting out wasteful and abusive use of taxpayer dollars, there may be a price to be paid by those employees who draw too much attention to their resistance after taking an oath of service.

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    The survey also revealed that the so-called Elite 1% and Main Street Americans showed considerable alignment on issues like the economy and immigration.

    Federal government managers who were polled placed a higher priority on guns and crime, equality and climate change – issues that registered far lower importance among most other Americans.

    Tyler Durden
    Fri, 01/17/2025 – 19:15

  • Russia & Iran Sign 20-Year Defense, Energy Pact 3 Days Before Trump Inauguration
    Russia & Iran Sign 20-Year Defense, Energy Pact 3 Days Before Trump Inauguration

    President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran on Friday signed a 20-year pact between their countries at the Kremlin, just three days before Trump’s inauguration.

    Dubbed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty, the Kremlin is hailing it as bringing relations with the Islamic Republic to a new level, enshrining the two countries’ status as strategic partners. Putin hailed the “real breakthrough, creating conditions for the stable and sustainable development of Russia, Iran and the entire region.”

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Russian media has described it covers all spheres, including defense, counter-terrorism, energy, finance, transport, industry, agriculture, culture, science and engineering.

    The allies are also working on linking their national payment systems: “According to the Russian leader, in 2024, the share of transactions in Russian rubles and Iranian rials exceeded 95% of all bilateral trade operations,” TASS noted.

    Putin further said in a press conference with Pezeshkian, “Our countries firmly uphold the principles of the supremacy of international law, the sovereignty of states, non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries.” As for Pezeshkian, he said the following:

    “We witness a new chapter of strategic relations,” the Iranian president said, adding that the countries were set to expand trade ties and also boost the “level of security cooperation.”

    The pact is heavily focused on defense and security cooperation. “It will confirm the parties’ desire for closer cooperation in the field of defense and interaction in the interests of peace and security at the regional and global levels,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had earlier stated.

    Already, the two sides cooperate closely on drones. Russia has since the Ukraine war’s start been using Iran-produced ‘Shahed’ kamikaze drones against Ukrainian cities, and Iran has reportedly set up a major UAV production facility on Russian soil at Moscow’s invitation. 

    Moscow and Tehran early last month lost a key Middle East ally upon the fall of Bashar al Assad, after Islamic insurgents rampaged across the country and the demoralized and underpaid Syrian Army quickly collapsed. Turkey was widely seen as supporting the insurgents with intelligence and equipment, and likely other NATO states played a background role as well.

    Via Associated Press

    As for Iran, it sees the treaty as further safeguarding independence and national sovereignty:

    Discussing the specifics of the deal, Jalali told Iran’s state-run Young Journalists Club (YJC), “The independence and security of our country, as well as self-reliance, are crucial elements, and we are not particularly inclined to align ourselves with any specific bloc.”

    “National independence is of great importance to the Islamic Republic of Iran. After all, we have been paying the price for it for 45 years,” he added in an article published Saturday.

    But both countries have come under far-reaching US and EU sanctions for what’s happening in Ukraine. Western intelligence has warned against the transfer of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia in the context of the Ukraine war as well. While there have been some reports suggesting this has happened, there’s as yet no definitive evidence.

    Tyler Durden
    Fri, 01/17/2025 – 18:50

  • China's Refining Output Dips For First Time In Over Two Decades
    China’s Refining Output Dips For First Time In Over Two Decades

    Authored by Tsvetana Paraskova via OilPrice.com,

    Weaker fuel demand and depressed refining margins in 2024 resulted in the first annual decline in China’s refinery throughput in over 20 years, excluding the pandemic lockdown year of 2022, government data showed on Friday.

    Chinese refiners processed on average 14.13 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil last year, down by 1.6% compared to the record 14.7 million bpd processed in 2023 when China emerged from the pandemic lockdowns, per data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics cited by Reuters.

    Oil demand in China was lackluster in 2024, with consumption growth slowed, due to weaker economic performance and a shift to electric vehicles (EVs) and LNG-fueled trucks.

    Although some of the weakness is attributable to weaker economic performance, the shift toward EVs and LNG trucks is removing some road fuel demand permanently, analysts say.

    The rise of electric vehicles and the growing use of LNG in trucking have combined with slower-than-expected economic growth and activity to dent China’s oil demand growth and undermine earlier forecasts of global oil demand for 2024.

    Crude oil imports into China also declined last year, for the first time in some 20 years, excluding the pandemic lockdown period. The average import level stood at 11.04 million bpd in 2024, down by 1.9% from 2023, customs data showed earlier this week.

    It bears noting that in 2023, Chinese crude oil imports ran at a record pace after the end of the lockdowns, with the daily average at 11.28 million barrels.

    The growth rates of the last 20 years, however, are unlikely to return as China’s economy moves to a more measured pace of growth as it matures.

    Both China’s state energy giants CNPC and Sinopec have predicted peak oil demand growth on the horizon, with CNPC forecasting it for this year and Sinopec sees the peak coming in 2027.

    Tyler Durden
    Fri, 01/17/2025 – 18:25

  • Watch: Last Blinken Presser Overshadowed By Chaos As Journalists Dragged From Briefing Room
    Watch: Last Blinken Presser Overshadowed By Chaos As Journalists Dragged From Briefing Room

    Blinken’s final news conference Thursday, which came hours after the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, was a bit of a disaster given no less than two journalists were forcibly removed from the US State Department briefing room.

    First, veteran journalist Sam Husseini was accused of ‘heckling’ the outgoing top US diplomat. That’s when US State Dept police were called upon to violently drag him out. “You pontificate about a free press!” Husseini told Blinken as he was taken away by several uniformed officers. Some pundits pointed out the double standard given Blinken routinely lectures countries like China, Russia, and Iran on freedom of the press issues. Watch the incident unfold below:

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    “I am asking questions after being told by [spokesman] Matt Miller that he will not answer my questions,” Husseini continued as he was roughly escorted out. “I’m a journalist not a potted plant,” he also said.

    Blinken had told Husseini to “respect the process”. He had responded, “Everybody from Amnesty International to the ICJ [International Court of Justice] is saying that Israel is doing genocide and extermination, and you’re telling me to respect the process?”

    “Criminal! Why aren’t you in The Hague?! Why aren’t you in The Hague! Why aren’t you in The Hague!” Husseini yelled while being carried out of the room by security.

    Fuller video clip:

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    Journalist from The GrayZone Max Blumenthal also went off on Blinken. “Why did you keep the bombs flowing when we had a deal in May?” he asked. “Why did you allow my friends’ homes in Gaza to be destroyed?”

    Blumenthal charged Blinken with “sacrific[ing] the rules-based order on the mantle of your commitment to Zionism.” “You helped destroy our religion, Judaism, by associating it with fascism,” he said.

    For this, Blumenthal too was quickly detained and taken out of the room by State Dept police. 

    Blumenthal going out with a bang, as the Biden admin spokespersons go out with a whimper and a smirk…

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    The incident involving the pair of journalists overshadowed the whole press conference, and even seeped into mainstream media coverage.

    Both Blinken and Matthew Miller looked visibly upset and uncomfortable as the whole spectacle unfolded and as the accusations flew.

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    Miller could be seen with his characteristic smirk, while Blinken’s face looked grim amid the fracas. 

    Tyler Durden
    Fri, 01/17/2025 – 18:00

  • Newsom Does Damage Control After Awkward 'Trump-Proofing' Ploy
    Newsom Does Damage Control After Awkward ‘Trump-Proofing’ Ploy

    Via Headline USA,

    California Gov. Gavin Newsom joined a handful of Republican governors this week in ordering his state to fly the U.S. flag at full height on Inauguration Day, despite President Joe Biden’s order to keep government flags at half-staff because of the death of former President Jimmy Carter.

    Flags at the U.S. Capitol and state buildings across the country are expected to remain at half-mast for a 30-day mourning period following Carter’s death.

    President-elect Donald Trump, however, has argued the flags should be returned to full height for his inauguration ceremony next Monday.

    “The Democrats are all ‘giddy’ about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at ‘half mast’ during my Inauguration,” Trump wrote on Truth Social earlier this month.

    “They think it’s so great, and are so happy about it because, in actuality, they don’t love our Country, they only think about themselves.”

    He claimed his inauguration would be the “first time ever” the U.S. flags at the U.S. Capitol building would be flown at half-mast.

    “Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it,” Trump added.

    In response, several Republican officials, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, announced they would return their state buildings’ flags to full height before Inauguration Day.

    Newsom is the first Democrat to join them in the decision.

    House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) announced on Tuesday that flags will fly full-staff at the U.S. Capitol for Trump’s swearing-in ceremony, with the flags being lowered back to half-staff after the event.

    The Democrat’s announcement comes just one week after Newsom rallied Democratic state legislatures to pass $50 million in funding to “Trump-proof” the state.

    Newsom claimed the funding, passed during a special legislative session, was necessary to “safeguard California values and fundamental rights in the face of an incoming Trump administration.”

    He immediately faced blowback from frustrated Californians, who argued Newsom should be focusing on “fire-proofing” the state instead.

    “You’re talking about Trump this, Trump that. He’s not even president,” actor Michael Rapaport said last week.

    “Get the f*** out of here!”

    Last week, Newsom wrote a letter to the president-elect and said he should visit fire-ravaged areas in Los Angeles to “meet with the Americans affected by these fires”

    “Join me and others in thanking the heroic firefighters and first responders who are putting their lives on the line,” he said.

    Newsom will likely have to rely on federal assistance from the Trump administration to deal with the aftermath of the fires.

    Tyler Durden
    Fri, 01/17/2025 – 17:40

  • Trans City-Councilor Takes Month Off To Recover From Being Misgendered
    Trans City-Councilor Takes Month Off To Recover From Being Misgendered

    A trans Massachusetts city councilor is taking a one-month leave of absence, citing feelings of being unsafe after allegedly being “misgendered” by the mayor and another councilor, and being referred to as “it” by a third city official. 

    The soap opera starring that councilor, Thu Nguyen, erupted at Tuesday night’s meeting of the Worcester, Massachusetts city council, where members held a public hearing over whether it was appropriate for council members like Nguyen to attend meetings remotely. Once again appearing remotely, Nguyen blamed the mayor and peers for the routine failure to show up in person, saying, “Under your leadership, I have felt unsafe around this council body. I have faced transphobia with being misgendered and recently learned that I have been dehumanized to a point where I’m being referred to as ‘it’ by my colleagues on this council.”

    Worcester city councilor Thu Nguyen during a rare in-person appearance for city business 

    Heralded as the “first openly nonbinary lawmaker” in Massachusetts history — a title we’re sure Paul Revere and Samuel Adams would be totally impressed with — Nguyen has held office on the Worcester city council since 2022. Nguyen’s preferred pronouns are “they/them.” 

    The day after the hearing, Nguyen posted a statement saying “I am…sad to announce I will be taking a month to prioritize my mental and emotional safety,” so he could recover from having allegedly been misgendered by Mayor Joseph M. Petty and Councilor-at-Large Kathleen Toomey, and called “it” by Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson. Nguyen filed a complaint with Worcester’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, urging the prompt launch of an investigation, adding that is was unfortunate to do so at the very same time that “we transition under a Trump administration and exponential increase of fear experienced by the LGBTQ+ community.” 

    On Thursday, the city clerk confirmed that Nguyen will continue receiving a $2,641 monthly city stipend while providing nothing for Worcester other than melodrama. 

    On the defensive and careful to say the right things for liberal Massachusetts society, Petty said, “We are in a time of uncertainty, where members of the LGBTQIA+ community face real fears and challenges in simply being their authentic selves…I would never knowingly say anything harmful.” He says Nguyen’s accusation of misgendering goes all the way back to 2022 — Nguyen’s first year — when the mayor forgot to use “they/them” before correcting himself and apologizing. Toomey said she’s made a similar “honest mistake” during Nguyen’s rookie year, saying “there’s never, ever been any attempt on my side to misgender them.” 

    Alleged “it” girl Mero-Carson issued a more assertive statement. “While I do not recall making the statements in question, I acknowledge that it was a challenging and emotional week where difficult conversations took place…It is deeply troubling that Councilor Nguyen has chosen to distort the narrative and weaponize these accusations for political purposes,” noting that Nguyen has the “the lowest attendance record of any City Councilor.” 

    Worcester is home of the College of the Holy Cross, a Jesuit school and alma mater of disgraced Dr. Anthony Fauci (Holy Cross photo)

    As you might expect, Nguyen’s council profile is loaded with woke leftist blather like this gem: “Invested in the notion of social justice, they [sic] commit their time and efforts in…navigating the intersectionality of identity, systems and openings for collective care and healing.” Nguyen concludes by touting a trio of identity-politics point-makers: “They [sic] are proud queer, Vietnamese, nonbinary refugee.” 

    Since announcing the month off from work, Nguyen has been active on Facebook, basking in support pouring in from “allies,” such as LGBT group MassEquality, which condemned the “bullying” Nguyen has experienced. Nguyen is also wallowing in victimhood, posting the text of “hate emails” like this: 

    “Don’t confuse my speaking the truth to you here with hate or some kind of phobia…Your petty, emotional, shrill, fake outrage about being misgendered is not helping you or trans people. It’s what keeps you down….Taking a month off. LOL! Who wants to have to put up with childish, petulant temper tantrums like that? No one. No one wants to work with you now and even though you will scream ‘transphobia’ it won’t be that. It will be idiot-phobia.” 

    Tyler Durden
    Fri, 01/17/2025 – 17:20

  • Mexico's Tijuana Declares Emergency In Anticipation Of Mass Deportations
    Mexico’s Tijuana Declares Emergency In Anticipation Of Mass Deportations

    Authored by Kimberley Hayek via The Epoch Times,

    The city council in Tijuana, Mexico, a border city located 20 miles south of San Diego, unanimously passed an emergency declaration on Jan. 13 to allocate city funds for the anticipated arrival of deportees from the United States after President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

    Trump made mass deportations an integral part of his campaign platform and said in November 2024 that he would declare a national emergency to carry them out.

    The council voted on the additional funds in a virtual meeting, the office announced in a statement on social media.

    Tijuana Mayor Ismael Burgueño said the city is working closely with Mexico’s federal government.

    “We knew that at some point, we could quickly face challenges in infrastructure, public services, as well as security and more,” he said during the meeting, referring to receiving potentially thousands of people in the city in a short amount of time.

    The mayor said the declaration would guarantee the city has the conditions and resources to receive the influx of deportees.

    “Once they are deported, they are guaranteed to be treated with dignity with full respect for their human rights,” Burgueño said in Spanish, adding that as they return to their country or state of origin they should feel protected and supported.

    The emergency funds are expected to be used to hire security personnel, leasing facilities, utilities, and legal services. The declaration also frees the city up to apply for federal funds.

    Tijuana earlier this month announced plans to open a shelter with enough space to house 10,000 deportees. Burgueño said at a Jan. 9 press conference that the shelter could be increased to house 30,000 people if needed.

    “We want to give deportees the best possible space available,” he said.

    Tijuana officials aim to avoid a return of street encampments, which cropped up in the city during past migrant surges, such as during a migrant caravan in 2018, as well as in 2021 and 2022. In 2022, Mexico’s National Guard was deployed to clear an encampment.

    “Public spaces should not be used to house migrants,” Burgueño said.

    He added that the declaration would also seek to protect the people of Tijuana from interference in their daily life.

    “We want for those of us who already live here in Tijuana to be able to continue using these spaces and not have any changes around their homes or communities.”

    In addition to preparations being made by Tijuana, Mexico’s state and federal governments are establishing plans to deal with the anticipated arrival of deportees.

    Baja California Gov. Marina del Pilar Ávila announced last week new shelters in Tijuana to house deportees before they would be returned to their place of origin with the goal of opening the shelters before Trump’s inauguration.

    At the federal level, Mexico has been preparing for Trump’s immigration enforcement plans with a particular focus in Mexico’s northern states that sit on the border of the United States.

    Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who took office last fall, said in December that Mexico would only allow Mexican citizens to be sent into the country as part of Trump’s deportation efforts. She later amended her position, stating Mexico would be open to collaborating with the United States to return the illegal immigrants to their country of origin.

    Mexico’s efforts at the federal level to prepare for mass deportations also include the development of a cellphone app for Mexican citizens in the United States illegally, which would assist them in contacting their families and the local Mexican consulate should they face deportation.

    Mexico also opened a 24-hour call center to field questions from Mexican citizens who are in the United States illegally.

    Mexico, which has a population of approximately 128.5 million, also increased its consular staff and legal aid resources to assist illegal immigrants with navigating the deportation process.

    According to the Office of Homeland Security Statistics, there were about 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States as of January 2022.

    Tyler Durden
    Fri, 01/17/2025 – 17:00

  • CBO Projects US Debt To Soar By $24 Trillion Over Next Decade, And Then It Gets Much Worse…
    CBO Projects US Debt To Soar By $24 Trillion Over Next Decade, And Then It Gets Much Worse…

    The Congressional Budget Office may claim it is apolitical and/or bipartsian, but in reality they have few reservations in throwing under the bus any politician(s) that are not viewed as part of the establishment inner circle, and “kitchen sink” them with all the accumulated financial troubles that have piled up in the US. That politician is Donald J. Trump, who is about to be inaugurated as the 47th US president, and who will soon see US debt – already at a ridiculous $36.2 trillion – really explode during his second administration, Musk’s pet project DOGE notwithstanding.

    According to the latest CBO budget and economic outlook for the decade 2025 to 2035 the situation is hopeless and getting worse, and even though the budget office doesn’t use those actual terms, it does get pretty close.

    While the economic picture presented by the CBO is hardly shocking, if as ridiculous as always, with zero recessions expected over the coming decade when the CBO projects GDP growing at a 1.8% annual pace, with inflation magically flat at 2.0%, unemployment rate a sticky 4.4% and a 3.2% fed funds rate (translating into 3.8% 10Y yield)…

    … it gets more exciting when looking at how all this growth is going to be funded. And the answer, of course, is through trillions more in unsustainable deficits, although according to the CBO these are perhaps sustainable since they never seem to end.

    So starting with the deficit projection, the CBO expects a 2025 federal deficit of $1.9 trillion, a number which grows to $2.7 trillion by 2035. And while it amounts to 6.2% of GDP in 2025, and then drops to 5.2% by 2027 as revenues increase faster than outlays, this modestly beneficial trend quickly reverses and in later years, outlays once again increase faster than revenues, and by 2035, the deficit once again equals 6.1% of GDP, a number which according to the CBO is “significantly more than the 3.8 percent that deficits have averaged over the past 50 years.” It goes without saying that the actual deficit number will be far, far greater because even a modest recession will assure a surge in government spending (i.e., much more debt-funded deficit) which however will not result in faster growth.

    It gets better. In an attempt to entrap Trump, who will very extend extend the expiring TCJA, or Trump tax cuts, the CBO amusingly enough cuts its long-term deficit forecast by $1 billion, but not because of higher growth or anything like that, but because it forecasts “increases in projected revenues from individual income taxes” even as “legislative changes and technical (that is, neither economic nor legislative) changes boosted projected deficits.” As a result, the cumulative deficit from 2025-2034 is expected to decline by $1 trillion, from $22.1 trillion to $21.1 trillion.

    That way, in one year when the Trump tax cuts are extended, the CBO will throw the book at trump and blame him when it once again revises its deficit forecast dramatically higher.

    As for the real reason why the US deficit is about to go exponential has little to do with taxes, and everything to do with the stratospheric levels of US debt, or rather interest on that debt, we find that while things are more or less normal for the next 3 years, then they go vertical, to wit:

    “Federal outlays in 2025 total $7.0 trillion, or 23.3 percent of GDP. They remain close to that level through 2028 and then rise, reaching 24.4 percent of GDP in 2035 (if adjusted to exclude the effects of shifts in the timing of certain payments). The main reasons for that increase are growth in spending for Social Security and Medicare and rising net interest costs.”

    Unfortunately, there is no such hockeystick effect to US government revenues which total $5.2 trillion, or 17.1% of GDP, in 2025, then rise to 18.2% of GDP by 2027, which according to the CBO is “because of the scheduled expiration of provisions of the 2017 tax act”, which obviously will not expire and instead will be extended, meaning revenues will not increase and while the CBO knows this, it will instead wait for 6-12 months before letting the hammer fall in its next, far uglier forecast.

    But even without the 2017 tax act, the CBO projects that revenues as a share of GDP will then decline over the next two years, falling to 17.9% in 2029, and flatline around 18.3% in 2035. In reality, this number will be far lower, perhaps around 15% if note worse, due to the extension of the Trump tax cuts which means that the next CBO forecast will be substantially worse than the current one.

    Alas, this one is also a disaster, and one has to look no further than the CBO’s debt forecast to see that. That’s because while debt held by the public (which conveniently excludes debt used to fund Social Security), is currently at $28.2 trillion, this number nearly doubles by 2035, when it is expected to hit $52.1 trillion.

    But wait, wouldn’t debt only increase as GDP also increased, with the relative ratio improving? Actually no, because as the infamous CBO “chart of doom” shows, as debt held by the public rises each year, it does so at a faster pace than GDP; in fact, from 2025 to 2035, debt/GDP swells from 100% to 118%, an amount which as the CBO admits, is “greater than at any point in the nation’s history.”

    Now the reason why the CBO published a report that saw a modest improvement in the US fiscal picture over the next decade is not because the US fiscal picture is actually improving, but on the contrary, was to entrap Trump and republicans. As ABC notes, “the analysis paints a difficult picture for an incoming Republican administration bent on cutting taxes in ways that further widen deficits unless they’re also paired with major spending cuts.” Indeed, Trump’s proposed extension of his 2017 tax cuts that are set to expire after this year along with new cuts could easily exceed $4 trillion and his nominee to be treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, warned Thursday that the economy could crash without them.

    “We do not have a revenue problem in the U.S.,” Bessent insisted at his confirmation hearings. “We have a spending problem.”

    He’s right, but the even bigger problem is that cutting any spending, whether discretionary or mandatory, would lead to unprecedented economic devastation for a country that is used to issuing debt and spending it like a drunken sailor.

    While tax revenues as a share of the total U.S. economy are close to the 50-year average, government spending is poised to continue growing, largely because of the unprecedented $1.2 trillion in gross interest expense, a number that will almost certainly never go down again, because even if interest rates do drop briefly, the total amount of debt will just keep rising, more than offsetting any rate decline. Meanwhile, discretionary spending on national security and social programs will account for $1.85 trillion next year. The CBO already has spending in these categories on a downward trajectory as discretionary spending would equal 5.3% of GDP, down from the half-century average of 7.9%.

    CBO Director Phillip Swagel told reporters at a press conference Friday that net interest costs are a major contributor to the deficit and “in the coming years, net interest costs are projected to be similar to the amounts of discretionary spending for either defense or non-defense” programs.

    And all of that is, of course assuming no recession and a demographic picture that remains unchanged; alas both assumptions are ludicrous.

    With an aging population, government spending would largely increase because of Social Security and Medicare — two programs popular with voters that many Republicans and Democrats alike have vowed to protect, despite clear signs that they’re on an unsustainable path.

    Swagel said. “We’re already an aging society and the aging of our society is driving mandatory outlays.”

    And as American women wait later in life to have children and have fewer of them, “the change of fertility sometimes accelerates that pattern of the aging of our society,” he said.

    Michael Peterson, CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation — which among other things tracks the federal debt — said in a statement that “as lawmakers consider the range of expiring tax policy at the end of the year, they should make a commitment to at least ‘do no fiscal harm’.”

    “They should avoid budget gimmicks and base their assumptions on neutral, nonpartisan estimates like this one from CBO,” he said.

    Unfortunately for the US, it is now way too late to change the inevitable outcome of an existence that has been driven by exorbitant debt-funded spending. Indeed, when it comes to normalizing or “doing no fiscal harm” that ship has sailed, and as much as we would like for there to be some happy ending, we are terrified at what will happen when the brightest minds in the room admit that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been a failure, and that nothing can prevent the inevitable US implosion.

    More in the full CBO bidget forecast.

    Tyler Durden
    Fri, 01/17/2025 – 16:40

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Jan 17

Today’s News 17th January 2025

  • The Technocratic Blueprint – A Century In The Making
    The Technocratic Blueprint – A Century In The Making

    Authored by Joshua Stylman via substack,

    “Humanity will attempt to overcome its limitations and arrive at fuller fruition,” declared Julian Huxley in 1957, coining the term “transhumanism.” 

    By 2022, Yuval Noah Harari would announce its dark fulfillment:

    “Humans are now hackable animals. The whole idea of free will… that’s over. Today we have the technology to hack human beings on a massive scale. Everything is being digitized, everything is being monitored. In this time of crisis, you have to follow science. It’s often said you should never allow a good crisis to go to waste, because a crisis is an opportunity to also do ‘good’ reforms that in normal times people would never agree to. But in a crisis, you have no chance, so you better do what we – the people who understand – tell you to do.”

    Like Truman Burbank in ‘The Truman Show,’ we inhabit a world where reality itself is increasingly engineered. And like Truman, most remain unaware of the extent of this engineering until shown the patterns. But unlike Truman’s physical dome with its obvious cameras and artificial sets, our manufactured environment operates through sophisticated technological systems and invisible digital constraints. The mechanics of this reality engineering – from media manipulation to social programming – were explored in detail in our previous analysis. Now we turn to the driving force behind this manufactured world: technocracy, the system of control that makes such reality engineering possible on a global scale.

    The technocratic architecture wasn’t merely passed down through institutions – it flowed through bloodlines. At the heart of this dynastic web sits Thomas Henry Huxley, known as “Darwin’s Bulldog,” who helped establish scientific materialism as the new religion while serving on the influential Rhodes Round Table. His son Leonard carried this torch forward, while grandsons Aldous and Julian became key architects of the modern world order. These weren’t random connections but rather the careful cultivation of multi-generational power networks.

    The connections deepen through marriage and association. Charles Galton Darwin, grandson of Charles Darwin, wrote “The Next Million Years” in 1952, outlining population control through technological means. His son would later marry into the Huxley line, creating a powerful nexus of influence spanning science, culture, and governance.

    This intergenerational project has evolved with technological capability. Where Rockefeller once declared “we need a nation of workers, not thinkers” while building his educational information factory today’s technocrats face a different equation. As artificial intelligence eliminates the need for human labor, the focus shifts from creating compliant workers to managing population reduction – not through overt force, but through sophisticated social engineering.

    BlackRock CEO Larry Fink recently made this shift explicit, explaining how AI and automation will reshape population dynamics: “In developed countries with shrinking populations… these countries will rapidly develop robotics and AI technology… the social problems that one will have in substituting humans for machines will be far easier in those countries that have declining populations.” His candid assessment reveals how technological capability drives elite agendas – as human labor becomes less necessary, population reduction becomes more desirable.

    Climate change messaging, declining birth rates, and the normalization of euthanasia aren’t random developments but logical extensions of this evolving agenda.

    From World Brain to Digital Hive Mind

    In 1937, a British science fiction writer imagined a future where all human knowledge would be instantly accessible to everyone. Today, we call it the Internet. But H.G. Wells saw more than just technology. “The world has a World Brain to which, ultimately, all knowledge is to be addressed,” he wrote, “and it has a nervous system of road, railway, and air communication which is already beginning to bind mankind into a whole.” His vision went beyond mere information sharing. Through “The Open Conspiracy,” he called for “a movement of all that is intelligent in the world,” explicitly advocating for technocratic governance by a scientific elite who would gradually assume control of society. “The Open Conspiracy must be, from its very inception, a world movement, and not merely an English movement or a Western movement. It must be a movement of all that is intelligent in the world.” Wells here laid out his schema for a class of educated, rational individuals who would lead this global transformation. Even his fictional work “Shape of Things to Come” reads like a blueprint, particularly in its description of how a pandemic might facilitate global governance.

    This plan found its institutional expression through Julian Huxley at UNESCO. ‘The general philosophy of UNESCO should be a scientific world humanism, global in extent and evolutionary in background,’ he declared as its first Director-General. Through works like “Religion Without Revelation” (1927), Huxley didn’t merely suggest replacing traditional faith – he outlined a new religious orthodoxy with Science as its deity and experts as its priesthood. This quasi-religious devotion to scientific authority would become the framework for today’s unquestioning acceptance of expert proclamations on everything from vaccine mandates to climate policies. Most civilians lack the specialized knowledge to evaluate these complex technical issues, yet are expected to embrace them with religious fervor – “trust the science” becoming the modern equivalent of “trust in faith.” This blind deference to scientific authority, precisely as Huxley envisioned, has transformed science from a method of inquiry into a system of belief.

    The Huxley family provided the intellectual architecture for this transformation. Julian Huxley’s “scientific world humanism” at UNESCO established the institutional framework, while his brother Aldous revealed the psychological methodology. In his 1958 interview with Mike Wallace, Aldous Huxley explained how rapid technological change could overwhelm populations, making them “lose their capacity for critical analysis.” His description of “control through overwhelm” perfectly describes our current state of constant technological disruption, where people are too disoriented by rapid change to effectively resist new control systems.

    Most crucially, Huxley emphasized the importance of “gradual” implementation – suggesting that by carefully pacing technological and social changes, resistance could be managed and new control systems normalized over time. This strategy of gradualism, mirroring the Fabian Society’s approach, can be seen in everything from the slow erosion of privacy rights to the incremental implementation of digital surveillance systems. His warning about psychological conditioning through media foreshadowed today’s social media algorithms and digital behavior modification.

    Zbigniew Brzezinski’s “Between Two Ages” expanded this framework, describing a coming “technetronic era” marked by surveillance of citizens, control through technology, manipulation of behavior, and global information networks. He was remarkably explicit about this blueprint: “The technetronic era involves the gradual appearance of a more controlled society. Such a society would be dominated by an elite, unrestrained by traditional values… Soon it will be possible to assert almost continuous surveillance over every citizen and maintain up-to-date complete files containing even the most personal information about the citizen. These files will be subject to instantaneous retrieval by the authorities.” Today, many might recognize his daughter Mika Brzezinski as co-host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe – while her father shaped geopolitical theory, she would go on to influence public opinion through media, demonstrating how establishment influence adapts across generations

    Wells’ framework of a “World Brain” – an interconnected global information network – has become a reality through the rise of artificial intelligence and the Internet. This centralization of knowledge and data mirrors the technocratic ambition for an AI-powered global society, as exemplified by initiatives like the AI World Society (AIWS).

    George Orwell’s predictions have become our daily reality: telescreens tracking our movements have become smart devices with always-on cameras and microphones. Newspeak limiting acceptable speech emerged as content moderation and political correctness. The memory hole erasing inconvenient facts operates through digital censorship and “fact-checking.” Thought crime punishing wrong opinions appears as social credit systems and digital reputation scores. Perpetual war maintaining control continues through endless conflicts and the “war on terror.”

    Consider how major publications systematically preview coming technological transformations: mainstream media’s promotion of the “never offline” mentality preceded widespread adoption of wearable surveillance devices that now converge human biology and digital technology – what’s now called the “Internet of Bodies.”

    These aren’t random predictions – they represent coordinated efforts to acclimate the public to increasingly invasive technologies that blur the boundaries between the physical and digital realms. This pattern of previewing control systems through mainstream media serves a dual purpose: it normalizes surveillance while positioning resistance as futile or backward-looking. By the time these systems are fully implemented, the public has already been conditioned to accept them as inevitable progress.

    If Orwell showed us the stick, Huxley revealed the carrot. While Orwell warned of control through pain, Huxley predicted control through pleasure. His dystopia of genetic castes, widespread mood-altering drugs, and endless entertainment parallels our world of CRISPR technology, psychiatric medication, and digital addiction.

    While the theoretical foundations were established through visionaries like Wells and Huxley, implementing their ideas required institutional frameworks. The transformation from abstract concepts to global control systems would emerge through carefully crafted networks of influence.

    From Round Tables to Global Governance

    When Cecil Rhodes died in 1902, he left more than just a diamond fortune. His will outlined a roadmap for a new kind of empire – one built not through military conquest, but through the careful cultivation of future leaders who would think and act as one. Carroll Quigley, in his influential work “Tragedy and Hope,” provided insider insights into the power structures he observed, noting how “the powers of financial capitalism had another far-reaching aim, nothing less than to create a world system of financial control in private hands able to dominate the political system of each country and the economy of the world as a whole. This system was to be controlled in a feudalist fashion by the central banks of the world acting in concert, by secret agreements arrived at in frequent private meetings and conferences.”

    This would manifest through a network based on human connection and institutional influence. Rhodes envisioned creating an elite network that would extend British influence globally while fostering Anglo-American cooperation. His doctrine wasn’t just about political power – it was about shaping the very mechanisms through which future leaders would think and operate.

    The machinery of global control has undergone a profound transformation since Rhodes’ time. The 1.0 model of globalism operated through nation-states, colonialism, and the explicit structures of the British Empire. Today’s Globalism 2.0 operates through corporate and financial institutions, steering power toward centralized global governance without the need for formal empire. Organizations like the Bilderberg Group, Council on Foreign Relations, Trilateral Commission, and Tavistock Institute have spent 50 to 100 years guiding global programs and policies, gradually centralizing power, influence, and resources among an increasingly concentrated elite. The Bilderberg Group, in particular, has facilitated private discussions among influential political and business leaders, shaping high-level decision-making behind closed doors.

    The Rhodes Scholarships served as more than an educational program – they created a pipeline for identifying and cultivating future leaders who would advance this technocratic agenda. The Round Table Movement that emerged from Rhodes’ blueprint would establish influential groups in key countries, creating informal networks that would shape global policy for generations.

    From these Round Tables emerged key institutions of global governance: the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) in London and the Council on Foreign Relations in the United States. These organizations wouldn’t merely discuss policy – they would create the intellectual framework through which policy could be imagined. Their members would go on to establish the League of Nations, the United Nations, and the Bretton Woods system.

    Alice Bailey’s vision, articulated through Lucis Trust (founded in 1922 as Lucifer Publishing Company before being renamed in 1925), foreshadowed and helped shape aspects of today’s global institutions. While not directly establishing the UN, Lucis Trust’s influence can be seen in the organization’s spiritual and philosophical foundations, including the Meditation Room at UN headquarters. In “The Externalization of the Hierarchy”, written over several decades and published in 1957, Bailey outlined a vision for global transformation that parallels many current UN initiatives. Her writings described changes we now see manifesting: reformed education systems promoting global citizenship, environmental programs restructuring society, spiritual institutions merging into universal beliefs, and economic systems becoming increasingly integrated. Most notably, she specified 2025 as the target date for this “externalization of the hierarchy” – a timeline that aligns with many current global initiatives, including the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    Today, this gameplan manifests through the World Economic Forum, where Klaus Schwab, mentored by Henry Kissinger, implements these historical technocratic guides. As Kissinger stated in 1992, “A New World Order will emerge. The only question is whether it will arise out of intellectual and moral insight, and by design, or whether it will be forced on mankind by a series of catastrophes.” Klaus Schwab’s WEF actively shapes this order, “penetrating cabinets” through its Young Global Leaders program. As Schwab himself boasted, “What we are very proud of is that we penetrate the global cabinets of countries” – a claim evidenced by the fact that multiple cabinet members in countries like Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, as well as U.S. politicians such as Gavin Newsom, Pete Buttigieg, and Huma Abedin had gone through the WEF’s leadership initiatives.

    Programming the Future: Selling the Cage

    Edward Bernays, nephew of Sigmund Freud, developed the psychological framework that would become modern marketing and social media manipulation. This family connection was no coincidence – Freud’s psychological insights about human nature would be weaponized by his nephew into tools for mass manipulation. This pattern of family influence continues today – the co-founder of Netflix, Marc Bernays Randolph, is Edward Bernays’ great-nephew, demonstrating how these bloodlines continue shaping our cultural consumption. The techniques of “engineering consent” and managing public opinion that Edward Bernays pioneered now operate through digital platforms at unprecedented scale, setting the stage for the phenomenon of predictive programming.

    Predictive programming operates by presenting future control systems as entertainment, normalizing them before implementation. When reality mirrors fiction, the public has been pre-conditioned to accept it. This isn’t mere coincidence – these narratives systematically prepare populations for planned transformations.

    As theorist Alan Watt explains, “predictive programming works to create a psychological conditioning in our minds through a Pavlovian-like process. By repeatedly exposing people to future events or control systems through entertainment media, the responses become familiar and those events are then accepted as natural occurrences when they manifest in reality.”

    Hollywood serves as the primary vehicle for normalizing technocratic ideas. Movies and TV shows consistently present future scenarios that later become reality:

    • Minority Report” (2002) predicted personalized advertising and gesture-controlled interfaces → Now we have targeted ads and touchless controls

    • Iron Man” (2008) normalized brain-computer interfaces for everyday use → Now we see Neuralink and other neural implant initiatives gaining public acceptance

    • Black Mirror” (2011-) episodes about social credit scores → China implemented similar systems

    • Contagion” (2011) eerily predicted pandemic responses → Many of its scenes played out in real life

    • The Social Network” (2010) portrayed tech disruption as inevitable and leaders as brilliant outsiders → Leading to widespread technocrat worship

    • Person of Interest” (2011) depicted mass surveillance through AI → Now we have widespread facial recognition and predictive policing

    • “Her” (2013) depicted an intimate relationship between a human and an AI assistant, presaging the erosion of traditional human bonds

    • “Elysium” (2013) depicted technological class division → Now we see increasing discussion of transhuman enhancement limited to elites

    • “Transcendence” (2014) explored human consciousness merging with AI → Now we see Neuralink and other brain-computer interface initiatives advancing rapidly

    • “Ready Player One” (2018) normalized full digital immersion and virtual economy → Now we see metaverse initiatives and digital asset markets

    Even children’s entertainment plays a role. Movies like WALL-E predict environmental collapse, while children’s films like Disney/Pixar’s Big Hero 6 show technology “saving” humanity. The message remains consistent: technology will solve our problems, but at the cost of traditional human relationships and freedoms. This systematic conditioning through media would require an equally systematic institutional framework to implement at scale.

    While Bernays and his successors developed the psychological framework for mass influence, implementing these ideas at scale required a robust institutional architecture. The translation of these manipulation techniques from theory to practice would emerge through carefully constructed networks of influence, each building upon the other’s work. These networks wouldn’t just share ideas – they would actively shape the mechanisms through which future generations would understand and interact with the world.

    The Institutional Network

    The technocratic map required specific institutions for its implementation. The Fabian Society, whose coat of arms tellingly featured a wolf in sheep’s clothing and a tortoise logo representing their motto of “when I strike, I strike hard” and “slow and steady change”, established mechanisms for gradual social transformation. This gradualist approach would become a template for how institutional change could be implemented without triggering resistance.

    The translation of technocratic theory into global policy required institutional muscle. Organizations like the Rockefeller and Ford Foundations didn’t merely support these initiatives – they systematically restructured society through strategic funding and policy implementation. The Rockefeller Foundation’s influence over medicine mirrored Ford’s reshaping of education, creating interconnected mechanisms of control over health and knowledge. These foundations operated as more than philanthropic organizations – they served as incubators for technocratic governance, carefully cultivating networks of influence through grants, fellowships, and institutional support. Their work demonstrated how apparent charity could mask profound social engineering, a pattern that continues with today’s tech philanthropists.

    Bill Gates exemplifies this evolution – his foundation wields unprecedented influence over global health policy while simultaneously investing in digital ID systems, synthetic foods, and surveillance technologies. His acquisition of vast agricultural holdings, becoming America’s largest private farmland owner, parallels his control over global seed preservation and distribution systems. Like Rockefeller before him, Gates uses philanthropic giving to shape multiple domains – from public health and education to agriculture and digital identity. His transhumanist vision extends to patenting human-computer interfaces, positioning himself to influence not just our food and health systems, but potentially human biology itself through technological integration. Through strategic media investments and carefully managed public relations, these activities are typically portrayed as charitable initiatives rather than exercises in control. His work demonstrates how modern philanthropists have perfected their predecessors’ methods of using charitable giving to engineer social transformation.

    The transformation of medicine offers a stark example of how control systems evolved. Jonas Salk, celebrated as a humanitarian for his vaccine work, revealed darker motivations in books like “The Survival of the Wisest” and “World Population and Human Values: A New Reality,” which explicitly advocated eugenics and depopulation agendas. This pattern of apparent philanthropy masking population control repeats throughout the century, forcing us to reconsider many of our assumed heroes of progress.

    The weaponization of social division emerged through careful academic study. Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson’s work in Papua New Guinea, particularly their concept of schismogenesis (the creation of social rifts), provided the theoretical framework for modern social engineering. While presented as neutral anthropological research, their studies effectively created a manual for societal manipulation through the exploitation of internal strife. Bateson’s “Steps to an Ecology of Mind” revealed how communication patterns and feedback loops could shape both individual and collective behavior. The concept of schismogenesis described how initial separations could be amplified into self-reinforcing cycles of opposition – a process we now see deliberately deployed through social media algorithms and mainstream news programming.

    Matt Taibbi’s “Hate Inc.” provides a powerful contemporary analysis of how these principles operate in our digital age. What Bateson observed in tribal cultures, Taibbi documents in today’s media ecosystem – the systematic exploitation of division through algorithmic content delivery and engagement metrics, creating an industrialized form of schismogenesis that drives social control through manufactured conflict, even as the establishment “uniparty” converges on key issues like foreign policy.

    The Royal Institute of International Affairs and Council on Foreign Relations shaped international policy frameworks, while the Tavistock Institute developed and refined psychological operations techniques. The Frankfurt School reshaped cultural criticism, and the Trilateral Commission guided economic integration. Each of these organizations serves multiple roles: incubating technocratic ideas, training future leaders, networking key influencers, developing policy frameworks, and engineering social change.

    Bertrand Russell’s “The Impact of Science on Society” provided the blueprint for modern educational control. “The subject which will be of most importance politically is Mass Psychology,” he wrote. “Its importance has been enormously increased by the growth of modern methods of propaganda. Of these the most influential is what is called ‘education’.” His frank explorations of population control and scientific governance find expression in contemporary discussions about expert rule and “following the science.” These ideas now manifest in standardized digital education systems and AI-driven learning platforms.

    The Club of Rome’s “Limits to Growth” deserves special attention for establishing the intellectual framework behind current environmental and population control initiatives. Their stark declaration that “the common enemy of humanity is man” revealed their true agenda. As they explicitly stated in”’The First Global Revolution” (1991): ‘In searching for a new enemy to unite us, we came up with the idea that pollution, the threat of global warming, water shortages, famine and the like would fit the bill… All these dangers are caused by human intervention and it is only through changed attitudes and behavior that they can be overcome. The real enemy then, is humanity itself.’ Their predictions of resource scarcity weren’t just about environmental concerns – they provided the foundation for today’s climate change messaging and population control initiatives, enabling control through both resource allocation and demographic engineering.

    These institutional structures didn’t remain static – they evolved with technological capability. What began as physical systems of control would find their ultimate expression in digital infrastructure, achieving a level of surveillance and behavioral modification that earlier technocrats could only imagine.

    Modern Implementation: The Convergence of Control Systems

    Modern surveillance architecture pervades every aspect of daily life. Smart devices monitor millions of people’s sleep patterns and vital signs while AI assistants guide our daily routines under the guise of convenience. Just as Truman’s world was controlled through hidden cameras and staged interactions, our digital environment monitors and shapes our behavior through devices we willingly embrace. News and information flow through carefully curated algorithmic filters that shape our worldview, while workplace surveillance and automation increasingly define our professional environments. Our entertainment arrives through recommendation systems, our social interactions are mediated through digital platforms, and our purchases are tracked and influenced through targeted advertising. Where Truman’s world was controlled by a single producer and production team, our engineered reality operates through integrated frameworks of technological control. The infrastructure of technocracy – from digital surveillance to behavioral modification algorithms – provides the practical means for implementing this control at scale, far beyond anything depicted in Truman’s artificial world.

    Like Truman’s carefully controlled environment, our digital world creates an illusion of choice while every interaction is monitored and shaped. But unlike Truman’s physical cameras, our surveillance system is invisible – embedded in the devices and platforms we voluntarily embrace. Even our health decisions are increasingly guided by “expert” algorithms, our children’s education becomes standardized through digital platforms, and our travel is continuously monitored through digital tickets and GPS. Most insidiously, our money itself is transforming into trackable digital currency, completing the surveillance circuit. Just as Truman’s every purchase and movement was carefully tracked within his artificial world, our financial transactions and physical movements are increasingly monitored and controlled through digital systems – but with far greater precision and scope than anything possible in Truman’s manufactured reality.

    Historical agendas have manifested with remarkable precision in our current systems. Wells’ World Brain has become our Internet, while Huxley’s soma takes the form of widespread SSRIs. Bailey’s dreams of global governance emerge through the UN and WEF, as Brzezinski’s technetronic era arrives as surveillance capitalism. Russell’s educational outline manifests in digital learning platforms, Bernays’ manipulation techniques power social media, and the Club of Rome’s environmental concerns drive climate change policy. Each historical blueprint finds its modern implementation, creating converging networks of control.

    The next phase of control systems is already emerging. Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) are creating what amounts to a digital gulag, where every transaction requires approval and can be monitored or prevented. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) scores extend this control to corporate behavior, while AI governance increasingly automates decision-making processes. This new paradigm effectively codifies “cancel culture”, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives into the monetary system, creating a comprehensive system of financial control

    Initiatives like the Internet of Bodies and the development of smart cities overseen by governing bodies like the C40 network further demonstrate how the technocratic vision is being implemented in the present day. These efforts to meld human biology with digital technology, and to centralize urban infrastructure under technocratic control, represent the logical extension of the historical blueprint outlined throughout this essay.

    Understanding to Resist

    The technocratic future isn’t coming – it’s here. Every day, we live out the predictions these thinkers made decades ago. But understanding their vision gives us power.

    Just as Truman Burbank finally sailed toward the boundaries of his artificial world, recognizing the illusion that had constrained him, we too must muster the courage to push against the edges of our own digitally-enforced reality. But unlike Truman’s physical dome, our constraints are increasingly biological and psychological, woven into the very fabric of modern life through technocratic systems of control. The question isn’t whether we’re living in a Truman-like system – we demonstrably are. The question is whether we’ll recognize our digital dome before it becomes biological, and whether we’ll have the courage to sail toward its boundaries like Truman did.

    Individual Actions:

    • Implement strong privacy practices: encryption, data minimization, secure communications

    • Develop critical media literacy skills

    • Maintain analog alternatives to digital systems

    • Practice technological sabbaticals

    Family & Community Building:

    • Create local support networks independent of digital platforms

    • Teach children critical thinking and pattern recognition

    • Establish community-based economic alternatives

    • Build face-to-face relationships and regular gatherings

    Systemic Approaches:

    • Support and develop decentralized technologies

    • Create parallel systems for education and information sharing

    • Build alternative economic structures

    • Develop local food and energy independence

    Our daily resistance must occur through conscious engagement: using technology without being used by it, consuming entertainment while understanding its programming, and participating in digital platforms while maintaining privacy. We must learn to accept convenience without surrendering autonomy, follow experts while maintaining critical thinking, and embrace progress while preserving human values. Each choice becomes an act of conscious resistance.

    Even this analysis follows the blueprint it describes. Each system of control emerged through a consistent pattern: first a roadmap articulated by key thinkers, then a framework developed through institutions, finally an implementation that appears inevitable once completed. Just as Wells envisioned the World Brain before the Internet, and Rhodes designed the scholarship systems before global governance, the blueprint becomes visible only after understanding its components.

    The Choice Ahead

    Like Truman’s gradual awakening to the artificiality of his world, our recognition of these control systems develops through pattern recognition. And just as Truman had to overcome his programmed fears to sail toward the boundaries of his known world, we too must push against our comfortable technological constraints to maintain our humanity.

    The convergence of these control systems – from physical to psychological, from local to global, from mechanical to digital – represents the culmination of a century-long project of social engineering. What began with Edison’s hardware monopolies and Wells’ World Brain has evolved into an all-encompassing system of technological control, creating a digital Truman Show on a global scale.

    Yet knowledge of these systems provides the first step toward resistance. By understanding their development and recognizing their implementation, we can make conscious choices about our engagement with them. While we cannot completely escape the technocratic grid, we can maintain our humanity within it through conscious action and local connection.

    The future remains unwritten. Through understanding and deliberate action, we can help shape a world that preserves human agency within the technological web that increasingly defines our reality.

    This metaphorical staircase, reaching ever higher towards a seemingly divine ascent, reflects the technocratic vision of mankind’s transcendence through technological means. Yet true liberation lies not in climbing this constructed hierarchy, but in discovering the freedom that exists beyond its borders – the freedom to shape our own destiny, rather than have it dictated by an unseen hand. The choice before us is clear: will we remain Truman, accepting the limits of our fabricated world? Or will we take that final step, sailing toward an uncertain but ultimately self-determined future?

    *  *  *

    Thanks for reading Joshua Stylman! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support his work.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 01/16/2025 – 23:25

  • Portland May Cut 'Equity' Jobs Due To Budget Problems
    Portland May Cut ‘Equity’ Jobs Due To Budget Problems

    Authored by Matt Lamb via Headline USA,

    A top official in Portland said the Oregon city may need to cut “equity” roles due to a pending budget deficit.

    A pedestrian walks past a boarded-up Apple store that’s been covered in street art in downtown Portland, Ore. / PHOTO: AP

    The city is forecasting a $27 million budget shortfall starting in the new fiscal year, according to its official website.

    This has led city administrator Michael Jordan to warn of cuts to “equity” jobs. That spells trouble for three new officer positions focused on “equity, communications, and engagement,” according to the Willamette Week.

    “As we proceed through the assessment process, it is possible that there will be cuts,” Jordan told the local news outlet. Other cuts include communications and engagement budgets.

    The city has regularly hired for DEI roles with nice salaries. For example, the Parks and Recreation Department advertised an “equity and inclusion coordinator” job that topped out at a $104,000-per-year salary. The job would research “racial equity and inclusion best practices” and provide advice to the bureau on “racial equity assessment tools.”

    This job should not be confused with a 2023 posting for an “equity and engagement planner” job in the bureau of planning and sustainability.

    That analyst position, with pay reaching nearly $150,000 annually, required a “subject matter expert on equity, diversity, and inclusion” who could implement “equity frameworks.”

    The hire would also conduct “racial equity” studies on “land use, climate justice, waste systems and community technology.”

    The Office of Equity and Human Rights is overseen by the city administrator.

    The city leans heavily into LGBT issues as well. The equity office publishes an “LGBTQIA2S+ Policy,” noting that 11% of city workers identified as being on the sexually divergent spectrum, and 15% did not select male or female when asked for their sex.

    The policy program “approaches LGBTQIA2S+ equity work with an intersectional lens, centering the most marginalized demographics within the community.”

    Portland is now led by Mayor Keith Wilson. For years, Ted Wheeler ran the city, largely letting homelessness run rampant and overseeing violent crime from domestic terror group Antifa.

    He also used pepper spray on his own citizen, whom he accused of harassing him in 2021 for not wearing a mask while inside.

    “I clearly informed him that he needed to back off,” Wheeler told police.

    “He did not do so … I pulled out my pepper spray and I sprayed him in the eyes,” Wheeler continued. “He seemed surprised, and backed off. He made a comment like, ‘I can’t believe you just pepper-sprayed me.’”

    However, Wheeler previously prohibited police from using tear gas during the city’s riots in 2020.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 01/16/2025 – 22:35

  • These Are The Most Expensive Countries In The World For Dating
    These Are The Most Expensive Countries In The World For Dating

    In a new study, Emisil researched the most expensive countries in the world for dating. They looked at the cost of dating across the globe, ranking countries based on the average annual expenses for singles.

    Switzerland tops the list for costly dating, with an annual average expense exceeding $6,643. This high figure is driven by premium prices for meals, cinema tickets, and taxi fares. Although Swiss singles go on fewer dates annually—around 50—their overall spending is unmatched. With an average monthly net salary of $6,500, these high costs are more manageable for Swiss residents.

    Denmark ranks second, with singles spending $3,592 annually. Dining plays a prominent role in its dating culture, as a two-course meal averages $98, the second-highest among the countries analyzed. Danish singles go on 48 dates yearly, closely matching the frequency seen in other high-ranking nations.

    Norway comes in third, with annual dating expenses of $3,279. While its three-course dinners average $88, one of the highest meal costs, Norway compensates with low taxi fares starting at $1.50. Singles in Norway date 47 times a year, slightly less frequently than in Denmark.

    Belgium is fourth, with annual dating costs exceeding $2,000. Meal prices are slightly lower than in Norway, but taxi fares start higher at $2.60. Belgian singles also average 48 dates yearly, aligning with Denmark but at a more economical total cost.

    The Netherlands ranks fifth, with an annual dating expenditure of $1,000 and a single date costing $90. Dutch singles enjoy a high frequency of 60 dates annually, supported by moderate meal and entertainment prices. With over 1,000 cinema screens, there’s no shortage of options for outings.

    Finland takes sixth place, with singles spending $2,838 annually and $90 per date. Finnish singles date 48 times a year, benefiting from relatively low meal costs averaging $57.

    Ireland ranks seventh, with annual dating costs of $3,091 and single-date expenses of $87. Despite similar per-date costs to the U.S. and UK, Irish singles date only 36 times a year, reflecting cultural or financial differences.

    The United States ranks eighth, with singles spending $4,507 annually on 84 dates—the highest frequency among all countries. With an average date costing $87.20, dating is relatively affordable. The U.S. also boasts over 40,000 cinema screens, offering abundant entertainment options.

    The United Kingdom ranks ninth, with annual dating costs of $3,153. At $86 per date, costs are slightly lower than in the U.S., but with average monthly salaries of $3,069, affordability is a greater challenge. Like Americans, British singles average 84 dates yearly, the highest frequency on the list.

    Australia rounds out the top ten, with one of the lowest annual dating costs among high-income nations at $3,570. A single date averages $82, with affordable three-course dinners costing $75. Australian singles date 48 times a year, balancing affordability and social activity.

    An Emisil’s spokesperson said: “Our research on dating costs worldwide shows some pretty interesting trends. Swiss singles spend the most – about $6,600 a year on dating – but it’s Americans and Brits who are out there dating the most, averaging around 84 dates yearly.”

    They continued: “Here’s what’s caught my eye: because dating is expensive in a country, it doesn’t mean people date less. It’s more about how their salaries match local dating costs and what’s normal in their culture. This tells us much about how different societies view and value dating today.”

    The study “analyzed data from 87 countries, examining factors such as the frequency of dating (surveyed among 500–2,000 participants per country), average post-tax monthly income, meal costs (three-course dinners at mid-range restaurants and inexpensive solo meals), movie ticket prices for two, and taxi starting fares.”

    “Countries were ranked by total annual dating costs, offering insights into global dating affordability and cultural spending patterns,” Emilsil wrote. 

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 01/16/2025 – 22:10

  • "Your Credibility With Me Is About None": CNN Trial Goes From Bad To Worse
    “Your Credibility With Me Is About None”: CNN Trial Goes From Bad To Worse

    Authored by Jonathan Turley,

    In following the defamation trial against CNN by veteran Zachary Young, we have previously (here, here, and here) marveled at how bad things were going for the network. 

    It appears that they are getting even worse.

    This has been a brutal week as CNN figures, including host Jake Tapper, took the stand.

    If “this is CNN,” the judge (and possibly the jury) are not liking what they are seeing.The report at the heart of the case aired on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper” on Nov. 11, 2021, and was shared on social media and (a different version on) CNN’s website.

    In the segment, Tapper told his audience ominously how CNN correspondent Alex Marquardt discovered that “Afghans trying to get out of the country face a black market full of promises, demands of exorbitant fees, and no guarantee of safety or success.”

    Marquardt piled on in the segment, claiming that “desperate Afghans are being exploited” and need to pay “exorbitant, often impossible amounts” to flee the country. He then named Young and his company as an example of that startling claim.The evidence included messages from Marquardt that he wanted to “nail this Zachary Young mf**ker” and thought the story would be Young’s “funeral.”

    After promising to “nail” Young, CNN editor Matthew Philips responded: “gonna hold you to that cowboy!”

    Likewise, CNN senior editor Fuzz Hogan described Young as “a shit.”

    As is often done by media, CNN allegedly gave Young only two hours to respond before the story ran. It is a typical ploy of the press to claim that they waited for a response while giving the target the smallest possible window.

    In this case, Young was able to respond in the short time and Marquardt messaged a colleague, “f**king Young just texted.”

    In the last week, Tapper was seen on video by the jury and was mocked for claiming under oath that he “doesn’t pay attention to ratings,” a claim that would make him unique as a network host. Critics hammered Tapper by showing repeated clips where he discussed ratings.

    However, the most damaging testimony may have come from top producers who told the jurors that they opposed the modest apology given to Young on air. Since Young seemed to do well before the jury, the testimony of senior editor Fuzz Hogan, CNN correspondent Alex Marquardt, CNN producer Michael Conte, CNN’s executive vice president of editorial Virginia Moseley, and CNN supervising producer Michael Callahan undermined any effort to portray the network as seeking to amend a wrong or reduce damage to Young.

    Arguably, the worst moment came with an argument by CNN’s lead attorney, David Axelrod.

    Axelrod introduced a document that he claimed was a smoking gun and showed that Young was a liar. Pointing dramatically at Young and waiving the document in the air, Axelrod declared that he had the proof:

    “Plaintiff’s entire case, sitting right there, is that after the publications, he couldn’t get any work…Mr. Young knew, when he filed this lawsuit that he had entered into a new consulting agreement with a government contractor one month after CNN’s publication. This entire lawsuit was a fraud on this court. It was a fraud on CNN. This man knew it. I don’t know what they know. But when his came up in discovery, CNN’s counsel asked Mr. Young about the Helios connection, and he completely lied in his deposition. Over and over again, he made up some incredible ruse that Helios just had his security clearance because it was a company that held security clearances. It makes no sense. He knew at that time that he had a consulting agreement with Helios Global and he didn’t disclose it. It was an outright lie.”

    However, it turned out that the document merely was Young’s application to maintain his security clearance.

    Young’s attorney, Vel Freedman, later laid waste to CNN. He told the court that Young had lost his security clearance back in 2022 and that he hadn’t been aware of that until he double-checked after his testimony in the case. Freedman asked for the right to present a witness who would testify on the issue and Axelrod objected. Judge Henry had had enough and blew up at CNN.

    He read back Axelrod’s comments and said “You called him a liar multiple times there.”

    He told Axelrod that he owed an apology to the plaintiff.

    After telling CNN that “this isn’t Kindergarten,” he added “Right now, your credibility with me, Mr. Axelrod, is about none.”

    That is never a good thing to hear from a judge.

    Axelrod apologized but the damage is clearly considerable.

    The most chilling aspect from a litigation perspective? Axelrod replaced the earlier lead counsel who also imploded in court over ill-considered arguments.

    None of this bodes well for the network. Alienating the judge is obviously never good, but it also could have a material impact if there is an award that CNN wants reduced by a order of remittitur. In addition, having top producers expressing a lack of regret and even opposition to the on-air apology could push such damages higher for a jury. Both sides are arguing that “this is CNN,” but these moments are building a more negative view of what that is.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 01/16/2025 – 21:45

  • The Kids Aren't Alright: Gen Z Admits They Don't Know How To Change Lightbulbs
    The Kids Aren’t Alright: Gen Z Admits They Don’t Know How To Change Lightbulbs

    In case you needed any additional confirmation that the human race continues to devolve, here’s a new one for you.

    New data shows that many in Gen Z struggle with basic DIY tasks like changing a lightbulb, according to a new report from the New York Post.

    Andy Turbefield of Halfords, a UK-based motoring and cycling retailer, said: “The ability to do basic, practical tasks is being lost amongst younger generations.”

    “They simply haven’t really had to [do things for themselves],” said Yamalis Diaz, an NYU Langone psychologist.

    She continued: “So much of their (and all of our) lives are automated, convenient and outsourced, which today’s generation of young people have benefited from way more than past generations. So, it makes complete sense that Gen Z simply doesn’t know how to do as much with regard to non-tech or independent tasks.”

    The Post report says that a Halfords survey of 2,000 adults found nearly 25% of Gen Zers don’t know how to change a ceiling lightbulb, often citing safety concerns like hot bulbs or ladder risks. Instead of attempting the task, many prefer to “GOTDIT” — Get Others To Do It.

    This adds to the narrative of Gen Z’s reluctance for DIY, with some opting to pay professionals for minor tasks rather than tackling them themselves.

    Halfords analysts found that Gen Z spends over $1,500 annually hiring professionals for basic household tasks, compared to $470 for Gen X and $300 for boomers.

    Given their lack of DIY skills, it may be money well spent. Many Gen Zers also rely on parents for chores like car cleaning, with less than half knowing how to add air to a tire or replace a windshield wiper blade.

    Finally, the Post wrote that nearly 30% of Gen Zers can’t identify a flathead screwdriver, and 21% don’t recognize a wrench. Shockingly, 1 in 10 would call a pro just to hang a picture.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 01/16/2025 – 21:20

  • Dysautonomia: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, And Natural Approaches
    Dysautonomia: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, And Natural Approaches

    Authored by Mercura Wang via The Epoch Times,

    Dysautonomia, also known as autonomic nervous system disorders, refers to a group of medical conditions causing dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which controls essential bodily functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and temperature regulation. Individuals with these disorders struggle to maintain normal regulation of one or more of these systems.

    Dysautonomia is a term describing disorders that affect the autonomic nervous system. Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock

    More than 70 million people worldwide are affected by different types of dysautonomia.

    What Are the Symptoms and Signs of Dysautonomia?

    The ANS is a part of the peripheral nervous system that controls involuntary bodily functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, respiration, and body temperature regulation. It consists of two main branches: the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.

    The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the “fight-or-flight” response by increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and energy expenditure during stress or danger.

    Dysautonomia occurs when something causes the autonomic nervous system, which oversees fight-or-flight and rest-and-digest responses, to malfunction. Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock

    The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for “rest-and-digest” functions by promoting relaxation, slowing the heart rate, and aiding digestion and energy conservation.

    The ANS helps maintain balance (homeostasis) in the body by automatically adjusting these functions according to internal and external conditions. Dysautonomia occurs when the ANS malfunctions, causing the systems to fail to regulate the aforementioned processes properly, thus leading to various symptoms and signs.

    Dysautonomia symptoms and signs can be acute and reversible or chronic and progressive. Common symptoms include those listed below.

    Orthostatic Hypotension

    Orthostatic (upright posture) hypotension is the most prominent symptom of dysautonomia. It results from a sudden decrease in brain blood supply when moving from a seated or supine position to standing, leading to the following symptoms:

    • Dizziness
    • Lightheadedness
    • Fainting
    • Dim or blurry vision
    • Weakness
    • Unsteady gait
    • Slurred speech
    • Exercise-induced syncope (fainting)

    Urinary Dysfunction

    • Increased urinary frequency
    • Nocturia (the need to urinate frequently during the night)
    • Urinary urgency
    • Stress incontinence

    Sexual Dysfunction

    • Impotence
    • Loss of sex drive
    • Dry or retrograde ejaculation

    Gastrointestinal Problems

    • Intermittent diarrhea
    • Explosive diarrhea (in severe cases)
    • Nocturnal diarrhea
    • Rectal incontinence
    • Constipation
    • Abdominal pain
    • Acid reflux
    • Heartburn

    Cardiovascular Issues

    • Heart palpitations
    • Chest discomfort
    • High or low heart rate
    • High or low blood pressure
    • Blood pooling, which is when blood cannot return to the heart properly and collects in the veins

    Neurological Problems

    • Mood swings
    • Anxiety
    • Forgetfulness
    • Migraines

    Other Symptoms and Signs

    • Abnormal sweating
    • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
    • Drooling or dry mouth
    • Vertigo
    • Dry or watery eyes
    • Trouble swallowing
    • Clammy or pale skin

    What Causes Dysautonomia?

    Dysautonomia falls into two categories: primary and secondary. Primary dysautonomias result from genetic or degenerative diseases affecting the brain and nervous system, while secondary dysautonomias arise from injuries or other underlying conditions. The latter may be linked to medications (e.g., first-generation antipsychotics), brain trauma, or conditions such as diabetes, sarcoidosis, and certain autoimmune diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and Sjögren’s syndrome).

    Idiopathic dysautonomias are autonomic nervous system disorders with an unknown underlying cause.

    Environmental factors such as medical conditions, vaccinations, and medications can cause secondary dysautonomia. Some of these include:

    • Viral infections: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), human T-lymphotropic virus, herpes viruses, flavivirus, enterovirus 71, and lyssavirus infections can cause autonomic dysfunction.
    • Lyme disease: Lyme disease can lead to the development of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and other forms of dysautonomia.
    • Diabetes: Diabetes can cause diabetic autonomic neuropathy.
    • Parkinson’s disease: The findings of a 2019 study indicate that autonomic dysfunction is linked to disrupted white matter, impaired brain connectivity, and cognitive decline in newly diagnosed patients with Parkinson’s disease.
    • Myalgic encephalomyelitis: This is also known as chronic fatigue syndrome.
    • Long COVID: A 2022 study found that symptoms of dysautonomia are common in people with long COVID. The most affected areas of dysautonomia include digestive issues, problems with sweating and other secretions, and difficulty standing up without feeling dizzy or faint. Older patients also tend to experience more orthostatic intolerance, which is when standing up causes changes such as a drop in blood pressure.
    • COVID-19 vaccination: As per a 2023 study, some people experience chronic fatigue and dysautonomia after receiving the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine, a condition referred to as post-acute COVID-19 vaccination syndrome (PACVS). Researchers found that PACVS patients who had symptoms of dysautonomia for at least five months after vaccination showed different blood markers compared to healthy individuals. These differences included higher levels of certain antibodies and interleukin-6 (IL-6), which can help distinguish PACVS from a normal postvaccination response. The exact number of vaccinated individuals affected by PACVS is unknown, but current estimates suggest an incidence of about 0.02 percent.

    What Are the Types of Dysautonomia?

    Currently, there are at least 15 known types of dysautonomia. One individual may experience multiple types, with overlapping symptoms across them.

    Ten of the more prevalent types include:

    • Vasovagal syncope: Vasovagal syncope, also known as neurocardiogenic syncope, is the most common form of dysautonomia, affecting 22 percent of Americans. While many experience only occasional fainting spells, severe cases can involve fainting multiple times a day. Vasovagal syncope is a type of fainting caused by an abnormal or exaggerated response of the body’s automatic functions to stimuli such as standing up or strong emotions. The exact cause isn’t fully understood, but it involves changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and activation of specific heart fibers.
    • Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS): POTS is characterized by an abnormally rapid increase in heart rate when moving from a sitting or lying down position to standing. It is one of the more common types of dysautonomia. Before COVID-19, POTS affected about 1 percent of teenagers and between 1 to 3 million Americans overall. Some sources suggest that this number has increased by 1 million to 3 million since the pandemic. For more details on the condition, please refer to The Essential Guide to POTS.
    • Orthostatic and postprandial hypotension: Orthostatic hypotension is a sudden drop in blood pressure upon standing, leading to reduced blood flow to the brain. It often causes dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting. Orthostatic hypotension affects approximately 6 percent of the general population and is more common in older adults, affecting 10 percent to 30 percent of this age group. Similarly, postprandial hypotension is when blood pressure drops suddenly after a meal. During digestion, the body increases blood flow to the stomach and intestines, causing the heart to pump faster and blood vessels to constrict to maintain overall blood pressure. However, in people with postprandial hypotension, the heart doesn’t speed up enough, and blood vessels fail to constrict properly, leading to a drop in blood pressure. It affects around 40 percent of older adults over 65.
    • Diabetic autonomic neuropathy: Diabetic autonomic neuropathy is a common form of dysautonomia, affecting 20 percent of individuals with diabetes. It is a severe diabetes complication linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality.
    • Multiple system atrophy (MSA): MSA is a rare, fatal neurodegenerative disorder affecting adults over 40. It shares similarities with Parkinson’s disease but progresses more rapidly, often leaving patients bedridden within two years of diagnosis and leading to death within five to 10 years. Approximately 350,000 people worldwide are affected by MSA. Its cause is largely unknown, but the condition is associated with the deterioration and atrophy of specific brain areas, including the cerebellum, basal ganglia, and brainstem, along with the accumulation of alpha-synuclein, a protein involved in nerve cell communication.
    • Familial dysautonomia: Also known as Riley-Day syndrome, familial dysautonomia is a rare inherited disorder that affects the autonomic and sensory nervous systems. It causes unstable blood pressure, reduced sensitivity to pain and temperature, and a lack of tears when crying. Individuals with familial dysautonomia may experience an autonomic crisis characterized by sudden high blood pressure, elevated heart rate, and vomiting or retching. Familial dysautonomia is caused by a genetic mutation in the ELP1 gene (also known as the IKBKAP gene), which produces a protein found in various cells, including brain cells.
    • Baroreflex failure: Baroreflex failure occurs when the body’s baroreflex system, which regulates blood pressure, fails. This system sends signals to the brain to adjust blood pressure by activating the parasympathetic nervous system to lower heart rate when blood pressure is high and deactivating the sympathetic nervous system to reduce heart rate and dilate blood vessels. When blood pressure is too low, the opposite occurs. As a result of baroreflex failure, blood pressure fluctuates between being too high and too low, causing symptoms such as dizziness, fainting, headaches, sweating, and skin flushing. It is a rare condition often caused by neck trauma from surgery or radiation therapy for cancer, although in some cases, the cause is unknown.
    • Pure autonomic failure (PAF): PAF, also known as Bradbury-Eggleston syndrome, is a rare form of dysautonomia characterized by the degeneration of autonomic nervous system cells. Its hallmark symptom is severe orthostatic hypotension, which leads to dizziness, fainting, and syncope. It more commonly affects men and typically occurs in middle-aged to older adults. As per estimation, fewer than 5,000 Americans live with this condition. PAF is linked to the abnormal buildup of alpha-synuclein, which is also seen in conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, MSA, and dementia with Lewy bodies.
    • Inappropriate sinus tachycardia (IST): IST is a chronic condition where the heart maintains a normal rhythm but beats excessively fast, with a resting heart rate above 100 beats per minute (bpm), compared to the normal range of 60 to 100 bpm. It affects approximately 1 percent of the middle-aged population, with a higher prevalence in females. The cause of IST is unknown. One theory suggests that the sinoatrial node may have an abnormality, or the individual might be overly sensitive to adrenaline, a hormone that increases heart rate.
    • Autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy (AAG): AAG is a rare form of dysautonomia wherein the immune system attacks receptors in the autonomic ganglia, a part of the peripheral ANS. It can present with either rapid or progressive symptom onset and is often linked to high levels of ganglionic acetylcholine receptor antibodies (g-AChR antibodies). AAG affects individuals of all ages and both sexes, with about 100 cases diagnosed annually in the United States.

    Who Is More Likely to Develop Dysautonomia?

    The following factors put a person more at risk of certain types of dysautonomia:

    • Age: POTS and vasovagal syncope is often more common among teens and young adults, causing 85 percent of fainting instances in people under 40. In people aged 50 and older, dysautonomia is usually associated with a neurodegenerative disease.
    • Sex: POTS is most commonly observed in women of childbearing age, typically between 15 and 50 years old.
    • Ethnicity: People of Ashkenazi Jewish descent are at a higher risk of dysautonomia, especially familial dysautonomia, which affects almost exclusively this population.
    • Diabetes: Diabetics are prone to developing diabetic autonomic neuropathy.
    • Alcoholism: Excessive drinking is known to affect the ANS.
    • Injury or surgery: An event that damages the ANS or brain can lead to dysautonomia.
    • Vitamin deficiencies: Examples include vitamin B12 and vitamin D deficiencies.
    • Deconditioning: Deconditioning is the loss of physical function due to lack of activity, extended bed rest, or a very sedentary lifestyle.
    • Certain medical conditions: These conditions include amyloidosis, celiac disease, mitochondrial diseases, mast cell disorders, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), various autoimmune diseases, and Sjögren’s syndrome.

    Read the rest here…

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 01/16/2025 – 20:55

  • Where Are Waymo's Robotaxis Today?
    Where Are Waymo’s Robotaxis Today?

    Waymo operates hundreds of robotaxis, completing tens of thousands of driverless taxi rides per week through its commercial operations in San Francisco (launched in August 2023), Los Angeles (launched in March 2024), and Phoenix (launched in 2018/19). The Alphabet-owned startup plans to launch commercial services in three additional markets: Austin and Atlanta later this year and Miami in 2026.

    Goldman’s Eric Sheridan and Ben Miller provide clients with a Waymo robotaxi update: “Where is Waymo Today?” 

    Here’s more from the analysts:

    Waymo Could be in 10 US Cities by the end of 2025

    Waymo started in 2009 as Google’s self-driving car project and launched the world’s first commercial autonomous ride-hailing service in the Metro Phoenix area in 2018 (with fully autonomous rides starting in 2019).

    Fast-forward to today, Waymo now serves 175k paid rides per week (as of Dec 2024) up significantly from 10k in May 2023, only ~18 months prior. This ramp has resulted in over 4mm fully autonomous rides in 2024 (and over 5mm cumulative rides since first launch). Commercial operations are live in 3 US markets (Phoenix, San Francisco, LA) with 3 more market launches announced across 2025 (Austin and Atlanta) and 2026 (Miami) for a total of 6 announced markets through 2026.

    GOOGL expects that Waymo could be in 10 US markets by the end of 2025 (likely with live commercial operations in a subset) based on comments made by GOOGL CEO at an industry conference in December 2024. Waymo also announced its first international road trip in Tokyo in early 2025 (the vehicles will initially be driven manually to map key areas of the city).

    The analysts provided clients with a visual timeline of Waymo’s rollout through 2026.

    Waymo users have surged in the past 18 months… 

    The broadening of Waymo’s commercial autonomous ride-hailing service will be met with backlash and concerns over traffic incidents. We documented this phenomenon (here & here & here). 

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 01/16/2025 – 20:30

  • American Conservatives Should Focus On Reform And Restoration
    American Conservatives Should Focus On Reform And Restoration

    Authored by Peter Berkowitz via RealClearPolitics,

    A “New Right” has taken shape over the last few years that tends to share the conviction that the American experiment in ordered liberty confronts a monumental crisis. Encompassing national conservatives, common-good conservatives, and postliberal conservatives, this New Right sees pervasive moral, political, and spiritual decline. Only prompt, decisive, and sweeping action, so the New Right argument goes, can save the United States from the self-destruction long underway and in danger of careening, if it has not already, beyond the point of no return. Many pin their hopes on President-elect Donald Trump to at least slow the rate of decline.

    Members of the New Right are hardly the first to discern something profoundly amiss within the West and particularly within the modern tradition of freedom out of which the United States sprang. Intellectuals have been diagnosing the decline of the West – and writing its postmortem – at least since Rousseau’s mid-18th century “Discourse on the Arts and Sciences.” The French philosopher decried the educated urban elites of the day whose hypocrisy and hollowness, he contended, betrayed the common good. After Rousseau came the romantics, Marx, Nietzsche, Spengler, the Frankfurt School, some traditionalist American conservatives, postmodernists, and others. From the left and the right, they excoriated Enlightenment liberalism, anticipated its collapse, and envisaged alternatives.

    New Right intellectuals mock – for, as they like to say, not knowing what time it is – Americans who cling to the path of reform. Presuming an essentially well-functioning government and a healthy society, reform involves working within the established system. It takes account of changing circumstances and applies new insights to adjust laws and recalibrate policies. If, however, you believe as do many on the New Right that your country totters on the edge of a precipice, reform seems feeble and beside the point.

    Proponents of restoration accept that bold measures must be undertaken to avert disaster, but they think that the original regime and the moral assumptions out of which it emerged remain sound. The problem, restorers maintain, is that neglect or malice has deformed basic political institutions and has corroded citizens’ attachment to the unwritten norms, habits and dispositions, and formal principles that sustain the regime. Consequently, major efforts must be undertaken to reclaim and restate the nation’s constitutional traditions, and to educate citizens about the regime’s structure, vital operations, and sustaining opinions and forms of conduct. In the United States, National Review conservatives, Straussians, numerous old-time neoconservatives, and many Claremont Institute conservatives have long espoused a return to and renewal of America’s founding principles and the best in the nation’s constitutional traditions. At the same time, they have endeavored to work within the system to carry out reforms that both answer to the needs of the moment and conform to the underlying structure of American constitutional government.

     The extreme response to political crisis is regime change or revolution. Some regimes are impervious to reform because of their advanced decay and are ill-suited to restoration because the social and political pathologies from which they suffer stem from inherent defects in their fundamental principles and basic institutions. Proponents of regime change or revolution maintain that since the United States has been exposed as rotten to the core and irremediably hostile to citizens’ security and flourishing, its constitutional order must be brushed aside or overthrown and replaced with another. Regime change or revolution may be a minority view on the New Right, but some of its best-known figures champion it. Sometimes they do so openly as in the case of University of Notre Dame professor of political science Patrick Deneen. In other cases, they do not come right out and say so but indulge in extravagant rhetoric and inflammatory innuendo that excites, especially among young conservatives, revolutionary rage and stimulates ambitions for regime change.

    A proud member of the New Right – or the “New Conservative Movement,” as he labels it in his spirited new book – Kevin D. Roberts believes both that America is in grave danger and that reform and restoration must play an essential role in saving the day. In “Dawn’s Early Light: Taking Back Washington to Save America,” Roberts describes a nation beset by an elite – “the Party of Destruction” – that is resolutely hostile to tradition and, in the name of unlimited freedom, aspires “to abolish the existing order.” He calls on “the Party of Creation,” which defends “the God-given natural order,” to beat back elite hegemony – in government bureaucracy, media, education, entertainment, corporate HR, and diplomacy and national security. To that end, he advances several ambitious and well-considered reforms. These focus on strengthening the family, rescuing education, invigorating the economy and revitalizing the middle class in particular, and orienting foreign affairs around the threat to American freedom and prosperity posed by the Chinese Communist Party. Roberts argues that these reforms must be informed by, and undertaken amid a restoration of, America’s founding commitment to individual liberty.

    He also flirts with fashionable New Right revolutionary tropes, prominent among them the urgency of “radical action” and the need to destroy to build anew. He would do better without this flirtation, as it undercuts his dedication to salutary reform within the confines of American constitutional government.

    Appointed in 2021 president of the Heritage Foundation and of Heritage Action for America, Roberts arrived in Washington with a rich and varied background in education and public policy. His book draws on his experience as well as his study. Growing up in Cajun Louisiana in a close family that handled its share of hardships, he acquired a deep appreciation of the classic American combination of traditional views about family and faith and love of American liberty. He earned a Ph.D. in history from the University of Texas, taught history at the collegiate level, served as president of Wyoming Catholic College, and led the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Much of his book describes, with a refreshing and self-professed Reaganite optimism, the combining of reform with restoration that his career exemplifies.

    Yet Roberts’ bleak assessment of contemporary America seems to justify revolutionary action. America is going “up in flames,” he argues, owing to “a conspiracy against nature – against ordered, civilized societies, against common sense and normal people – orchestrated by a network of political, corporate, and cultural elites who share a set of interests quite apart from those of ordinary Americans.” Embracing both left and right, “they are known as the Uniparty.”

    It is not enough, he contends, for conservatives to adopt defensive measures against the Uniparty’s conquests and depredations: “To escape our current darkness, restore America’s civic life, and take back our country for good, conservatives can’t merely continue putting out fires; we must be brave enough to go on the offense, strike the match, and start a long, controlled burn.” His lengthy list of institutions that “need to be burned” (emphasis in original) starts with every Ivy League college and university, the FBI, and the New York Times.

    Noting occasionally that he is speaking metaphorically, Roberts urges the application to politics of a practice common to the management of nature. To keep forests healthy – and often to prevent a larger wildfire from raging out of control – well-trained experts under carefully supervised conditions sometimes burn down a part of the forest to save the whole. Roberts, however, gives no reason based in theory or drawn from experience and history to suppose that politicians and political activists – those on the right any more than those on the left – have the foresight, know-how, and tools to control political fires that they deliberately ignite. While decisive action will always be a concomitant of good government, politics is not a science and the management of nature rarely provides reliable prescriptions for governing a nation.

    Notwithstanding his enthusiasm for controlled burns and contained destruction, much of Roberts’ book elaborates policies that, in the spirit of Edmund Burke, simultaneously conserve and improve. Especially welcome as the Republican Party prepares to assume control of both the legislative and executive branches is Roberts’ contention – epitomizing Burkean balancing – that American conservatives must combine their big plans for repairing America with respect for the Constitution’s limits on government power.

    Such balancing means, for example, that in restructuring the economy to serve rather than to subordinate the family, conservatives must honor not merely tradition and faith but the variety of American traditions and faiths. It means conservatives must introduce miseducated young people to America’s precious inheritance and inspire in them an appreciation for America’s great experiment in ordered liberty but without countering indoctrination of the left with indoctrination of the right. And it means that in rising to the threat to American freedom posed by the Chinese Communist Party, conservatives must avoid the temptation – to which many on both sides have succumbed – to treat approximately half the country as an enemy to be defeated rather than as fellow citizens to rally to a common enterprise.

    The very gravity of the challenges faced by the United States requires that conservatives set aside revolutionary outrage and dreams of regime change for the hard and high-minded work that combines reform and restoration.

    Peter Berkowitz is the Tad and Dianne Taube senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. From 2019 to 2021, he served as director of the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. State Department. His writings are posted at PeterBerkowitz.com and he can be followed on X @BerkowitzPeter.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 01/16/2025 – 20:05

  • Washington Post Cartoonist Arrested For Possession Of Child Pornography
    Washington Post Cartoonist Arrested For Possession Of Child Pornography

    It’s happening again.  A prominent California-based comic strip creator, cartoonist and author has been arrested on suspicion of possession and creating child pornography.  The incident is added to a growing list of arrests of establishment news employees and syndicated content creators for child abuse in the past couple of years.

    Darrin Bell, 49, who is the first Black American winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning, was arrested Wednesday morning at his south Sacramento home by Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office investigators. Deputies had served a search warrant against Bell following an investigation by the Sacramento Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Detectives task force.

    In a search of Bell’s home, investigators found 134 videos of child pornography linked to an account owned and controlled by Bell as well as computer generated/artificial intelligence child pornography, authorities said.

    Darrin Bell is best known for his Candorville comic strips and other work published by the Washington Post injecting far-left ideology, race grifting, pro-illegal immigration views and LGBT issues into his content.  He is decidedly anti-Trump and anti-conservative.  Bell often attacked conservatives who dared to criticize the political left’s habit of child grooming; from ideological grooming to sexualized grooming.  He commonly compared conservatives to Nazis in reaction to the removal of sexualized gender propaganda in public school libraries. 

    Now it seems we know why he was so offended by conservative efforts to protect children from grooming propganda.

    Establishment media outlets have been hit with a steady string of employee arrests in the past couple years involving child abuse and pornography and the trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon.  One might begin to think that corporate news is a wretched hive of scum and villainy that actually attracts pedophiles, but how could these things happen within the halls of such “prestigious” organizations?

    This topic hit the mainstream aggressively in 2023 with the release of the movie ‘Sound Of Freedom’, based on the true story of an independent investigation which led to the exposure of an international child sex trafficking ring.  After the release of the film, hundreds of journalists and numerous corporate platforms attacked the movie relentlessly, even though the film had no political messaging to speak of.  This behavior left everyone wondering where all the hostility was coming from? 

    Doesn’t everyone agree that child sex abuse is wrong?  Well, almost everyone, except pedophiles…and establishment journalists.       

    “Check their hard drive” is becoming a motto for the media industry at large, and for good reason.  Darrin Bell is being held on $1 million bail and is scheduled to appear in court Friday.     

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 01/16/2025 – 19:40

  • Joe Biden's Bizarro World Of Foreign Policy "Achievements"
    Joe Biden’s Bizarro World Of Foreign Policy “Achievements”

    Authored by Victor Davis Hanson via American Greatness,

    Departing President Joe Biden offered a farewell brag this week to his State Department about how his tenure had improved America’s stature abroad. In his now accustomed weird mix of whispering and fiery shouting, Biden apparently felt he had to lie or mislead about almost every one of his “achievements.”

    Yet to the extent that anything improved abroad on his watch—the weakening of Iran or the near destruction of Hamas and Hezbollah – it was due despite, not because of, Biden.

    Biden, bowing to election year political pressure, did all he could to restrain and block Israeli retaliations to the October 7 massacres.

    Only after he was repeatedly proven wrong does he now shamelessly take credit for what Israel ironically achieved by ignoring his own threats directed at Israel.

    Biden is correct only that Iran is “weaker than it’s been in decades.”

    But Tehran was aided, not hurt, by Biden’s nonstop efforts to lift sanctions, to allow Iran to make billions in oil revenues, to pay the theocracy billions of dollars in hostage ransom, and to beg the mullahs to reenter the ill-starred Iran deal. Everything Biden did makes it much harder for Israel to survive.

    So, Iran is now weakened only because Israel ignored Biden’s nonstop ankle-biting and finger-shaking not to retaliate to Iranian aggression.

    Instead, the Netanyahu government systematically destroyed Iranian air defenses after killing most of Iran’s foreign terrorist operatives.

    Biden referenced the end of the Assad regime in Syria, but it imploded not due to any effort by Biden. It was overwhelmed instead only after the Israeli decimation of Hezbollah and humiliation of Iran—coupled with the election victory of Donald Trump—that encouraged Assad’s enemies to attack a now isolated and weakened regime.

    Biden is also taking credit for rumors that Hamas might release its hostages, who have been held in a subterranean labyrinth since October 7.

    But why, with less than a week left in his tenure, did Biden believe Hamas might begin releasing the hostages when even his own Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has criticized the administration for spending 16 months pressuring Israel, which only emboldened Hamas’s stonewalling?

    Much more likely, the election of Donald Trump and his threat to unleash terrible retribution on Hamas (and implicitly on Iran) had prompted the terrorists’ tardy willingness to negotiate a release.

    Of the horrific scramble from Afghanistan—the greatest humiliation of the US military in a half-century that cost the lives of 13 Marines—Biden boasted: “[I am] the first president in decades who’s not leaving a war in Afghanistan to his successor.”

    Think of his warped logic: Biden does not leave a war to his successor only because he fled in humiliation and lost it.

    Biden also took credit for saving Ukraine from Russia. But he conveniently omitted why Russia invaded in the first place.

    Had Biden not destroyed American deterrence by fleeing Kabul and leaving behind billions of dollars in abandoned U.S. military equipment, had he not claimed, prior to the Russian invasion, that his reaction to Putin’s likely aggression would hinge on whether it was “a minor incursion,” then the Russians might never have invaded at all.

    Vladimir Putin grabbed Crimea and the Donbass in 2014 during the Obama-Biden administration. He later sought to swallow the entire country with an attack on Kyiv in 2022 on Biden’s watch.

    However, Putin stayed within his borders only during one of the last four administrations—Donald Trump’s.

    Biden crowed that he accomplished all these misadventures without the use of force—“We have not gone to war to make these things happen.”

    But Biden did more than any other recent president to weaken the U.S. military. Under his tenure, the Pentagon suffered a real reduction in its budget. And it never quite recovered from the Afghanistan debacle.

    Annually, the military now comes up 40,000 recruits short due to Biden’s draconian vaccination requirements, its new woke mandates, and its constant false accusations of “white rage” and “white privilege” in the ranks—libels that prompted a Pentagon internal investigation that found no such racism.

    China was never more bellicose than during Biden’s presidency. It serially threatened Taiwan, used cyber warfare to bully the U.S., brazenly expropriated U.S. military technology, and without worry sent a spy balloon to traverse the U.S. with impunity.

    Biden’s open border saw more than 10 million illegal entries, among them thousands of Chinese nationals. Meanwhile, Chinese investors were freed to systematically buy up thousands of acres of America’s farmland adjacent to sensitive US military bases and installations.

    Add it all up, and Biden would have done better to have just kept quiet and departed his failed presidency in shame.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 01/16/2025 – 19:15

  • These Are The Top Companies Using H-1B Visas In 2024
    These Are The Top Companies Using H-1B Visas In 2024

    In December, Elon Musk called for more temporary foreign workers under the H-1B visa program, which is fueling a debate among Republican voters.

    For decades, tech companies have relied significantly on high-skilled tech workers under this program.

    This graphic, via Visual Capitalist’s Dorothy Neufeld, shows the top companies by number of approved H-1B beneficiaries, based on data from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

    Big Tech Rules the Pack

    As the table below shows, more than half of all H-1B visa beneficiaries in 2024 were seen among the leading petitioning companies in 2024, largely focused in the tech sector:

    Data as of September 30, 2024.

    For the past five years, Amazon has been the top company by number of approved H-1B visas, mainly consisting of engineers and tech jobs.

    Today, many big tech firms have significant resources to hire lawyers which aid in the application process. This often gives them an advantage in the lottery system, which grants visas that are typically oversubscribed past the annual cap. In fact, many major tech companies will apply for more than they need.

    Ranking in second is Infosys, a multinational IT outsourcing firm based in India. Like Infosys, India-based Tata Consultancy Services relies on the H-1B visa program. In 2024, it generated more than 50% of its revenues in North America, its largest market.

    While tech companies tend to apply for higher-paying roles, IT outsourcing firms typically submit applications for less-senior positions. For instance, the median H-1B salary at Microsoft is $160,000 in contrast with $82,000 at Tata Consultancy Services in 2024.

    Overall, the H-1B visa program has been shown to have a multitude of benefits. Big companies utilizing H-1Bs have been shown to have higher revenue, enhanced innovation, and longer survival rates. Going further, it has driven more U.S. patents and higher productivity across the U.S. economy.

    To learn more about this topic from a U.S. labor market perspective, check out this graphic on the fastest growing jobs over the next decade.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 01/16/2025 – 18:50

  • Is The Catalyst For The Next Financial Crisis… Homeowners Insurance?
    Is The Catalyst For The Next Financial Crisis… Homeowners Insurance?

    Authored by John Rubino via substack,

    In October, two brutal hurricanes hit the US southeast. And last week, Los Angeles went up in flames and is still burning as this is written.

    These natural disasters are, obviously, a nightmare for the people directly impacted.

    But they might be part of something much bigger and far-reaching.

    Migration and Inflation

    Over the past half-century, tens of millions of Americans have poured into sunny states like Florida and California that are catastrophically unsuited for large populations. Specifically, the former is in hurricane alley and is guaranteed a direct hit from a Cat-5 one of these days, while the latter is a desert prone to droughts and raging wildfires (see today’s news).

    While this ill-fated mass migration was happening, the federal government was inflating away the dollar, causing the prices of financial assets like homes — especially in popular coastal cities — to soar to stratospheric highs.

    Miami, for instance:

    Deadly Combination

    Combine massive population increase with soaring home prices, then toss in recurring natural disasters, and the result is a doom loop for the insurance companies that have to replace those multi-million dollar houses.

    In response, insurers are either raising their rates beyond the means of many homeowners or exiting these markets altogether.

    Some background:

    California Fires Could Worsen State’s Insurance Crisis

    (Epoch Times) – Thousands of high-end homes burned in recent fires could lead to losses topping $150 billion, putting further pressure on California’s insurance market.

    As Californians already face significant challenges finding home insurance, the fires ravaging Los Angeles County could make it even more difficult and costly to insure properties in the future.

    Deadly fires erupted beginning Jan. 7, causing at least 11 deaths, leading to the ongoing ordered evacuation at one point of more than 180,000 individuals, with another 200,000 warned to get ready for possible evacuation.

    More than 10,000 buildings are damaged or destroyed across the county, according to the latest estimates, with the number expected to rise as fires are minimally contained, in what some are describing as one of the most costly natural disasters in American history. AccuWeather estimates economic losses from the fires to reach up to $150 billion.

    As of the latest tally on Jan. 9, the Pacific Palisades fire destroyed nearly 6,000 structures, including oceanfront mansions in neighborhoods north of Santa Monica, where homes sell for between $7 million and $20 million, with an average price of more than $3 million across the city.

    The affluent area is made up of primarily white-collar workers, according to Cal Fire demographics data, which shows slightly fewer than half of the structures affected by the Palisades Fire were built since 1970, and about 12,000 are older.

    Videos of the aftermath show businesses and homes leveled by fire, with the blocks of some neighborhoods completely demolished by the inferno.

    1 in 10 Homeowners in Los Angeles County Uninsured, May Lose Life’s Savings in Fires: Report

    (Epoch Times) – State Farm non-renewed approximately 1,600 policies in the region in 2024, of approximately 30,000 homeowners and 42,000 apartment policies it dropped statewide, citing rising costs and risks.

    “This decision was not made lightly and only after careful analysis of State Farm General’s financial health, which continues to be impacted by inflation, catastrophe exposure, reinsurance costs, and the limitations of working within decades-old insurance regulations,” the company said in a statement.

    “State Farm General takes seriously our responsibility to maintain adequate claims-paying capacity for our customers and to comply with applicable financial solvency laws. It is necessary to take these actions now.”

    Approximately 6,000 structures were lost in the Eaton Fire, as of the most recent count on Jan. 10. The East Altadena and Hasting Heights neighborhoods sustained significant damage.

    The average value of homes in the area is approximately $1.4 million, according to the online real estate listing firm Zillow.

    Insurance Market Stability in Question

    “At this point, it’s not an exaggeration to say the state’s facing an insurance crisis of both affordability and availability,” Ray Mueller, San Mateo County supervisor, said during a board meeting on Oct. 8.

    Seven of the 12 largest insurers, including State Farm which represents about 10 percent of the market share, according to Department of Insurance data, paused writing new policies since 2023.

    Is the World Becoming Uninsurable?

    (Charles Hugh Smith) – I ask the question, “is the world becoming uninsurable?” not as an expert on the insurance industry but as a homeowner who can no longer obtain hurricane insurance, and as an observer of long-term trends keenly interested in the way global risks pile up either unseen, denied or misinterpreted until it’s too late to mitigate them.

    The probability that we’re entering an era of globally higher risks is increasing, and this awareness is visible in headlines such as these:

    Home Losses From the LA Fires Hasten ‘An Uninsurable Future‘ (Time)

    ‘We’re in a New Era’: How Climate Change Is Supercharging Disasters (New York Times)

    LA fires could hit European insurance firms with billion-euro losses (CNBC)

    This is not an abstraction, though many are treating it as a policy debate. As noted previously here, the insurance industry is not a charity, and insurers bear the costs that are increasing regardless of opinions and policy proposals. Insurers operate in the real world, and their decisions to pull out of entire regions, reduce coverage and increase premiums are all responses to soaring losses, a reality reflected in these charts.

    Losses rise with inflation, of course, but the losses are rising far above background inflation.

    This raises a point few seem to ponder: the world isn’t simply a political structure, yet virtually all the proposed solutions to every problem are political or technological in nature: we can solve this or that politically, or with AI. That the private-sector can trigger crises that have no political or technological fix is on very few pundits’ radar.

    The problems being exposed do not lend themselves to tidy political / policy fixes that magically return the world to a past era of lower risks. Risks and losses cannot be extinguished, they can only be transferred to others. This is the intrinsic limit of political fixes: we take the risks and losses and transfer them to others lacking the political power to contest the transfer.

    Or we transfer the risks and losses to the entire system, increasing the potential for a systemic collapse.

    *  *  *

    Millions of Americans are thus left with much of their net worth tied up in houses that are prohibitively expensive to insure – if insurance is available at any price – and are therefore unsellable.

    The resulting “reverse wealth effect,” in which evaporating home equity causes people to reduce spending and/or sell other assets to fill the gap, could begin at the coasts and sweep through the rest of the country, catalyzing the next financial crisis.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 01/16/2025 – 18:25

  • Global Outlook: Cloudy With A Chance Of Disaster
    Global Outlook: Cloudy With A Chance Of Disaster

    The 20th edition of the World Economic Forum’s Global Risk Report paints a gloomy picture of the near-term future, as increasingly polarized societies face rising geopolitical tensions, mounting environmental challenges and technological advancements that have the potential to further sow division by spreading misinformation in every way, shape or form.

    As Statista’s Felix Richter shows in the chart below, just 11 percent of the 900 international experts surveyed for the report would describe their near-term outlook for the world as “stable”, meaning they see a low risk of global catastrophes in the next two years.

    Infographic: Global Outlook: Cloudy With a Chance of Disaster | Statista

    You will find more infographics at Statista

    Looking at the 10-year horizon, that share falls further to 8 percent, while the share of respondents seeing very high or elevated risks for global catastrophes climbs from 5 and 31 percent, in the short term, to 17 and 45 percent in the long term.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 01/16/2025 – 18:00

  • Watch: SpaceX Catches Starship Booster With 'Chopsticks' For Second Time
    Watch: SpaceX Catches Starship Booster With ‘Chopsticks’ For Second Time

    Watch Live: Starship Flight 7 

     

    *   *   * 

    Update (1744ET): 

    SpaceX catches giant Starship booster with ‘Chopsticks’ on historic Flight 7.

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    Crypto-based Polymarket online betting marketplace: Will Chopsticks Catch Super Heavy?

    Boom! 

    This is the second catch in SpaceX’s history.

    *   *   * 

    SpaceX’s Starship-Super Heavy launch from Boca Chica, Texas, initially planned for Wednesday, has been rescheduled to Thursday evening. This will be the seventh full-stack flight of Starship, featuring a new version known as the Block 2 ship. 

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    SpaceX shared new details about the next generation of Starship:

    A block of planned upgrades to the Starship upper stage will debut on this flight test, bringing major improvements to reliability and performance. The vehicle’s forward flaps have been reduced in size and shifted towards the vehicle tip and away from the heat shield, significantly reducing their exposure to reentry heating while simplifying the underlying mechanisms and protective tiling. Redesigns to the propulsion system, including a 25 percent increase in propellant volume, the vacuum jacketing of feedlines, a new fuel feedline system for the vehicle’s Raptor vacuum engines, and an improved propulsion avionics module controlling vehicle valves and reading sensors, all add additional vehicle performance and the ability to fly longer missions. The ship’s heat shield will also use the latest generation tiles and includes a backup layer to protect from missing or damaged tiles.

    The vehicle’s avionics underwent a complete redesign, adding additional capability and redundancy for increasingly complex missions like propellant transfer and ship return to launch site. Avionics upgrades include a more powerful flight computer, integrated antennas which combine Starlink, GNSS, and backup RF communication functions into each unit, redesigned inertial navigation and star tracking sensors, integrated smart batteries and power units that distribute data and 2.7MW of power across the ship to 24 high-voltage actuators, and an increase to more than 30 vehicle cameras giving engineers insight into hardware performance across the vehicle during flight. With Starlink, the vehicle is capable of streaming more than 120 Mbps of real-time high-definition video and telemetry in every phase of flight, providing invaluable engineering data to rapidly iterate across all systems.

    Once in orbit, Starship will deploy ten Starlink simulators to test the payload:

    While in space, Starship will deploy 10 Starlink simulators, similar in size and weight to next-generation Starlink satellites as the first exercise of a satellite deploy mission. The Starlink simulators will be on the same suborbital trajectory as Starship and are expected to demise upon entry. A relight of a single Raptor engine while in space is also planned.

    SpaceX is expected to attempt a second catch of the Super Heavy booster via the tower chopsticks. 

    Graphic via Tony Bela – InfographicTony on X… 

    Earlier….

    Crypto-based Polymarket online betting marketplace: Will Chopsticks Catch Super Heavy?

    . . . 

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 01/16/2025 – 17:44

  • President Trump, Please Don't Stop the Music
    President Trump, Please Don’t Stop the Music

    Authored by Jon Decker via RealClearMarkets,

    It’s easy to take for granted the convenience afforded to us now. During the recent snowstorm in Washington D.C., I recall wondering beforehand whether I should ‘stock up’ at a grocery store to ensure I had enough food, or purchase flashlights and batteries in the event of a power outage. All of this thinking would prove antiquated the very next day, when, despite ten inches of snow, nothing prevented me from ordering flashlights, batteries, or any cuisine imaginable delivered directly to me via Uber. While just decades ago, the only delivery options on a good day might have been pizza or Chinese food from two or three local establishments, in a 2025 snowstorm, I could order anything.

    What’s worth emphasizing is that such conveniences in our lives — whether they be smartphones, streaming platforms, GPS navigation, prime delivery, online banking, and free messaging services — are made available to us by “Big” businesses. These are the very businesses that politicians of both stripes now routinely attack. This brings us to another company whose life-enhancing services have been overlooked: Live Nation.

    The entertainment company Live Nation is now being sued by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), along with numerous state attorneys general, for allegedly being “too big” and having a monopoly on live music. These allegations stem from Live Nation’s acquisition of the ticket brokering service Ticketmaster in a merger approved by the Obama administration in 2010. However, the DOJ now claims that Live Nation has too much power in both setting the price of admission — which, contrary to popular belief, is predominantly dictated by the artists themselves, although still subject to market forces of supply and demand, just like any commodity — and having ownership or partnerships with venues where the artists they manage perform.

    What is so blindingly missed here by the DOJ is the streamlined effect this has on the concert-going experience for hundreds of millions of people each year. Like Walmart, one can think of Live Nation as a “one-stop shop” where immense convenience is afforded to us in having professional management of our “fan” experience from top to bottom. If there is any doubt that any of this is easy in terms of coordinating between artists, venues, and ticket sales, please revisit the “Fyre Festival” fiasco, where amateurs failed to deliver on all of those stages of production.

    From sound to stage to artists, Live Nation produces some of the best concerts on the planet. They can do so precisely because they are a “Big” business. As music fans, we benefit from Live Nation having managed all stages of a performance and feel assured when buying a Live Nation ticket that we are buying a quality product, unlike those purchased by Fyre Festival attendees. If there were any question that their shows were that good, we wouldn’t be buying these tickets in the first place.

    What’s even more troubling about the DOJ’s attack on the entertainment industry is how they went about it. Numerous leaks led up to the DOJ lawsuit, and additional questions have been raised about whether progressive outside groups (which had pushed for the breakup of Live Nation long before the Biden administration took action) had any influence. In any event, it appears the DOJ gave little consideration to any lesser, more targeted remedy before demanding the company’s outright breakup.

    With his business acumen, President Trump surely recognizes how large corporations provide numerous conveniences to the public. In the context of music, this could be applied to Live Nation, a company that has revolutionized the way we experience live events. For these reasons, Trump should do everything he can to ensure that music lovers continue to have access to their wide range of live events and concerts.

    For us fans, the show must go on.

    Jon Decker is a senior fellow at the Parkview Institute. 

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 01/16/2025 – 17:40

  • L.A. County Land-Grab Fears Ignite: "They're Going To Turn Altadena Into One Big Apartment Complex"
    L.A. County Land-Grab Fears Ignite: “They’re Going To Turn Altadena Into One Big Apartment Complex”

    Fears of a land grab have erupted across fire-ravaged areas of Los Angeles County, as local and state officials have already begun discussing plans for “LA 2.0.” One user on X commented, “Tell me this was a planned demolition without telling me this was a planned demolition.” 

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    “They are going to turn Altadena into one gigantic apartment complex,” X user Bay Area State OF Mind said, referring to local officials who want to change zoning in the Altadena area from single-family to multi-family. In other words, some officials want to usher in the construction of apartment buildings and so-called ‘smart cities.’

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    Altadena (and other areas in L.A. County) could serve as a proof-of-concept for how the Democratic Party transforms single-family neighborhoods into apartment buildings in a world where citizens own nothing and will be happy. 

    The cause of the fire remains undetermined at this point. However, the rapid spread was caused by high wind gusts, and “Incompetence in the limit is indistinguishable from sabotage,” Elon Musk wrote on X. 

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    The question of sabotage is a key topic on X, mainly because the main reservoir in the Palisades, which would’ve likely suppressed the fire in the early days, was completely drained. 

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    On Monday, Palisades homeowners sued the city of Los Angeles’ electric and water utility for not supplying enough water to firefighters. The plaintiffs claim that a reservoir in the area was drained, causing low pressure in fire hydrants.

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    As of Thursday morning, the Palisades and Eaton Fires continue to rage, leaving dozens dead (and counting), ten-plus thousand structures destroyed, thousands of households displaced, and entire communities leveled. Meanwhile, Democrats are already pushing the conversation to rezone some areas to accommodate high-density, Communist-style apartment blocks. 

    As one X user noted, “Tell me this was a planned demolition without telling me this was a planned demolition.”

    All right before the L.A. 2028 Olympics… Makes you wonder. 

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 01/16/2025 – 17:20

  • The Burning State
    The Burning State

    Authored by Steve Gruber via American Greatness,

    The Golden State looks like a failed state, due to the failures of Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass. Because of these two, California is a mess and Los Angeles an inferno. Because of a blue wave of incompetence, the state is in the midst of one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. Because of decades of one-party rule under Democrats, our most populous state is in chaos, and our second-most populist city in flames. The fires continue to burn, with at least 16 dead and over 23,000 acres destroyed. The fires are evidence of gross negligence, mismanagement, and irresponsibility, in the face of a preventable tragedy. The fires are also evidence of absentee leadership—of zero leadership—in the face of mass suffering.

    The evidence is in the hills and streets of Pacific Palisades, where the fire still burns.

    The evidence is in Newsom’s response to the fires, a nonresponse of denial and deflection. The evidence is in Bass’s refusal to respond to questions about the fires. The evidence is visible and irrefutable, with lives lost and livelihoods decimated. And yet, despite everything, despite the downpour of ash and debris, despite the loss of more than 10,000 homes and other structures, Newsom continues to say nothing of substance and Bass continues to do nothing. The two continue to indict themselves, for they are unfit to serve and unable to govern. The good news is that we are four days from Inauguration Day, with President Trump back in the White House.

    Voters will note the contrast between President Trump and Newsom. The contrast is even greater with Bass, who makes Newsom look like a professional.

    Take, for example, this clip of Bass staring ahead and not responding to a reporter’s questions. Either Bass thinks she is a celebrity—that she is famous rather than infamous—and does not have to speak to the press, or she thinks the press should not speak to her. Does she think her job is ceremonial, that she owes the public nothing more than her presence? Does she think her job is to smile and wave and sign autographs? Is it too much to ask her to tell us what she plans to do—if she even has a plan—concerning the Palisades Fire? Does she think silence is sound, that she inspires confidence, or projects strength?

    When Bass does speak, the effect is anything but reassuring. She says the city has been through tragedies before, including “civil unrest” in 1992. Too bad the unrest was a riot, resulting in 63 deaths, 2,383 injuries, and 12,111 arrests. The riots also caused more than $1 billion in property damage, affecting 3,767 buildings, due to arson and looting. Bass ignores these facts, just as she ignores the fact that a riot is different from a natural disaster. The only thing that connects the two—the one thing both have in common—is that Democrats made them worse. Democrats were in charge then, and Democrats are in charge now. Los Angeles was a Democrat town then, and Los Angeles is a Democrat town now. But Los Angeles may not be as reliably blue much longer.

    The same is true for the governorship, where Gavin Newsom is out of touch and out of his league. Here he is complaining—about President Trump. Here he is attacking the “weaponized grievance” of President Trump. Here is Newsom, the governor of California, acting like a spectator, here he is talking like a bystander—an observer—instead of a leader. He says more about President Trump than he says about the fire. Newsom says nothing about efforts to contain the fire, or what he intends to do when the fire stops, because—surprise!—he has nothing to offer.

    Newsom would rather attack President Trump than provide a plan of attack. Here, again, Newsom would rather complain about President Trump than speak to voters’ complaints about his failures as governor. Newsom would rather say California’s reservoirs are full than take responsibility for failing to guarantee that the reservoir in the Palisades was full. Newsom would rather blame President Trump, who is not in office, than take the blame for his many and ongoing failures while in office in California.

    Here, in contrast, is President Trump saying the fire is a true tragedy. Here is President Trump saying more in two minutes than Newsom has said in over seven days. Here is President Trump saying we will rebuild, in spite of Newsom’s assertions to the contrary. Here is leadership—by President Trump—on behalf of residents of California. Here is plain speaking, by President Trump, in the spirit of Harry Truman and the style of Teddy Roosevelt. Here is a Republican who appeals to Democrats, telling an antidemocratic hack like Newsom to get out of the way.

    California may soon follow President Trump’s lead.

    The Golden State may soon reject Newsom and Bass.

    If the state is to be great again, if it is to rebuild and recover, Californians must reject Newsom and Bass.

    If California is to be the place where the future happens, if the state is to be healthy and strong, it has no choice but to reject Newsom and Bass.

    Let a real leader change things for the better.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 01/16/2025 – 17:00

  • What If Tech, The Market, & The State Are No Longer Solutions?
    What If Tech, The Market, & The State Are No Longer Solutions?

    Authored by Charles Hugh Smith via OfTwoMinds blog,

    If we study the problems outside the force-field of mythological beliefs, we find that there are no systemic solutions, there are only partial, local solutions.

    The status quo rests on a foundational belief that all problems, regardless of their nature, can be solved by technology, the market or the government (i.e. the state), or some combination of these three.

    Which one is the paramount solution depends on the specifics of the problem, of course, but what’s proposed as a solution also depends on which of the three has gained our primary loyalty: to true believers in technology, there’s always a tech fix. To true believers in the market, unleashing the market will fix any problem. To true believers in the power of the state, the Savior State is always the go-to solution.

    These solutions transform from practical toolboxes into mythologies when they become simplified belief structures, in effect articles of faith populated with heathens, heretics, true believers, taboos and excommunication. The limits of each toolbox are set aside in favor of a belief in the unlimited magical powers of the tools.

    We know we’ve entered the realm of mythologies when expressing doubts about the efficacy of tech, the market or the state unleashes an infuriated indignation that the gods of tech, the market and the state are being questioned, even as the proof of their powers are everywhere.

    The difference between a toolbox and a mythology is every tool has limits, where mythology has no limits. If we’re trying to drive nails with a handsaw, we’re not going to find much success. We’re forced to admit the tool isn’t going to solve the problem.

    But once we’re embedded in a mythological structure, then we see play-acting as a legitimate solution. So a diesel-fueled robot that roams the fields zapping weeds with lasers is the “solution” to food insecurity. See, there’s a tech solution to every problem. But the robot–AI!–can’t make it rain, or stop the windstorm that destroyed the harvest, or nurture the depleted soil. The robot is a phantom solution, a “solution” that meets the requirements of the mythology–there must be a tech solution–but doesn’t actually solve the problem of food insecurity, which is complex, structural and systemic.

    Here is a Venn diagram of the status quo understanding of problems and solutions all problems exist within the loving embrace of tech, the market and the state, and therefore all problems can be solved by applying various mixtures of these three elixirs.

    Here is the real-world situation, stripped of mythology and play-acting: the majority of the core problems are either made worse by tech, the market and the state–Anti-Progress writ large– or they’re beyond the reach of these conventional tools.

    This Venn diagram causes howls of protest and shrieks of agony: how dare you! Of course there are tech solutions, market solutions and government solutions to every problem under the sun. What else is there?

    What’s missing from this faith in mythologies is the recognition that the conventional solutions must comply with implicit rules that limit their efficacy. Any “solution” must not disrupt the status quo’s power structure, which has been over-optimized to the point of extreme fragility, a dynamic I discussed in Six Dynamics That Will Shape Our Future.

    In other words, any “solution” must leave existing profit streams untouched and the power pyramid as-is. Given this constraint, and the fragility created by over-optimization, the only “solutions” that are acceptable to those at the top of the pyramid are play-acting “solutions”, proposals presented as magical fixes that actually fix nothing, or create new problems–the definition of Anti-Progress.

    To state this out loud is deeply offensive, for we’ve been trained to worship at the altars of technology, the market and the state. It’s considered good sport to deride the limits of state solutions, but it’s anathema to question the limits of technology or the market.

    Markets only “solve problems” via infinite substitution of scarcities. OK, so we wiped out wild fisheries, the fix is fish farms. We bulldozed the native forests, the solution is tree farms. That each substitution isn’t actually a functional substitute, and is a much lower quality that the original, is taboo.

    That “the market solution” to declining profitability is monopoly (eliminating competition and transparency), addiction and reducing quality is also taboo.

    What “problem” did social media solve? Or is social media now another “problem” that has no solution? But now that social media has created trillion-dollar enterprises, it can’t be questioned as a “good thing.” There are tech solutions, market solutions, state regulations–of course we can “fix” social media’s Anti-Progress.

    As with all “solutions” satisfactory to the system, all these “solutions” are play-acting: they sound good, everyone can click “like” or “heart” the “solution,” but nothing actually changes.

    If we study the problems outside the force-field of mythological beliefs, we find that there are no systemic solutions, there are only partial, local solutions that we put in place ourselves. Rather then expect tech, the market and the state to “fix” healthcare, we’re better off accepting the system has no solutions because the profit streams and power structure are sacrosanct and cannot be touched, even though they’re the source of the problem.

    The only real, non-play-acting solution is to get healthy and reduce our dependence on “healthcare” to an absolute minimum. This approach applies to every problem in the red circle in the diagram above.

    * *  *

    Become a $3/month patron of my work via patreon.com.

    Subscribe to my Substack for free

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 01/16/2025 – 16:20

  • Russia & Ukraine Holding 'Limited Talks' In Qatar
    Russia & Ukraine Holding ‘Limited Talks’ In Qatar

    Bloomberg has reported that Russia and Ukraine have been conducting “limited talks” in Qatar, citing unnamed Russian sources. The talks are said to focus on preventing threats to each country’s nuclear facilities as the war continues.

    The same report cited Ukrainian sources who say the contacts thus far have only focused on prisoner exchanges, which has resulted in several major swaps throughout the conflict. The latest exchange was Wednesday, involving 25 POWs returned on each side.

    But it’s clear that any direct negotiations under the incoming Trump administration is likely to grow out of these existing ‘limited’ contacts and exchanges. The Kremlin on Thursday offered ‘no comment’ when asked about Bloomberg’s reporting.

    Via Reuters

    Despite the Trump campaign rhetoric of a speedy negotiation track which will reach a permanent truce soon after he enters office, Trump’s team has since acknowledge that talks are likely to take much longer.

    A Wednesday Reuters report said, “Advisers to President-elect Donald Trump now concede that the Ukraine war will take months or even longer to resolve, a sharp reality check on his biggest foreign policy promise – to strike a peace deal on his first day in the White House.”

    “Two Trump associates, who have discussed the war in Ukraine with the president-elect, told Reuters they were looking at a timeline of months to resolve the conflict, describing the Day One promises as a combination of campaign bluster and a lack of appreciation of the intractability of the conflict and the time it takes to staff up a new administration,” the report continued.

    Keith Kellog, Trump’s incoming envoy for the Russia-Ukraine crisis, has expressed hope that a deal can be secured within the first 100 days of the Trump administration, which has a far longer timeline that what’s been previously given.

    Trump’s incoming national security advisor, Rep. Mike Waltz, has said it will be a priority of the new Trump administration to get Ukraine to lower its conscription age from 25 to 18 in order to “stabilize” the battlefield. This is all a tacit admission that Russia is in the driver’s seat and that Ukraine currently has little real leverage.

    As for one area Moscow is expected to remain resolute on, Bloomberg details:

    Russia will demand Ukraine drastically cut back military ties with the NATO alliance and become a neutral state with a limited army in any talks with incoming US President Donald Trump, according to people familiar with the matter.

    Increasingly confident he has the advantage on the battlefield in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin is determined to achieve his goal that Kyiv never join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and that limits are placed on its military capacity, said the people with knowledge of Kremlin thinking who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive information.

    Additionally, Russian media has quoted top national security official Dmitry Medvedev to say that Ukraine won’t ever get a ‘Germany-style reunification’ deal:

    Suggestions that Ukraine could get a security deal similar to West Germany after World War II are betting on the dissolution of Russia, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has claimed.

    West Germany joined NATO in 1955, while East Germany remained part of the Soviet bloc until reunification in 1990. Moscow did not oppose the move, as the US and its allies had assured the USSR’s leaders that Western troops would not go beyond Germany’s eastern border. NATO’s breach of that promise is the primary cause of the current animosity between Russia and the West, according to Russian officials.

    “Who would honestly consider a scenario, in which a nuclear power relinquishes something to the ugly dwarf named Ukraine?” Medvedev wrote on Telegram. “It means they can only count on Russia’s dissolution.”

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    Top Russian leaders, including President Putin himself, have consistently spoken with the assumption that the four annexed territories of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia will remain Russia’s forever.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 01/16/2025 – 15:45

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Jan 16

Today’s News 16th January 2025

  • Escobar: I'm Gonna MAGA You, Baby!
    Escobar: I’m Gonna MAGA You, Baby!

    Authored by Pepe Escobar,

    It’s the greatest show on earth – unleashing a double bill of New Paradigm and Manifest Destiny on crack. We are the greatest. We will rock you – in every sense. We will crush you. We will take whatever we want because we can.

    And if you wanna walk away from the U.S. dollar, we will destroy you. BRICS, we’re coming to get ya.

    Trump 2.0 – a mix of professional wrestling and MMA played in a giant planetary cage – is in da house starting next Monday.

    Trump 2.0 aims to be on the driving seat on the global financial system; on control of the world’s oil trade and LNG supply; and on strategic media platforms. Trump 2.0 is gearing up to be an extended exercise in the capacity to hurt The Other. Any Other. Hostile takeovers – and blood on the tracks. That’s how we “negotiate”.

    Under Trump 2.0, global tech infrastructure must run on U.S. software, not just on the profit front but also on the spy front. AI data chips must be American only. AI data centers must be controlled by America only.

    “Free trade” and “globalization”? That’s for losers. Welcome to neo-imperial, techno-feudal mercantilism – powered by U.S. tech supremacy.

    Trump’s National Security Advisor Mike Waltz has named a few of the targets ahead: Greenland; Canada; assorted cartels; the Arctic; the Gulf of “America”; oil and gas; rare earth minerals. All in the name of strengthening “national security”.

    A key plank: total control of the “Western Hemisphere”. Monroe Doctrine 2.0 – actually the Donroe Doctrine. America First, Last and Always.

    Why the chessboard needs to be rejigged

    Well, let’s delve a bit on pesky material imperatives. The Empire of Chaos faces a humongous debt, owed to usual suspect loan sharks, that may only be – partially – repaid by selected export surpluses. That would imply re-industrialization – a long, costly affair – and securing smooth military supply chains.

    Where the resource base will be for this Sisyphean task? Washington simply cannot rely on Chinese exports and rare earths. The chessboard needs to be rejigged – with trade and tech unified under U.S. unilateral, monopoly control.

    Plan A, so far, was to simultaneously confront Russia and China: the two top BRICS, and key vectors of Eurasia integration. China’s strategy, since the start of the millennium, has been to trade resources for infrastructure, developing Global South markets as China itself keeps developing.

    Russia’s strategy has been to help nations recover their sovereignty; actually helping nations to help themselves on the sustainable development front.

    Plan A against the concerted geoeconomic and geostrategic strategies of the Russia-China strategic partnership miserably failed.

    What has been attempted by the ghastly, exiting U.S. administration generated serial, massive blowbacks.

    So it’s time for Plan B: Looting the allies. They are already dominated chihuahuas anyway. The – exploitation – show must go on. And there are plenty of chihuahuas available to be exploited.

    Canada has loads of fresh water plus oil and mining wealth. The Canadian business class in fact has always dreamed of deep integration with the Empire of Chaos.

    Trump 2.0 and his team have been careful not to name names. When it comes to the Arctic as a crucial, evolving battlefield, there may be a vague allusion to the Northwest Passage. But never a mention of what really matters; the Northern Sea Route – the Russian denomination; the Chinese call it the Arctic Silk Road. That’s one of the key connectivity corridors of the future.

    The Northern Sea Route encompasses at least 15% of the world’s unexplored oil and 30% of the world’s unexplored natural gas. Greenland is smack in the middle of this New Great Game – capable of supplying years of uranium, as much oil as Alaska (bought from Russia in 1867), plus rare earths – not to mention providing useful real state for missile defense and offense.

    Washington has been trying to grab Greenland from Denmark since 1946. There’s a deal with Copenhagen in place guaranteeing military control – mostly naval. Now Greenland is being revamped as the ideal U.S. entry point into the Arctic Great Game against Russia.

    At the St. Petersburg forum last June, I had the privilege to follow an exceptional round table on the Northern Sea Route: that’s an integral part of Russia’s 21st century development project, focused on commercial navigation – “We need more icebreakers!” – and bound to surpass Suez and Gibraltar in the near future.

    Slightly over 50,000 Greenland residents – which already enjoy autonomy, especially vis a vis the EU – would more than accept a full Danish exit; Copenhagen actually abandoned them since 1951. Greenlanders will love to profit from vast U.S. investments.

    Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov went straight to the point: “The first step is to listen to the Greenlanders” – comparing it to how Russia listened to the residents of Crimea, Donbass and Novorossiya vis a vis Kiev.

    What Trump 2.0 actually wants from Greenland is crystal clear: total militarization; privileged access to rare earths; and commercially excluding Russia and Chinese companies.

    Chinese military expert Yu Chun noted that “soon, the long-desired ‘golden waterway’ of the Arctic Ocean is expected to open, allowing ships to traverse the Pacific Ocean and sail along the northern coasts of North America and Eurasia into the Atlantic Ocean.”

    As the Northern Sea Route is “a key element of Sino-Russian cooperation”, it’s inevitable that the U.S.’s “strategic vision is to prevent the establishment of a ‘golden waterway’ between China, Russia, and Europe by controlling Greenland.”

    Freak out in the chihuahua front

    On the wider chihuahua front, activity is frantic. Assorted Davos/ Deep State-linked elites across NATOstan – from Europe to Canada – are in the process of being replaced by new, Trump 2.0-affiliated elites.

    That’s indissociably linked to the Looting the Allies strategy: the further destruction of the vassal EU economy to strengthen the heart of the Empire.

    In Germany, the Afd’s Alice Weidel – pragmatic, intellectually capable – offers a quite intriguing perspective. She is stressing on the record that Germany needs to restart importing raw materials and cheap natural gas – let’s reopen Nord Stream – from Russia.

    That opens the tantalizing possibility that Trump and his factotum Elon Musk fully realize that Germany is worthless to the U.S. as a de-industrialized backwater – even under the overall framework of a hardcore neoliberal asset stripping offensive. Of course Trump 2.0 will extract a hefty price for Germans to get a revitalized nation back.

    Trump 2.0 at least holds the – dubious – merit of a relatively realistic reading of the chessboard; Russia, India, China – the Primakov triangle – as well as Iran have become too powerful to be looted. So the next best option is Plunder the Chihuahuas. The blowing up of Nord Stream as ordered by the Biden crime family – as detailed by Sy Hersh – was a gleaming starter.

    The future of NATO in the Great America project is now up for grabs. Gotta pay up – or else: contribution of each member nation should go up to 5% of GDP instead of the current 2%.

    Talk about a 150% price hike. Incidentally, Trump so far has not even muttered the nonsensical expression “Indo-Pacific”. For all practical purposes, Trump is telling NATO to take a hike.

    In the event of a double NATOstan annexation of Canada and Greenland, the U.S. may be even able to match Russia’s resource base. Arguably that’s the key rationale for unleashing this New Great Game. Forget “multipolarity”. BRICS, take note.

    The most intriguing side plot is, of course, Elon Musk. Trump badly needs Musk’s massive social media/propaganda digital megaphone. Simultaneously, on the chihuahua front, the platinum sidekick wants to profit from a Europe capable of assessing enough energy, raw materials and loads of consumers with solid purchasing power.

    The facts on the ground already spell out the “rules-based international order” being replaced in a flash by a no-rules international disorder. After all, international law has already been abolished by the Empire of Chaos itself (that’s bipartisan) – when it comes to illegal, unilateral sanctions, theft of financial assets or legitimization of genocide and head-chopping “moderate rebels”.

    Trump 2.0 will be nothing but enforcing a de facto phenomenon: a post-historical disorder. End of History – that was always for suckers.

    All of this incendiary chain of events is on a roll essentially because of one single reason: the Empire of Chaos lost the proxy war in Ukraine. What remains to be discussed is the modality of the surrender. So it’s no wonder Trump had to come up with a seductive, but still fraught with danger, larger than life psy op to imperatively change the narrative.

    *  *  *

    Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ZeroHedge.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/15/2025 – 23:25

  • AI Facial Recognition Software Is Fueling A Rise In False Arrests
    AI Facial Recognition Software Is Fueling A Rise In False Arrests

    “Orwell is here, and he’s living large, man!” 

    Police nationwide are misusing facial recognition software, relying on it to arrest suspects without additional evidence, according to a new investigation by the Washington Post.

    Most departments aren’t required to disclose or document its use. Among 23 departments with available records, 15 across 12 states arrested suspects based solely on AI matches, often violating internal policies requiring corroboration.

    One report called an unverified AI match a “100% match,” while another claimed the technology “unquestionably” identified a suspect. At least eight people have been wrongfully arrested in the U.S. due to AI matches, two of which were previously unreported.

    All cases were dismissed, but basic police work—such as checking alibis or comparing physical evidence—could have prevented these arrests. The true scale of AI-fueled false arrests remains unknown, as most departments lack disclosure requirements and rarely reveal AI use.

    The Post identified 75 departments using facial recognition, with records from 40 showing arrests tied to AI matches. Of these, 23 provided sufficient detail, revealing that nearly two-thirds made arrests without corroborating evidence. Departments often refused to discuss their practices or claimed officers relied on visual judgment to confirm matches.

    In Florence, Kentucky, police used uncorroborated AI matches in at least four cases, with mixed outcomes. Local prosecutor Louis Kelly defended officers’ judgment in identifying suspects, including those flagged by AI.

    For its report, the Washington Post reviewed facial recognition use by 75 police departments, with detailed records from 23. It found 15 departments, including Austin, Detroit, and Miami, made arrests based solely on AI matches without independent evidence.

    Some lacked records or transparency, while others relied on questionable practices like showing AI-identified photos to witnesses. Interviews clarified some cases, but reliance on uncorroborated AI remains widespread.

    You can read the full investigation here. 

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/15/2025 – 23:00

  • Animal Farm Politics: The Deep State Wins Again
    Animal Farm Politics: The Deep State Wins Again

    Authored by John & Nisha Whitehead via The Rutherford Institute,

    “No question, now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.”

    – George Orwell, Animal Farm

    It cost the American taxpayer $24 million to find out what we knew all along: politics is corrupt.

    After four years of being subjected to special prosecutor Jack Smith’s dogged investigation into alleged election interference by Donald Trump, the Justice Department has concluded that Trump would have been convicted of breaking the law if only he hadn’t gotten re-elected.

    In other words, the Deep State wins again.

    The revelation here is not that Trump broke the law but the extent to which sitting presidents get a free pass when it comes to misconduct.

    None of this is news.

    The Deep State has been operating from this exact same playbook for decades, regardless of which party has occupied the White House.

    Indeed, Richard Nixon let the cat out of the bag when he explained that the very act of being president places one beyond the rule of law (“when the president does it … that means that it is not illegal”).

    This is how we ended up with an imperial president—empowered to act as a dictator, above the law and beyond any real accountability—and why “we the people” keep finding ourselves mired in a political swamp of lies, graft, cronyism and corruption.

    George Orwell, who died 75 years ago on Jan. 21, 1950, must be rolling in his grave.

    In the 75 years since George Orwell died, his works of dystopian fiction—which warn against rampant abuse of power, mind control and mass manipulation coupled with the rise of ubiquitous technology, fascism and totalitarianism—have become operation manuals for power-hungry political regimes wedded to the corporate state.

    While Orwell’s novel 1984 foreshadowed the rise of an omnipresent, modern-day surveillance state, his novel Animal Farm aptly sums up the state of politics today, propped up by a two-party system designed to maintain the illusion that voting matters.

    Orwell understood what many Americans, caught up in their partisan flag-waving, are still struggling to come to terms with: that there is no such thing as a government organized for the good of the people—even the best intentions among those in government inevitably give way to the desire to maintain power and control at all costs.

    As Orwell explains:

    “The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power, pure power. What pure power means you will understand presently. We are different from the oligarchies of the past in that we know what we are doing. All the others, even those who resembled ourselves, were cowards and hypocrites. The German Nazis and the Russian Communists came very close to us in their methods, but they never had the courage to recognize their own motives. They pretended, perhaps they even believed, that they had seized power unwillingly and for a limited time, and that just around the corner there lay a paradise where human beings would be free and equal. We are not like that. We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship.”

    No doubt about it: the revolution was successful.

    That January 6, 2021 attempt by President Trump and his followers to overturn the election results was not the revolution, however.

    Those who answered President Trump’s call to march on the Capitol were merely the fall guys, manipulated into creating the perfect crisis for the Deep State – a.k.a. the Police State a.k.a. the Military Industrial Complex a.k.a. the Techno-Corporate State a.k.a. the Surveillance State—to amass even greater powers.

    It took no time at all for the switch to be thrown and the nation’s capital to be placed under a military lockdown, online speech forums restricted, and individuals with subversive or controversial viewpoints ferreted out, investigated, shamed and/or shunned.

    It was a set-up, folks.

    The Justice Department’s policy of not prosecuting a sitting president was the tell.

    The only coup d’etat to undermine the will of the people happened when our government “of the people, by the people, for the people” was overthrown by a profit-driven, militaristic, techno-corporate state that is in cahoots with a government “of the rich, by the elite, for the corporations.”

    This swamp is of the Deep State’s making to such an extent that every successive president starting with Franklin D. Roosevelt has been bought lock, stock and barrel and made to dance to the Deep State’s  tune.

    Beneath the power suits, they’re all alike.

    Donald Trump, the candidate who swore to drain the swamp in Washington DC, merely paved the way for lobbyists, corporations, the military industrial complex, and the Deep State to feast on the carcass of the dying American republic.

    Joe Biden was no different: his job was to keep the Deep State in power.

    Trump’s return to the White House has already thrown wide the gates to all manner of swampiness.

    Follow the money.  It always points the way.

    As Bertram Gross noted in Friendly Fascism: The New Face of Power in America, “evil now wears a friendlier face than ever before in American history.”
    Writing in 1980, Gross predicted a future in which he saw:

    “…a new despotism creeping slowly across America. Faceless oligarchs sit at command posts of a corporate-government complex that has been slowly evolving over many decades. In efforts to enlarge their own powers and privileges, they are willing to have others suffer the intended or unintended consequences of their institutional or personal greed. For Americans, these consequences include chronic inflation, recurring recession, open and hidden unemployment, the poisoning of air, water, soil and bodies, and, more important, the subversion of our constitution. More broadly, consequences include widespread intervention in international politics through economic manipulation, covert action, or military invasion…”

    This stealthy, creeping, silent coup that Gross prophesied is the same danger that writer Rod Serling envisioned in the 1964 political thriller Seven Days in May, a clear warning to beware of martial law packaged as a well-meaning and overriding concern for the nation’s security.

    Incredibly enough, more than 60 years later, we find ourselves hostages to a government run more by military doctrine and corporate greed than by the rule of law established in the Constitution. Indeed, proving once again that fact and fiction are not dissimilar, today’s current events could well have been lifted straight out of Seven Days in May, which takes viewers into eerily familiar terrain.

    The premise is straightforward.

    With the Cold War at its height, an unpopular U.S. President signs a momentous nuclear disarmament treaty with the Soviet Union. Believing that the treaty constitutes an unacceptable threat to the security of the United States and certain that he knows what is best for the nation, General James Mattoon Scott (played by Burt Lancaster), the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and presidential hopeful, plans a military takeover of the national government.  When Gen. Scott’s aide, Col. Casey (Kirk Douglas), discovers the planned military coup, he goes to the President with the information. The race for command of the U.S. government begins, with the clock ticking off the hours until the military plotters plan to overthrow the President.

    Needless to say, while on the big screen, the military coup is foiled and the republic is saved in a matter of hours, in the real world, the plot thickens and spreads out over the past half century.

    We’ve been losing our freedoms so incrementally for so long—sold to us in the name of national security and global peace, maintained by way of martial law disguised as law and order, and enforced by a standing army of militarized police and a political elite determined to maintain their powers at all costs—that it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when it all started going downhill, but we’ve been on that fast-moving, downward trajectory for some time now.

    The question is no longer whether the U.S. government will be preyed upon and taken over by the military industrial complex. That’s a done deal, but martial law disguised as national security is only one small part of the greater deception we’ve been fooled into believing is for our own good.

    How do you get a nation to docilely accept a police state? How do you persuade a populace to accept metal detectors and pat downs in their schools, bag searches in their train stations, tanks and military weaponry used by their small-town police forces, surveillance cameras in their traffic lights, police strip searches on their public roads, unwarranted blood draws at drunk driving checkpoints, whole body scanners in their airports, and government agents monitoring their communications?

    Try to ram such a state of affairs down the throats of the populace, and you might find yourself with a rebellion on your hands. Instead, you bombard them with constant color-coded alerts, terrorize them with shootings and bomb threats in malls, schools, and sports arenas, desensitize them with a steady diet of police violence, and sell the whole package to them as being for their best interests.

    The 2021 military occupation of the nation’s capital by 25,000 troops as part of the so-called “peaceful” transfer of power from one administration to the next is telling.

    That was not the language of a free people. This is the language of force.

    January 6, 2021, and its aftermath merely provided the government and its corporate technocrats the perfect excuse to show off all of the powers they’ve been amassing so assiduously over the years.

    Mind you, by “government,” I’m not referring to the highly partisan, two-party bureaucracy of the Republicans and Democrats.

    I’m referring to “government” with a capital “G,” the entrenched Deep State that is unaffected by elections, unaltered by populist movements, and has set itself beyond the reach of the law.

    I’m referring to the corporatized, militarized, entrenched bureaucracy that is fully operational and staffed by unelected officials who are, in essence, running the country and calling the shots in Washington DC, no matter who sits in the White House.

    This brings us back to Orwell’s Animal Farm, which turns 80 this year.

    Originally titled a fairy story, the satirical allegory recounts the revolutionary struggle of a group of farm animals living in squalor and neglect on a poorly run farm managed by a derelict farmer.

    Hoping to create a society where all animals are equal, the farm animals mount a revolution, ejecting the farmer, taking control of the farm, establishing their own Bill of Rights, and operating under the mantra “four legs good, two legs bad.” Not surprisingly, as is the case with most revolutions, the new boss—a pig named Napoleon—turns out to be no different from their old human oppressor. Over time, a ruling class of pigs comes to dominate on the farm, which is policed by dogs, with the pigs starting to dress, walk and talk like their human counterparts. Eventually, the pigs forge an alliance with their former two-legged adversaries in order to maintain their power over the rest of the farm animals. Before long, the pigs’ transformation into two-legged overlords is complete: “they were all alike.”

    Much like the gullible, easily led creatures of Animal Farm, we find ourselves being brainwashed into believing that the tyrannies meted out against us are for our own good; that the trials are tribulations we experience at the hands of the ruling elite are privileges for which we should feel grateful; and that our bondage to the Deep State is actually, appearances to the contrary, freedom.

    Over time, without their realizing it, the Seven Commandments of liberation and equality that were so central to Animal Farm’s revolutionary movement are whittled down to a single commandment: “ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS.”

    And that, as I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People and in its fictional counterpart The Erik Blair Diaries, is the lesson for all of us in the American Police State as we prepare for yet another changing of the guard in Washington, DC.

    The more things change, the more they stay the same.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/15/2025 – 22:35

  • "Turns Out, Presidents Matter": Marc Andreessen Calls For US Strategy To Address China's Manufacturing Dominance
    “Turns Out, Presidents Matter”: Marc Andreessen Calls For US Strategy To Address China’s Manufacturing Dominance

    Marc Andreessen, the billionaire investor and co-founder of the influential Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, joined the host of Uncommon Knowledge, Peter Robinson (former Reagan speechwriter), to discuss his pivotal role in shaping Silicon Valley and politics. 

    For decades, Andreessen has supported Democrats, including Bill Clinton, Al Gore, John Kerry, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton. However, a troubling 2024 spring meeting with Biden administration officials spooked the Silicon Valley entrepreneur. He said Biden officials explained their plan to control AI through government regulatory capture—a strategy reminiscent of Communist policies in China. 

    Andreessen told Robinson that President-elect Donald Trump’s knowledge about problem-solving in business and energy is “extremely sophisticated” and “world-class on real estate and communications.” 

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    “My analysis would be he is world-class in real estate and on communications … and he’s world-class on both which is like probably the first person in the world to be world-class on both of those things, right? The real estate industry is not historically known for its great communicators,” Andreessen continued. 

    Robinson and Andreessen also discussed Silicon Valley’s technological and political evolution, Andreessen’s shifting political alliances from Clinton, Obama, and Biden to MAGA, and his vision for harnessing cutting-edge technology to advance societal progress. They also addressed energy challenges, border security, and national defense. 

    In particular, Robinson and Andreessen spoke about China’s manufacturing dominance. 

    Andreessen explained: 

    And I’ll just tell you where I’m worried right now, where the problem is compounding. So you mentioned the, sort of, iPhone assembly, and that’s a big deal. But basically, there’s three industries that sort of follow phones that are kicking in right now.

    So, one is drones. And it’s sort of in a bizarre turn of events, the Chinese basically own the global drone market for all, basically, the consumer drones, all the cheap drones. Which by the way, numerically then are the drones that all the militarys also use in overwhelming numbers. And something over 90% of all drones used by the US military are made in China.

    No, no, it gets worse, it gets worse, it gets worse, it gets worse before it gets. So the drone thing is not just a company, it’s an entire ecosystem. It’s all of the componentry.

    He continued: 

    We have a drone company that’s been trying to compete with the Chinese company. Number one, the Biden FAA has been trying to kill us this entire time, trying to do all kinds of things to make sure that American drone companies can’t succeed as part of their war on tech. It’s literally just another in the long list of ways that they’ve been just trying to absolutely kill us.

    But two is, China has figured this out. And so, the US has been sanctioning AI chips going to China, China is now sanctioning, they sanction our drone company for the battery, [LAUGH] cuz the battery is made in China, right? And so they have like significant leverage, not just for the drones, but for the entire supply chain.

    By the way, the drone supply chain is very analogous to the car supply chain. A self driving electric car is very similar to a drone, or for that matter, to an iPhone. It’s an electrical mechanical device, but it’s a lot of the same kind of battery technology, chip technology, sensor technology.

    So they now have their version of what the Germans used to have, which is sort of, the thousands of mid market companies that make all the parts that go into a car. But the German ecosystem is still making them for old internal combustion cars, the Chinese ecosystem is making them for electric cars and self driving cars.

    And of course, that means the new Chinese cars that are coming out are really good and they have a giant advantage on cost. And they are starting to bring to market cars that are equivalent in quality to western cars at a third or a fourth of price. So that’s coming. And then the big one that follows phones, drones, and cars, logically, is robots.

    Robinson asked Andreessen:

    And the Chinese are ahead of us there?

    Andreessen responded: 

    100%, now, we have the leading, this is important, we have the leading software,like we have the leading R&D.

    Like, we have the smartest, I’m convinced we have like the smartest robotics AI people. We have the best people, specifically for the design of the systems, but we don’t have anything resembling the manufacturing capability at all.

    Andreessen noted that these technologies are upstream from all the military applications because they are intertwined in the same supply chains. He said the US must confront this and reverse the fragmented approach, where the Biden administration would “hate the domestic American technology industry and is trying to kill it” one day and then, on other days, “thinks we’re gonna somehow develop some sort of competitive response to China on cars or on weapons in the future.” 

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    The takeaway from the interview is clear: Trump 2.0 must craft a coherent, competitive response to advancing technology under an ‘America First’ agenda. This is in contrast to the radicals in the Biden-Harris regime, who focused on de-growth policies (under the guise of climate change) that have allowed China to advance ahead of the US. 

    “What’s the whole of government strategy on China? Zero, right? It turns out the president matters,” Andreessen concluded. 

    Watch the full interview here: 

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    One must ask: whose team was the Biden-Harris administration on? It doesn’t appear they prioritized an ‘America First’ agenda. This will change under Trump. 

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/15/2025 – 22:10

  • Outgoing Biden Admin Bans Imports From 37 Chinese Companies Over Uyghur Forced Labor
    Outgoing Biden Admin Bans Imports From 37 Chinese Companies Over Uyghur Forced Labor

    Authored by Lily Zhou via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    The outgoing Biden administration is banning imports from an additional 37 China-based companies over forced labor in Xinjiang, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on Tuesday.

    A worker moves freshly harvested cotton at a processing plant in Aksu, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, China, on Dec. 1, 2015. Dominique Patton/Reuters

    From Wednesday, Huafu Fashion, one of the world’s largest textile manufacturers, 25 of its subsidiaries, and 11 Chinese solar or mining companies, will be included in the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List for producing products or mining critical minerals in Xinjiang, where the Chinese communist regime is accused of human rights abuses against the Uyghur people and other Muslim-majority ethnic minorities.

    Under the UFLPA, businesses are banned from importing products from companies on the list and anything mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in Xinjiang, unless they can prove no forced labor is involved.

    Tuesday’s addition is the largest expansion to the list since the UFLPA became law in December 2021, bringing the total number of companies on the list to 144.

    “In adding 37 companies to the UFLPA Entities List and bringing the total to nearly 150, we again demonstrate our relentless fight against the cruelty of forced labor, our unwavering commitment to basic human rights, and our tireless defense of a free, fair, and competitive market,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement.

    The DHS said Huafu “maintains a vertically integrated supply chain from cotton planting in [Xinjiang], processing, and yarn spinning through textiles manufacturing.”

    Among the 25 Huafu subsidiaries added to the list, 22 are located in Xinjiang.

    According to a list published in July 2023, compiled by the Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice at Britain’s Sheffield Hallam University, Huafu had been connected in media or academic reports to state-sponsored labor transfer outside Xinjiang, while one of its subsidiaries, Xinjiang Tianfu Cotton Supply Chain Co., Ltd., had been connected to state-sponsored labor transfer within the region.

    Three of the subsidiaries were connected to the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, which is sanctioned by the United States, according to the Sheffield Hallam University list. They include Shihezi Huafu Hongsheng Cotton Industry Co., Ltd., Huyanghe Huafu Hongsheng Cotton Industry Co., Ltd., and Xinjiang Tianfu Cotton Supply Chain Co., Ltd.

    Since the early 2000s, the Chinese regime has implemented programs to transfer labor within Xinjiang or from Xinjiang to other provinces, claiming the policy is aimed at alleviating poverty. However, researchers have said the programs are coercive and have more sinister purposes, such as reducing the density of the Uyghur population.

    In a report published in 2021 by Washington-based defense policy think tank the Jamestown Foundation, Adrian Zenz, senior fellow and director of China studies at the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, and one of the first researchers to expose the mass detention of Uyghur Muslims and other minorities in internment camps in Xinjiang, said evidence provided “strong proof of the systemically coercive nature of Xinjiang’s labor transfer programs and underscores a process-oriented approach towards designating such programs to be forced labor.”

    The Chinese regime has previously denied forced labor in Xinjiang, saying the allegations were made up by “anti-China” individuals and organisations in the West.

    Other companies being added to the UFLPA Entity List “mine and process Xinjiang’s critical minerals” or “manufacture inputs for solar modules with polysilicon made in Xinjiang,” the DHS said.

    The list includes limited companies Jiangsu Meike Solar Technology, Baotou Meike Silicon Energy, Shuangliang Silicon Materials (Batou), Xinjiang Energy (Group), Xinjiang Energy (Group) Real Estate, Xinjiang Zijin Zinc Industry, Xinjiang Jinbao Mining, Zijin Mining Group, Xinjiang Zijin Zinc Industry, Xinjiang Zijin Nonferrous Metals, and Xinjiang Habahe Ashele Copper.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/15/2025 – 21:45

  • Biden Unveils Last-Minute FDA Proposal To Lower Cigarette Nicotine Levels
    Biden Unveils Last-Minute FDA Proposal To Lower Cigarette Nicotine Levels

    In the final days of the Biden-Harris administration, the Food and Drug Administration announced a proposed rule to reduce nicotine levels in cigarettes to decrease the addictiveness of combustible tobacco products. The news sent tobacco stocks marginally lower in the cash session. 

    The proposed rule (RIN 0910-AI76), “Tobacco Product Standard for Nicotine Yield of Cigarettes and Certain Other Combusted Tobacco Products,” aims to slash nicotine in cigarettes to approximately .7 milligrams per gram of tobacco. 

    “FDA is proposing this action to reduce the addictiveness of these products, thus giving people who are addicted and wish to quit the ability to do so more easily,” the FDA wrote in the proposed rule, adding, “The proposed product standard is anticipated to benefit the population as a whole.” 

    Major tobacco stocks, including Philip Morris International, Altria Group, and British American Tobacco, were each down around half a percent in the early afternoon cash session. 

    “Multiple administrations have acknowledged the immense opportunity that a proposal of this kind offers to address the burden of tobacco-related disease,” FDA commissioner Robert M. Califf wrote in a statement. 

    Califf continued, “This action, if finalized, could save many lives and dramatically reduce the burden of severe illness and disability, while also saving huge amounts of money.”

    Whether the incoming Trump administration will allow the proposal to move forward remains unclear, given Reynolds American donated $8 million to Trump’s main super PAC during the prior election cycle.

    Meanwhile, anti-tobacco advocates have been furious with the Biden-Harris team for its notable failure to ban menthol cigarettes before the election. Such a ban would’ve sparked a political backlash among Black voters – something Democrats tried to avoid. 

    Reynolds American spokesman Luis Pinto told the New York Times that the new proposed rule, in draft form, is a major threat to the industry and would “effectively eliminate legal cigarettes and fuel an already massive illicit nicotine market.” 

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    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/15/2025 – 21:20

  • Education Department Cancels Another $4.2 Billion In Student Loan Debt
    Education Department Cancels Another $4.2 Billion In Student Loan Debt

    Authored by Bill Pan via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    In the final days of his term, President Joe Biden announced the cancellation of federal student loan debt for more than 150,000 more borrowers.

    US President Joe Biden speaks about student loan relief at Madison College in Madison, Wisconsin, on April 8, 2024. Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP

    The latest round of relief provides $1.26 billion for 85,000 individuals who attended schools that allegedly “cheated and defrauded their students;” $2.5 billion for 61,000 borrowers with total and permanent disabilities; and $465 million for 6,100 public service workers, the U.S. Department of Education said on Monday.

    This latest action brings the total student loan debt canceled since Biden took office to $183.6 billion, benefiting more than 5 million Americans, according to the White House.

    “I’m proud to say we have forgiven more student loan debt than any other administration in history,” Biden said in the statement.

    Much of Monday’s relief is facilitated through a program called borrower defense, which allows students to apply for debt discharge if their colleges use misleading advertising or otherwise commit fraud.

    A legal battle over borrower defense reached the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday when justices agreed to review the Biden administration’s borrower-defense rule, which simplified the application process for affected borrowers and allowed automatic debt discharges in some cases.

    The borrower defense provision has existed since 1995 but was rarely used until after 2015, when Corinthian Colleges, a prominent for-profit education chain, went out of business. The collapse prompted widespread complaints from former students burdened with large amounts of debt.

    In response, the Education Department issued a rule in 2016 that established a formal process for borrowers to apply for loan discharges. In 2019, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos revised the rule to tighten eligibility criteria and limit the amount of relief that borrowers could receive, assuming they had gained at least some value from their education.

    Then-President Donald Trump supported this tightened approach. In 2020, as the Education Department began processing a massive backlog of borrower defense claims, Trump vetoed a bipartisan resolution that would have halted the 2019 rule, saying it would undermine students’ ability to make educational choices that best suit their needs.

    In 2022, the Biden administration finalized a new borrower-defense rule designed to provide full relief to borrowers who had received partial forgiveness under the DeVos-era policy. However, the rule has been put on hold since the summer of 2023, following a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

    That court granted a preliminary injunction in April, citing “numerous statutory and regulatory shortcomings” in Biden’s policy. The appellate judges also called some provisions “certainly unlawful” and criticized the rule’s “vague, brand new standards” for holding colleges accountable.

    “The unbridled scope of these prohibitions enables the department to hold schools liable for conduct that it defines only with future ‘guidance’ documents or in the course of adjudication,” the judges wrote in their opinion. “Simply put, the statute does not permit the department to terrify first and clarify later.”

    The Supreme Court has yet to say when it will hear oral arguments.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/15/2025 – 20:55

  • 'It Was The Most Tense Moment': U.S. Ambassador Reveals Deteriorating Relationship With China Worse Than Previously Known
    ‘It Was The Most Tense Moment’: U.S. Ambassador Reveals Deteriorating Relationship With China Worse Than Previously Known

    In his final interview as U.S. Ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns told the Wall Street Journal’s Jonathan Cheng that Chinese officials severed communication with the U.S. after President Biden’s order to shoot down China’s spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina, calling it “the most tense moment” of his tenure in Beijing.

    JONATHAN CHENG: This is perhaps your last interview here in Beijing, so let me just jump right in and ask: Was there a moment that you thought perhaps we were peering over the edge?

    AMB. NICHOLAS BURNS: I have to tell you, after the balloon crisis—that was February, the beginning of February 2023—you remember that strange balloon that floated across the national territory of the United States from Alaska to South Carolina. When the president, quite rightfully, ordered it to be shot down over the territorial waters of South Carolina, in the aftermath of that, the Chinese shut down and refused to talk to us in senior-level channels. I was one of the few channels that we had going.

    I was worried about the relationship. I think it was the most tense moment, February, March, April of 2023, and that is not healthy for a relationship between the two strongest military powers in the world because you don’t want a situation where a seemingly minor incident, like a misunderstanding in the Spratly Islands between our militaries, might become a major crisis. You want to be able to handle something like that.

    JONATHAN CHENG: Now, if you’re sitting here in Beijing and you’re seeing the rhetoric about Canada, about Greenland, does it make it more difficult for the U.S. government to go to China and say we need to make sure that we respect sovereignty in the South China Sea or around the periphery of China? Does that make it harder?

    AMB. NICHOLAS BURNS: The argument we made back three years ago when Putin invaded Ukraine is that country’s borders are sacred, that sovereignty is sacrosanct, and so that’s a fundamental building block of the stable, successful world that we had a lot of responsibility for building—that every single American president has honored.

    JONATHAN CHENG: Part of the concern with China and Putin is the question of sovereignty. I mean, it sounds like it does make it more difficult.

    AMB. NICHOLAS BURNS: Our message to Putin and the Chinese will be very strong and credible when we practice that respect for sovereignty, especially of our allies. These are two NATO allies. You know, NATO’s a collective defense organization. We pledge our fortunes to each other. On 9/11, it was the most extraordinary moment of my career when these countries, 18 others, came forward within several hours to say we’re with you. We’ll invoke this clause in the NATO Charter: an attack on one is an attack on all. Remember who led it? Canada.

    JONATHAN CHENG: Now as we look ahead, The next administration, it looks like tariffs are going to be part of the mix here. Certainly, tariff threats are part of the mix. I mean, do you worry about that souring the relationship in particular? And do you grant that perhaps an approach that is tougher might actually yield some benefits?

    AMB. NICHOLAS BURNS: I wouldn’t want to be unfair to them by trying to project what I think they may or may not do, but I will say this: President Biden has used tariffs. In fact, President Biden elevated the tariffs back in May of 2024. He ordered an increase of 100% tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles coming into the United States, 50% tariffs on Chinese semiconductors, and 25% tariffs on Chinese lithium batteries. So if the Chinese are going to compete unfairly, if they’re not going to meet us halfway, and if we were to avoid a second China shock that would lead to massive losses in manufacturing jobs in the United States, we’ve got to defend American workers.

    JONATHAN CHENG: Certainly, the Republican Party would say so—that the Biden team hasn’t made that much progress on industrial overcapacity and that we need a tougher approach. And what would you say to them?

    AMB. NICHOLAS BURNS: Well, we’ve certainly rung the village bell on industrial overcapacity. We see China trying to export its excess production of lithium batteries, solar panels, robotics, steel, to the rest of the world, and you’ve seen this extraordinary reaction. Who has raised tariffs on China? South Africa, Turkey, India, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Canada, the European Union, and the United States. So we are not alone in reacting to this, which tells you that the Chinese have miscalculated here, and we’ve reacted in a very strong way. When you raise tariffs in the way that President Biden did—so dramatically, with so much strength—I think that was the right thing for us to do.

    JONATHAN CHENG: You’ve been concerned for your two-plus years at the time about the very aggressive Chinese government efforts to denigrate America, to tell a distorted story about American society, American history, American policy, and there’s a high degree of anti-Americanism online. As you walk out the door here, does that continue to concern you?

    AMB. NICHOLAS BURNS: I think the efforts of the government to do all of that continue, unfortunately. You know, we call it the Battle of Ideas. The communist government here has an entirely different set of beliefs about the rights of individuals, about human freedom, about religious freedom, and we differ very strongly. We’re making sure that we have every possibility of going around their censors. They censor us every day, and it’s a cat-and-mouse game. We try to get our beliefs, a speech by President Biden, back into the airwaves here, back into the bloodstream of China, and I know we’re right in doing this. I think the American people would expect their embassy here to be waging this battle. It’s a peaceful battle, but it’s a battle for minds and for a true picture of American society. So, we’re just trying to defend an accurate view and project an accurate view of our society, our history, and the great ideals for which we stand.

    JONATHAN CHENG: You’re going to get on a plane and return to the US. Do you worry about the future of US-China relations?

    AMB. NICHOLAS BURNS: I think we should always be worried about it because here you have the two strongest economic powers and military powers at cross purposes on many of the major issues concerning the future of the world and the future of our relationships. So I think, as a diplomat, I’ve been constantly concerned in the nearly three years I’ve been here. We’ve got to have a combination of real strength and conviction that we’re going to uphold American national interests, and at the same time, we’re going to have to find a way to work with them and connect to them to keep the peace. Those are not contradictory; that’s two halves of a rational policy towards China.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/15/2025 – 20:30

  • If You Care About Healthy Food, Confirm RFK Jr.
    If You Care About Healthy Food, Confirm RFK Jr.

    Authored by Mollie Engelhart via RealClearHealth,

    As a vegan chef turned regenerative cattle rancher, I’ve traversed the narrow divides between two worlds: the health-conscious, progressive enclaves of Los Angeles and the rugged, often misunderstood landscapes of rural Texas. For years, I lived and breathed the principles of organic farming and plant-based eating, firmly rooted in the belief that our food systems should be safe, resilient, and free from harmful chemicals. My community was predominantly left-leaning, passionate about clean water, food safety, and the dangers of over-medication. It felt like common sense.

    Yet, a seismic shift occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. Suddenly, the very people who once railed against chemicals in our food were now clamoring for more. They went from advocating for natural and holistic approaches to a new cult-like devotion to any and every product produced by big pharma, big ag and big food – seemingly forgetting the principles they once held dear. It left me bewildered and questioning the values of a movement I had long identified with.

    I am a lifelong liberal. I married someone who is undocumented, and I’ve spent years passionately advocating for organic farming and holistic health. But as the pandemic unfolded, I began to realize that I had more in common with those I once considered my ideological opposites. In seeking a deeper understanding of the debate over the COVID-19 vaccines, I found myself listening to voices I had previously dismissed, including those of the right. It was a disorienting journey, yet it opened my eyes to a broader narrative.

    One voice that stood out was Tucker Carlson. Initially, I viewed him through the lens of my biases, assuming he was a racist and a bigot. But as I listened more closely, I realized that he, too, was a father concerned for his children’s health and future. He shared my values around environmentalism, clean water, and the importance of preserving our natural world. This was a turning point for me. I recognized that we were not enemies; we were parents trying to protect our families in a world fraught with uncertainty.

    This brings me to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. His candidacy for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) resonates deeply with my journey. Many in my community dismiss him as a “whack job” with no medical background, but this kind of labeling is all too reminiscent of how I once viewed Carlson. RFK Jr. is not a threat; he is a champion for informed consent and transparency in our food and pharmaceutical systems.

    His vision for HHS aligns perfectly with the values I hold dear. He advocates for reducing chemicals in our food supply and ensuring that parents have the right to understand what goes into their children’s bodies. As a mother, I believe it is our right to know the ingredients in the vaccines our children receive, just as it is our right to demand food that nourishes rather than harms. We cannot ignore the fact that cheap, chemically laden food is a privilege that comes at a grave cost to farmworkers’ health. I was reminded of this every time I spoke to Cynthia, a house cleaner in California, who was part of a team that harvested strawberries—each of them diagnosed with cancer before age 40.

    The recent leftward shift towards accepting more chemicals in our food and water is disheartening. This is not merely a partisan issue; it’s a human issue. It’s about our children’s future and the environment we leave behind. We should be prioritizing clean air and water, not pushing for more fluoride or pesticides. True environmentalism is about ensuring that our food is safe, our air is breathable, and our water is drinkable. This has long been a cornerstone of progressive ideology, and it feels like we’ve lost our way.

    It pains me to see my friends on the left resist RFK Jr.’s candidacy. He is an accomplished environmental advocate with a proven track record of holding powerful corporations accountable for their actions. He cleaned up the Hudson River and has been a steadfast voice for mothers who have often been ignored. His understanding of the intersection between corporate interests and government regulation is precisely what we need in this critical role.

    I understand that the political landscape is fraught with emotion and disappointment, especially with the current administration. However, we must recognize that this is an opportunity for real, transformative change in our food systems—an opportunity to reshape the relationship between corporate interests and government oversight in a way that prioritizes public health and environmental responsibility.

    As a mother, a farmer, a chef, and a concerned citizen, it would be a grave mistake to overlook the potential for substantial reform that RFK Jr. could bring to the Department of Health and Human Services. We have the chance to make significant strides toward a healthier food system and a more just society.

    I urge the members of the United States Senate to move quickly to confirm Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. as the next Secretary of Health and Human Services so that we can begin the critical work of making our nation’s food supply and its people healthy again.

    Mollie Engelhart is an accomplished restauranteur, organic chef and regenerative farmer.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/15/2025 – 20:05

  • Which State Has The Longest Emergency Room Visit Time?
    Which State Has The Longest Emergency Room Visit Time?

    Emergency room wait times vary significantly across the United States depending on factors such as hospital resources, patient volume, and staffing levels, with some states facing delays that can stretch for more than three hours.

    Long stays in the emergency department often point to issues like understaffing or overcrowding, leading to delays in treatment, and often times, worse patient health outcomes.

    This map, via Visual Capitalist’s Kayla Zhu, visualizes the average time patients spend in the emergency department before leaving, by U.S. state and territory.

    Data comes from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and is updated as of Oct. 30, 2024.

    This data reflects the average time patients spend at the emergency department, from the time they arrive to the time they leave, and excludes those who died in the emergency department, left without the approval of a licensed provider, or lacked documented discharge destinations.

    Which State Has the Longest Emergency Room Visit Time?

    Below, we show the average time patients spent in the emergency room before leaving, by state.

    Rank State/Territory Average time patients spent in the emergency room before leaving
    1 District of Columbia 5 hrs 14 min
    2 Puerto Rico 4 hrs 41 min
    3 Maryland 4 hrs 10 min
    4 Rhode Island 3 hrs 38 min
    5 Massachusetts 3 hrs 36 min
    6 Delaware 3 hrs 31 min
    7 New York 3 hrs 24 min
    8 North Carolina 3 hrs 11 min
    9 New Jersey 3 hrs 11 min
    10 Connecticut 3 hrs 9 min
    11 California 3 hrs 6 min
    12 Pennsylvania 3 hrs 3 min
    13 Vermont 2 hrs 59 min
    14 Illinois 2 hrs 55 min
    15 Maine 2 hrs 55 min
    16 Arizona 2 hrs 50 min
    17 Virginia 2 hrs 46 min
    18 Michigan 2 hrs 45 min
    19 New Hampshire 2 hrs 45 min
    20 South Carolina 2 hrs 43 min
    21 New Mexico 2 hrs 42 min
    22 Florida 2 hrs 41 min
    23 Georgia 2 hrs 40 min
    24 Tennessee 2 hrs 38 min
    25 Oregon 2 hrs 37 min
    26 Washington 2 hrs 37 min
    27 Ohio 2 hrs 36 min
    28 Kentucky 2 hrs 35 min
    29 Missouri 2 hrs 35 min
    30 Alabama 2 hrs 26 min
    31 Texas 2 hrs 26 min
    32 West Virginia 2 hrs 25 min
    33 Nevada 2 hrs 24 min
    34 Idaho 2 hrs 22 min
    35 Alaska 2 hrs 20 min
    36 Wisconsin 2 hrs 18 min
    37 Colorado 2 hrs 15 min
    38 Wyoming 2 hrs 15 min
    39 Arkansas 2 hrs 13 min
    40 Louisiana 2 hrs 12 min
    41 Utah 2 hrs 12 min
    42 Mississippi 2 hrs 7 min
    43 Montana 2 hrs 7 min
    44 Minnesota 2 hrs 6 min
    45 Indiana 2 hrs 5 min
    46 Kansas 2 hrs 1 min
    47 Oklahoma 2 hrs
    48 Iowa 1 hr 59 min
    49 Hawaii 1 hr 57 min
    50 Nebraska 1 hr 54 min
    51 South Dakota 1 hr 53 min
    52 North Dakota 1 hr 50 min

    The median emergency room visit time in 2024 in the U.S. was 2 hours and 42 minutes. Twenty states had average emergency room visit times higher than the national average.

    Washington, D.C. residents had the longest average emergency department visit times at 5 hours and 14 minutes, followed by Puerto Rico at 4 hours and 41 minutes.

    These extended wait times in D.C. and Puerto Rico are likely due to a combination of high population density, limited healthcare resources, and potentially higher rates of uninsured patients seeking emergency care.

    Rural and less populated states like North Dakota (1 hour 50 minutes), South Dakota (1 hour 53 minutes), and Nebraska (1 hour 54 minutes) had the shortest emergency room times, suggesting that lower patient loads and less crowded facilities contribute to faster processing.

    Long emergency department waits worsen patient health, raise healthcare costs, and strain hospital resources, increasing risks of mortality and compromised care.

    A University of South Caroline study found that prolonging the wait of a patient who arrives with a serious condition by 10 minutes will increase the hospital’s cost to care for the patient by an average of 6%.

    To learn more about the health care landscape in the U.S., check out this graphic that visualizes the largest health insurance company in each U.S. state.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/15/2025 – 19:40

  • Americans See Little Progress In Key Areas Under Biden: Gallup
    Americans See Little Progress In Key Areas Under Biden: Gallup

    Authored by Megan Brenan via Gallup,

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — As President Joe Biden prepares to leave office, Americans offer a largely negative assessment of the progress the U.S. has made during his presidency on 18 economic, national and international issues.

    Majorities of Americans think the U.S. has lost ground in six areas over the past four years, including the federal debt (67%), immigration (64%), the gap between the wealthy and less well-off (60%), the economy (59%), the United States’ position in the world (58%) and crime (51%). Pluralities also say the nation has fallen behind in six other areas: education, terrorism, trade relations with other countries, race relations, the nation’s infrastructure and energy.

    Meanwhile, U.S. adults are more likely to see progress (39%) than regression (23%) or steadiness (31%) on just one of the issues — the situation for gay, lesbian and transgender people.

    More Americans believe the country has stood still on two issues — climate change and the situation for Black people — than think it has made progress or lost ground. U.S. adults are about evenly divided on whether the U.S. has lost ground or stood still on healthcare, national defense and the military, and taxes, with relatively few seeing progress in these areas.

    These findings are from a Gallup poll conducted Dec. 2-18, a month into the presidential transition after Biden’s vice president, Kamala Harris, lost the election to Donald Trump.

    Democrats Offer Much More Positive Evaluation Than Republicans in All Areas

    Democrats, including independents who lean toward the Democratic Party, have net-positive views of the changes that have occurred over the past four years on 14 of the 18 issues. However, these partisans’ positive evaluations are wide-ranging, from +51 for energy to +13 for the situation with Black people. The other issues on which Democrats have seen improvement during Biden’s presidency are the nation’s infrastructure, trade relations with other countries, the economy, the situation for LGBTQ+ people, national defense and the military, the United States’ position in the world, terrorism, crime, climate change, healthcare, education, and race relations.

    Under Biden, Democrats think the nation has lost more ground than it has gained on the federal debt and the gap between the wealthy and less well-off. On taxes, Democrats are divided over whether the nation has made progress or lost ground, with a majority (63%) believing it has stood still on the issue. Democrats are also split on whether the U.S. has seen progress (30%) or lost ground (33%) on immigration.

    Republicans and Republican-leaning independents perceive the country has lost ground in 17 of the 18 areas over the past four years, with their most negative views on immigration, the federal debt and the economy. The situation for gay, lesbian and transgender people is the only issue on which Republicans think there has been progress under Biden’s stewardship.

    Biden Viewed Less Positively Than Predecessors on Many Issues

    Gallup also measured Americans’ views of the nation’s progress at the end of Trump’s first presidential term in 2021, as well as Barack Obama’s and George W. Bush’s second terms in 2017 and 2009, respectively. Twelve of the issues measured in the December poll were likewise tracked at the end of these three presidents’ terms in office, another five were asked after Obama’s and Trump’s presidencies, and one (the nation’s infrastructure) was only measured in the latest poll. In general, Americans’ assessments of presidents’ progress on issues at the end of their term have been more negative than positive.

    • Biden’s net progress lags his three immediate predecessors’ significantly on national defense and the military, immigration, and taxes, and is also worse than Obama’s and Trump’s on the federal debt, the gap between the wealthy and less well-off, and trade relations with other countries.
    • Net progress is better for Biden than for Bush on energy, healthcare, the United States’ position in the world and the economy, but both Obama and Trump were credited with achieving more than Biden has on each of these issues.
    • Of the four presidents, Obama was viewed most favorably on climate change, and Trump was viewed least favorably.
    • Bush outperformed his three successors on net progress for race relations.
    • Americans were more likely to say the two Republican presidents, Bush and Trump, made progress on crime and terrorism in the U.S. compared with Biden and Obama.
    • Obama received much more credit than his two successors for advancing the situation for LGBTQ+ people, but Biden is viewed as making more progress than Trump in this domain.
    • Biden’s net progress rating for education is similar to Trump’s, but both are lower than those for Bush and Obama.
    • Net progress for improving the situation for Black people is similar for Biden, Trump and Obama.

    Democrats’ views of the progress Biden has made are generally muted compared with Republicans’ views of Trump four years ago and Democrats’ perceptions of Obama in 2017 but somewhat similar to Republicans’ perceptions of Bush in 2009.

    Bottom Line

    Given Biden’s relatively low job approval rating and the expectation that history will judge his presidency negatively, it follows that Americans do not think the U.S. has improved during his time in office. However, Americans’ end-of-term assessments for prior presidents have also been largely negative — even for Obama, who left office with relatively high job approval ratings. Democrats’ generally subdued endorsement of Biden’s handling of a wide range of economic, national and international areas contribute to his unusually low net-positive ratings.

    To stay up to date with the latest Gallup News insights and updates, follow us on X @Gallup.

    Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works.

    View complete question responses and trends (PDF download).

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/15/2025 – 19:15

  • Manhattan Traffic Drops 7.5 Percent After New York's Congestion Toll Takes Effect
    Manhattan Traffic Drops 7.5 Percent After New York’s Congestion Toll Takes Effect

    Authored by Aldgra Fredly via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    Traffic in Manhattan decreased by 7.5 percent in the week after New York City’s congestion pricing plan took effect, according to preliminary traffic data released by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Jan. 13.

    Devices used for congestion tolling hang above traffic on a Manhattan street in New York City on Jan. 6, 2025. Seth Wenig/AP Photo

    The congestion pricing program, which took effect on Jan. 5, is a policy that charges a standard $9 fare to drivers of most passenger cars entering Manhattan below 60th Street from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.

    Preliminary data showed that on average, about 539,000 cars entered Manhattan’s Central Business District daily between Jan. 6 and Jan. 10, a 7.5 percent decrease from an estimated average weekday baseline of 583,000 for January.

    “Just look out the window: there is less traffic, quieter streets, and we think everyone has seen it,” Juliette Michaelson, MTA deputy chief of policy and external relations, told reporters on Monday. “Traffic patterns are already changing and they will continue to change.”

    MTA stated that travel times on inbound river crossings into Manhattan, including the Holland and Lincoln tunnels that run under the Hudson River from New Jersey, also decreased by 30 to 40 percent on average.

    Travel times on the Franklin D. Roosevelt East River Drive and the West Side Highway also improved during the afternoon traffic, falling between 20 percent and 46 percent, according to the data.

    Cars traveling on the East-West streets in the CBD also experienced time improvements, especially in the afternoon hours, with trips becoming 4 percent to 36 percent faster. Travel times on some South-North avenues also improved, with trips becoming 21 percent faster, the data showed.

    Despite anecdotal reports of more crowded train cars, Michaelson said the agency had not clocked a noticeable increase in subway users, largely because the baseline number of riders—more than 3 million daily—is so high. A handful of bus routes originating in Brooklyn and Staten Island had seen an increase in ridership the previous week.

    Speaking to reporters on Monday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams emphasized the need to analyze the traffic data to identify any necessary improvements, noting that the newly implemented congestion pricing marked “a major shift” for New Yorkers.

    “I just did not want to throw more hysteria into this whole thing. This is a major change,” the mayor said during a press briefing. “I want the data to come forward, I want us to analyze the data, see what we need to tweak. What do we need to do better? Are there changes that we can make? And I just wanted to give it a fair opportunity to do so. It’s the law of the land right now.”

    The congestion pricing program was initially set to take effect last year with a $15 charge, but New York Gov. Kathy Hochul later decided to put it on hold. Hochul eventually revived the program with a lower $9 charge.

    The governor estimated that the new lower toll would save daily commuters around $1,500 per year when taking into account what they were originally on track to pay, and she promised discounts for commuters at the lower end of the income scale. For example, car owners earning less than $50,000 per year get a 50 percent discount on every toll after their 10th toll in a given month.

    President-elect Donald Trump has previously expressed intent to end the program when he takes office, but it’s unclear whether he will follow through. The plan stalled during his first term while undergoing a federal environmental review.

    Trump said in November 2024 that congestion pricing “will put New York City at a disadvantage over competing cities and states, and businesses will flee.”

    Michael Washburn and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/15/2025 – 18:50

  • Doctors Ask Supreme Court To Block California Board From Penalizing Certain COVID-19 Views
    Doctors Ask Supreme Court To Block California Board From Penalizing Certain COVID-19 Views

    Authored by Matthew Vadum via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    Three doctors are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to prevent a California agency from investigating them over their opposition to state-approved COVID-19 policies.

    The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington on Aug. 14, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

    The California Medical Board considers the expression of the doctors’ dissenting views on the disease as potentially dangerous misinformation that should be suppressed. The board argues it has legal authority to discipline the doctors for speech it deems to be medical misconduct. The physicians counter that the fact that they have medical licenses doesn’t mean they forfeit their free speech rights under the First Amendment.

    The emergency application in Kory v. Bonta was docketed by the high court on Jan. 8, one of the applicants’ attorneys, Richard Jaffe of Sacramento, California, told The Epoch Times.

    The application for an injunction was submitted to Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, who oversees urgent appeals from California.

    It is unclear when the Supreme Court will act on the application.

    The justices could grant an injunction against the state, deny the injunction, or schedule the case for oral argument.

    The application was brought by medical doctors Pierre Kory and Brian Tyson, osteopathic physician Le Trinh Hoag, Physicians for Informed Consent, and Children’s Health Defense, a nonprofit founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

    President-elect Donald Trump, who will be inaugurated on Jan. 20, has nominated Kennedy to be secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy, an attorney, is also listed as co-counsel on the application.

    California’s executive and legislative branches are “threatening California physicians with professional discipline for their viewpoint speech contrary to the mainstream COVID narrative,” according to the application.

    After the Federation of State Medical Boards in July 2021 encouraged its member medical boards in the United States to punish physicians for advancing perceived “COVID misinformation” and “disinformation” among patients and the public, California Medical Board President Kristina Lawson announced in February 2022 that the board planned to sanction physicians for what it called “COVID misinformation.”

    The California Legislature passed AB 2098, which took effect in January 2023, making the dissemination of “misinformation” about the disease an offense for which doctors could be disciplined, the application said.

    After a federal district judge blocked the law in January 2023, the Legislature repealed the misinformation provision effective January 2024. The application said the board continued to probe physicians for violating its COVID-19 policy after the repeal.

    The applicants are challenging “the practice and policy of threatening and targeting physicians with discipline for providing information and recommendations contrary to the mainstream COVID narrative,” according to the application.

    On April 23, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California turned down a request to preliminarily block the state’s enforcement program, finding that the applicants lacked legal standing.

    The ruling was affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on Nov. 27, 2024.

    The California Business and Professions Code, under which the California Medical Board claims its disciplinary authority, “regulates conduct, not speech,” the circuit court said.

    “It provides for enforcement of the standard of care, which is the standard for physicians’ treatment of patients,” it stated.

    To demonstrate standing, the applicants had to demonstrate that there was “a credible threat that the [board] will prosecute them under the statute” but they did not do so, the appeals court said.

    The Ninth Circuit said the court record showed that the only disciplinary action taken against a doctor “involved a physician encouraging her patient to use veterinary ivermectin and resulted in the stipulated surrender of her license.”

    The applicants are asking the Supreme Court for an injunction stopping the state from “continuing their enforcement program targeting the information, opinions, and recommendations on COVID-19 which California licensed physicians may provide to patients.”

    Jaffe and Kennedy previously filed a related challenge with the Supreme Court that remains pending. In Stockton v. Ferguson, they asked the justices to block the Washington Medical Commission from investigating licensed physicians in the state over their criticism of COVID-19 policies.

    The application was scheduled to be considered by the justices at the court’s private judicial conference on Jan. 10. The court may announce a decision on the case on Jan. 13.

    The Epoch Times reached out to the California Medical Board and to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who represents the board, for comment but received no response by publication time.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/15/2025 – 18:25

  • RFK Jr. Effect: Cancer-Linked Red Dye Banned From US Foods
    RFK Jr. Effect: Cancer-Linked Red Dye Banned From US Foods

    The Biden administration stole some of the spotlight from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Donald Trump’s Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee, with just five days remaining in President Joe Biden’s first term.

    Through the Food and Drug Administration, the Biden-Harris team took the initiative to ban the cancer-causing artificial food coloring Red No. 3, commonly found in highly processed toxic foods, including candy, chips, soda, and even cold medicine. 

    “The FDA is amending its color additive regulations to no longer allow for the use of FD&C Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs in response to a 2022 color additive petition,” the FDA wrote in a press release on Wednesday morning. 

    The agency that RFK Jr. has said to have been captured by the industrial processed foods complex continued, “The petition requested the agency review whether the Delaney Clause applied and cited, among other data and information, two studies that showed cancer in laboratory male rats exposed to high levels of FD&C Red No. 3 due to a rat specific hormonal mechanism.” 

    “Manufacturers who use FD&C Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs will have until January 15, 2027 or January 18, 2028, respectively, to reformulate their products,” the agency noted, adding, “However, foods imported to the U.S. must comply with U.S. requirements.” 

    We are witnessing the early chapters of a food revolution set to sweep the nation under Trump 2.0. Dubbed the “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, the ‘RFK Jr. Effect’ will likely result in dismantling the processed foods industrial complex that has poisoned Americans for decades. 

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    Sigh. 

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    This recent NYT “fact check” is absurd and proves RFK JR’s point.

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    Trump 2.0, with RFK Jr. set to lead HHS, also needs to revive small farms and place the nation’s food supply chain back into the hands of the people from majority control of globalist corporations.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/15/2025 – 18:00

  • Preventable Deaths And Vitamin D3
    Preventable Deaths And Vitamin D3

    Authored by Robert W. Malone via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    We had an inexpensive life-saving solution both before and during the pandemic…

    The inconvenient truth is that even at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a very simple, inexpensive and effective treatment was available that could have saved the majority of lives lost (1-3). All that the WHO and public health bureaucracy had to do was to recommend and support people taking sufficient Vitamin D3. 

    Vitamin D3 could have saved countless lives during the pandemic…

    This failure to act traces back to the unscientific bias and pro-vaccine obsession of Dr. Anthony Fauci. And once again the legacy media, while being paid by the US government and the pharmaceutical industry to promote vaccination, acted by censoring, defaming and suppressing the ability of physicians to inform people of scientific truth. The disease you suffered, the loss of life among your family and friends, could have been greatly reduced by simply getting enough Vitamin D3. This is another example of what happens when unelected bureaucrats are allowed to control free speech. Crimes against humanity.

    The effectiveness of Vitamin D3 as an immune system-boosting prophylactic treatment for influenza and other respiratory RNA viruses was first discovered in 2006 (4, 5). Despite that fact that this treatment is amazingly effective for preventing death (by strengthening your immune system), it has never been investigated by the NIH, promoted by the CDC or by the US government for the treatment of influenza. One major issue has been that uncontrolled variables of dosing, timing of dosing and disease status have resulted in inconsistent clinical trial results (much as we have seen with the Ivermectin and Hydroxychloroquine COVID trials). However, when Vitamin D3 is given prophylactically at sufficient doses, there is clear and compelling evidence that Vitamin D blood levels of around 50 ng/ml will substantially reduce symptomatic infection, severe disease and mortality.

    Pick up some potent D3 here…

    K2/D3 plus Calcium and BioPerine Black Pepper Extract for maximum absorption…

    Longstanding worldwide public health policy is that Vitamin D should be taken at sufficient levels (typically supplemented in milk products) to prevent the bone disease called rickets. But this is just a minimal level to prevent a very obvious debilitating disease. The recommended Vitamin D levels in our milk are not sufficient for the more subtle immune system-boosting effects of this critical vitamin/hormone. Our bodies’ way of normally producing Vitamin D requires a lot of sunlight, but life in the modern world and northern latitudes make this difficult- particular in winter months, which is often when the respiratory viruses cause the most disease and death. In a sense, disease and death from Influenza and other respiratory RNA viruses are a lifestyle disease. Just the way things are. Largely avoidable unnecessary death.

    As I write the above, I am reminded that I recently spoke with a scientist and physician who was on a team at the Department of Defense (DoD) in 2006 which had discovered a surprising finding while analyzing data from warfighters. He and his team had been looking for things that could help explain why some soldiers got bad disease from circulating influenza viruses, while others did not. I hear a lot of stories, but this one was a first for me.

    In any given year, soldiers pretty much all get exposed to the same influenza virus variants, so why the differences in medical outcomes? Important to keep in mind that lots of data suggest that the 1918 “Spanish Flu” that swept the world at the close of WW I and caused so many deaths in relatively young people may well have come from young US midwestern recruits exposed to pig influenza viruses. This version of the 1918 influenza origin story goes along the lines that these young farmer recruits brought a human-adapted pig virus from US to the European battle theater, where it incubated in the infectious disease petri dish of the horrible conditions of trench warfare, and then was spread worldwide to civilians by returning soldiers. The “Spanish Flu” label which the US mainstream media of the time applied to the disease was yet another case of propaganda designed to deflect responsibility for a lethal infectious disease outbreak (from the US Government). In any case, you can understand why the DoD and the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in particular has a long history of influenza virus research – starting long before the CDC, NIH or NIAID ever existed.

    This DoD research scientist and his team had conducted a retrospective study which tied higher baseline vitamin D levels to lowered respiratory virus infection and disease (influenza), using a military database to correlate vitamin D levels to flu levels and death. The DoD believed that if he presented his research to Dr. Fauci, then Director of NIAID (National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases), that the US government might change direction by investing in this line of research and developing corresponding treatment guidelines. The DoD saw the potential of reducing influenza disease and death with this safe prophylactic, and directed him to contact Dr. Fauci to discuss this finding.

    This scientist told me that he scheduled the meeting as assigned, and presented his rock-solid data to Dr. Fauci.  He was then informed by Dr. Fauci that US policy is to control influenza in the USA with vaccines, not therapeutics. End of story. No funding or support available for future work. Therefore, NIAID had no interest in pursuing Vitamin D3 as a prophylactic for respiratory diseases, such as influenza, and the DoD dropped the follow up. That means that over fifteen years ago, Dr. Fauci had already set the policies which informed the US government’s present response to COVID. Because that policy extends well beyond flu, it is the response that the US Government falls back on for all infectious disease outbreaks, including those that emerge due to a pandemic or viral bio-threat. The official policy, set by Dr. Fauci, is that the US government wants vaccines for respiratory viruses above all else, and no other prophylactic solutions are to be promoted.

    So, with that background, why would anyone expect anything else other than an exclusive USG obsession with a vaccine solution for an infectious respiratory disease such as COVID-19, even if there are excellent, cheap alternatives already available?

    The data for the use of Vitamin D3 is extremely strong; there are now even randomized clinical trials supporting its use for the treatment of COVID (6), as well as many retrospective clinical trials showing its efficacy. The title of a major meta-analysis study published in October, 2021 is “COVID-19 Mortality Risk Correlates Inversely with Vitamin D3 Status, and a Mortality Rate Close to Zero Could Theoretically Be Achieved at 50 ng/mL 25(OH)D3: Results of a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” and that title pretty much says it all (7). Yet the NIH treatment guidelines found on their website in May 2022, state that:

    “Recommendation: There is insufficient evidence to recommend either for or against the use of Vitamin D for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19.”

    The CDC’s website says nothing about the link between Vitamin D3 levels and decreased severe disease and death in respiratory virus diseases, including COVID.  The NIH guidelines cite a single study in which Vitamin D was given to COVID patients in the intensive care unit (late stage COVID) in Brazil as the sole criteria for their evaluation of Vitamin D.  They even mention that this paper is flawed, writing that:

    “It should be noted that this study had a small sample size and enrolled participants with a variety of comorbidities and concomitant medications. The time between symptom onset and randomization was relatively long. “

    Yet this admittedly flawed work is the cited study from which the NIH determined that there is no link between Vitamin D levels and reduced incidence and disease due to SARS-CoV-2, while ignoring all other data including superior studies. Clear documentation of the scientific bias which has resulted in so many poor public health management decisions throughout the current outbreak.

    There is nothing in the CDC guidelines about the meta-analysis studies, retrospective studies and even randomized clinical trials concerning preventative use of Vitamin D3–just an oblique reference to clinicaltrials.gov if one wanted more information. This is shocking. Can this be explained by anything other than regulatory capture by the US government institutes within the department of Health and Human Services, including CDC, NIH, and FDA?

    With an emerging infectious disease, drugs and therapeutics are often the first line of defense.  Physicians use deductive reasoning when confronted with a new infectious disease or even any unknown disease. This is how they are taught to respond to a newly identified disease of any kind, because it is a very effective way to treat when faced with an unknown or even unclear diagnosis when there is no proven treatment plan (8). Begin by treating the symptoms until you can figure out the underlying pathophysiology.

    With COVID, it became clear early on that the front-line physicians were able to develop effective therapies using this strategy. There were many drugs and many treatments (including prophylactic Vitamin D3) that worked. These physicians made deductions and treated the symptoms. The numbers of lives saved using this method are astounding, but the government literally said that physicians should not use these treatments. Instead, the government instructed that patients were to go home and wait until their oxygen levels were so low that their lips were turning blue. That was criminal on the part of the HHS and US government. Truly a crime against humanity.

    There are doctors who ignored these guidelines and behaved like doctors should act- when they are committed to the Hippocratic oath. They saved lives. They formed quiet communities with other doctors to find viable treatments. Dr. George Fareed and Dr. Brian Tyson are two such doctors that have saved thousands and thousands of lives, as documented in their book titled: “Overcoming the COVID-19 Darkness: How Two Doctors Successfully Treated 7000 Patients” (9). Compare the case studies and protocols in this book and the many complementary case histories of physicians working on the front lines (for example in the USA Drs. Peter McCullough, Pierre Kory, Paul Marik, Vladimir (Zev) Zelenko, and Richard Urso, and Didier Raoult and his colleagues in France as just a few examples) to what happened when the US government became involved in dictating medical treatments for COVID.

    Unfortunately, the US government did not support any of this frontline physician work’, and in fact worked hard to undermine early multi-drug treatment using licensed drugs. Precisely as Dr. Fauci did 15 years ago when his learned of the role of vitamin D3 for the reduction of disease and death in respiratory diseases.

    To further illustrate the enormous tragedy of this historic bias, just think of all the elderly who could have had a few more good years, whose grandchildren could have benefited from their wisdom, but instead died of the flu just because no one ever told them to keep their Vitamin D3 levels up.  Because Dr. Fauci believes that vaccines should always be the first line of defense.

    This also relates back to the faulty logic of vaccine-induced herd immunity.  A logical fallacy that through the use of vaccines we could control influenza to a significant extent in the U.S. population.  This is flawed because 1) influenza is constantly mutating to escape existing vaccines, 2) there is a large seasonal unvaccinated world population, and travelers are constantly bringing new strains to the USA, 3) the vaccines are at best 40% (and often much less) effective at preventing influenza disease (sound familiar?), and 4) there are enormous animal reservoirs which harbor and constantly develop new influenza virus strains.  But due to the world’s success in eradicating smallpox, “official” public health (and Mr. Bill Gates) can not seem to understand that not all viruses are a DNA virus (like smallpox) that mutates extremely slowly and is only found in humans.  Comparing smallpox to a rapidly mutating respiratory virus with a large animal reservoir is both illogical and naive.

    But let’s take a step back in time, a decade back.  Let’s imagine that Dr. Fauci had authorized the DoD or some other research entity to do a well-designed randomized clinical trial concerning the benefits of adequate D3 levels in preventing respiratory virus disease. If such a trial had been funded, results would have shown that higher vitamin D3 supplementation to achieve blood levels greater than 50 ng/ml helped prevent disease and death caused by influenza virus. Lets’ imagine that five years later (at the latest), a CDC guideline for D3 levels was put in place (particularly for the elderly).  For sake of discussion, let’s even throw out a number. A conservative number, based on what we know now.  That 50% of the people who have died from influenza could have been saved if they had sufficiently high vitamin D3 blood levels.  Per a CDC website, on average 35.7 thousand people die per year of influenza.  In other words, about 357,000 people have died of influenza over the last decade.  Which means if 50% were saved by providing Vitamin D3 supplements, then 161,000 people could have been saved over the last decade in the USA by simply having the CDC advocate nationally for prophylactic administration of Vitamin D3.   Think about that. A simple, pennies per day treatment that never happened.  Why?  Because Dr. Fauci believes that the USA uses vaccines to treat flu, and that vaccine-induced herd immunity is key – a fallacy that he has never revisited in his own mind.

    Now let’s fast forward to COVID-19. How many people could have been saved from just having their levels of vitamin D3 brought up to 50 ng/ml (or higher!)? We knew about vitamin D3.  It really didn’t take a randomized clinical trial to understand the link between D3 and RNA respiratory virus morbidity and mortality. The U.S.A alone could have saved hundreds of thousands of lives.  Let alone all of the possible lives that could have been saved in the rest of the world. That these lives were unnecessarily lost is not acceptable in any way, shape or form. A crime against humanity.

    Many people (and physicians) rely on the CDC and NIH to guide them in healthcare and wellness decisions.  It is way past time that these organizations step up to the plate and do their job, and stop relying on the unscientific biases of highly influential bureaucrats. That job being to protect the health of the public.  Not advancing the interests of the pharmaceutical industry and its shareholders.

    Again, pick up some D3 here…

    ◇ References:

    1. Brenner H, Holleczek B, Schottker B. Vitamin D Insufficiency and Deficiency and Mortality from Respiratory Diseases in a Cohort of Older Adults: Potential for Limiting the Death Toll during and beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic? Nutrients. 2020;12(8).

    2. Ilie PC, Stefanescu S, Smith L. The role of vitamin D in the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 infection and mortality. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2020;32(7):1195-8.

    3. Maruotti A, Belloc F, Nicita A. Comments on: The role of vitamin D in the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 infection and mortality. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2020;32(8):1621-3.

    4. Cannell JJ, Vieth R, Umhau JC, Holick MF, Grant WB, Madronich S, et al. Epidemic influenza and vitamin D. Epidemiol Infect. 2006;134(6):1129-40.

    5. Grant WB, Garland CF. The role of vitamin D3 in preventing infections. Age Ageing. 2008;37(1):121-2.

    6. Villasis-Keever MA, Lopez-Alarcon MG, Miranda-Novales G, Zurita-Cruz JN, Barrada-Vazquez AS, Gonzalez-Ibarra J, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Vitamin D Supplementation to Prevent COVID-19 in Frontline Healthcare Workers. A Randomized Clinical Trial. Arch Med Res. 2022.

    7. Borsche L, Glauner B, von Mendel J. COVID-19 Mortality Risk Correlates Inversely with Vitamin D3 Status, and a Mortality Rate Close to Zero Could Theoretically Be Achieved at 50 ng/mL 25(OH)D3: Results of a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2021;13(10).

    8. Shin HS. Reasoning processes in clinical reasoning: from the perspective of cognitive psychology. Korean J Med Educ. 2019;31(4):299-308.

    9. Tyson B, Fareed, G.Crawford, M. Overcoming the COVID-19 Darkness: How Two Doctors Successfully Treated 7000 Patients. Amazon 2022 Jan 7, 2022.

    This story was originally published on the Who is Robert Malone Substack. 

    Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times or ZeroHedge…

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/15/2025 – 17:50

  • Why This Lifelong Democrat Voted For Trump
    Why This Lifelong Democrat Voted For Trump

    Authored by Chris Fenton via RealClearPolitics,

    This past November, I cast a ballot that I never would have expected: I voted for Donald Trump.

    As a lifelong Democrat, this decision was not rooted in ideology, but instead born of personal frustration with America’s broken systems – financial, judicial, and political.

    My story is not just my own but a reflection of the shared struggles of countless Americans, in almost every economic class, who feel left behind and betrayed by a corrupted system now designed to serve the few at the expense of the many.

    The initial catalyst for my frustration came during the 2008 financial crisis, a crucible that revealed the staggering flaws of America’s financial infrastructure. Lehman Brothers’ collapse wasn’t just a headline for me – it struck home. My family’s savings were tied to complex and opaque financial instruments I didn’t fully understand, sold to me by institutions that prioritized profit over transparency. When Lehman declared bankruptcy, my portfolio was wiped out. Overnight, our family’s financial security evaporated, and I was forced to confront the harsh realities of a system rigged against most Americans.

    But the financial system wasn’t the only institution that failed me. My trust in the judicial system was similarly shattered. First, the law of the land failed to punish any of those responsible for the great financial crisis. This was followed by a high-stakes legal battle of my own with my former employer. That fight revealed a labyrinthine system that seemed more designed to exhaust and entrap honest litigants than to deliver justice. Despite having a strong case and compelling evidence as the plaintiff, I found myself mired in five years of procedural delays, a strategic bankruptcy by the opposing side, and exorbitant legal costs. The experience was as emotionally scarring as it was financially ruinous and came close to destroying my marriage.

    My disillusionment didn’t stop there. America’s current political system, too, exposed itself. As someone who worked extensively in the U.S.-China relationship, I tried to share my firsthand experiences and insights to all audiences through a book I authored and the media appearances that followed. I hoped to encourage constructive dialogue on America’s position in an increasingly competitive world. Instead, I faced a harsh backlash that highlighted the destructive tribalism entrenched in today’s politics.

    As a lifelong Democrat, it was distressing to be told “Lose my f-ing number” by longtime progressive friends, simply because I appeared with hosts like Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, Steve Bannon, Charlie Kirk, Clay Travis, or Maria Bartiromo. Similar vitriolic responses will certainly result again when this piece publishes.

    I had no intention of switching political sides; I was trying to share a balanced perspective with a broader audience. Yet, this willingness to engage with what was perceived as “the other side” became a black-balling event. First, a CNN producer bluntly told me they wouldn’t have me on as a guest because I had appeared on Fox News. Then, investors avoided a fund I raised, coldly stating, “We won’t invest with someone who talks to those people.” Topping it all off, challenging the current U.S.-China dynamic was portrayed as anti-Asian, a disillusioning smear that I found deeply offensive. “I’m a Democrat, and many of my friends are Chinese!” I’d protest, only to be met with silence or accusations that I was “enabling” the opposition.

    I was labeled an outcast by the very community I had supported my entire life – not because of a shift in my values, but because of my choice to engage in discussions outside the approved echo chamber. The experience underscored how deeply broken our political discourse has become – where dialogue is punished and dissenting voices are cast out, even when the goal is constructive progress to protect American interests.

    This year, my frustration finally reached a boiling point. I was tired of politicians who promised change but delivered more of the same. Worse, my own party’s presidential candidate famously promised on “The View” not to change a damn thing.

    Donald Trump, for all his flaws, represented a rejection of the status quo. His message resonated with millions of Americans who felt unseen and unheard. He wasn’t a polished politician, and that was the point. He spoke to our anger, our disillusionment, and our desperation for something different.

    My vote for Trump wasn’t about embracing his ideology or ignoring his shortcomings. It was a pro-America protest vote, a way to signal my dissatisfaction with a current ailing system that had failed me and so many others. I wasn’t alone in this sentiment. The 2024 election was a referendum on today’s establishment, a wake-up call for a nation divided by economic and judicial inequality, institutional corruption, and cultural alienation.

    Voting for Trump was not an act of blind faith. It was a calculated risk, a bet on the idea that disrupting the system might force it to reckon with its failures. I recognize the complexities and contradictions of that decision. Trump’s presidency will bring its own set of challenges, and not all his policies will align with my values. Yet, his election has and will continue to force a national conversation about the direction of our country and the need for a systemic reset.

    Today, as I reflect on my vote, I am struck by the parallels between my personal journey and the broader story of America. Just as I had to rebuild my life after financial ruin, judicial betrayal, and political ostracism, our nation must confront its flaws and work toward a more impartial future. This requires not just identifying the problems but having the courage to take bold and sometimes uncomfortable actions to address them.

    For me, the answer lies in reclaiming the principles that made America great: fairness, accountability, civil discourse, and opportunity for all. This means holding powerful institutions to account, from Wall Street and Washington to the judicial system. It means rebuilding trust in our political system by prioritizing the needs of most citizens over the interests of the elite. And it means fostering a culture of resilience and innovation that empowers individuals to succeed in the face of adversity.

    The challenges we face as a nation are immense, but they are not insurmountable. My own experiences have taught me that even in the darkest moments, there is a path forward. It requires resilience, self-reflection, and a commitment to rebuilding – not just for us, but also for future generations.

    Voting for Trump was not the end of my political journey; it was the beginning of a deeper exploration of what it means to be an American in a time of upheaval. It was a recognition that change is messy, imperfect, and often uncomfortable. But it is also necessary.

    As we look to the future, I hope my story serves as a reminder that our choices are shaped by the systems we inhabit. When those systems fail us, it is our responsibility to demand change, hoping for better. Whether you agree with my decision or not, I hope we can all agree on the need for a government, judiciary, and economy that work for everyone – not just the privileged few.

    The journey to a more perfect union will not be easy, but it is a journey worth taking. Let’s rebuild together, with hope, determination, and a shared commitment to the ideals that unite us as Americans.

    Chris Fenton is a longtime media executive, producer, and author of “Feeding the Dragon: Inside the Trillion Dollar Dilemma Facing Hollywood, the NBA, and American Business.”

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/15/2025 – 17:40

  • Houthis Again Target US Carrier In Red Sea Just As Gaza Truce Deal Announced 
    Houthis Again Target US Carrier In Red Sea Just As Gaza Truce Deal Announced 

    Yemen’s Houthis have once again announced that military forces have targeted American warships in the Red Sea. The Pentagon has not offered confirmation, however, and rarely admits to coming under such direct attacks.

    The Wednesday statement said missiles and drones were launched against the USS Harry Truman aircraft carrier and other US warships patrolling the Red Sea. It’s unknown whether direct hits resulted, or if all projectiles were intercepted.

    Carrier Harry S. Truman, via US Navy

    “The missile force and the drone air force of the Yemeni Armed Forces … carried out a joint military operation targeting the American aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman and a number of its warships in the northern Red Sea with a number of winged missiles and drones, during their attempt to carry out operations to target Yemen,” the statement reads.

    “This targeting of the carrier is the sixth since its arrival in the Red Sea,” it added. The Iran-backed group has clearly remained committed and defiant as it blocks Red Sea shipping, despite several rounds of US-UK-Israeli bombing campaigns.

    The timing of this attack is interesting given that widespread reports of Hamas and Israeli having achieved a peace deal have persisted over the last 12 hours. President Biden as well as Donald Trump are hailing the deal, which still has to be voted on by Israeli lawmakers, which is set for Thursday morning.

    The Houthis have consistently demanded that for it to halt its Red Sea attacks there must be full Israeli military withdrawal from the Strip. 

    The Houthi statement said it remains “ready for any American or Israeli escalation and will continue to perform its duties towards the oppressed Palestinian people,” and that “operations will not stop until the aggression stops and the siege on the Gaza Strip is lifted.”

    If the promised hostage exchange happens by week’s end, the Houthis might halt these attacks or at least dial them back. Recently several ballistic missiles have been launched on central Israel.

    If the Yemeni operations do persist, it could complicate or damage efforts to keep the peace in the Gaza Strip, as it’s already sure to be an extremely delicate and fragile truce. 

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    Still, many hurdles remain, and the details of phase 2 are still to be hammered out in phase 1. This leaves the potential for Hamas-Israel fighting to be sparked once again. So far a fragile truce in Lebanon with Hezbollah has held.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/15/2025 – 17:20

  • Professors Say Trump's Policies Could Exacerbate Wildfires
    Professors Say Trump’s Policies Could Exacerbate Wildfires

    Authored by Gabrielle Temaat via The College Fix,

    Professors at Syracuse and Duke universities said this week that President-elect Donald Trump’s pro-fossil fuel policies could exacerbate the wildfires in California.

    “We well know Trump does not accept the science of climate change and the reality of climate change. He’s very dismissive of it,” Robert Wilson, an associate professor at Syracuse University’s Geography and the Environment Department, told Newsweek.

    “Certainly, I’ve seen no news account over the past week where he’s acknowledged that climate change has played a role in making the wildfires in California worse,” he said.

    Wilson called it “discouraging” that Trump is unlikely to “do much to address climate change” or “take the current and emerging threats of climate change, particularly with wildfire, seriously.”

    Another professor in Wilson’s department, Jacob Bendix, also criticized Trump’s policies, saying they would directly worsen the wildfire crisis.

    “The increased exploitation of fossil fuels that Donald Trump has promised would worsen our already severe wildfire problems. While there are numerous and varied contributing factors for large fires in the western United States and Canada all have one thing in common: dry hot conditions,” he said, according to Newsweek.

    “Fires require heat, and they require dry fuel. The higher temperatures are, and the less precipitation there is, the more readily wildfires are ignited and the faster they spread,” he said.

    Further, “using fossil fuels adds greenhouse gases to the atmosphere,” which results in “climate change,” “higher temperatures,” and “drought,” the professor said.

    Therefore, “there is pretty much a direct line from [Trump’s] policies for fossil fuel use to increased wildfire,” he said.

    A professor of environmental science at Duke University also said that Trump’s administration is “obviously…going to promote fossil fuels.” However, he is “probably going to take a broader view to energy policy,” Professor James Clark said.

    “I think that’s all unknown, but…anything that continues to increase greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere is going to continue to have a big impact on wildfires,” Clark said.

    While many academics are focused on the broader implications of Trump’s policies and the wildfires, one professor recently sparked controversy with a more personal and inflammatory comment.

    University of Missouri Professor Karen Piper called the destruction of Trump-supporting actor James Woods’ house in the California wildfires “karma,” The College Fix previously reported.

    “James Woods’ house is burning down. It’s karma calling,” Piper wrote.

    However, she walked back the statement later in an email to The College Fix, saying, “That tweet was before I learned how catastrophic the situation was becoming.”

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/15/2025 – 17:00

  • Trump Effect Continues As Florida Vice Mayor Switches To Republican Party
    Trump Effect Continues As Florida Vice Mayor Switches To Republican Party

    In the 2024 election, there was a huge shift to the right, as counties across the country rejected the failed policies of the Biden administration and embraced Donald Trump once again.

    Via CNN

    Continuing the trend, the City of Doral, Florida Vice Mayor Maureen Porras announced she’s left the Democratic Party and registered as a Republican, citing “socialist ideas” she says have seeped into the left.

    As The Floridian notes;

    This is yet another big blow to the core of the Florida Democratic Party. Vice Mayor Porras becoming a Republican all but confirms that a growing number of Democrats, both at the municipal and state level, do not see a future or a way forward as registered Democrats.

    After the 2024 Presidential election, two Democratic state representatives Hillary Cassel and Susan Valdes changed their party affiliations to Republican.

    Poras told The Floridian that she grew frustrated with the Democrat party, and praised Donald Trump’s reelection, characterizing his win over VP Kamala Harris as “a clear and resounding message from voters that our country needed a strong leader,” adding “President Trump’s leadership transcends all levels of government.”

    Photo via The Floridian

    She added that the Democratic party doesn’t represent her “values and those of the majority of Americans.”

    “Democratic Party has progressively moved further and further away from representing my values and those of the majority of Americans,” Porras continued.

    The Floridian: What brought you to the decision to leave the Democratic Party and become a registered Republican?

    Porras:For the past two years, as the only Democrat elected official in Northwest Miami Dade, I have worked closely with my Republican colleagues, friends, and neighbors. Throughout this time, we have found several commonalities and have worked together to uphold important values that define us and our community, including faith and family. I have felt strong support from Republican leaders in my work as a Councilwoman and now Vice Mayor of the City of Doral – support that I did not receive from Democratic leadership.

    The Floridian:  Do you feel the Democratic Party has moved so far to the extreme fringe in politics that it does not represent your values and the values of the majority of Americans?

    Porras: I feel that over the last couple of years,  the Democratic Party has progressively moved further and further away from representing my values and those of the majority of Americans. They have prioritized minority opinions and neglected to understand and address the real issues affecting our communities. That is why I cannot continue to represent a party that does not represent me or the community that I represent.

    The Floridian: Did President-elect Trump’s mandated victory in 2024 influence your decision to jump ship?

    Porras: President-elect Trump’s victory was a clear and resounding message from voters that our country needed a strong leader. President Trump’s leadership transcends all levels of government, becoming especially important in our city where he was able to intervene on behalf of our residents to keep a garbage incinerator from being rebuilt in our community. If it weren’t for his intervention, our community’s well-being and health would suffer. I am grateful as an elected official and resident that he cared enough about our community when other local leaders did not.

    The Floridian: Also, considering that your family is from Nicaragua, do you believe or do you feel that the Democrat party has embraced some or many of the socialist values that have taken hold of Latin America?

    Porras: Sadly, I have seen socialist ideas and beliefs from communist regimes seep into the Democratic Party and different Democratic groups. As an immigrant whose family fled the Nicaraguan communist regime and as an immigration attorney representing families fleeing socialism from Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Cuba, I cannot support advancing these ideas.

    Read the rest here…

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/15/2025 – 16:40

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Jan 15

Today’s News 15th January 2025

  • The War Behind The War: What World War III Is Really Being Fought Over
    The War Behind The War: What World War III Is Really Being Fought Over

    Authored by Leo Hohmann via substack,

    World War III, like all 21st century wars, is not being fought over ideologies.

    It’s being fought over energy and natural resources.

    Because he who controls the world’s resources will be free to impose whatever ideology he wants.

    Washington and London, the epicenter of the Western liberal world order that thinks it’s admirable and virtuous to redefine God-created genders and appropriate to unleash deviant transvestites on innocent school children, is seeking to neutralize the massive resources of Russia as it ramps up its “net zero” sustainable development model of economic progress. This economic model is really just a scam designed to pilfer what remains of the middle class and further subjugate them under AI-powered government-corporate control. Hence the need for more massive data centers, which Donald Trump is being used to build across the United States with $8 billion in foreign investment from a billionaire in the United Arab Emirates.

    The surveillance state cannot be built out without these data centers scooping up, processing and storing highly personal information on every citizen. But Trump is either too dumb to know this or doesn’t care because he is blinded by a naive belief that without an expanded AI America will lose its global hegemony.

    The modern technocratic state is going to be based on energy and carbon credits. Fiat currencies will become a thing of the past if these global predators succeed in their plans for a one-world surveillance state, where freedom of movement becomes a distant memory. Our healthcare and even our diets will also be tightly controlled by the elitist globalist predator class, whose interests are exemplified by the World Economic Forum and other elitist organizations.

    With an understanding of the ongoing war over who controls the global food and energy supplies, it becomes easy to see how the NATO-Russia war (with Ukraine as NATO’s proxy) will blow up into World War III.

    Moscow accused Ukraine Monday of conducting “energy terrorism” after what the Kremlin described as a failed drone attack against a Black Sea gas-compressor station that forms part of the major TurkStream gas pipeline linking Russia and Turkey.

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    This following report is from the France 24 media outlet.

    The Kremlin accused Ukraine of conducting “energy terrorism” and posing a danger to Europe‘s energy security, after an attempted drone attack on part of a major gas pipeline that carries Russian supplies to Turkey.

    The allegation comes amid an escalating energy war between the two countries, almost three years after Russia launched its military offensive.

    Ukraine has not commented on the alleged attack.

    Ukraine halted the transit of Russian gas to third countries via Ukraine on January 1, ending decades of energy cooperation that had brought billions of dollars to both countries, in a bid to cut off revenue for Moscow’s army.

    The United States last week rolled out fresh sanctions on Russia’s oil sector in another blow to Moscow’s vital hydrocarbon industry.

    The Russian defense ministry said on Monday that Ukraine had fired nine attack drones on Saturday at a gas-compressor station in the village of Gai-Kodzor, near Russia’s southern coast on the Black Sea.

    The site is across from the Crimean peninsula — which was unilaterally annexed by Russia in 2014 and has been heavily targeted by Kyiv throughout the three-year war.

    Moscow said the facility was part of the TurkStream pipeline and accused Ukraine of trying to “cut off gas supplies to European countries.”

    The Moscow Times further reported as follows:

    The Defense Ministry said all the drones were shot down but some “minor damage” was recorded from falling debris. Gas deliveries were unaffected.

    According to Russian state news agencies, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the attack a “continuation of the line of energy terrorism that Kyiv has been pursuing, under the curation of its overseas friends, for a long time.”

    He called it “very dangerous for European consumers” and said Russia’s foreign minister and the head of Gazprom had discussed it in a call with their Turkish counterparts on Sunday.

    Moscow’s forces have bombarded Ukraine’s energy sector with repeated aerial strikes since February 2022, causing major damage and power outages across the country.

    The Western puppet politicians would have us believe the war is being fought over “democracy.” They say Putin is a dictator who wants to take over all of Europe. This is preposterous. The Soviet Empire collapsed because it could not handle the financial burden of keeping the Eastern European countries under its thumb, and Putin knows this. Russia is not capable of conquering and occupying Eastern Europe, let alone all of Western Europe, too. So these Western leaders are lying through their teeth, and unfortunately the Western press is all too happy to parrot thier fear-mongering narratives about Putin.

    But even if Putin was as bad of a dictator as they tell us, the U.S. and NATO have in the past had no problem with dictators as long as they trade in dollars and follow the rules of the post-World War II liberal world order.

    Don’t buy the hypocritical and self-righteous lies so prevalent throughout the Western media, including much of the conservative media. The war in Ukraine has nothing to do with democracy. It’s being fought for the sole purpose of detaching Putin from his position in control of a vast store of natural gas, oil, gold, uranium, and other valuable natural resources that the West wants to control and profit from. They can’t profit from it as long as Putin is in charge of Russia. And the last thing Washington wants to see is Putin plowing those oil and gas profits into his military/defense/industrial sector at a time when the West is seeking to eliminate so-called “fossil fuels” and convert to unreliable, less efficient and more expensive wind and solar energy.

    The Kremlin on Monday also accused the United States of “destabilizing” the world energy market through fresh sanctions on Russian oil producers.

    The United States and Britain on Friday announced sanctions against Russia’s energy sector, including oil giant Gazprom Neft and 180 ships it says are part of Moscow’s “shadow fleet.”

    The move came just days before U.S. President Joe Biden leaves office.

    No one wants to give their sons to fight and die in a war being fought over which country’s elites get to exploit the most resources. But they will send their sons to die if the stakes are recalibrated into a lying narrative about “fighting for democracy and freedom.” The elites figured this out a long time ago, and it still works beautifully for them today. They are laughing all the way to the bank.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/14/2025 – 23:25

  • China's BYD Is Only Real Contender To Tesla's Global EV Market Share Dominance
    China’s BYD Is Only Real Contender To Tesla’s Global EV Market Share Dominance

    As of September 2024, Tesla retained the biggest market share among all battery electric vehicles (BEVs) sold worldwide in 2024, but only slightly. In 2023, Tesla’s share stood at 19 percent before dropping to 18 percent in first nine months of 2024, according to analyses by EV Volumes published on CleanTechnica.

    The competition is now hot on Tesla’s heels. As Statista’s Florian Zandt shows in the chart below, the Chinese conglomerate BYD, which produces standalone electric vehicle batteries and associated electronics in addition to plug-in hybrid and fully electric vehicles, increased its market share by 9 percentage points between 2021 and 2024.

    Infographic: Tesla and BYD Claim a Third of the Global BEV Market | Statista

    You will find more infographics at Statista

    As CleanTechnica points out, BYD’s market share in the BEV market might not increase that much in 2025 due to the manufacturer focusing on plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in the upcoming year.

    The BEV portfolio of legacy automakers like Volkswagen and Geely-Volvo stood at 7 and 8 percent, respectively, while SAIC, which includes the joint venture between the Chinese state-owned SAIC Motor and Wuling as well as General Motors, also had a market share of 8 percent as of the most recently available data.

    Between 2023 and January to September 2024, BYD’s and Tesla’s shares dropped by 1 percentage point each. BYD is focused on providing BEVs to a more general consumer base, while Tesla’s products have a higher price tag. This difference might be slightly mitigated through the increase of tariffs on Chinese-made cars from 25 to 100 percent which came into effect in August 2024.

    According to EV Volumes, 14 million electric vehicles were sold globally in 2023, 70 percent of which were BEVs. However, 84 percent of all light vehicles sold still ran on traditional combustion engines or other non-electric fuel sources. The biggest exporter and market for both hybrids and BEVs was China with shares of 65 and 59 percent, respectively.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/14/2025 – 23:00

  • Trump Envoy Speaks At MEK Conference On Regime Change In Iran
    Trump Envoy Speaks At MEK Conference On Regime Change In Iran

    Authored by Dave DeCamp via AntiWar.com,

    Keith Kellog, who will serve as an envoy for the Ukraine war in the incoming Trump administration, spoke at an event in Paris over the weekend hosted by the National Council of Resistance of Iran, an organization led by the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), a cult that seeks regime change in Iran.

    Kellog said at the event that the world should reinstate “maximum pressure” on Iran. “These pressures are not just kinetic, just not military force, but they must be economic and diplomatic as well,” he said, according to Reuters.

    Kellog said there was an opportunity “to change Iran for the better” but said it wouldn’t last for long. “We must exploit the weakness we now see. The hope is there, so must too be the action,” he said.

    Longtime Trump adviser Keith Kellogg will be special envoy for Ukraine & Russia, via Associated Press

    Opening the conference, Maryam Rajavi, MEK’s leader, claimed the “Iranian regime is on the brink of collapse” and cited several reasons, including the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, an ally of Tehran.

    The MEK is known to pay its speakers very well and usually hosts a number of Western officials. Other notable speakers at the event included James Jones, who served as President Obama’s national security advisor from 2009 to 2010, Liz Truss, who was the UK’s prime minister for just a few weeks in 2022, and Tod Wolters, a retired US Air Force general who served as the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO until 2022.

    Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned the conference, saying, “The hosting of a terrorist group by France is a clear example of support for terrorism and a violation of the French government’s international legal obligation to combat terrorism.”

    Kellog’s participation in the event suggests the MEK may have a line into the incoming Trump administration, which is signaling it will be very hawkish on Iran.

    While many Iran hawks in the US are friendly with the MEK and want them to take over Iran, the group has virtually no support inside Iran due to its history of carrying out terrorist attacks in the country and for siding with Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s. The MEK is also suspected of cooperating with Israel in assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists that took place in 2012.

    For many years, the MEK was based in Iraq, but the US helped the group resettle in Albania, which began in 2013. The US government even donated $20 million to the UN’s refugee agency to help with the resettlement.

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    The MEK was founded as a Marxist Islamic organization in the 1960s by Massoud Rajavi, Maryam Rajavi’s husband, who has been missing since 2003.

    A report about the MEK published by the RAND Corporation in 2009 concluded that the group has “many of the typical characteristics of a cult, such as authoritarian control, confiscation of assets, sexual control (including mandatory divorce and celibacy), emotional isolation, forced labor, sleep deprivation, physical abuse and limited exit options.”

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/14/2025 – 22:35

  • Yemen's Houthis Target Israel Three Times In 12 Hours
    Yemen’s Houthis Target Israel Three Times In 12 Hours

    The Yemeni Houthi forces announced Tuesday that it targeted the Israeli Defense Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv with a hypersonic missile. Israeli media also confirmed an attempted attack, which triggered emergency sirens across the central Israeli region:

    Yemen’s Houthi rebels claim an overnight missile attack on Israel, saying they had launched a “hypersonic ballistic missile” into “occupied Jaffa,” a reference to the Israeli commercial hub of Tel Aviv.

    The IDF said it had attempted an interception of the missile that set off sirens in a large swath of central Israel. The launch came on the heels of a Monday night attack in which a projectile fired from Yemen was intercepted “prior to crossing into Israeli territory,” according to the military.

    Fragments of one of the Houthi ballistic missiles after a series of launches damaged a home in Jerusalem. Source: Israeli Police

    It is unclear where the projectile may have landed, but Israel is not reporting any significant damage to its military facilities.

    But what is clear is that the Houthis have remained undeterred in their attacks, despite round after round of US and Israeli airstrikes on Yemen over the last several weeks.

    Crucially, this marks no less than the third Houthi operation against Israel within 12 hours – which has included drone launches as well. “This is the third operation within 12 hours,” a Houthi military statement boasted.

    There is some evidence in regional reporting that a projectile that was part of these assaults damaged a private residence:

    Part of the missile landed on the roof of a home west of occupied Jerusalem. The Israeli army said in two separate statements, hours apart, on 13 January that it intercepted a missile and a drone launched from Yemen. 

    The Yemeni army said on Tuesday that it attacked a “vital target” and launched four drones at targets in the Tel Aviv area. 

    On January 10 the US, UK, and Israel conducted a rare three-way attack on Yemen, hitting various parts including the key port of Hodeidah. The capital of Sanaa was also hit, even as a large civilian demonstration was happening.

    This week President Biden has proclaimed that Israel and Hamas are “on the brink” of finally achieving a ceasefire deal and hostage exchange. It’s anything but clear whether the Houthis would also honor this and cease their rocket launches. 

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    Houthi leaders have demanded a full Israeli military withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and have threatened to keep attacking Israel and ships in the Red Sea until this happens. Israeli military leaders have at the same time vowed to ‘hunt’ down top Houthi officials, seen as Iran’s proxies.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/14/2025 – 22:10

  • Washington Dems Propose Bill Banning Child Care Workers From Reporting Illegal Immigrants To Feds
    Washington Dems Propose Bill Banning Child Care Workers From Reporting Illegal Immigrants To Feds

    Despite Trump’s win in November and his inauguration in less than a week, Democrats aren’t letting go of the illegal immigration rope. 

    In fact, now, Washington Democrats have proposed a bill barring child care employers, including families, from reporting criminal illegal immigrants to federal authorities, even if suspected of crimes against children, according to KTTH.

    House Bill 1128 creates the Washington State Child Care Workforce Standards Board, giving Democrats greater control over the child care industry. It sets new rules for wages, benefits, and working conditions, along with additional “rights” for child care workers.

    Controversially, it also bans employers from reporting or threatening to report a child care worker’s immigration status for asserting rights under the act, raising constitutional concerns.

    The KTTH report says that House Bill 1128 defines any employer of child care workers, including families, as a “child care employer,” bringing private hiring arrangements under its purview. Democrats argue the bill addresses low pay and high turnover in the child care industry, aiming to improve quality and accessibility by enhancing worker protections and stability.

    However, critics contend it represents a partisan takeover of the child care industry and shields illegal immigrants, even those who pose risks.

    A contentious provision in the bill bars employers from reporting a child care worker’s immigration status if the worker is exercising a right created under the legislation. This could lead to retaliation claims, even long after an incident.

    If a child care worker is found to be in the country illegally while invoking these rights, employers would be prohibited from reporting them to federal authorities. Critics warn this loophole could enable neglectful or abusive workers to avoid accountability, endangering children and allowing such individuals to find employment elsewhere.

    The bill also raises constitutional concerns by conflicting with federal law. The Immigration Reform and Control Act requires employers to verify work authorization and prohibits hiring unauthorized workers.

    A state law preventing employers from reporting illegal workers interferes with federal obligations, potentially violating the Supremacy Clause, which ensures federal law takes precedence. Critics argue this interference undermines immigration enforcement and federal authority.

    Despite constitutional and safety concerns, proponents remain focused on worker protections, while opponents highlight risks to children and families. As debates continue, the bill underscores broader tensions between state policies and federal immigration law, with far-reaching implications for child care and beyond.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/14/2025 – 21:20

  • Stockman: Wildfires And The Hoary Hoax Of A Burning Planet
    Stockman: Wildfires And The Hoary Hoax Of A Burning Planet

    Authored by David Stockman via The Brownstone Institute,

    Here they go again, blaming the wildfire catastrophe in Los Angeles on Climate Change when the actual culprits are the very politicians who never stop howling about what is a monumental hoax.

    In the first place, of course, the current raging California fires, like those which have periodically gone before, are largely a function of misguided government policies. Officials have essentially curtailed the supply of water available to LA firefighters, even as they have drastically increased the supply of combustible kindling and vegetation which feeds these wildfires. The latter, in turn, are being amplified by the seasonal Santa Ana winds, which have visited the California coast since time immemorial.

    The kindling at issue stems from forest management policies that prevent the removal of excess fuel via controlled burns, which are fires intentionally set by forest managers to reduce the buildup of hazardous fuels. As we amplify below, red tape and bureaucratic obstacles have frequently delayed or prevented these controlled burns, allowing brush, dead trees, and other flammable materials to accumulate excessively.

    In this case, state and Federal politicians have simultaneously curtailed the supply of water available to Los Angeles firefighters in order to protect so-called endangered species. Specifically, southern California is being held hostage by sharp curtailment of the water pumping rates from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta in order to protect the Delta Smelt and Chinook Salmon.

    These former are shiny but tiny little buggers, as suggested by the handful of Smelt in the first picture below. But apparently, if they are protected, fished, and then fried up, they make for a certain kind of delicacy.

    Needless to say, California is entitled to stew in the foolishness of its own policies—if that’s what its voters really want. But its self-imposed misery should not be an occasion for more howling in favor of Washington policies to fight climate change.

    At least with respect to the latter, the Donald has his head screwed on right. And he does not hesitate to opine on the matter, which is all to the good of balancing what has otherwise been a wholly one-sided and utterly misleading Climate Crisis narrative. Naturally, the latter has been promulgated and peddled by statists because it provides yet one more big, scary, and urgent reason for an “all of government” campaign of more spending, borrowing, regulating, and the curtailing of free market enterprise and personal liberty.

    So let us once again review the bogus case for AGW or what is known as Anthropogenic Global Warming. And perforce it must start with the geological and paleontological evidence, which overwhelmingly says that today’s average global temperature of about 15 degrees C and CO2 concentrations of 420 ppm are nothing to fret about. And even if they rise to about 17-18 degrees C and 500-600 ppms, respectively, by the end of the century owing mainly to a natural warming cycle that has been underway since the end of the Little Ice Age (LIA) in 1850, it may well on balance improve the lot of mankind.

    After all, bursts of civilization during the last 10,000 years uniformly occurred during the warmer red portion of the graph below. The great civilizations of the Yellow, Indus, Nile, and Tigris/Euphrates river valleys, the Minoan era, the Greco-Roman civilization, the Medieval flowering, and the industrial and technological revolutions of the present era all were enabled by periods of elevated temperatures. At the same time, the several lapses into “dark ages” happened when the climate turned colder (blue).

    And that’s only logical. When it’s warmer and wetter, growing seasons are longer and crop yields are better—regardless of the agricultural technology and practices of the moment. And it’s better for human and community health, too—most of the deadly plagues of history have occurred under colder climes, such as the Black Death of 1344-1350.

    Yet the Climate Crisis narrative deep-sixes this massive body of “the science” by means of two deceptive devices. Without them, the entire AGW story doesn’t have much of a leg to stand on.

    First, it ignores the entirety of the planet’s pre-Holocene (last 10,000 years) history, even though the science shows that more than 90% of the time in the last 600 million years global temperatures (blue line) and CO2 levels (black line) have been higher than at present; and that 50% of the time they were much higher—with temperatures in the range of 22 degrees C or 50% higher than current levels. 

    That’s far beyond anything projected by the most unhinged climate models today. But, crucially, the planetary climate systems did not go into a doomsday loop of ever increasing temperatures ending in a scorching meltdown. To the contrary, warming epochs were always checked and reversed by powerful countervailing forces.

    Even the history the alarmists do acknowledge has been grotesquely falsified. As we have demonstrated elsewhere, the so-called “hockey stick” of the most recent 1,000 years in which temperatures were allegedly flat until 1850 and are now rising to supposedly dangerous levels is a complete crock. It was fraudulently manufactured by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) to “cancel” the fact that temperatures in the pre-industrial world of the Medieval Warm Period (1000-1200 AD) were actually significantly higher than at present.

    Secondly, it is falsely claimed that global warming is a one-way street in which rising concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and especially CO2 is causing the earth’s heat balance to continuously increase. The truth, however, is that higher CO2 concentrations are a consequence and byproduct, not a driver and cause, of the current naturally rising (and falling) global temperature cycles.

    Again, the now “canceled” history of Planet Earth knocks the CO2-forcing proposition into a cocked hat. During the Cretaceous Period between 145 and 66 million years (third orange panel) ago a natural experiment provided complete absolution for the vilified CO2 molecule. During that period, global temperatures rose dramatically from 17 degrees C to 25 degrees C—a level far above anything today’s Climate Howlers have ever projected.

    Alas, CO2 wasn’t the culprit. According to the science, ambient CO2 concentrations actually tumbled during the 80 million years expanse of the Cretaceous, dropping from 2,000 ppm to 900 ppm on the eve of the Extinction Event 66 million years ago. So temperature and CO2 concentrations actually moved in the opposite directions. Big time.

    You would think that this powerful countervailing fact would give the CO2 witch-hunters pause, but that would be to ignore what the whole climate change brouhaha is actually about. That is, it’s not about science, human health, and well-being, or the survival of Planet Earth; it’s about politics and the ceaseless search of politicians and statists for control of modern economic and social life. The resulting aggrandizement of state power, in turn, is mightily assisted by the Beltway political class and the apparatchiks and racketeers who gain power and pelf from the anti-fossil fuels campaign.

    Indeed, the Climate Crisis narrative is the kind of ritualized policy mantra that has been concocted over and again by the political class and the permanent nomenklatura of the modern state—professors, think-tankers, lobbyists, career apparatchiks, officialdom—in order to gather and exercise state power.

    To paraphrase the great Randolph Bourne, inventing purported failings of capitalism—such as a propensity to burn too much hydrocarbon—is the health of the state. Indeed, fabrication of false problems and threats that purportedly can only be solved by heavy-handed state intervention has become the modus operandi of a political class that has usurped near complete control of modern democracy.

    So doing, however, the career political class and associated ruling elites have gotten used to such unimpeded success that they have become sloppy, superficial, careless, and dishonest. For instance, the minute we get a summer heat wave or an event like the current LA fires these natural weather events are jammed into the global warming narrative with nary a second thought by the lip-syncing journalists of the MSM.

    Yet there is absolutely no scientific basis for all this tom-tom beating. For instance, on the related issue of heat waves and dry period wildfires, NOAA publishes a heat wave index. The latter is based on extended temperature spikes which last more than 4 days and which would be expected to occur only once every ten years based on the historical data.

    As is evident from the chart below, the only true heat wave spikes we have had in the last 125 years were during the Dust Bowl heat waves of the 1930s. The frequency of mini-heat wave spikes since 1960 is actually no greater than it was during the 1895-1935 period.

    Likewise, all it takes is a good Cat 3 hurricane and they are off to the races, gumming loudly about AGW. Of course, this ignores entirely NOAA’s own data as summarized in what is known as the ACE (accumulated cyclone energy) index.

    This index was first developed by the renowned hurricane expert and Colorado State University professor, William Gray. It uses a calculation of a tropical cyclone’s maximum sustained winds every six hours. The latter is then multiplied by itself to get the index value and accumulated for all storms for all regions to get an index value for the entire year. That’s shown below for the past 170 years (the blue line is the seven-year rolling average).

    Your editor has an especially high regard for Professor Gray—not the least because he was roundly vilified by the very inexpert, Al Gore. But back in our private equity days, we invested in a Property-Cat company, which was in the super-hazardous business of insuring against the extreme layers of damage caused by very bad hurricanes and earthquakes. So setting the premiums correctly was no trifling business and it was the analytics, long-term databases, and current-year forecasts of Professor Gray upon which our underwriters crucially depended.

    That is to say, hundreds of billions of insurance cover was then and still is being written with the ACE index as a crucial input. Yet if you examine the 7-year rolling average (blue line) in the chart, it is evident that ACE was as high (or higher) in the 1950s and 1960s as it is today, and that the same was true of the late 1930s and the 1880-1900 periods.

    To be sure, the blue line is not flat as a board because there are natural short-term cycles, as amplified below, which drive the fluctuations shown in the chart. But there is no “science” extractable from the chart that supports the alleged linkage between the current natural warming cycle and worsening hurricanes.

    The above is an aggregate index of all storms and is therefore as comprehensive a measure as exists. But for want of doubt, the next three panels look at hurricane data at the individual storm count level. The pink portion of the bars represent the number of big, dangerous Cat 3-5 storms, while the red portion reflects the number of lesser Cat 1-2 storms and the blue area the number of tropical storms that did not reach Cat 1 intensity.

    The bars accumulate the number of storms in 5-year intervals and reflect recorded activity back to 1851. The reason we present three panels—for the Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean, and Bahamas/Turks and Caicos, respectively, is that the trends in these three sub-regions clearly diverge. And that’s actually the smoking gun.

    If global warming was generating more hurricanes as the MSM constantly maintains, the increase would be uniform across all of these sub-regions, but it’s clearly not. Since the year 2000, for example,

    • The Eastern Caribbean has had a modest increase in both tropical storms and higher rated Cats relative to most of the past 170 years;

    • The Western Caribbean has not been unusual at all, and, in fact, has been well below the higher counts during the 1880-1920 period;

    • The Bahamas/Turks and Caicos region since 2000 has actually been well weaker than during 1930-1960 and 1880-1900.

    The actual truth of the matter is that Atlantic hurricane activity is generated by atmospheric and ocean temperature conditions in the eastern Atlantic and North Africa. Those forces, in turn, are heavily influenced by the presence of an El Nino or La Nina in the Pacific Ocean. El Niño events increase the wind shear over the Atlantic, producing a less favorable environment for hurricane formation and decreasing tropical storm activity in the Atlantic basin. Conversely, La Niña causes an increase in hurricane activity due to a decrease in wind shear.

    These Pacific Ocean events, of course, have never been correlated with the low level of natural global warming now underway.

    The number and strength of Atlantic hurricanes may also undergo a 50–70-year cycle known as the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. Again, these cycles are unrelated to global warming trends since 1850.

    Still, scientists have reconstructed Atlantic major hurricane activity back to the early 18th century (@1700) and found five periods with elevated hurricane activity averaging 3–5 major hurricanes per year and lasting 40–60 years each; and six other more quiescent periods averaging 1.5–2.5 major hurricanes per year and lasting 10–20 years each. These periods are associated with a decadal oscillation related to solar irradiance, which is responsible for enhancing/dampening the number of major hurricanes by 1–2 per year, and clearly not a product of AGW.

    Moreover, like in so many other cases the very long-term records of storm activity also rule out AGW because there was none for most of the time during the last 3,000 years, for instance. Yet according to a proxy record for that period from coastal lake sediments on Cape Cod, hurricane activity has increased significantly during the last 500-1,000 years versus earlier periods–but even that increase happened long before temperatures and carbon concentrations reached 20th-century levels.

    In short, there is no reason to believe that these well understood precursor conditions and longer-term hurricane trends have been impacted by the modest increase in average global temperatures since the LIA ended in 1850.

    As it happens, the same story is true with respect to wildfires like the current LA inferno. This has been the third category of natural disaster that the Climate Howlers have glommed onto. But in this case it’s the aforementioned bad forestry management, not man-made global warming, which has turned much of California into a dry wood fuel dump.

    And don’t take our word for it. This quotation below comes from the George Soros-funded Pro Publica, which is not exactly a right-wing tin foil hat outfit. It points out that environmentalists have so shackled Federal and state forest management agencies that today’s tiny “controlled burns” are but an infinitesimal fraction of what Mother Nature herself accomplished before the helping hand of today’s purportedly enlightened political authorities arrived on the scene:

    Academics believe that between 4.4 million and 11.8 million acres burned each year in prehistoric California. Between 1982 and 1998, California’s agency land managers burned, on average, about 30,000 acres a year. Between 1999 and 2017, that number dropped to an annual 13,000 acres. The state passed a few new laws in 2018 designed to facilitate more intentional burning. But few are optimistic this, alone, will lead to significant change. 

    We live with a deathly backlog. In February 2020, Nature Sustainability published this terrifying conclusion: California would need to burn 20 million acres — an area about the size of Maine — to restabilize in terms of fire.

    In short, if you don’t clear and burn out the deadwood, you build up nature-defying tinderboxes that then require only a lightning strike, a spark from an unrepaired power line, or human carelessness to ignite into a raging inferno. As one 40-year conservationist and expert summarized,

     …There’s only one solution, the one we know yet still avoid. “We need to get good fire on the ground and whittle down some of that fuel load.”

    The failure to do just such controlled burns is exactly what is behind the LA wildfire today. That is, a dramatically larger human footprint in the fire-prone shrublands and chaparral (dwarf trees) areas along the coasts has increased the risk residents will start fires, accidentally or otherwise. California’s population doubled from 1970 to 2020, from about 20 million people to nearly 40 million people, and nearly all of the gain was in the coastal areas.

    Under those conditions, California’s strong, naturally-occurring winds, which crest periodically, as is occurring at the moment, are the main culprit which fuels and spreads the human-set blazes in the shrublands. The Diablo winds in the north of the state and the Santa Ana winds in the south can actually reach hurricane force, as has also been the case this week. As the winds move West over California mountains and down toward the coast, they compress, warm, and intensify.

    These winds, in turn, blow flames and carry embers, spreading the fires quickly before they can be contained. And on top of that, the Santa Ana winds also function as Mother Nature’s blow dryer. As they come down the mountains toward the sea, the hot winds dry the surface vegetation and deadwood rapidly and powerfully, paving the way for the blowing embers to fuel the spread of wildfires down the slopes.

    Among other proofs that industrialization and fossil fuels aren’t the culprit is the fact that researchers have shown that when California was occupied by indigenous communities, wildfires would burn up some 4.5 million acres a year. That’s nearly 6X the level experienced during the 2010-2019 period, when wildfires burned an average of just 775,000 acres annually in California.

    Beyond the untoward clash of all of these natural forces of climate and ecology with misguided government forest and shrubland husbandry policies, there is actually an even more dispositive smoking gun, as it were.

    To wit, the Climate Howlers have at least not yet embraced the patent absurdity that the planet’s purportedly rising temperatures have targeted the Blue State of California for special punishment. Yet when we look at the data for forest fires we find, alas, that unlike California and Oregon, the US as a whole experienced the weakest fire years in 2020 since 2010.

    That’s right. As of August 24 each year, the 10-year average burn had been 5.114 million acres across the US, but in 2020 it was 28% lower at 3.714 million acres.

    National fire data year to date:

    Indeed, what the above chart shows is that on a national basis there has been no worsening trend at all during the decade ending in 2020, just huge oscillations year-to-year driven not by some grand planetary heat vector but by changing local weather and ecological conditions.

    You just can’t go from 2.7 million burned acres in 2010 to 7.2 million acres in 2012, back to 2.7 million acres in 2014, then to 6.7 million acres in 2017, followed by just 3.7 million acres in 2020—and still argue along with the Climate Howlers that the planet is angry.

    To the contrary, the only real trend evident is that on a decadal basis during recent times there is just one place where the average forest fire acreage has been slowly rising—California!

    But that’s owing to the above described dismal failure of government forest management policies. Even then, California’s mildly rising average fire acreage trend since 1950 is a rounding error compared to the annual averages from prehistoric times, which were nearly 6X greater than during the most recent decade.

    Furthermore, the gently rising trend since 1950, as shown below, should not be confused with the Climate Howlers’ bogus claim that California’s fires have “grown more apocalyptic every year,” as the New York Times reported.

    In fact, the NYT was comparing the above average burn during 2020 versus that of 2019, which saw an unusually small amount of acreage burned. That is, just 280,000 acres in 2019 compared to 1.3 million and 1.6 million in 2017 and 2018, respectively, and 775,000 on average over the last decade.

    Nor is this lack of correlation with global warming just a California and US phenomena. As shown in the chart below, the global extent of fire-causing drought, measured by five levels of severity with dark brown being the most extreme, has shown no worsening trend at all during the past 40 years.

    Global Extent of Five Levels Of Drought, 1982-2012

    This brings us to the gravamen of the case. To wit, there is no angry weather signal of impending climate crisis whatsoever. But the AGW hoax has so thoroughly contaminated the mainstream narrative and the policy apparatus in Washington and capitals all around the world that contemporary society was fixing to commit economic Hara Kari—well, until Donald Trump came along vowing to pull the entire Team America off the playing field of global green nonsense.

    And for damn good reason. In contradistinction to the phony case that the rise of fossil fuel use after 1850 has caused the planetary climate system to become unglued, there has been a sharp acceleration of global economic growth and human well-being. And one essential element behind that salutary development has been the massive increase in the use of cheap fossil fuels to power economic life.

    The chart below could not be more dispositive. During the pre-industrial era between 1500 and 1870, global real GDP crawled along at just 0.41% per annum. By contrast, during the past 150 years of the fossil fuel age global GDP growth accelerated to 2.82% per annum–or nearly 7 times faster.

    This higher growth, of course, in part resulted from a larger and far healthier global population made possible by rising living standards. Yet it wasn’t human muscle alone that caused the GDP level to go parabolic as per the chart below.

    It was also due to the fantastic mobilization of intellectual capital and technology. And one of the most important vectors of the latter was the ingenuity of the fossil fuel industry in unlocking the massive trove of stored work that Mother Nature extracted, condensed, and salted away from the incoming solar energy over the long warmer and wetter eons of the past 600 million years.

    Needless to say, the curve of world energy consumption tightly matches the rise of global GDP shown above. Thus, in 1860 global energy consumption amounted to 30 exajoules per year and virtually 100% of that was represented by the blue layer labeled “bio-fuels,” which is just a polite name for firewood and the decimation of the forests which it entailed.

    Since then, annual energy consumption has increased 18-fold to 550 exajoules (@100 billion barrels of oil equivalent), but 90% of that gain was due to natural gas, coal, and petroleum. The modern world and today’s prosperous global economy would simply not exist absent the massive increase in the use of these efficient fuels, meaning that per capita income and living standards would otherwise be only a small fraction of current levels.

    Yes, that dramatic increase in prosperity-generating fossil fuel consumption has given rise to a commensurate increase in CO2 emissions. But as we have indicated, and contrary to the Climate Crisis narrative, CO2 is not a pollutant!

    As we have seen, the correlated increase in CO2 concentrations—from about 290 ppm to 415 ppm since 1850—amounts to a rounding error in both the long trend of history and in terms of atmospheric loadings from natural sources.

    As to the former, CO2 concentrations of less than 1000 ppm are only recent developments of the last ice age, while during prior geologic ages concentrations reached as high as 2400 ppm.

    Likewise, the oceans contain an estimated 37,400 billion tons of suspended carbon, land biomass has 2,000-3,000 billion tons, and the atmosphere contains 720 billion tons of CO2 or 20X more than current fossil emissions shown below. Of course, the opposite side of the equation is that oceans, land, and atmosphere exchange CO2 continuously so the incremental loadings from human sources is very small.

    More importantly, even a small shift in the balance between oceans and the atmosphere would cause a much more severe rise/fall in CO2 concentrations than anything attributable to human activity. But since the Climate Howlers falsely postulate that the pre-industrial level of 290 parts per million was extant since the Big Bang and that the modest rise since 1850 is a one-way ticket to boiling the planet alive, they obsess over the “sources versus sinks” balance in the carbon cycle for no valid reason whatsoever.

    Actually, the continuously shifting carbon balance of the planet over any reasonable period of time is a big, so what!

    *  *  *

    Reposted from Stockman’s personal service

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/14/2025 – 20:55

  • Visualizing All Of Canada's Cancelled Energy Projects
    Visualizing All Of Canada’s Cancelled Energy Projects

    Authored by Omid Ghoreishi via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    While Canada’s resource sector was dealt a blow with the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline’s permit by the United States, Canadian officials are facing another challenge as Michigan’s governor tries to shut down Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline.

    A proposed tanker route out of Kitimat, B.C., related to the Northern Gateway project is shown on a map on Sept, 19, 2013. The project was effectively cancelled after the federal government banned oil tankers from B.C.’s north coast. The Canadian Press/Jonathan Hayward

    The Line 5 pipeline, which crosses Wisconsin and Michigan, brings oil from Western Canada east, where it is refined in Sarnia, Ont., into products like gasoline, diesel, and home-heating fuel. Shutting down Line 5 would have a major impact on the crude oil supply of Eastern Canada and cost thousands of jobs.

    Some activist groups in Minnesota are also hoping to stop Calgary-based Enbridge’s Line 3 project, launching legal challenges and even hoping U.S. President Joe Biden will cancel the project like he did Keystone XL. Line 3, along with the Trans Mountain expansion project and Keystone XL, before the latter’s permit was revoked, are the three major oil pipeline projects currently underway in Canada.

    But impediments to Canada’s pipeline and resource projects aren’t limited to the ones crossing the border. In recent years the country has seen a number of cancellations and hold-offs on energy projects located within its own borders. Some were due to market conditions and prioritization decisions by owners. But a considerable number of projects have been cancelled due to cited uncertainty in the regulatory process and environmental policies, as well as indigenous consultation complexities.

    Ottawa has introduced new environmental legislation, including Bill C-69, which faced challenges from some provinces for increasing the regulatory burden. Bill C-69, which became law in 2019, set out a new federal process for the environmental impact assessment of major projects. The opposition Conservatives and industry groups said the legislation will scare away investors, while the Liberals said the existing legislation didn’t provide adequate environmental protections and that was why projects were getting stalled in the courts.

    A 2019 study by the C.D. Howe Institute said that announcements of new energy and mining projects in Canada slowed after 2015. And between 2017 and 2018, the planned investment value of major resource sector projects went down by $100 billion, equivalent to 4.5 percent of Canada’s GDP, the study said.

    “Many projects in Canada have faced environmental assessments that take much longer than in comparator jurisdictions: Canadian timelines for mining projects are substantially longer than in Australia, and Canadian pipeline approvals are protracted relative to those in the United States,” the study said.

    The infographic below shows some of the energy projects that have been cancelled in Canada for various reasons between 2015 and 2020, adding up to an estimated investment loss of over $175 billion. Also shown are the three major pipeline projects: Keystone XL, the Trans Mountain expansion, and Enbridge’s Line 3.

    In many cases, the cancellation of energy projects has had the impact of reducing market access for Canadian oil and gas exports. In the case of the Energy East pipeline, which was to deliver crude oil from Western Canada to Eastern Canada, the cancellation meant more reliance on foreign imported oil for Eastern Canada, more oil exported from Western Canada to the United States at a discount, and more use of other means of transportation to move the oil.

    In 2019, Canada exported 3.8 million barrels of crude oil per day, with 3.7 million barrels per day of those exports going to the United States. That amounted to 98 percent of all Canadian crude oil exports, with Canada supplying 48 percent of the total U.S. crude oil imports. That year, Canada imported 0.8 million barrels of crude oil per day, with those imports primarily coming from the United States (79 percent), followed by Saudi Arabia (12 percent) and Russia (2 percent).

    Click to enlarge

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/14/2025 – 20:05

  • Biden Throws Cuban Curve Ball Days Before Trump Enters White House
    Biden Throws Cuban Curve Ball Days Before Trump Enters White House

    In yet another curveball thrown by the Biden administration just days before President-elect Trump is to enter the Oval Office, Washington is removing Cuba from the state sponsor of terrorism list.

    “An assessment has been completed and we do not have information that supports Cuba’s designation as being a state sponsor of terrorism,” a Biden official said Tuesday. The removal comes in the context of an initiative by the Roman Catholic Church to secure the release of political prisoners.

    However it’s not being welcomed by the Trump administration and Republicans, and is expected to be reversed soon after Trump takes office. 

    Image source: Smithsonian Magazine

    This Catholic Church-mediated deal will see “many dozens”” of political prisoners and others deemed by the US to be unjustly detained will be released as a result. The release is set to come on the very last day of the Biden administration—at noon on Jan. 20.

    “In taking these steps to bolster the ongoing dialogue between the government of Cuba and the Catholic Church, President Biden is also honoring the wisdom and counsel that has been provided to him by many world leaders, especially in Latin America, who have encouraged him to take these actions, on how best to advance the human rights of the Cuban people,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced in a statement.

    Other “good will” actions are expected to be included in the policy change. The Latin American island nation has been under full US embargo going back to the Kennedy administration in the 1960s and at the height of the Cold War, and since then Cuba lost an estimated $130 billion over the sixty years that followed, according to some studies.

    Since the 2000s Cuba policy has been a matter of tug-of-war between alternating Republican and Democratic administrations. Obama sought to improve relations, a policy continued lately with Biden. Obama eased restrictions on travel and remittances for Cuba from the first year he entered office, in 2009.

    And then in 2014 Obama and Raúl Castro announced the restoration of full diplomatic relations amid a continued thaw. By 2015 Cuba was removed from the terrorism list the first time around, and Cuba and the US reopened their respective embassies. The next year Obama became the first sitting US president in nearly ninety years to visit Cuba and meet with government leaders.

    But it was Trump who in his first term reversed many of these policies, eventually returning Cuba to the state sponsors of terrorism list. This was also under Secretary of State Mike Pompeo:

    The U.S. State Department returns Cuba to its list of state sponsors of terrorism, reversing another Obama-era step toward normalization, as Trump prepares to leave office. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cites Cuba’s harboring of U.S. fugitives and Colombian rebels, as well as its support for Venezuela’s regime.

    Trump’s incoming Secretary of State-designate Marco Rubio is expected to return to taking a hardline approach to both Cuba and Venezuela, akin to the position of Trump’s first administration.

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Some Democrats, chiefly in Florida, have blasted Biden’s removal of Cuba from the terrorism list as “naïve”.

    “While any return of political prisoners from the clutches of Communist Cuba is cause for celebration, the regime’s treatment of the Cuban people continues to be one of the biggest human rights violations of the last century,” Florida Democratic Chair Nikki Fried said Tuesday.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/14/2025 – 19:40

  • FBI, DHS Warn Of New Orleans-Style Vehicle Ramming Attacks By Copycat Terrorists
    FBI, DHS Warn Of New Orleans-Style Vehicle Ramming Attacks By Copycat Terrorists

    Authored by Tom Ozimek via The Epoch Times,

    The FBI and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have issued a public warning, raising concerns about potential copycat vehicle ramming attacks like the New Year’s Day incident in New Orleans that left 14 dead and dozens injured.

    “The FBI and DHS are concerned about possible copycat or retaliatory attacks due to the persistent appeal of vehicle ramming as a tactic for aspiring violent extremist attackers,” the agencies noted in a joint alert issued on Jan. 13.

    The New Orleans attack, reportedly motivated by ISIS propaganda, involved a vehicle plowing into a crowd. The suspect, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, then exited the vehicle and was killed by police in an exchange of gunfire.

    Similar attacks are particularly concerning due to their simplicity and the accessibility of vehicles that can be rented, stolen, or owned outright, the agencies noted in the alert. Besides using the vehicle itself as a weapon, suspects in similar attacks have used other means to inflict more carnage.

    “Some have used additional weapons, such as firearms and knives, to attack individuals after the vehicle has stopped,” the FBI and DHS noted.

    “Additionally, attackers may attempt to conceal and pre-position improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to supplement a vehicle attack.”

    The suspect in the New Orleans incident had additional weapons—including an IED—in the Ford F-150 Lightning pickup truck that he used to mow people down along a three-block path along Bourbon Street. About an hour before the attack, Jabbar put homemade bombs inside two coolers and placed them elsewhere in the French Quarter, a part of town teeming with New Year’s revelers. Law enforcement officials have said that the two IEDs planted by the suspect failed to go off because he used the wrong device to detonate them.

    In their warning about potential copycats, the FBI and DHS noted that targets for such attacks typically include large gatherings of civilians, law enforcement, and military personnel, and heavily trafficked venues such as festivals, shopping centers, and places of worship. With the potential for widespread destruction and loss of life, the agencies urged heightened vigilance.

    “The FBI and DHS urge bystanders to promptly report suspicious activities potentially related to violent extremist activity, including indications of possible online radicalization to violence and mobilization for attacks,” the alert reads.

    The notice also highlighted resources available to law enforcement, first responders, and community leaders aimed at reducing vulnerabilities to such attacks. These include training materials and best practices for identifying threats and enhancing security protocols in public spaces.

    Initially, officials believed that Jabbar may have had accomplices in orchestrating the deadly New Orleans attack. In the course of the investigation, however, they determined that he acted on his own in a “lone wolf” type attack.

    The warning was issued on the same day the FBI said there were no known threats to the Jan. 20 inauguration ceremony in Washington, at which President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn into office.

    Trump faced two attempts on his life during his presidential campaign, including one where a would-be assassin’s bullet grazed his ear during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. In the second incident, a gunman laid in wait at the Trump International Golf Course at West Palm Beach, and fled without firing his weapon after a Secret Service agent spotted the barrel of his firearm and fired several shots in his direction.

    William McCool, Secret Service’s special agent in charge, said during a Jan. 13 press conference that roughly 25,000 law enforcement and military officials will be onsite to ensure security on Inauguration Day.

    “We have a slightly more robust security plan. We’ve been planning for this event for 12 months,” McCool said. “All attendees will undergo screening. Designated checkpoints will be set up for members of the public interested in attending the inauguration.”

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/14/2025 – 19:15

  • Wildfire Woes: California Regulators Halted Palisades Fire Prevention Project to Save Rare Shrub
    Wildfire Woes: California Regulators Halted Palisades Fire Prevention Project to Save Rare Shrub

    California’s eco-regulators halted a critical wildfire prevention project near Pacific Palisades to protect an endangered shrub – only for that same area to be engulfed in flames during the Palisades Fire, the most destructive blaze in Los Angeles history.

    Braunton’s Milkvetch (Astragalus brauntonii)

    In 2019, the LA Department of Water and Power (LADWP) set out to replace aging wooden power poles – some nearly a century old – with fire-resistant steel poles and widen fire-access lanes in the wildfire-prone Topanga State Park. The $2 million project was designed to bolster fire safety after the area was deemed an “elevated fire risk.”

    “This project will help ensure power reliability and safety, while helping reduce wildfire threats,” the LADWP stated at the time, the NY Post reports.

    But the effort came to an abrupt halt when an amateur botanist hiking through the park noticed that some of the rare Braunton’s milkvetch shrubs – an endangered species with only a few thousand wild specimens – had been damaged during the work. Conservationists raised alarms, accusing the city of working without proper permits, and California’s Coastal Commission ordered the LADWP to stop the project, replant the damaged shrubs, and pay $2 million in fines.

    Fast forward to 2024: Nearly 24,000 acres – including much of Topanga Canyon – have gone up in smoke, taking with them not only homes and wildlife but the same shrubs the project was supposed to protect.

    The Palisades Fire has destroyed 12,000 homes, businesses, schools and other structures – and has claimed at least 24 lives, and left thousands displaced. Meanwhile, firefighters struggled with low water pressure and empty hydrants as they battled the inferno.

    Anadolu via Getty Images

    The controversy over conservation versus fire prevention has reignited fierce debates. Critics point out that key reservoirs, such as the Santa Ynez Reservoir—capable of holding 117 million gallons—were bone-dry when the fire erupted. Despite assurances from Governor Gavin Newsom that Southern California reservoirs were “completely full,” the empty reservoir has become a focal point of frustration.

    Newsom has since launched an investigation into the reservoir’s failure, but the timing has done little to quell criticism.

    A Growing Political Firestorm

    President-elect Donald Trump seized on the disaster to criticize Newsom’s handling of wildfire prevention. Trump blasted the governor’s conservation policies, accusing him of prioritizing “worthless” wildlife over human lives.

    “He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt … but didn’t care about the people of California,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, referring to the delta smelt, a near-extinct fish that has become a symbol of California’s ongoing water wars.

    The feud between Trump and Newsom dates back to 2020 when Newsom sued to block Trump’s federal order to divert Northern California water to Southern California reservoirs, citing concerns for endangered species. The delta smelt’s near-extinction has fueled arguments from both sides: environmentalists decry the ecological loss, while critics say conservation efforts have yielded little but regulatory red tape.

    Environmentalists defending the Braunton’s milkvetch argue that wildfires can help the plant sprout from dormant seeds, creating an opportunity for the shrub to regrow. However, critics see the loss of homes and lives as a stark reminder of the cost of bureaucracy.

    Despite promises to prioritize fire prevention, the Pacific Palisades area remains a cautionary tale of what happens when disaster preparedness collides with environmental red tape. Neither the LADWP nor the California Coastal Commission has responded to requests for comment, leaving residents wondering if the very policies meant to protect them helped fan the flames.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/14/2025 – 18:50

  • 2025: The Year The Federal Debt Bubble Bursts
    2025: The Year The Federal Debt Bubble Bursts

    Authored by Nick Giambruno via InternationalMan.com,

    I expect 2025 to be a year of profound transformation, where old paradigms are rendered obsolete.

    While nothing is certain, I think we can count on radical changes in 2025.

    Navigating new paradigms in finance, geopolitics, and energy will be crucial for investors.

    A primary focus in my research is to put together the pieces to reveal the true Big Picture and get positioned in unstoppable investment trends ahead of the crowd with smart speculations.

    I’m more interested in getting the Big Picture right than gambling on short-term trades in rigged markets.

    Understanding the Big Picture has always been essential. But given the scale of changes looming, I can’t think of another year in living memory where it will be more critical than in 2025.

    Of particular importance is the US governments financial situation, which has been gradually deteriorating for decades. It’s not surprising that many people are complacent. They’ve long heard about the debt problem, and nothing has happened.

    However, I think there’s an excellent chance that 2025 could be the year we see a paradigm shift, shattering conventional mental and financial models for the federal debt.

    A crucial tipping point was reached in 2024 when the interest expense on the federal debt exceeded the defense budget for the first time. It’s on track to exceed Social Security and become the BIGGEST item in the federal budget.

    Historian Niall Ferguson summed it up nicely:

    “Any great power that spends more on debt service (interest payments on the national debt) than on defense will not stay great for very long.

    True of Habsburg Spain, true of ancien régime France, true of the Ottoman Empire, true of the British Empire, this law is about to be put to the test by the US beginning this very year.”

    The US government will soon have to choose to:

    1. Cut defense spending amid the most chaotic geopolitical period since WW2.

    2. Default on its promises regarding Social Security, Medicare, Veterans’ Benefits, and welfare generally.

    Though it may try, the US government cannot continue to pay for entitlements and defense even if their current levels stay flat into the future. But they won’t stay flat. Both are set to grow significantly in the years ahead.

    Tens of millions of Baby Boomers—about 22% of the population—will enter retirement in the coming years. Cutting Social Security and Medicare is a sure way to lose an election.

    With the most precarious geopolitical situation since World War 2, defense spending is unlikely to be cut. Instead, defense spending is all but certain to increase.

    Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates recently said: “Barely staying even with inflation or worse is wholly inadequate. Significant additional resources for defense are necessary and urgent.”

    In short, efforts to reduce expenditures will be meaningless unless it becomes politically acceptable to make chainsaw-like cuts to entitlements, national defense, and welfare while reducing the national debt to lower the interest cost.

    In other words, the US would need a leader who—at a minimum—returns the federal government to a limited Constitutional Republic, closes the 128 military bases abroad, ends entitlements, kills the welfare state, and repays a large portion of the national debt.

    However, that’s a completely unrealistic fantasy. It would be foolish to bet on that happening.

    That’s why Elon Musk and DOGE are being set up for failure.

    The Bottom Line

    The government cannot even slow the spending growth rate, let alone cut it.

    Expenditures have nowhere to go but up—way up.

    The most likely outcome is that the US will try to have its cake and eat it too by paying for both growing defense and domestic obligations via currency debasement.

    That’s why I’m confident that ever-increasing currency debasement is the inevitable outcome of the US government’s debt spiral.

    It’s a self-perpetuating doom loop from which they cannot escape.

    It’s like being on a runaway train with no brakes.

    I suspect 2025 will be the year this becomes evident as previous mainstream conceptions about the national debt collapse.

    • “We owe it to ourselves.”

    • “Deficits don’t matter.”

    • “Treasuries are risk-free return.”

    • “The national debt is sustainable as long as we can print money.”

    • “The US will never default.”

    These have long been ridiculous tropes that many investors believed.

    2025 could be the year the people who believe this nonsense receive a harsh reality check.

    As this trend unfolds, I expect the rate of debasement will far exceed the nominal yield that Treasuries and most other bonds will offer.

    That means people will look for alternatives to park their savings to preserve their purchasing power.

    Instead of parking their savings in Treasuries, I believe people, companies, and countries will increasingly park their savings in gold. It’s already happening in a big way.

    While this megatrend is already well underway, I believe the most significant gains in precious metals are still ahead.

    Holding physical gold bullion in a private non-bank vault in a wealth-friendly jurisdiction like Singapore, Switzerland, or the Cayman Islands is a good idea.

    That’s why I just released an urgent new PDF report with all the details. Click here to download it now.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/14/2025 – 18:25

  • Thousands Of South Korean Police Attempt To Raid President Yoon's Residence: Who's In Charge?
    Thousands Of South Korean Police Attempt To Raid President Yoon’s Residence: Who’s In Charge?

    There is a standoff going on outside the presidential residence in Seoul as police seek to execute a warrant to arrest South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. 

    The standoff has ensued all day, also attracting crowds of protesters, in what began as a huge security operation in the predawn hours of Wednesday (local time). This is the second, and biggest, time an attempt has been made to arrest the sitting president.

    A vehicle of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials arrives at South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s residence. via Yonhap/Kyodo

    It all stems from last month’s botched attempt by the president to impose martial law, after which lawmakers impeached him over potential insurrection. 

    The Washington Post reports, “In extraordinary scenes that unfolded in the early hours of Wednesday morning, rows of police buses blocked the main road outside the presidential residence in one of Seoul’s ritziest neighborhoods, stopping traffic and forcing city buses and delivery vehicles to turn around.”

    “Throngs of Yoon’s supporters — 6,500 of them, according to a police estimate — gathered outside the residence in an apparent effort to stymie the operation. Some had been camping on the street outside his residence for days,” the report continues.

    Yonhap News Agency says that some 3,000 police are involved in the operation. Other reports say that it’s at least 1,000 officers. The efforts to raid the presidential residence have been stymied as lawmakers from Yoon’s conservative People Power Party have made a big showing, at one point forming a human chain to block police from entering.

    According to the latest BBC update, “Right now, the police seem to be pushing into the residence – entering from multiple points.” Authorities are also trying to breach the back of the compound.

    Predawn scene outside Yoon’s residence:

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    There is a clearly a Constitutional crisis unfolding as the courts and Yeol – along with loyalist lawmakers – are clashing over who exactly is still in charge of government:

    This is a picture of the political crisis that South Korea finds itself in.

    You’ve got two branches of executive power: the police – essentially law enforcement officers that have a legal arrest warrant that they’re trying to execute – and presidential security staff, who are blocking them.

    This raises the question of who exactly is in charge.

    The Corruption Investigation Office (CIO), which is heading up the police raid, argues that it has the legal right to make an arrest, while the People Power Party has declared the operation to be unlawful.

    “Stop the Steal” signs have been spotted amid the chaos:

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    BBC has issued the following timeline of the tumultuous events leading up to the standoff at the presidential residence as follows:

    • 3 December: President Yoon declared martial law, plunging South Korea into political chaos – hours later he was forced to back down as furious protestors and lawmakers gathered outside the National Assembly. He then apologised for his actions and said they would not be repeated
    • 7 December: Opposition MPs tried, but failed, to impeach Yoon having fallen a handful of votes short
    • 14 December: Yoon was suspended from office after another vote saw lawmakers vote to impeach him, however the president can only be removed from office if the decision is upheld by the country’s constitutional court
    • 31 December: A court in South Korea issued an arrest warrant for Yoon
    • 3 January: Dozens of investigators attempted to arrest him but subsequently gave up after a six-hour stand off with the Presidential Security Service (PSS) outside his official residence
    • 14 January: South Korea’s Constitutional Court held its first hearing to decide if the suspended president should be removed from office – the hearing ended in just four minutes because of Yoon’s absence and the next trial is scheduled for Thursday

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Despite the country’s top court having issued a warrant, he has not responded to any court summons, and investigators have been unable to reach Yoon.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/14/2025 – 18:00

  • DoD Had Its Most Spendy Month Since The Bush Era
    DoD Had Its Most Spendy Month Since The Bush Era

    Via Open The Books,

    The Department of Defense spent $79.1 billion on contracts and grants in September 2024, making it the military’s most expensive month for such purchases since 2008.

    Not since George W. Bush was president has the military funneled so much cash out the door so quickly.

    The dollar total includes $33.1 billion spent in the last five working days of September, which was 7% of the Pentagon’s contract and grant spending for all of fiscal year 2024. Only 11 other countries typically spend that much on their entire military in a full year.

    On Friday, Sept. 27 alone, the DoD spent $11.7 billion on contracts and grants.

    Federal agencies typically go on spending sprees at the end of the fiscal year, likely due to “use-it-or-lose-it” funding rules. They’re worried that spending less than their budget allows will cause Congress to give them less money the following year.

    The largest expenses were in line with expectations, including $3 billion spent on ammunition and $7.9 billion spent on aircraft.

    Others were a bit more surprising.

    The military spent $103.7 million on meat, fish and poultry in September, partially because they ordered raw lobster tail 147 times for $6.1 million. They also dropped $16.6 million on ribeye steak, $6.4 million on salmon and $407,000 on Alaskan king crab.

    Another $81.1 million went towards fruits and veggies. Blueberries were the most popular, with three orders each exceeding $100,000. There was no grape juice; maybe there’s still some left from the DoD’s $586,000 purchase in September 2023.

    Not all the groceries were as healthy. The DoD ordered ice cream 79 times for $113,230 and spent $117,787 on fresh doughnuts.

    The military also spent $1.2 million on musical instruments of over a dozen varieties, including $12,480 for “piano tuning.”

    Other spending highlights from September 2024 include:

    • At least $5.1 million on Apple products, including 130 iPhone 16 Pro Max devices

    • $16.3 million on cartons, crates and tool boxes

    • $211.7 million on new furniture and its installation

    • $24.4 million on books, pamphlets and newspapers

    • $36,000 on footrests

    There were 19,043 different companies that received Pentagon contracts last September, but 31% of the money went to just 10 vendors. Lockheed Martin received $9.4 billion, almost twice as much as any other entity.

    Source: September 2024 Department of Defense contract spending compiled by OpenTheBooks.com via the “Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006”

    The vast majority of spending went to American businesses, but the DoD still sent nearly $2 billion to foreign companies last September.

    Germany led the way with $481.5 million. The Pentagon is helping the chemicals company AlzChem Group build a plant in America to produce nitroguanidine, a substance found in gunpowder and other explosives, which accounted for $150 million.

    The fourth-largest foreign purchase was $55.1 million worth of explosives from Canada, which the Pentagon sent to Ukraine. The DoD did the same thing the previous September – at a cost of $181.8 million

    Saudi Arabian companies got $4.6 million and Qatar received $2.6 million.

    Thankfully there were no foreign parking tickets this year, after the Navy paid a $7,136 ticket from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport in September 2023.

    Source: September 2024 Department of Defense contract spending compiled by OpenTheBooks.com via the “Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006”

    September has been the DoD’s most expensive month almost every year since at least 2008. The only exception was 2020, when the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March increased expenses.

    The DoD spent $455.2 billion on contracts in grants in fiscal year 2024 overall, which was 52% of its total budget.

    Earlier this year, news broke that the Pentagon had failed its seventh consecutive audit, while the National Defense Authorization Act Requires them to achieve a clean audit by 2028.

    According to a report by DoD Inspector General Robert Storch, “many of its identified weaknesses have not improved since 2005…achieving a clean audit does not rest solely in the hands of financial management professionals, but encompasses the entirety of processes and systems that track the accountability and use of DoD assets.”

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/14/2025 – 17:40

  • Fortress DC: Trump's Inauguration Braces For The Worst With Troops, Drones, And Fences
    Fortress DC: Trump’s Inauguration Braces For The Worst With Troops, Drones, And Fences

    President-elect Donald Trump’s second inauguration could be the most militarized in U.S. history, according to a report released Monday.

    Citing U.S. officials, The Telegraph reports that nearly 7,800 soldiers will join approximately police officers to patrol Washington, DC during the “peaceful transfer of power.” The newspaper also reveals that two FBI field offices, a swarm of drones, and at least 30 miles of fencing will be used to keep Trump and inauguration guests— including world leaders and top U.S. lawmakers from across the country—safe from a series of potential violent threats. Despite receiving no specific threats targeting Trump, law enforcement officials are “prepared” for the worst, according to the outlet.

    Additionally, National Guard members from all 50 states will operate checkpoints, where inauguration observers will enter the National Mall in front of the Capitol building, while the federal government will enact a no-fly zone over D.C. A host of items have been barred from the inauguration area, including laptops, water bottles, and even selfie sticks.

    Tensions will no doubt be running high during Trump’s swearing-in, as a coalition of left-wing organizations, including Planned Parenthood and Abortion Access Now, are set to hold a so-called “People’s March” on Saturday to protest Trump’s landslide win over his Democrat opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.

    Officials moved to increase security for Trump’s inauguration following the ISIS-inspired terror attack on January 1 in New Orleans, which saw 14 people killed and 35 injured. U.S. Secret Service assistant special agent Matthew Young said following the attack that the agency “adjusts our security plans as needed.”

    “[W]e’re flexible and adaptable…we’re going to be prepared,” he added.

    D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has also vowed to keep the area secure for the peaceful transfer.

    “We take pride in this responsibility, and we’re grateful to our federal partners, local agencies, and community members who work together to ensure a safe and secure event,” Bowser said.

    The Secret Service has been the subject of intense scrutiny after a gunman attempted to assassinate Trump during a rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania, in July. US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned in wake of the shooting amid scrutiny of security lapses related to the assassination attempt. Cheatle, while testifying before Congress regarding the shooting, admitted that there were “significant” and “colossal” issues with the security at the rally.

    Two months later, another gunman allegedly sought to kill the president-elect at Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach, Florida. 

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/14/2025 – 17:20

  • Melania Trump Says Transition To White House 'Very Different' This Time
    Melania Trump Says Transition To White House ‘Very Different’ This Time

    Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    Incoming First Lady Melania Trump said in an interview that aired on Jan. 13 that the transition to the White House this time is different from the period following her husband’s first election victory.

    First Lady Melania Trump speaks to supporters at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., on Jan. 20, 2021. Luis M. Alvarez/AP Photo

    “The difference is I know where I will be going. I know the rooms where we will be living. I know the process,” Melania Trump, 54, said in an interview aired by Fox & Friends. “The first time was challenging, we didn’t have much of the information.”

    The incoming first lady said that everything is already packed, and she has selected the furniture that will be installed once President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, and their family vacate the White House on Jan. 20. In a space of just five hours, transition staffers will move the Bidens out and move the Trumps in.

    Melania Trump said she will spend most of her time in the White House, although there will be days when she needs to be in New York, or Palm Beach, Florida.

    Barron Trump, the 19-year-old son of Melania Trump and the president-elect, who lived at the White House in the first term, will visit the White House in the upcoming four years, she said. Barron Trump is preparing to take classes at New York University.

    Melania Trump said that her 2024 memoir has drawn scores of responses from fans, who wanted to hear more from her. That prompted a new film project that started shooting in November of that year. The movie will show her day-to-day life, including her preparation for returning to the White House, she said.

    She said on Fox that she is looking forward to being first lady again.

    “I think it will be an exciting four years. We have a lot to do, to put the country back in shape,” she said.

    Melania Trump is still hiring for her team. She plans to leave a few positions open until after the Trumps move back into the White House.

    “I don’t want to hire too many people on my team and spend too much taxpayer money. I want to make sure that every position, they are talented, they have merit, they know what they are doing, and … they are team players. They don’t have their own agenda. They’re serving me, they’re serving my office, and they’re serving the country.”

    She said she would continue her “Be Best” campaign, which she started when she was first lady from 2017 through 2021. “Be Best” focuses on youth mental health, including protecting children against cyberbullying.

    The incoming first lady said that she has also seen a change in how people treat her.

    “I feel I was always me the first time … I just feel that people didn’t accept me, maybe. They didn’t understand me the way maybe they do now. And I didn’t have much support,” she said. “Maybe some people see me as just a wife of the president, but I’m standing on my own two feet, independent. I have my own thoughts, I have my own ‘yes’ and ‘no.’”

    Melania Trump said she does not always agree with what her husband is doing or saying. She gives her husband some advice, she said.

    “Sometimes he listens, and sometimes he doesn’t, and that’s OK,” she said.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/14/2025 – 17:00

  • The Great Agave Bust Unfolds As Tequila Oversupply Worsens
    The Great Agave Bust Unfolds As Tequila Oversupply Worsens

    Tequila inventories in Mexico have surged past half a billion liters, approaching the country’s annual production levels, as demand slows in key markets like the US. The oversupply crisis has translated into the second bust cycle for agave prices since the Dot Com crash 25 years ago.

    Mexico’s Tequila Regulatory Council shared data with Financial Times that showed the industry had 525 million liters of tequila in inventory, either aging in barrels or about to be bottled, by the end of 2023. Of the 599 million liters of tequila produced in 2023, about one-sixth remained in inventory. 

    “Much more new spirit is being distilled than is being sold, and inventories are starting to accumulate,” Bernstein analyst Trevor Stirling wrote in a note. He said rising inventory levels were due to sliding demand and new distillery capacity coming online. 

    Stirling warned: “The tequila industry is set for a very turbulent 2025.”

    Tequila Regulatory Council president Ramón González said, “There is oversupply at the moment of several times what the industry needs, and probably some of these plantations won’t be sold looking at the industry numbers.” 

    The oversupply conditions come as demand has been sliding for the past 18 months. The Covid pandemic boom in spirits has mostly faded due to cash-strapped consumers no longer being able to afford premium spirits. 

    On Tuesday, Goldman’s Olivier Nicolaï pointed out to clients that oversupply conditions will likely boost promotional activity at the liquor store.

    Demand slides… 

    Nicolaï said the price of agave had crashed 73% from its 2022 peak – a similar plunge seen 25 years ago during the Dot Com bust. 

    The good news is that tequila consumption jumped before and after the US presidential election following a multi-year slump.

    The Bernstein and Goldman analysts both expect top tequila brands, such as Patrón and Casamigos, will ramp up promotions to counter weaker demand. This is great news for consumers.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/14/2025 – 16:40

  • Dear Democrats: This Time, You Can't Blame The Republicans
    Dear Democrats: This Time, You Can’t Blame The Republicans

    Authored by Sasha Stone via ‘Free Thinking Through The Fourth Turning’ substack,

    Six years ago on Medium, I wrote the following:

    The Republicans have systematically turned climate change into a partisan issue, you know, like abortion, and have done so to manipulate their gullible electorate into believing the lie that there is no such thing as man-made climate change. They spew the dumbo rhetoric any time they can, that “oh the weather changes all the time.” Or “I don’t believe climate change is real — even if the planet is warming, it isn’t our fault.”

    Yeah, it is. You dig up fossil fuels and you burn them, that warms the planet. They were buried for millions of years which, in turn, cooled the planet, making it an ideal atmosphere for all kinds of different forms of life, including us. What’s coming next is uncharted territory for humanity. We have no idea how bad it’s going to get. We just know it WILL be bad.

    I was not only furious with rage, but I was quick to blame the other side for deliberately sabotaging our noble efforts to stop the warming of the planet, as though we ourselves were not contributing to it. We acted like we could buy a hybrid here, go vegan there, recycle our plastic, and be absolved from contributing to this existential crisis we all now must face.

    It isn’t that I don’t believe the planet is warming, or that sea level won’t rise, or that it is directly the fault of so many people on the planet.

    What has changed is that I no longer blame the other side, and I no longer see my former side as the good guys in the fight.

    No, I see them as hypocrites. I was a hypocrite too.

    I’d been in a bubble for much of my adult life because I lived online, in virtual spaces. Yes, I was raising my daughter in public schools, but those were a bubble too. We all belonged inside the same utopia. We read the same articles. We watched the same news. Our worries were the same worries. We spoke the same language, and all of us shared the belief that the biggest threat we faced was climate change and that the biggest obstacle we faced was the Republicans.

    And then, my daughter moved across the country, and I got a couple of dogs. Rather than fly and leave my dogs at home, I began driving across the country. Those drives changed everything for me, not just how I saw climate change but how I saw my fellow Americans. This was how people actually lived, not how we did, inside our haze of paper straws and cotton diapers.

    I saw the trucks driving on the interstates to deliver food and goods, the many hotels that require air conditioning and heating, the slaughterhouse trucks providing food for so many in this country, and the tiny houses in the middle of the desert with one embattled air conditioner sticking out of the window.

    Looking at all of this, all of these places, and all of these businesses, it was easy to see that there was no turning this thing around. There is no way to convince every state and citizen to hop aboard what is an existential crisis for the upper class. Life just isn’t like that.

    Everyone wants things that work, cars that run, planes that fly. They want washing machines, dishwashers, flat-screen TVs, office buildings, emergency rooms, and new computers and tech support lines, to buy groceries they can afford, to get fruit in the middle of winter, to watch movies and doom scroll social media — and “every Tweet warms the planet,” as Roy Scranton once wrote.

    Even if we could convince every single American to accept our fixes, what would we do about Russia, India, or China? We seemed to have gone all in on fantasy but we’re disconnected from reality.

    What we believe on the Left, or at least we used to, was climate change was Armageddon, doomsday, the end of everything. Therefore, what mattered to us isn’t so much that we solve the problems to survive climate change, but that we convert everyone else to our way of thinking. If we could do that, we believed, we could start making the big changes to our country and world.

    The Left is still haunted by the ghosts of the past, back when we really did have the power and the opportunity to make real change. We squandered that power, and then we blamed the other side. In so doing, we could wash our hands of real solutions, whether it was gun violence, poverty, failing schools, floods, fires, or hurricanes.

    And now, in the perfect cocktail of high Santa Ana winds, no rain for months, and a city caught off guard, the fires rampaged through the beaches of the Pacific Palisades and Malibu and the mountains of Altadena and continue to burn.

    There were rumors of not enough water, not enough firefighters, and no way to control the speed of the flames as they ripped through the dry brush, burning one house after another as we watched the tragedy unfold on live television or YouTube.

    This time, the narrative swirled around California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, and the Los Angeles Mayor, Karen Bass, newly elected in 2022 as the first female and second Black person to serve. Bass had left the country in January, known as the last month of the Santa Ana cycle that comes every Fall.

    From the University of California:

    The region sees about 10 Santa Ana wind events a year on average, typically occurring from fall into January. When conditions are dry, as they are right now, these winds can become a severe fire hazard.

    Because she was out of the country, she could not address the city’s immediate needs. The scene was pure chaos, with the firefighters risking life and limb to keep the flames away from homes and neighborhoods. Everything burned. The Humane Society was overwhelmed. Whole histories of places and families were wiped clean, flattened by a force of wind we were not prepared for.

    But why weren’t we prepared? We’ve been warning about this very thing happening for decades. Did we really mean it, or was it just a way to gain more donations and political power, and none of it was real? Well, just as the unsinkable ship did sink, the big fire did come, and the progressive Left was exposed for ineffectual leadership yet again.

    And as the power went out, no one really tied it together as they screamed about climate change – power, we need it. We need it for everything. We need so much of it. Only fossil fuels will suffice unless we go nuclear, and that, too, was a problem for the Left.

    But why, Mayor Bass? Why doesn’t the most wealthy state not have enough firefighters? Why were we caught with our pants down?

    Don’t politicize this tragedy from the people who politicize not only every tragedy but also everything else—our culture, schools, relationships, language, food, friendships.

    Nothing is not political on the Left.

    What do we have to show for it? Nothing. We have an industry devoted to absolving the rich of their sins of wealth—DEI and hybrid SUVs. We have actors like Leonardo DiCaprio broadcasting their concerns on Instagram. We have film directors like Jim Cameron and Adam McKay saying, “I told you so,” and we’re supposed to do what? Keep listening to them as our leaders fiddle while LA burns?

    Adam McKay’s carbon footprint came secondary to making his climate film, Don’t Look Up, one of the worst movies ever made, starring every sanctimonious, unbearable celebrity known to man. I watched that movie and thought about the energy it took to make it, screen it, and stream it. The energy it took to mount the Oscar ceremony, the private jets to fly the stars around. What hypocrites, I thought, even back then as a Democrat.

    Here is a scene from Don’t Look Up:

    Right, Adam, sure thing. So just give me an approximate estimate of the plan here. To keep making movies starring Jennifer Lawrence? To keep tweeting? Or is there some solution you have to offer? In the movie Jaws, they don’t waste time shaming everyone on the boat and telling them how dangerous the shark is. They try everything, every tool they have at their disposal, even the ineffectual shark cage.

    What have the Democrats done instead of killing the shark? Well, let’s look at the year that Don’t Look Up was released. 2020. Remember that year, Adam? Remember the Great Awokening? Remember what happened after that?

    Suddenly, climate change only mattered if they could somehow tie it into social justice. “Climate change is transphobia” might have worked.

    Do you think I’m kidding? A quick google search and look at what pops up:

    Says Google’s AI:

    But why stop there? Let’s go all the way, shall we?

    They’ve already found their pivot:

    All I’ve heard from the Left is blaming the Republicans year after year, decade after decade. But when the Republicans try to suggest ways to manage the coming fires and storms, what do we get? More purity tests, more conversion therapy, believe what we believe. But solutions? Nowhere in sight.

    How can we face ourselves if this has been our message for over 20 years now and yet they’re still trying to explain away the fire hydrants not having enough water or having to fly in firefighters from Mexico or Canada.

    And what of the young? Full of hopelessness and anxiety about the future because they’ve been told the planet is ruined and doomsday is coming. Why bother having kids, they have been convinced to believe. And there’s nothing we can do about it because those mean old climate deniers on the Right won’t let us, so sorry kids, you’re just going to have to live with it.

    The buck has to stop somewhere, and in Los Angeles, this was a massive failure of leadership across the board.

    Here is Chamath Palihapitiya:

    I’m guessing nothing much will change in California because what would happen if they decided to stop blaming Republicans and start listening to them? What would happen if they started doing the controlled burns they didn’t want to do? Or following Trump’s warnings and advice about dealing with the hard realities of actually preventing wildfires?

    Just as in the movie Jaws when Quint’s harpoons didn’t work and Hooper’s shark cage didn’t work, they had just to bring in the city cop to get the job done. And that is why God invented Republicans.

    We’re finished with excuses by now. We’re done with the blame game and the sanctimonious lectures. It’s too late to turn things around in the ways the utopian Left dreams about. Now is the time to find ways for all of us to survive the coming storms and wildfires. We need to face the hard realities of this being our new normal.

    Those who have fled the Left to join MAGA understand this, which is why so many of us voted for them. We know only one side has the right tools to get the dirty job done and kill the shark, whether you believe climate change is real or you don’t. Something is happening, and we need people prepared to stop blaming the other side and start rolling up their sleeves.

    So yes, do politicize this tragedy because there is no excuse for the most progressive government in the country to have gotten it so wrong.

    I love my state. I grew up here. I may never leave. We will rebuild. When I grew up, California was a red state.

    Something tells me that with all of the red pills flying off shelves, that might just be how this story ends.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/14/2025 – 16:20

  • Buffett Is Worrying, Should You?
    Buffett Is Worrying, Should You?

    Via RealInvestmentAdvice.com,

    Warren Buffett’s company, Berkshire Hathaway, has about $325 billion in cash, accounting for over a quarter of its portfolio – the highest percentage in over 30 years.

    The question begging an answer is, what is worrying Warren Buffett?

    We believe the answer is valuations.

    We have shared numerous charts over the last few months showing how valuations are on par or even higher than those of 1999 and 1929.

    Warren Buffett’s preferred market valuation metric is the ratio of the total stock market cap to GDP. The ratio stands at 230%, 2% below the level when the market peaked in 2021 and well above 175% in 1999.

    The foundation of this calculation is that earnings, thus ultimately asset values, are the result of economic activity. Therefore, a rising ratio potentially signals investors are expecting too much future earnings growth.

    We turn to our friends at Kalish Concepts and their recent paper- Market Cap To GDP- The Importance of Basic Arithmetic.

    The article shows that not all stocks are overpriced. In their words:

    This is a problem that is being driven almost entirely by the 50 largest stocks in the market

    Their first graph below shows the ratio of the market cap of just the largest 50 stocks to GDP.

    The ratio is well above 1999 and a good amount higher than late 2021.

    The second graph provides a slightly different context.

    Per Kalish:

    The line merely divides the 50 biggest stocks market cap to GDP by the overall market cap to GDP.

    This shows what percentage of the total market’s valuation is being driven by the 50 largest stocks.

    Out of 5,166 stocks, America’s 50 largest companies now account for nearly half the market’s total valuation – a record.

    The good news, per Kalish, is that there are plenty of stocks without high valuations offering a potential port in the proverbial storm when large-cap valuations correct. The biggest question, however, is when.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/14/2025 – 15:45

  • Trump Affirms He'll Meet Putin 'Very Quickly' After Inauguration
    Trump Affirms He’ll Meet Putin ‘Very Quickly’ After Inauguration

    US President-elect Donald Trump has unveiled plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin “very quickly” after being sworn in on January 20, he said in a Monday interview. He was interviewed by conservative news outlet Newsmax and was asked about specifics on his strategy to end the Ukraine war, to which Trump replied “there is only one strategy, and it’s up to Putin.”

    Trump explained, “I can’t imagine he’s too thrilled with the way it’s gone, because it hasn’t gone exactly well for him either.”

    “I know he [Putin] wants to meet, and I’m going to meet very quickly,” the president-elect said. “I would have done it sooner, but… you have to get into the office.” These words came the day after Trump’s incoming national security adviser, Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), told ABC News that “the preparations are underway” for a meeting between Trump and the Russian leader.

    Via Brookings

    “I do expect a call … at least in the coming days and weeks,” Waltz said. “So, that would be a step, and we’ll take it from there.”

    Various reports in the last weeks have made clear that meeting with Putin and seeking a breakthrough toward Ukraine peace is Trump’s biggest foreign policy priority at this point, though his eye is still on China as a top priority too:

    Trump noted at the time he’s had “a lot of communication” with Chinese President Xi Jinping and has spoken with numerous other world leaders. But he has yet to speak with Putin.

    “But President Putin wants to meet. He’s said that even publicly, and we have to get that war over with. That’s a bloody mess,” Trump said of the war in Ukraine.

    Kremlin statements issued in the past days have reaffirmed openness to such a meeting, “but that any concrete steps to set up such talks could be made only once Mr. Trump is sworn into office on Jan. 20,” The New York Times recently noted.

    “We need a mutual desire and political willingness to engage in a dialogue,” Putin spokesman Dmitri Peskov told reporters last Friday. “We see that Mr. Trump also declares his readiness to solve issues via dialogue. We welcome that.”

    Peskov added that Russia’s understanding is that there is a “mutual readiness for a meeting” but that “it looks like things will start to move after Trump enters the Oval Office.”

    Prior reporting on the ‘Trump peace plan’ suggests that the US side will offer Ukraine a twenty-year waiting period before it can hope to join NATO; however, Moscow has rejected even this possibility as a non-starter.

    Without doubt, Moscow sees itself in the driver’s seat – even as Ukraine tries to inflict as much damage as possible through drone and missile strikes on Russian territory. Russian forces have made weeks of rapid gains in the Donetsk, including having captured another key industrial town just this past week.

    Tyler Durden
    Tue, 01/14/2025 – 15:25

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Jan 14

Today’s News 14th January 2025

  • WEF Elites Unveil Plan To Use Carbon Controls As A Trojan Horse For Global DEI
    WEF Elites Unveil Plan To Use Carbon Controls As A Trojan Horse For Global DEI

    Authored by Brandon Smith via Alt-Market.us,

    The underlying strength of economics is that (when approached honestly and with respect to the data) it can give us a relatively accurate measure of progress versus cost. If the rewards outweigh the costs after careful calculation then that economic endeavor will bear fruit. The ability to gauge production, innovation and prosperity with an unbiased eye is essential to true economics.

    The problem is that economics is not only a mathematical science, it is also, for lack of a better term, a social science. One has to understand individual psychology and mass psychology. You have to be knowledgeable in the inconsistencies of human emotion and desire as much as you are knowledgeable in the hard realities of supply and demand. Furthermore, not all people that engage in economic study do so for the benefit of humanity.

    There is a contingent of financial elitists that seek to use their understanding of the psychological side of economics to socially engineer political outcomes. We’ve heard it said that nuclear science or genetic science offer a power so terrible that they could wipe out civilization if exploited by the wrong hands. I would argue that economic science in the wrong hands outdoes every other competitor because it can be used to enslave humanity forever.

    Case in point: What happens when economics is combined with far-left activism and scientific cultism based on fabricated claims? What happens when a group of ultra-wealthy Fabian socialists combine their resources to strangle the free market and manipulate economic outcomes? What do you get when a vast network of international corporations abandon competition and profit for a long term agenda of power and control?

    Well, you get insidious programs like ESG and groups like the Council For Inclusive Capitalism. You get direct cooperation between governments and corporations to force a specific way of thinking and living. They present it as philanthropy when it is really a complex form of tyranny.

    These specific efforts have failed, but not without much struggle on the part of liberty voices and the alternative media. ESG is mostly dead and as far as I can tell the Council for Inclusive Capitalism has been abandoned. However, the people behind these programs remain in the same positions of influence.

    In terms of the diversity, equity and inclusions subset, the woke model is in popular media is breaking down. You’re going to see less and less progressive pundits and content creators trying to mold public opinion using “social justice” over the next few years. They know their time is over.  But, the other half of ESG, the climate change agenda, is still well underway.

    The World Economic Forum, the premier globalist think tank, has released more information this past month showcasing their plans to make carbon taxation about “justice, fairness and DEI”. When they talk about “equity in climate change” what they are referring to is a developing project designed to redistribute wealth away from first-world western nations into the coffers of third-world countries.

    The narrative is that these parts of the world have been victimized by climate change perpetrated by the developed world. In other words, our success is supposedly built on the backs of poor nations. It’s nothing more than a rewriting of the old Marxist attack on free markets – If someone wins then someone else has to lose and that’s just not fair, so let’s tear the whole society down so that there can be no winners.

    But it’s not free markets that have created the wealth gap that enrages leftists. International corporations are, in fact, socialist by definition and by nature. Without protection from governments, without their extensive partnerships with bureaucrats and politicians along with their limited liability and corporate personhood, most companies would not have an edge on everyone else.

    Carbon credits will only exacerbate that dynamic and widen the wealth gap even further, because carbon taxation will crush small businesses and leave only massive corporations able to weather the tax burden.

    Sure, tax dollars from rich countries will also be redistributed to poor countries, but this money will not be going to the destitute in Africa or Asia. It will be going into the hands of more corporations, more non-profits and more politicians. In the end, the middle class which made the west a beacon of freedom will disappear completely. Everyone will be equal – We will all be equally poor.

    The WEF calls this shift a global “reorganization” of how we engage with the economy. At the forefront of this plan are, once again, globalist think tanks and non-profits partnered with the biggest corporations and central banks.

    The globalists want to redefine how we calculate growth according to their illusory metrics. How does one quantify happiness, or fairness, or environmental purity and then add that into GDP? It’s not possible, at least not in an unbiased manner.

    Flowery terminology like equity and inclusion have nothing to do with production or economic survival. They do, though, have a lot in common with the social engineering ideals of ESG that most of the west is rejecting. They’re giving “inclusive capitalism” a climate change paint job.

    Progressives often condemn the free market profit motive as a “disease” that will destroy our species, but believe me, the worst thing that can possibly happen to the western world today is for corporate moguls to decide they don’t care about money anymore. When groups of mega rich narcopaths discover ideology and start seeing you and I and society as their pet project, the world is in deep trouble.  What is most disturbing is that they scratch and grasp for greater power while pretending as if they’re doing it “for our benefit”.

    Will a few of them do good? Sure, that happens at times. But, usually when elites try to influence culture through carrot or stick methods the results are disastrous.

    We need to understand this reality first before we can ever understand the motives behind the “net zero” movement. The persistent globalist push for carbon taxation has nothing to do with saving the planet and everything to do with changing the very soil of the economic landscape. Keep in mind that globalism is just a modernized form of feudalism posing as socially conscious governance.

    These people don’t actually care about the environment or equality; they care about environmental taxation and “equity”. These are very different things.

    And lets not forget that climate scientist claims are based on data derived from the 1880s onward, while they act as if millions of years of the Earth’s temperature history doesn’t exist. Temperatures in the past have been far hotter (and far colder) than they are today, and atmospheric carbon content records going back millions of years show there is no causational relationship between carbon emissions and warming conditions.

    The moment you look at the Earth’s climate outside of that tiny sliver of 140 years that climate scientists use for their data, the entire man-made global warming theory falls apart. We barely just exited an ice age and these people are doom mongering about 1.5 degrees Celsius!

    Let’s instead consider the short term ramifications of using an equity model for the global economy. What will happen when fairness becomes more important than merit and net zero becomes more important than prosperity?

    The more self sufficiency people have, the more free they can be. The more dependency they have on the system, the easier they are to enslave. Carbon controls create an economic environment in which self sufficiency is impossible because they centralize all production into the hands of a select group of self appointed high priests in charge of climate change management. They get to choose the tax burden arbitrarily and they get to choose the conditions of production. Therefore, the elites will control the means of production, all while telling us that those in poverty are the beneficiaries.

    The carbon scheme seems to be the last fallback of globalist organizations to create a rationale for wealth redistribution. What will they do if it fails? That’s hard to say. I suppose they will try to start WWIII (I would argue that it’s already started). The point is, much of what the globalists do is a rehashing of old-hat centralization and oligarchy. Call it ESG, call it carbon taxes, call it DEI, the goal is the same – The destruction of the west to make way for a new dark age.

    *  *  *

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    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/13/2025 – 23:25

  • Pentagon Reluctantly Admits Russian 'Incremental Gains' In Eastern Ukraine
    Pentagon Reluctantly Admits Russian ‘Incremental Gains’ In Eastern Ukraine

    With just days to go before the United States gets a new Commander-in-Chief with Trump’s inauguration on Jan.20, the Pentagon has made a rare admission, acknowledging that Russian forces are basically dominating on the battlefield in Ukraine.

    The Pentagon during its daily press briefing on Monday acknowledged Russian forces’ “incremental gains” in the Donbass. Below is from the question and answer transcript: 

    Q:  And then a completely different topic — can you give us an update on the Ukrainian battlefield? Does Putin indeed have the upper hand right now?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  Well, what we’re seeing on the battlefield is that, especially in the East, Russia has made some incremental gains. Of course, it’s very tough fighting, as well as in the Kursk region as well. But when you talk about the upper hand, of course, tactically, again other than those incremental gains, what you’re seeing strategically is that again Russia has not achieved any of Its strategic objectives that it set for itself almost three years ago.

    Pokrovsk was once home to 60,000 people, but is now largely abandoned. Via NPR

    This does seem to be a Department of Defense admission that yes, Putin does have the upper hand in the war, despite the Pentagon spokesman’s reluctance to fully put it in these terms.

    Russia’s state-run TASS news has summarized these significant gains as follows:

    The Russian Defense Ministry reported on January 6 that Russian forces had liberated the city of Kurakhovo in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The cities of Avdeyevka and Ugledar were liberated in 2024. Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov said on December 16 that Ukraine’s overall losses in the course of Russia’s special military operation had amounted to nearly one million troops.

    As for the mentioned immense casualty toll, this is impossible to verify. Both warring parties have an interest in inflating numbers of war deaths on the other side. 

    The start of this week has seen reports that Russian forces have captured the the village of Pishchane, which is merely five miles southwest of the strategic Donetsk city of Pokrovsk. In other locations Russian troops are said to be just within a mile of the outskirts of the city.

    Reuters on Monday said a Ukrainian coal mine in the area has ceased production as the war encroaches. “They have all stopped working now,” an industry source said of workers at the mine shafts in Pokrovsk.

    “There’s no production there, they’re only working on the surface,” another source said, citing an ongoing evacuation of the mines and the emergency halt in operations.

    Below: Watch the Russian military’s steady progression in the Pokrovsk area stretching back to the first week of August:

    The Russian military has been making slow but steady advances on Pokrovsk since the summer of 2024. It represents a last big Ukrainian stronghold, the capture of which will ensure Russia’s hold over the whole of Donetsk. It would also give Russia the ability to cut off the E-50 highway connecting Pokrovsk to the Dnipropetrovsk city of Pavlohrad. This would be a major blow to the Ukrainian army’s logistical operations.

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/13/2025 – 23:00

  • Former UK Ambassador: How The West Destroyed Syria
    Former UK Ambassador: How The West Destroyed Syria

    Authored by Peter Ford & Rick Sterling

    Peter Ford served in the UK Foreign Ministry for many years including being UK Ambassador to Bahrain (1999-2003) and  then Syria (2003-2006). Following that, he was representative to the Arab world for the Commissioner General of United Nations Relief and Works Agency. He was interviewed by Rick Stering on Jan 6, 2025.

    RS: Why do you think the Syrian military and government collapsed so rapidly?

    Peter Ford: Everybody was surprised but with hindsight, we shouldn’t have been. Over more than a decade, the Syrian army had been hollowed out by the extremely dire economic situation in Syria, mainly caused by western sanctions. Syria only had a few hours of electricity a day, no money to buy weapons and no ability to use the international banking system to buy anything whatsoever. It’s no surprise that the Army was run down. With hindsight, you might say the surprise is that the Syrian government and Army were successful in driving back the Islamists. The Syrian Army forced them into the redoubt of Idlib four or five years ago. But after that point, the Syrian army deteriorated, became less battle ready on the technical level and also morale.

    Syrian soldiers are mainly conscripts and they suffer as much as any ordinary Syrian from the really dreadful economic situation in Syria. I hesitate to admit it, but the Western sanctions were extremely effectively in doing what they were designed to do: to bring the Syrian economy down to its knees. So we have to say, and I say this with deep regret,  the sanctions worked. The sanctions did exactly what they were designed to do to make the Syrian people suffer, and thereby to bring about discontent with what they call the regime.

    Sipa USA/Rex Features via Atlantic Council

    Ordinary Syrians didn’t understand the complexities of geopolitics, and they blamed the Syrian government for everything: not having electricity, not having food, not having gas, oil, high inflation. Everything that came from being cut off from the world economy and not having supporters with bottomless pockets.

    Syria was being attacked and occupied by major military powers (Turkey, USA, Israel). Plus thousands of foreign jihadis. The Syrian army was so demoralized that they really were a paper tiger by the end of the day.

    RS: Do you think the UK and the US were involved in training the jihadis prior to the December attack on Aleppo? 

    Peter Ford: Absolutely. The Israelis also. The leader of Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS),  Ahmed Hussein al Sharaa (formerly known as Mohammad abu Jolani) almost certainly has British advisors in the background. In fact, I detected the hand of such advisors in some of the statements made in impeccable English. The statements had Americanized spelling, so the CIA are in there too. Jolani is a puppet, a marionette saying what they want him to say.

    RS: What’s is the current situation,  a month after the collapse?

    Peter Ford: There are skirmishes here and there, but broadly, the Islamists and foreign fighters are ruling the roost. There are pockets of resistance in Latakia where the Alawite are literally fighting for their lives. Much of the fighting is about the attempts by HTS, the present rulers to  confiscate weapons.The Alawites are resisting and there are pockets of resistance in the South where there are local Druze militias.

    HTS is spread thinly on the ground. They are facing problems in asserting themselves. Although they had a walkover against the Syrian army, they never actually had to do much fighting. I would guess they only have about 30,000 fighting men and spread across Syria, that is not a lot. There’s an important pocket of resistance in the Northeast where the Kurds are. The Kurdish American allies are resisting. The so-called Syrian National Army, which is a front for the Turkish army, may  go into a fully fledged war against the Kurdish forces. But that’s going to depend partly on what happens after the  inauguration of the new US president, how Trump deals with the situation.

    RS: What are you hearing from people in Syria?

    Peter Ford: It is not a pretty story. HTS and their allies have been parading showing their dominance, flying ISIS and Al-Qaeda flags. They have been bullying, intimidating, confiscating and looting. Surrendering Christian as well as Alawite soldiers have been given summary justice, roadside executions being the norm. Christians in their towns and villages are just trying to hunker down and pray. Literally. I’m sorry to say the senior Christian clerics, with one or two noble exceptions, have opted for appeasement and effectively betrayed their communities. The senior leadership at the Orthodox Church, in particular Greek Catholic church, have had themselves photographed with dignitaries of the jihadi regime.

    They are turning the other cheek. It’s quite a contrast with the Alawite. But they have no choice. You may remember that the slogan of the jihadi armies during the conflict was, “Christians to Beirut, Alawite to the grave.”  HTS  is going through the motions of having meetings with clerics and making soothing noises. All the while their henchmen are driving around in trucks flying ISIS flags. What I’m hearing is very depressing.

    The regime is leaving the Alawites totally abandoned. You barely read a word in the west in media about the plight of the Alawite and not much more about the Christians.

    RS: Western media have demonized Bashar al Assad and even Asma Assad. What was your impression of Bashar and Asma when you met them? What do you think of accusations they accumulated billions of dollars?

    Peter Ford: The accusations are completely spurious. I know some members of the Assad family, some of them have lived for many years in Britain. They lived in very modest personal circumstances. If Assad had been a billionaire, like they’re saying, some of that would’ve trickled down. I can guarantee you that has not been the case. These accusations also go against the impressions that I picked up when I was seeing the Assads when I was an ambassador there. They appreciated the good things of life the same as everybody else, but they didn’t come across as the (Ferdinand & Imelda) Marcos-type. Nothing at all like that. It is all lies,  made up to serve the deeper agenda.

    The media kicking of Bashar and Asma is really distasteful. It’s pointless. He’s disappointed his few remaining followers, although it was unrealistic, I believe, for them to expect more. But the fact is that he ran when others were not able to run, and many of those have been killed, or they’re hiding or they’ve escaped to Lebanon in some cases where they’re also hiding. He did get out with his skin, but to beat up on him as the media are doing is really distasteful and pointless. It is akin to this new genre of political pornography, Assad porn, the torture stories, the hyped up narrative about prison and graves being opened up. Actually, by the way, most of those graves are war dead. They were not people who’d been tortured to death as the media pretends. Hundreds of thousands of people died in the conflict over more than a decade, and many of them were buried in unmarked graves. But the western media are reveling in this new genre of Assad porn.

    This is all being whipped up to make Western audiences more accepting of the way the West is getting into bed with Al-Qaeda. The more they demonize Assad and harp on the misdeeds of the Assad regime, and the more likely we are to swallow and be distracted away from the  hideous atrocities being carried out right now.

    Western leaders are kissing the feet of a guy who’s still a wanted terrorist and who has been a founder member of ISIS for God’s sake, as well as a founder member of Al-Qaeda in Syria. It is morally distasteful and shaming.

    Jolani needs the west desperately now. Otherwise, he will face the same fate as Bashar Assad. If the economy continues on its trajectory of the years, then Jolani will be dead meat in fairly short order. He has to deliver massive rapid economic improvement to survive as leader. And this is what it’s all about. His strategy, obviously, is to milk his status as a puppet of the West in order to secure not just reconstruction aid, but that’s for the long term, but more immediately sanctions relief, the electricity flowing again, the oil.

    Right: Former British Ambassador to Syria Peter Ford

    Let’s not forget that the oil and gas of Syria is still effectively in the hands of the United States, which through its Kurdish puppets, controls a segment of the economy, which used to be worth, I think, 20% of serious GDP and provide essential oil for fuel, cooking, everything. He’s got to get his hands on that and get sanctions lifted. That’s what so much of it is about. But he has one major problem: Israel. Israel’s not buying it. Israel is the exception. All the western front is tumbling over itself to go and kiss the feet of the sultan of Damascus. But the Israelis are sucking their teeth, saying they don’t trust the guy.

    Israel is destroying the remnants of the Syrian army and its infrastructure. Meanwhile they grab more Syrian land. They want to keep Syria on its knees indefinitely by insisting that Western sanctions not be lifted.  I sense there’s a battle royal going on in Washington between what we might call the deep state, which would favor lifting sanctions and the Israel lobby, which is resisting that for selfish Israeli reasons. Given that the Israeli lobby wins these tussles nine times out of 10 , the outlook may not be that great for the Jolani regime.

    RS: What are your hopes and fears for Syria? What’s the nightmare scenario and what’s the best possible?

    Peter Ford: I’m very pessimistic. It is very hard to see a silver lining in what has happened. Syria has been taken off the table as a Middle East player. The old Syria has died effectively. Syria was the last man standing among the Arab countries that supported the Palestinians. There was no other. There were militias like Hezbollah plus Yemen but there were no states other than Syria. Syria is now gone, and the jihadis are saying, telling the world they don’t care. By the way, this is an example of how the Israelis will not take yes for an answer. The jihadis keep telling the world, “We love Israel. We don’t care about the Palestinians. Please accept us. We love you.”  And the Israelis won’t take yes for an answer.

    The best hope for the Syrian people is that they may get some respite. It is possible to imagine a scenario where the Syrian people are able to recover, at least economically a scenario under which sanctions are lifted, under which Syria, the central government recovers control of its oil and grain, where fighting has stopped, where it doesn’t have to pay anything to keep up an army because it’s not trying. They might be able to put everything into reconstruction.

    So it is possible to imagine a scenario where Syria loses its soul, but gains more hours of electricity. That is possibly the most likely scenario. But there are major obstacles as we discussed, Israel standing in the way of sanctions, lifting pockets of resistance in discipline among the jihadi ranks, Turkey rampaging against the Kurds and ISIS which is still not a completely spent force. So the outlook is obviously cloudy. We should take stock in a month’s time when we see the early days of the new regime in Washington on which so much will depend.

    RS: In Trump’s first term he tried to remove all US troops from east Syria but his efforts were ignored. Perhaps that could have made a big difference?

    Peter Ford: Yes, it could have been a total game changer. If Syria had access to its oil, it wouldn’t have had the fuel problem, the electricity problem. It could have changed the history of the region.

    Now, the US is increasing the number of soldiers and bases in Syria. And they recently assassinated a ISIS leader which might have played a role in sparking the recent terrorist attack in the US. All of this makes it much harder now for Trump to withdraw US forces because it will seen as a retreat, a reward for ISIS.

    I argued for years that the sanctions were manifestly not working. But in the end they did. It’s like a bridge. It gets undermined and then suddenly it breaks. There was no single cause. It was just the culmination and things reached a tipping point.

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/13/2025 – 22:35

  • Zelensky 'Ready' To Hand North Korean POWs To Kim Jong Un
    Zelensky ‘Ready’ To Hand North Korean POWs To Kim Jong Un

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made an unprecedented offer of a prisoner exchange deal involving North Korea. Over the weekend Zelensky announced that two wounded North Korean soldiers were recovered from the battlefield by Ukrainian forces. He subsequently shared photos of the foreign fighters on social media.

    “This was not an easy task: Russian forces and other North Korean military personnel usually execute their wounded to erase any evidence of North Korea’s involvement in the war against Ukraine,” Zelensky had said on X. Neither Moscow nor Pyongyang have yet to acknowledge that North Korean troops have been captured or killed.

    Stillframe of video Zelensky published on social media showing a N.Korean captive.

    Zelensky indicated he authorized the SBU intelligence service to give reporters access to the two POWs because the “world needs to know the truth about what is happening.”

    Zelensky’s new offer came Sunday. He said on X: 

    “Ukraine is ready to hand over Kim Jong Un’s soldiers to him if he can organize their exchange for our warriors who are being held captive in Russia.”

    It marked a rare moment of the Ukrainian leader addressing Kim Jong Un directly. Zelensky has vehemently condemned North Korea several times since reports first surfaced that some 10,000 North Korean troops have been sent to help Russian forces.

    They are believed to only be operating in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukraine forces have held territory since a risky cross-border offensive began in early August. Moscow and Pyongyang inked a defense treaty last summer.

    Zelensky further asserted there will “undoubtedly be more” North Korean soldiers captured by his forces. For “those North Korean soldiers who do not wish to return, there may be other options available,” said the Ukrainian leder.

    North Koreans who want “to bring peace closer by spreading the truth about this war in Korean will be given that opportunity,” he continued.

    Zelensky has put out a video of the North Korean POWs being questioned and interrogated, wherein the captive said he’s willing to stay and live in Ukraine…

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    In this new video featuring the wounded North Korean troops, one of the men said that his commanders “told him it was just training” and that’s how he ended up in Russia and then Ukraine.

    Zelensky has further alleged that Russian President Vladimir Putin could not “manage without military support from Pyongyang”—and that’s why he must be reliant on foreign military manpower.

    Meanwhile South Korea’s spy agency, the National Intelligence Service, has informed lawmakers in Seoul it believes that some 300 North Korean soldiers have been killed since being transferred to Russia, and around 2,700 others injured.

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/13/2025 – 22:10

  • Crazy Like A Fox: Trump's Greenland Pitch
    Crazy Like A Fox: Trump’s Greenland Pitch

    Authored by Frank Miele via RealClearPolitics,

    It was back in August 2019, just about the time Democrats were wasting everyone’s time with the first fake impeachment scandal, when Donald Trump originally introduced the idea of buying Greenland from Denmark.

    At the time, the notion was dismissed by the pointy-headed arbiters of right and wrong known as the mainstream media, who concluded that Trump must see his presidency as an extended season of “The Apprentice.” In this episode, the modern-day land baron outsmarts the Scandihoovian rubes who didn’t know the “green” in Greenland was cold hard cash.

    Like almost every other preconception of Trump in his first term, that take was nonsensical. There was considerable historical and geo-political justification for Trump’s proposal to rescue Greenland from European colonialism, and perhaps if his enemies had not sprung the Ukraine phone call impeachment hoax shortly after the Greenland gambit was proposed, it might have become a major accomplishment of Trump’s first term.

    I wrote about the original proposal on Aug. 26, 2019, for RealClearPolitics in an article that declared “Trump’s No Safe Bet; He’s a Leader.” The premise was that unlike the feckless, washed-out, safety-in-numbers politicians who lead by following polls, Trump used common sense and intuition to find solutions to problems no one else even liked to think about. Building a wall to keep out illegal immigrants might seem like an obvious idea now, but before Trump, no one would have dared to say it.

    The same is true of his wish to reclaim Greenland as North American territory. Few if any of Trump’s contemporaries had considered the idea, but it was not without precedent. Lincoln’s Secretary of State William Seward had sought to purchase Greenland for the United States in 1867, the same year he famously acquired Alaska from Russia.

    These days, it may seem jarring to talk about buying large chunks of real estate for the purpose of national aggrandizement, but it wasn’t always so. In addition to Seward’s purchase of Alaska, the United States also can be grateful for Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase, which nearly doubled the size of the country, as well as for the largely free acquisition of Florida from Spain. Land deals are not just in Trump’s blood; they are part of our national heritage.

    They can also be vital to national security. Certainly everyone can agree we were infinitely better off during the era of the Soviet Union because Alaska was no longer in the hands of the Russian oligarchs. And President-elect Trump alluded to a similar benefit on Truth Social when he appointed his ambassador to Denmark in December:

    “For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.”

    Trump elaborated on that sentiment last week during his impromptu press conference at Mar-a-Lago.

    “We need Greenland for national security purposes. … People really don’t even know if Denmark has any legal right to it, but if they do, they should give it up because we need it for national security. That’s for the free world. I’m talking about protecting the free world. You don’t even need binoculars. You look outside, you have China ships all over the place. You have Russian ships all over the place. We’re not letting that happen. We’re not letting it happen.”

    So again, we have the Russian threat, but this time added on top of the perhaps even greater Chinese threat. As I pointed out five years ago, China has its own eyes on Greenland, not just for the strategic importance but because it is a repository of rare earth minerals and other resources:

    “President Trump was well aware that the Chinese had already expressed their own interest in Greenland, offering to fund millions of dollars of infrastructure improvements on the island as part of the plan for global economic domination known as the ‘Belt and Road Initiative.’”

    Fortunately, pressure on Denmark largely thwarted China’s Greenland ambitions, but meanwhile Trump’s appetite for American expansionism was whetted.

    It is perhaps significant that the play for Greenland has been paired with Trump’s threat to take back the Panama Canal, which was turned over to the nation of Panama by Jimmy Carter in the late 1970s. The canal zone, after all, has proven to be a lucrative foothold for China in the New World, and provides a chilling warning of what might happen if someone of Trump’s stature did not step forward to hold the communist state out of Greenland.

    And one thing is certain. No one is laughing at Trump this time around for his pitch to Denmark. Far-fetched? Maybe, but no one dares to underestimate Trump any longer. His willpower is a force of nature, and if he says he wants Greenland, don’t count him out.

    Trump has already become the dominant force on the world stage weeks before he takes office. His attendance at the reopening of Notre Dame caused ripples throughout Europe. Mexico and Canada were put on notice that there was no more free ride once Trump took office, as he threatened them both with tariffs. Trump’s jest about making Canada the 51st state deserves a lot of the credit for (Governor?) Justin Trudeau’s resignation as prime minister. And that’s just the beginning.

    You don’t have to take my word for it. Time magazine ran a little-heralded essay by Ray Dalio that examined “How a Second Trump Administration Will Change the Domestic and World Order.” Dalio, one of the world’s most powerful hedge-fund managers, is no friend of Trump. Before the election, he lamented that Trump led a “strong, unethical, almost fascist Republican Party.”

    But after the fact he was forced to acknowledge that Trump’s election would lead to “a giant renovation of government and the domestic order aimed at making it run more efficiently” and that China would be “widely considered the United States’ single greatest threat.”

    Although Dalio is nostalgic for the post-war international order, he recognizes that under the new rules, “The U.S. and China will be competing for allies, with China generally believed to be in a much better position to win over nonaligned countries because China is more important economically and does a better job exerting its soft power.”

    Unless you are a secret admirer of Xi Jinping, that assessment makes the best case for why Donald Trump is the right person for the job of restoring American dominance. No one does a better job of exerting “soft power” than the 45th and soon-to-be 47th president. He has already changed the conversation just with a social media post and a press conference. So what happens when he gets in office?

    I’m not the only one taking Trump seriously. So are both Republicans and Democrats.

    Sen. John Fetterman, the Pennsylvania Democrat, for instance, said, “I do think it’s a responsible conversation if they [Denmark] were open to [the United States] acquiring it, you know, whether just buying it outright. If anyone thinks that’s bonkers, it’s like, well, remember the Louisiana Purchase.”

    And MAGA superstar Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, accompanied Donald Trump Jr. to Nuuk, Greenland, last week to test the waters for Making Greenland America Again.

    “What we learned is a couple of things,” he told his huge YouTube audience. “Number one, the people of Greenland are awesome. They’re tough people, they have tough winters. They’ve been through a lot and they feel forgotten, but they are the most lovely people. Number two, they feel as if they’re mistreated right now by the Danish government, that the Danish government is not treating them the way they’d like to be treated, and they want to be wealthy again.”

    In just one week, the real work begins after Trump is sworn in. There’s no guarantee that he will accomplish his goal of buying Greenland, but with his salesmanship, one thing is certain – it’s more likely that Greenland will become the 51st state than that Canada will.

    Frank Miele, the retired editor of the Daily Inter Lake in Kalispell, Mont., is a columnist for RealClearPolitics. His book “The Media Matrix: What If Everything You Know Is Fake” is available from his Amazon author page. Visit him at HeartlandDiaryUSA.com or follow him on Facebook @HeartlandDiaryUSA and on X/Gettr @HeartlandDiary.

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/13/2025 – 21:45

  • Intercepted Mexican Fishing Boat Smuggling Migrants Rams Coast Guard Boat, Prompting Machine Gun Fire, Arrests
    Intercepted Mexican Fishing Boat Smuggling Migrants Rams Coast Guard Boat, Prompting Machine Gun Fire, Arrests

    Tensions at the Southern Border are on the rise just days before President Trump takes office.

    Last week, the captain and first mate of a Mexican fishing boat are in federal custody after brawling with U.S. Coast Guard members attempting to board their vessel, according to Border Report.

    The clash occurred last Sunday off San Diego’s Mission Bay after a federal Joint Operations Center in Imperial Beach flagged the boat as suspicious.

    The boat, with six occupants and an “excessive number” of fishing poles, was under surveillance by U.S. Border Patrol near Dana Launch. Agents observed four passengers disembarking, later identified as Mexican migrants. They were instructed to sit on the pier while agents searched for the boat’s operators.

    The Border Report article says agents spotted two individuals hiding near public restrooms, but the pair fled back to the boat, quickly unmooring and escaping before they could be apprehended.

    The Joint Operations Center tracked the boat remotely and dispatched a U.S. Coast Guard vessel to intercept it. About 20 minutes later, the Coast Guard caught up, using emergency lights and loudspeakers to order the boat to stop.

    Instead of complying, the boat rammed the Coast Guard vessel, and its two occupants began hurling metal objects at crew members. The Coast Guard disabled the boat’s engines with machine gun fire and used pepper ball projectiles to subdue the suspects. 

    Coast Guard members boarded the boat, subdued the non-compliant suspects with pepper spray, and placed them in handcuffs. Oscar Eduardo Audelo Rodriguez and Francisco Brado Cota were taken to Naval Base Point Loma for medical evaluation and released the same day.

    The pair declined to explain their actions or involvement with the migrants. According to court documents, three of the four migrants identified Audelo as the captain and Brado as the first mate, stating they paid $7,000 to $16,000 each to be smuggled into the U.S.

    Audelo and Brado remain in custody, facing charges of smuggling migrants for profit. A detention hearing is scheduled for next week, the report says.

     

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/13/2025 – 21:20

  • 'Keep New England White' Banner Did Not Violate State Law, New Hampshire Supreme Court Rules
    ‘Keep New England White’ Banner Did Not Violate State Law, New Hampshire Supreme Court Rules

    Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    People who displayed a “Keep New England White” banner from a highway overpass in July 2022 did not violate state law because they did not appear to know they were trespassing, New Hampshire’s top court has ruled.

    William Gens, a lawyer representing the group, said its members were pleased with the New Hampshire Supreme Court’s decision. IPGGutenbergUKLtd/iStock

    New Hampshire law RSA 354-B:1 states in part that a person violates the rights of others when that person inflicts damage, threatens to inflict damage, or trespasses on property “when such actual or threatened conduct is motivated by race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, or disability.”

    State officials brought civil claims against the members of the Nationalist Social Club, also known as NSC-131, who unfurled the banner on July 30, 2022, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, contending they violated the law because their actions were motivated by race and interfered with the lawful activities of others.

    A trial court dismissed the case after finding the state civil rights law was unconstitutionally overbroad. An appeal placed the case in front of the New Hampshire Supreme Court.

    The justices, in a unanimous opinion handed down on Jan. 10, upheld the lower court ruling.

    “The overbreadth of the State’s construction of the Act creates an unacceptable risk of a chill on speech protected by Part I, Article 22 of our State Constitution. Specifically, the State’s construction of the Act would impose government sanctions on those who unintentionally trespass on public property and whose presence is ’motivated by’ one of the characteristics enumerated in RSA 354-B:1,” the justices wrote in a per curiam opinion. “Such a broad sweep discourages the expression of certain messages for fear of government sanctions under the Act based on the content of the messages expressed.”

    It’s also not reasonable to allow charges to be brought against people who don’t appear to know they are trespassing, the justices stated. They ruled that state officials must establish that people are knowingly trespassing and noted that officials did not do so in the case against Christopher Hood and the other members of the group that took credit for displaying the banners.

    The top court’s wrote in its opinion that Hood was not wearing a mask, spoke to police officers on the scene, and identified himself as the group’s leader. The group removed the banner and other banners when they were told that they were trespassing on public property.

    “Even when construing all reasonable inferences in the light most favorable to the State, we are not persuaded that the complaints sufficiently allege that the defendants knowingly trespassed,” the justices ruled.

    The attorney general’s office said it was disappointed by the court’s decision but respects it, spokesperson Michael Garrity said in a statement.

    “Our office remains steadfast in enforcing the Civil Rights Act to ensure all Granite Staters are free from discrimination, violence, and hate-motivated threats,” Garrity stated. “We will continue to explore all options to protect the rights and safety of our communities.”

    William Gens, a lawyer representing the group, said its members were “very pleased with the decision.”

    “It was based on grounds that we raised all along,” he said, adding that the attorney general’s interpretation “didn’t give adequate notice to the public as to what conduct, including the speech portion of the conduct, was a violation of the statute.”

    A second complaint filed against the group by the attorney general’s office is pending. It accuses the group of violations relating to a demonstration outside a Concord, New Hampshire café that hosted a drag story hour event.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/13/2025 – 20:55

  • Starbucks Reverses Open Public Bathroom Policy After Junkie Influx Created Unsafe Environment
    Starbucks Reverses Open Public Bathroom Policy After Junkie Influx Created Unsafe Environment

    Newly appointed Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol has reportedly reversed a seven-year policy that allowed the general public to use store bathrooms without making a purchase. The policy had resulted in widespread drug use at certain store locations, particularly in lawless, Democrat-controlled cities.

    The Wall Street Journal obtained a copy of a memo sent to employees outlining the new code of conduct being rolled out across stores in North America. 

    “There is a need to reset expectations for how our spaces should be used and who uses them,” Starbucks North America President Sara Trilling said in the memo. 

    The updated policies also include adding signs prohibiting harassment, violence, threatening language, outside alcohol, smoking, and panhandling in its stores.

    In 2018, former CEO Howard Schultz transformed Starbucks into America’s “largest public restroom” by allowing non-customers to use the chain’s bathrooms across thousands of US stores. 

    Schultz’s bathroom policy backfired…

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    Ensuring safety with new bathroom policies is just part of Niccol’s turnaround strategy to save the struggling coffee chain, which has suffered from three straight quarters of declining sales. 

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/13/2025 – 20:30

  • Judge Allows Public Release Of Volume 1, Blocks Volume 2 Of Smith's Report On Trump Cases
    Judge Allows Public Release Of Volume 1, Blocks Volume 2 Of Smith’s Report On Trump Cases

    Authored by Tom Ozimek via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    A federal judge has cleared the way for the public release of volume one of special counsel Jack Smith’s final report on investigations involving President-elect Donald Trump while opting to keep volume two of the report restricted.

    (Left) Special Counsel Jack Smith delivers remarks in Washington on Aug. 1, 2023. (Right) Former President Donald Trump attends his trial in New York State Supreme Court in New York City on Dec. 7, 2023. Drew Angerer, David Dee Delgado/Getty Images

    Volume one pertains to Smith’s election interference case against Trump, while volume two relates to the classified documents case.

    In a Jan. 13 order, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon partially denied an emergency motion by two Trump co-defendants—Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira—to block the public release of the report. Nauta and De Oliveira had filed an emergency motion seeking to prevent the release of both volumes of Smith’s report, citing concerns that it would prejudice their pretrial rights.

    Cannon upheld their request to restrict volume two—pertaining to a classified documents probe involving Trump in which Nauta and De Oliveira are co-defendants. The judge noted that release of volume two would be “inconsistent” with the defendants’ right to a fair trial.

    The Department of Justice (DOJ) had argued that selective release of volume two to congressional leaders was in the public interest but stopped short of advocating for broader dissemination. Nauta and De Oliveira had argued that releasing the volume, even in a limited capacity, could irreparably damage their legal standing.

    Cannon scheduled a hearing for Jan. 17 to address the DOJ’s request for limited disclosure of volume two to congressional leaders while withholding it from the public.

    “Release of Volume II, even on a limited basis as promised by the United States, risks irreversibly and substantially impairing the legal rights of Defendants in this criminal proceeding,” Cannon wrote. “The Court is not willing to make that gamble on the basis of generalized interest by members of Congress, at least not without full briefing and a hearing on the subject.”

    The judge noted that a portion of the hearing may need to be conducted under seal to prevent parts of volume two from being disseminated to the public.

    However, Cannon agreed with the DOJ’s position that volume one contained no substantive references to the defendants or the classified documents case. Noting that there was “insufficient basis” to restrict the public release of volume one, Cannon cleared the way for its public release.

    After Trump won the presidential election, Smith moved to dismiss the classified documents case and the election interference case against Trump, citing DOJ rules around not prosecuting presidents. The motions to dismiss were made “without prejudice,” meaning charges could be refiled after Trump finishes his second term as president. However, the statute of limitations and the prospect of Trump pardoning himself stand in the way of potential re-prosecution.

    Federal law requires special counsels to prepare a final report outlining their prosecution decisions and submit it to the attorney general, who has the discretion to determine whether the report will be made public.

    Attorney General Merrick Garland said last week that both volumes of Smith’s final report would be made public when the courts give it the green light.

    Smith, who was appointed by Garland to investigate Trump in the two cases—election interference and classified documents—resigned from the DOJ on Jan. 10. Smith’s resignation marks the end of his criminal prosecutions of Trump over the past two years or so.

    Trump has denied wrongdoing in the cases has repeatedly described the prosecutions as politically motivated.

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/13/2025 – 20:05

  • FBI's Wray Drops 'Chinese Infiltration' Bomb On Way Out, Warns Of Threat To Critical Infrastructure
    FBI’s Wray Drops ‘Chinese Infiltration’ Bomb On Way Out, Warns Of Threat To Critical Infrastructure

    While the FBI – the same FBI that participated in the Russiagage hoax, polarizing half of America into focusing on the Kremlin for a decade, the Chinese government – the same one that enriched the Biden family to the tune of millions, has apparently been ‘lying in wait’ all over America and is ready to attach critical infrastructure at a moment’s notice.

    According to outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray in a Sunday appearance on “60 Minutes,” – “The Chinese government is prepositioning on American civilian critical infrastructure to lie in wait on those networks to be in a position to wreak havoc & inflict real world harm at a time & place of their choosing.”

    Wray described the CCP as “the greatest long-term threat” and the “defining threat of our generation” due in part to its state-funded cyber program that’s poised to “wreak havoc” on a whim – targeting water treatment plants, the electrical grid, natural gas infrastructure and other systems.

    According to Wray, China has pre-positioned malware throughout American infrastructure.

    He also says that Beijing has been listening to communications by high-level US officials.

    Of course, while the media took the Russiagate ball and went full retard – Wray has been fairly consistent about China. In July of 2000, he warned that nearly half of the FBI’s 5,000 or so counterintelligence investigations are related to Chinese espionage.

    “We’ve now reached the point where the FBI is opening a new China-related counterintelligence case approximately every ten hours,” said the FBI chief, speaking at an event hosted by the Hudson Institute.

    “The greatest long-term threat to our nation’s information, intelligence property and to our economic vitality is the counterintelligence and economic espionage threat from China,” he added.

    A cyber strike of that scale would aim to impede the deployment of U.S. troops, induce societal panic and otherwise interfere with U.S. military actions, according to the report.

    China over the past decade has been accused of multiple state-sponsored hacking campaigns aimed at the U.S. — as well as European and Asian countries — but it routinely denies involvement.

    The U.S. Treasury on Jan. 3 sanctioned Integrity Technology Group Inc., a Beijing-based cybersecurity company, for its alleged involvement in multiple hacking attempts against the U.S.

    The hacks were connected to Flax Typhoon, which the Treasury described as “a Chinese malicious state-sponsored cyber group that has been active since at least 2021, often targeting organizations within U.S. critical infrastructure sectors,” according to the Treasury news release announcing the sanctions. –stripes.com

    According to a Feb. 5 assessment from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, China is the “most active and persistent cyber threat to U.S. Government, private-sector, and critical infrastructure networks.”

    “If Beijing believed that a major conflict with the United States were imminent, it would consider aggressive cyber operations against U.S. critical infrastructure and military assets,” the report said.

    In a Jan. 6 press conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Jiakun Guo denied Beijing’s hacking program.

    “We urge the U.S. to stop using the issue of cybersecurity to vilify and smear China. For quite some time, the US has been trumpeting so-called ‘Chinese hacking’ and even using it to impose illegal and unilateral sanctions on China,” he said.

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    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/13/2025 – 19:40

  • Vance Blasts "Dumpster Fire" Left For Trump By Biden/Harris
    Vance Blasts “Dumpster Fire” Left For Trump By Biden/Harris

    Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

    Soon to be Vice President JD Vance has slammed the outgoing regime for leaving “an absolute dumpster fire” in its wake on multiple issues.

    During a Fox News interview Sunday, Vance spoke about the economy, the California fires and the Southern border, and urged that there has been a “serious lack of competent governance.”

    “I will always be an optimist about our country, but I think that optimism has to start with a bit of realism. And the real truth is that Joe Biden has left us a dumpster fire,” Vance asserted.

    He added that “Donald Trump is going to have to put it out. But he’s good at doing that.”

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    Vance emphasized, “we’re excited to get to work. But we need to be open and honest about the fact that President Biden has not left the next administration in a good place, right? FEMA’s funds are depleted. We have a wide open southern border. Oil is going through the roof. Bond yields went from 4.1 percent to 4.8 percent in a month. And that’s on top of the fact that President Biden has been running the largest peacetime deficits in the history of this country.”

    “So we’ve got a lot of debt, a lot of problems, and a wide open southern border. And thank God that Donald Trump takes office in a week-and-a-half because we need somebody to actually govern this country effectively,” Vance further declared.

    On the border, Vance promised “dozens of executive orders” immediately to allow Customs and Border Patrol “to do your job again.”

    “To illegal immigrants all over the world, you are not welcome in this country illegally,” Vance further outlined, adding “if you came into this country illegally, you need to go back home. You need to have basic law enforcement.”

    Vance explained that Democrats have been hiding behind having “compassion” for families and not wanting to separate families, using it as an excuse not to crack down on illegal immigration.

    “It is not compassion to allow the drug cartels to traffic small children,” Vance urged, adding “It is not compassionate to allow the worst people in the world to send minor children, some of them victims of sex trafficking, into our country. That is the real humanitarian crisis at the border. You’re not going to exacerbate it through law enforcement. You’re going to fix it through law enforcement. And that’s what Donald Trump is going to do.”

    On the economy, Vance emphasised that Biden “has added trillions and trillions of dollars to the federal debt during a time of peace. He has left us with bond yields, meaning how we’re going to finance that debt, we have to sell treasury bonds. And the treasury bonds have gotten more expensive because of Joe Biden’s policies.”

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    On the California fires, Vance stated “There is a serious lack of competent governance in California, and I think it’s part of the reason why these fires have gotten so bad. We need to do a better job at both the state and federal level.”

    “President Trump has committed to doing a better job when it comes to disaster relief,” Vance continued, adding “We need competent, good governance. Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t criticize the governor of California for I think some very bad decisions over a very long period of time.”

    “I mean, some of these reservoirs have been dry for 15, 20 years. The fire hydrants are being reported as going dry while the firefighters are trying to put out these fires,” Vance further stated.

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    Here is the full interview:

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    Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/13/2025 – 19:15

  • "Closely Monitoring Situation": Tuberculosis Reported In Small-Town Charleroi, PA, Swamped By Haitians
    “Closely Monitoring Situation”: Tuberculosis Reported In Small-Town Charleroi, PA, Swamped By Haitians

    Health officials are on high alert after a case of tuberculosis was reported in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, a small town thrust into the spotlight by President-elect Donald Trump during a rally in September. Trump highlighted a staggering 2,000% increase in Haitian migrants in the town in just a few short years, many of whom were funneled into local factories like cattle. The TB case has heightened fears of a potential outbreak. 

    The Charleroi Area School District superintendent notified parents on Monday morning about a teen recovering from TB who returned to class without clearance from doctors.

    “I am writing to provide an update regarding a recent health matter involving one of our high school students. The student, who attended school today, was diagnosed with tuberculosis a couple of weeks ago. Upon learning that the student had returned without a doctor’s clearance to return to school, we immediately isolated the student and sent them home,” Superintendent Dr. Edward Zelich wrote in the letter.

    Zelich continued, “Please know that we are closely monitoring the situation and will continue to work with the appropriate health authorities to ensure our students’ and staff’s safety and well-being.”

    A little more than two weeks ago, Zelich called social media posts mentioning “supposed tuberculosis outbreak” fake news: “We are aware of recent social media posts circulating inaccurate information regarding a supposed tuberculosis (TB) outbreak.” 

    Think tank America 2100’s Nate Hochman pointed out on X, “Charleroi is a small town in Pennsylvania. In the past few years, it’s been flooded with thousands of Haitian immigrants. The school system has seen an 1,800% increase in non-English speaking students. Now, a student just tested positive for tuberculosis.” 

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    “Who would have thought Tuberculosis at Charleroi High School,” one X user said. 

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    No comment…. 

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    In a matter of weeks, the Charleroi Area School District shifted from calling social media posts about a potential TD outbreak as “fake news” to now acknowledging at least one student has caught the highly contagious bacterial disease that usually affects the lungs. 

    Was there a cover-up?

    Residents are furious (via Facebook group “Charleroi Ramblings”): 

    The second question: Is there an active tuberculosis outbreak in the town that has been swamped with migrants from third worlds? 

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/13/2025 – 18:50

  • Blaming 'Climate Change' For L.A. Fires Only Makes Newsom Look Criminally Incompetent
    Blaming ‘Climate Change’ For L.A. Fires Only Makes Newsom Look Criminally Incompetent

    Via Issues & Insights,

    “All these things are connected. This is a challenging time. But we’re up to this challenge.”

    That was California Gov. Gavin Newsom back in 2020 when he was busy blaming “climate change” for the wildfires that erupted that year.

    “I quite literally have no patience for climate change deniers,” he said.

    Four years later, Newsom is again blaming “climate change” for the fires ravaging Los Angeles.

    But wait. If climate change really is to blame, why was California so obviously, so woefully, so inexcusably unprepared?

    Someone needs to ask Newsom why the state didn’t spend the last four years aggressively clearing out underbrush to minimize the chances of a catastrophic wildfire. Why didn’t it carve out large and effective buffer zones to keep fires from reaching populated areas? Why wasn’t there a Marshall Plan-scale effort to build reservoirs so firefighters could get water from hydrants?

    It’s not as though the state didn’t have plenty of warning. For decades, environmentalists have been screaming about how “climate change” was going to make wildfires more frequent, more all-consuming, and more deadly.

    Yet in the very state where environmentalists hold all the levers of power, they dawdled and delayed, let bureaucratic red tape and environmental groups stall efforts to prepare for the worst, and put other ridiculous and massively expensive projects (such as the “bullet” train) at the front of the line.

    And in the process, California has wasted fantastic sums of money.

    In 2018, former Gov. Jerry Brown signed a $1 billion bill that was supposed to “prevent catastrophic wildfires and protect Californians.” Where did that money go?

    A 2019 report from Newsom’s wildfire “strike force” said that “Over the next five years, the state will commit over $1 billion for critical fuel reduction projects, to support prescribed fire crews, forest thinning, and other forest health projects.”

    Early in his term, Newsom launched the California Vegetation Treatment Program, which was advertised as a plan to speed environmental reviews for forest management projects.

    But as the Washington Examiner shows in a devastating account of waste and mismanagement:

    Those types of projects — such as thinning out dense clusters of trees and prescribed burns to remove the conditions necessary for fires to spread rapidly — have also been stifled by climate groups that regularly challenge them in court.

    A Free Beacon review of the program’s latest data found that of the 525 approved projects spanning 666,450 acres, only 231 projects spanning just 6,000 acres have been completed. There are only two projects located in the Los Angeles metro area spanning 130 acres — a fuel reduction project proposed by the Los Angeles County Fire Department and a nonprofit watershed project — but both remain incomplete.

    Newsom is hardly blameless. A report three years ago found that he’d been lying about his wildfire prevention efforts.

    An investigation from CapRadio and NPR’s California Newsroom found the governor has misrepresented his accomplishments and even disinvested in wildfire prevention. The investigation found Newsom overstated, by an astounding 690%, the number of acres treated with fuel breaks and prescribed burns in the very forestry projects he said needed to be prioritized to protect the state’s most vulnerable communities. Newsom has claimed that 35 ‘priority projects’ carried out as a result of his executive order resulted in fire prevention work on 90,000 acres. But the state’s own data show the actual number is 11,399.

    Now we learn that he’d cut funding for wildfire and forest resilience by $101 million in the budget he approved last June, and millions from other programs designed to mitigate fire damage. Is that what Newsom meant when he said in 2019 that he’d “made wildfire prevention and mitigation a top priority since taking office”?

    Newsom has been just as lackadaisical when it comes to building new water reservoirs, which you’d think would Job No. 1 in a state convinced that “climate change” will cause more droughts and wildfires.

    In 2014, Californians overwhelmingly approved a $7.5 billion water bond proposal, nearly $3 billion of which was set aside to build new reservoirs. More than a decade later, not a single new reservoir has been built. Where has all that money gone?

    To be clear, we don’t buy the climate-change-is-to-blame nonsense.

    As we noted last week, there’s no evidence that wildfires have become more common or deadly, despite constant claims to the contrary. (See: “Fire, Snow And A Storm Of Climate Nonsense.”)

    But Newsom and the rest of the leftist Democrats who run the state do. It’s their religion.

    Every time something bad happens in the state, they blame fossil fuels. They are endlessly warning that urgent responses are needed.

    And yet, they’ve done next to nothing to protect their residents from what they repeatedly say is an existential crisis.

    By their own words, they have convicted themselves of criminal negligence.

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/13/2025 – 18:25

  • Zelensky Offers To Send 150 Ukrainian Firefighters To California After Stinging Rebuke From Trump Jr
    Zelensky Offers To Send 150 Ukrainian Firefighters To California After Stinging Rebuke From Trump Jr

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has declared that his country is ready to assist those affected by the devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area, with 150 Ukrainian firefighters ready to go.

    The offer, articulated Sunday, cited the “extremely difficult” situation in California and said that Ukrainians “can help Americans save lives”. It comes several days after Donald Trump Jr joined many others in criticizing the fact that a lot of LA firefighting equipment had previously been handed over to Ukraine. “Oh look of course the LA fire department donated a bunch of their supplies to Ukraine,” Trump Jr said on X last Wednesday.

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    Zelensky stated, “Today, I instructed Ukraine’s Minister of Internal Affairs and our diplomats to prepare for the possible participation of our rescuers in combating the wildfires in California. The situation there is extremely difficult, and Ukrainians can help Americans save lives.”

    “This is currently being coordinated, and we have offered our assistance to the American side through the relevant channels. 150 of our firefighters are already prepared,” he continued.

    It remains unclear whether the Ukrainian firefighters are actually en route to the US or not. Canada and Mexico are key countries which have already sent firefighters to help. The Palisades fire and the Eaton fire have yet to be contained, having ravaged the area for over a week straight, amid high California winds.

    The several fires have resulted in at least 24 dead and over 150,000 people forcibly evacuated from their homes. Billions of dollars in damage has been documented.

    Critics of Biden’s essentially ‘blank check’ approach to Ukraine have pointed out that American taxpayers have been forced to foot the bill for a foreign country and a disastrous overseas proxy war, instead of investing in infrastructure and keeping people safe at home. This was a similar criticism in September and October when the Carolinas witnessed severe and deadly flooding by Hurricane Helene, and whole towns were stranded without resources, with US citizens having received minimal emergency funds. 

    Zelensky’s new offer to help California, despite the reality being that he’s in desperate need of more manpower in his own war-ravaged country, indicates he’s more and more worried on a PR level over the potential that Trump could drastically cut defense and economic aid to Kiev.

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    A March 2022 story out of California stated that “Los Angeles County fire crews are sending some of their extra equipment to firefighters in Ukraine.” It had detailed, “The plane carrying that much-needed surplus equipment, such as hoses, nozzles, turnouts, helmets, body armor and other personal protective gear, is expected to take off Friday.” Extra?… Putting America “Ukraine first” is the Biden bad foreign policy idea that keeps on giving… and taking away from American citizens caught in the throes of emergency and disaster.

    Meanwhile, one Ukrainian media outlet is asking the following question pertaining to the offer—Zelensky will send Ukrainian firefighters to California: Will they want to return home?

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/13/2025 – 18:00

  • India Expects No Disruption To Russian Oil Supply Until March
    India Expects No Disruption To Russian Oil Supply Until March

    Authored by Tsvetana Paraskova via OilPrice.com,

    • India will allow Russian oil cargoes booked before US sanctions to be discharged until March.

    • This move aims to mitigate the immediate impact of sanctions on India, the world’s third-largest oil importer.

    • India faces potential disruption to its oil supply after March if alternative sources are not secured.

    Following Friday’s U.S. sanctions against tankers shipping Russian oil, India expects its flows of crude from Russia not to be disrupted until March as the sanctioned tankers will be allowed to discharge until then, a senior Indian government official told Reuters on Monday.

    India will allow cargoes carrying Russian oil booked before January 10 to discharge at ports when they arrive at Indian coasts, according to the official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

    The outgoing U.S. Administration on Friday imposed the most severe sanctions on Russia’s oil yet, designating two major Russian oil companies, Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, as well as 183 vessels, dozens of oil traders, oilfield service providers, insurance companies, and energy officials.

    A large part of the newly sanctioned tankers by the U.S. have carried Russian crude mostly to China and India over the past year, according to analysts and ship-tracking data.

    The latest U.S. sanctions have already started moving oil markets and the oil-purchasing strategies in Russia’s top crude oil customers, China and India.

    Oil prices jumped on Friday as the U.S. sanctions were announced, and Brent Crude broke above $80 per barrel to hit the highest level in three months.

    The rally continued on Monday, with Brent jumping to a four-month high of over $81 per barrel.

    Prices will eventually fall back below $80 per barrel because there is no shortage of supply on the global oil market, the anonymous Indian government official told Reuters.

    “The market is waiting for Russia to respond on sanctions,” the official told the newswire, adding that “Russia will find ways to reach us.”

    India is bracing for a major disruption to Russian oil supply, which is currently the single largest source of crude for the world’s third-largest oil importer.

     

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/13/2025 – 17:40

  • House Republicans Weigh Sweeping $5.7 Trillion In Spending Cuts To Fund Trump's Domestic Agenda
    House Republicans Weigh Sweeping $5.7 Trillion In Spending Cuts To Fund Trump’s Domestic Agenda

    In a bold and controversial fiscal gamble, House Republicans are circulating a “menu” of proposed spending cuts totaling almost $6 trillion over the next decade. The plan, designed to bankroll President-elect Donald Trump’s ambitious priorities – including tax cuts and increased border security – details reductions to major federal programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, and Biden-era climate initiatives.

    House Budget Chair Jodey Arrington is circulating the $5.7 trillion list of potential cuts.

    The early list, obtained by POLITICO, reflects the GOP’s long-standing goal of reducing government spending, though the magnitude of the suggested cuts underscores the high-stakes nature of the effort. The menu includes slashing welfare programs, revising Affordable Care Act subsidies, and rolling back green energy tax credits. While the list serves as a set of options rather than a formal proposal, it has already sparked intense internal debate among Republicans.

    The people, granted anonymity to discuss closed-door negotiations, said that the list originated from the House Budget Committee, chaired by Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas). Republicans involved in the reconciliation plans have been generally targeting the listed programs for several months, but internal GOP fights over trillions of dollars in potential cuts are just beginning.

    The overall savings add up to as much as $5.7 trillion over 10 years, though the list is highly ambitious and unlikely to all become law given narrow margins for Republicans in the House and Senate. -Politico

    The “document is not intended to serve as a proposal, but instead as a menu of potential spending reductions for members to consider,” one GOP source told the outlet.

    Yet even within the Republican caucus, there is skepticism about the feasibility of achieving such drastic savings. “They all feel pretty controversial,” one senior GOP lawmaker conceded when asked if there were any particularly controversial spending offsets dividing Republicans.

    House Speaker Mike Johnson is reportedly working to balance the demands of Trump’s domestic policy agenda, estimated to cost $10 trillion, with the fiscal constraints imposed by his own pledge to slash $2.5 trillion in government spending through the budget reconciliation process as part of last year’s govt. funding negotiations.

    Medicaid And ACA In The Crosshairs

    One of the most contentious components of the plan targets Medicaid, with proposed caps on federal spending tied to state population levels instead of maintaining the program as an open-ended entitlement. Additionally, the list suggests imposing work requirements for Medicaid recipients and aligning payments for able-bodied adults with those for low-income children and individuals with disabilities – a move projected to save $690 billion.

    The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is another significant target. Republicans are eyeing $46 billion in savings by letting key ACA insurance subsidies expire and limiting eligibility based on citizenship status. These cuts, if pursued, would reignite the political firestorm that has surrounded the ACA since its inception, potentially destabilizing coverage for millions of Americans.

    Cuts to Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act and the country’s largest anti-hunger program would spark massive opposition from Democrats and would also face some GOP resistance. House Speaker Mike Johnson can’t afford any Republican defections if he wants to pass a package on party lines. -Politico

    Medicare is also under scrutiny, with proposed “site-neutral” payments that would equalize costs across outpatient settings – a policy that has garnered bipartisan attention but could face resistance due to concerns over its impact on providers. The list also includes repealing Biden administration health care regulations, such as minimum staffing requirements at nursing homes, which proponents argue drive up costs.

    Climate Programs On The Chopping Block

    Perhaps the most politically delicate area involves green energy and climate initiatives. The proposal identifies up to $468 billion in savings by repealing provisions from Biden’s climate policies, including electric vehicle incentives and elements of the bipartisan infrastructure law.

    Yet, not all Republicans are aligned on this front. Eighteen House Republicans, many representing districts benefiting from clean energy projects, have warned Speaker Johnson against prematurely dismantling green energy tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Technologies like hydrogen and carbon capture—viewed favorably by some GOP lawmakers—are among the measures that could be impacted.

    Even proposed cuts to green energy tax credits, worth as much as $500 billion, could be tricky — as the document notes, they depend “on political viability.” Already 18 House Republicans — 14 of whom won reelection in November — warned Johnson against prematurely repealing some of the IRA’s energy tax credits, which are funding multiple manufacturing projects in GOP districts. -Politico

    The challenge for Johnson and his leadership team will be corralling enough Republican votes in the House, where the GOP holds a narrow majority, while navigating the Senate’s more moderate composition. The specter of Republican defections looms large, particularly among lawmakers who represent districts reliant on federal spending for infrastructure and health care programs.

    President-elect Trump’s policy blueprint has added another layer of complexity. Trump’s focus on aggressive border security measures and significant tax reductions—signature issues of his campaign—comes with a hefty price tag. His allies in Congress are preparing to meet with him in Florida this weekend to discuss next steps. The proposed cuts to Medicaid, the ACA, and climate programs signal a sharp pivot away from Biden-era policies, but they also risk political fallout that could jeopardize fragile Republican majorities.

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/13/2025 – 17:20

  • Woke DEI + Green Nihilism = Dresden In California
    Woke DEI + Green Nihilism = Dresden In California

    Authored by Victor Davis Hanson via American Greatness,

    Firebombing on the Pacific

    Over 25,000 acres are ablaze in Los Angeles in the Pacific Palisades fire, a veritable living hell.

    Some 12,000-plus structures were incinerated. More than 250,000 souls have been evacuated and are in need of shelter.

    No one has really taken charge yet. And now even the woke culprits for the catastrophe are blame-gaming each other to determine who was the more incompetent, which in this case translates to the most woke.

    No one knows how many have died; all know the number will escalate in the next few days.

    The eventual price tag of the ruin will exceed $200-300 billion and outstrip the billions of dollars given to Ukraine.

    And there are still some fires that are completely uncontained.

    The Los Angeles apocalypse was a multisystem, green-woke collapse—and a disastrous reminder that when Soviet-style, anti-meritocratic ideology permeates all aspects of modern life in California, disaster is inevitable.

    First, note that the culprit of the catastrophe is not climate change; it is not Donald Trump. Those are excuses for arrogant incompetency and disdain for the public. And it is not racism or homophobia to fault those who paraded and virtue signaled their tribal identities so extraneous to their actual responsibilities for public safety.

    Note that all California statewide officeholders are left-wing. The California left holds supermajorities in both houses of the state legislature. Only 17 percent of California’s huge congressional delegation of 52 seats is Republican. California’s judiciary is the most left-wing in the country. There is not a single Republican on the 15-member Los Angeles City Council.

    Add it all up, and the woke socialist state has been eagerly deindustrializing, decivilizing, and retribalizing its way into what is now a veritable peacetime Dresden on the Pacific.

    Again, there is no one else to blame, because California is one of those rare states in which Republicans have de facto zero political power. All the state media, the legacy newspapers, the Silicon Valley daily online news sites, the Bay Area-based Apple, Google, and Facebook monopolies, and the local news outlets are parrots of the woke-green mindset.

    To the degree that anything still works in California, it predates 2000. The core of the ossified Central Valley Water Project and the California Water Project remain—though they are in need of massive maintenance, like almost all the infrastructure the current generation of politicians inherited and largely ignored.

    Now crowded and obsolete highways that were once the nation’s best still function—but barely. And there are a few remnants of sanity in what is left of the pre-woke and once-great universities of Berkeley, Caltech, Stanford, UCLA, and USC, founded by a now despised but far wiser and more competent long-dead generation of visionaries.

    The Real ‘Basket of Deplorables’

    Los Angeles brags about its new $50 billion budget and trumpets how it expanded “Care First” programs. Indeed, the mayor’s budget claims it created a new “451 positions”—highlighting its investments in “growing the department of youth development.”

    It boasts it is adding positions to the “Justice, Care, and Opportunities Department,” “reducing our jail population,” and expanding “voting solutions for all people.” There is not much about fire, policing, or water—apparently now the low priorities that prior sexist, racist, and homophobic generations once worried about.

    The role of DEI? Mayor Karen Bass was warned of the current danger of dry hillsides of chaparral buffeted by record-high, 100-mph Santa Ana winds. Her response?

    She went junketing a continent away to the inauguration festivities of the president of Ghana—a strange way to prepare for a possible inferno to come. Does Ghana have firefighting expertise to share with Bass? In damage-control mode, Bass flew back only to be confronted at the airport by a now rare honest—and thus foreign—reporter.

    He asked her why she cut over $17.6 million from the LA fire service budget—itself just 65% of the city’s homelessness expenditures. (She had planned to cut millions of dollars more). And why, he asked, was she in Africa at all in her city’s hour of need?

    Bass stood mute—shamed into silence.

    I think Los Angelenos needed no answer since it was obvious to them: she went to Ghana because she could and wanted to—since identity chauvinism is what ensured she was elected, reelected, and immune from criticism. Look at her appointments and budget, and it is clear public safety, fires, and water are most certainly not her priorities.

    Bass was confident that if LA went up in smoke as she pursued her African agendas, the woke megaphones would silence critics as “racist” or “homophobic” or “sexist” in the way Soviet commissars used to send to Siberia any “ideological enemies of the state” who complained that the farms, industries, and trains of Russia no longer worked. And on spec, we now hear it is now racist to criticize a black woman incompetent mayor.

    How about the Bass-appointed DEI “deputy mayor for safety,” Brian Williams?

    Surely, he stepped up in the mayor’s absence, given his purview of the city’s “safety?” Nope.

    You see, he is currently under suspension for suspicion of phoning in a bomb threat to Los Angeles City Hall.

    Well, how about the DEI- and the much-acclaimed “first Latina” director of Los Angeles’s vast waterworks? Bass recruited such talent by nearly doubling the job’s normal salary to $750,000 per year.

    What did she accomplish on her over $2,000-a-day salary? Did Janisse Quiñones, “the new Chief Executive Officer and Chief Engineer of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and the “first Latina woman to lead the organization,” leap into action?

    Well, the water very quickly ran out in Pacific Palisades, and the hydrants went dry—as many had been for months prior.

    Quiñones claimed that “three million gallons” in tanks above the suburb were mysteriously not up to the task of quenching the LA Dresden. You think?

    She apparently gauges disaster preparation by the number of gallons of water available in tanks, not the number of gallons needed to save thousands of homes and lives. And she forgot to tell the public that in fact there is a 117-million-gallon water reservoir atop Pacific Palisades built for some purpose unknown to her.

    Yet it was empty and “under repair” for months because of a mere damaged cover. Consider that: a dry autumn, the onset of the usual Santa Ana winds, a recent plague of hilltop wildfires, and Quiñones shuts down the linchpin of a prior generation’s plan to save the Palisades.

    Note Quiñones was supposed to be the professional replacement for a retired director of water and power, who himself had been a replacement for another director who was found guilty of bribery and is currently in federal prison.

    So goes the agency created by water wizard William Mulholland, who once created the 18-million-person Los Angeles megapolis by tapping every river and reservoir he could to feed the city’s unquenchable thirst for water.

    How about fire chief Kristen Crowley? She now blames the mayor for dry hydrants. But in doing so, she pleaded that her job starts only after water flows out of them—as if their inert condition is not really her concern.

    The self-celebrity, nonbinary fire chief Kristen Crowley has talked nonstop for the last two years about “diversity, equity, and inclusion” and the “LGBTQ community.” Less was said about the need to ensure the most meritocratic force possible, unmatched equipment, and long preplanned measures to prevent conflagrations—and screaming to high heaven that fire hydrants were either being stolen or bone dry.

    Instead, like Bass, Crowley was mostly mute about the lack of preparation or the absence of sufficient warning to those about to be engulfed.

    How about her deputy Kristine Lawson, who claimed people in need want to see fire officers arrive who look like they do? And if they don’t?

    She is also on record with this: “Am I able to carry your husband out of a fire? He got himself in the wrong place if I have to carry him out.” Consider that helpful LAFD logic: So, if you are a man who suffers cardiac arrest and collapses on your kitchen floor, it is your fault that you died without medical attention, not Kristine’s, who apparently either would not or could not carry you out the door.

    How about morally bankrupt politicians?

    The speaker of the California Assembly, Robert Rivas, along with Governor Gavin Newsom, had just called a special session of the legislature to “Trump-proof” California. He wished to allot millions of dollars in state funds—in a year of massive deficits—to sue and impede the federal government.

    Will Rivas’s Trump “resistance” session include canceling California’s simultaneous request for hundreds of billions of federal dollars for Los Angeles from the Trump administration? When asked whether it was wise to borrow millions to sue Trump while Los Angeles was burning, Rivas mumbled, stuttered, and revealed himself to be little more than a caricature of an incompetent.

    Governor Gavin “Nero” Newsom made his usual performance art, virtual-signaling appearance. When asked why the hydrants were dry, he batted it off as a “local problem.” He now uses his own campaign website, linked to Democratic fundraising efforts, to warn the fire-struck public about supposed “misinformation.”

    But what could Newsom do or say? His entire tenure is synonymous with too many catastrophic forest fires and too little water.

    He did nothing after the catastrophic Aspen and Paradise fires to revive the timber industry to glean and clean the forests. He never allowed much new grazing on fuel-rich hills or sent crews in to cut back the chaparral.

    He never reconsidered his policies of diverting precious snowmelt from the Sacramento River tributaries to flow into the sea to help the delta smelt rather than to ensure that farmers could irrigate their crops or that Los Angeles County reservoirs were fully banked.

    Despite an approved 2014 $7.5 billion bond to build three huge dams and reservoirs, Newsom ensured that we built none: not the easily constructed Sites reservoir, not Temperance Flat, and not Los Banos Grandes, all tertiary foothill reservoirs that could have given California by now nearly five million additional acre-feet of storage.

    Or is it worse than that?

    Governor Dam-Buster still brags about how he greenlit blowing up four dams on the Klamath River—the largest dam removal in American history. The dams provided 80,000 homes with clean hydroelectric power, farmers with irrigation water, and the public with recreation and flood control.

    Instead of following the voters’ bond to build reservoirs and dams, Newsom preferred to dynamite them. The ensuing muddy deluge wiped out the surrounding riparian ecosystem.

    Joe Biden, now in the last days of his disastrous tenure, was in the LA area by chance to boast that he had put thousands of valuable federal square miles off limits.

    Instead, he mumbled about his new great-grandson and relief that his kid’s house was saved, as the fire was engulfing 12,000 homes of others. Then Biden unceremoniously left, heartbroken that his last junket to Italy might have to be canceled as Los Angeles continued to burn. Later he too grumbled about “misinformation,” which is his synonym for telling the truth about the Los Angeles green woke bomb.

    Kamala Harris? Was the vice president perhaps marshaling federal money and assets to stop the fires in her last weeks in office? After all, we remember from her 2024 campaign Harris’s frenzied efforts to help out during national disasters, as she scolded the capable Florida governor Ron DeSantis that he was not partnering enough with her to mitigate the effects of flooding.

    She too proved invisible other than remarking the fire was “apocalyptic.” Instead, Harris was too busy planning a multimillion-dollar junket in her last week in office and of free royal travel.

    Insurance? Is there some plan to rebuild these suburbs as they were, to ensure there are some $300 billion to pay out claims? Well, no again. The state is broke and is driving out insurance companies, not enticing them in. Its public “Fair” unfair insurance plan of last resort is underfunded and will go insolvent once a week or two of claims flows in.

    California’s failure to effectively prevent and put out fires—along with hyper-regulation and failure to combat an epidemic of insurance fraud—has destroyed the state’s insurance industry. Given the prior inability of homeowners to buy credible fire insurance at any cost, there are thousands of now-homeless who had no insurance at all.

    How about the region’s large homeless population that camps out on the streets and in the tinderbox chaparral above the suburbs? Did the city investigate arson or detain, arrest, charge, and jail those rounded up with incendiary devices or seen lighting fires? Of course not. They vetoed any notion long ago of an anti-camping ordinance.

    Collective Suicide

    Add it all up.

    The California nihilist green ethos and the left-wing politicians who run the madhouse ensured there is no effort to glean the forests and hills of combustible fuel.

    There is not enough water for hydrants, not enough to deliver to Los Angeles, and when it arrives, there is too much incompetence to know how to use it.

    There were no real warnings to residents that they had mere minutes to flee for their lives. Or was it worse still? As the fires wore on, continuous false alarms of new fires sparked unnecessary and dangerous mass evacuations citywide, destroying what, if any, trust was left in the fire department.

    There is no reason to believe that such derelict politicians during the next fire will not again be AWOL on DEI junkets, boasting of their genders, their race, and their sexual orientation, but not of their duties to those whose lives they are sworn to protect.

    The final tragic irony?

    California’s DEI “humanism” and Green New Deal environmentalism ensured the cruelest imaginable treatment of thousands of people and unrivaled destruction of the natural ecosystem.

    No one in the government dares to guess about what might have caused the fires, even as they cry “climate change”—as if to do so would expose their own incompetency or confirm rumors of sporadic homeless arsonists.

    The California green utopians, by their very ideological zealotry, ensured their fires likely will have released into the atmosphere several weeks’ worth of the entire state’s collective auto emissions.

    The fires will have wiped out thousands of protected flora and fauna, will have released toxic fumes into the air, and will have destroyed the lives of thousands of Los Angeles residents for years to come.

    To paraphrase a 1960s California left-wing slogan—green-woke is not healthy for children and other living things.

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/13/2025 – 17:00

  • Texas Sues Allstate For Secretly Tracking Drivers Through Apps, Using Data To Raise Rates
    Texas Sues Allstate For Secretly Tracking Drivers Through Apps, Using Data To Raise Rates

    The state of Texas has sued Allstate and a subsidiary, Arity, accusing the insurance giant of illegally tracking drivers through cell phone apps without their consent and then using the data to charge more for car insurance.

    Photo: Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

    According to Texas AG Ken Paxton, Allstate created the “world’s largest driving behavior database,” which collected information on more than 45 million Americans after paying mobile app developers millions of dollars to secretly incorporate tracking software. The software was designed beginning in 2015 by Allstate’s data analytics unit, Arity, and integrated into several apps such as Fuel Rewards, GasBuddy, Life360 and Allstate-owned Routely.

    In a Monday complaint filed in a Texas state  court near Houston, Texas says Allstate also profited by selling the data to other insurers.

    According to a press release from Paxton, These actions violated the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (“TDPSA”), which created heightened protections for Texans’ sensitive data, including but not limited to precise geolocation information. The law requires clear notice and informed consent regarding how a company will use Texans’ sensitive data. Allstate never provided notice or obtained Texans’ consent to collect or sell their sensitive data. This is the first enforcement action ever filed by a State Attorney General to enforce a comprehensive data privacy law.

    In addition, Texas has accused Allstate of purchasing data about vehicles’ whereabouts directly from automakers in order to more accurately determine – not based on cellphone locations – when policyholders are actually driving.

    Participating manufacturers allegedly include; Toyota, Lexus, Mazda, and Stellantis’ Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati and Ram.

    The lawsuit seeks restitution and other damages for consumers, along with civil fines of up to $10,000 per violation, and the destruction of illegally collected data.

    Paxton filed a similar lawsuit in August accusing General Motors of installing tracking technology on over 14 million vehicles since 2015 to collect driver data, which the company sold to insurers and other companies without drivers’ consent.

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/13/2025 – 16:40

  • Climate Jeezus Taketh Away
    Climate Jeezus Taketh Away

    Authored by James Howard Kunstler via Kunstler.com,

    “State Farm, my insurer for decades, canceled my insurance and everyone in our immediate neighborhood just before the fire. State Farm WASN’T there. . . .”

    – James Woods

    “So-called progressives finally achieved what they supposedly warned of but in truth wished for: the eviction of the affluent descendants of colonizers, the incineration of their homes, and the destruction of a city that, more than any other, represents our bloody history of white supremacy and conquest.”

    – Michael Shellenberger

    For those in the USA with an interest in collapsing the USA, the Los Angeles fire is the gift that will keep on giving, and George Soros hardly had to cough up a dime to make it happen. From the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion angle, the fire got‘er done, cleansing nearly the entire PacPal population of snooty, rich, white “allies” of the oppressed and marginalized – who will now have LA to themselves. 

    Chez Whitey is “closed for renovations,” and it might be twenty years before it can re-open, if ever.

    Probably never, if the California Coastal Commission has anything to say about it. And why wouldn’t they? They do not generally approve of stuff getting built right up on the beach.

    They were probably all down on their knees Sunday in the Church of Luxury Belief thanking Climate Jeezus for sweeping Malibu and the hills above it clean.

    Ronald Reagan’s daughter, Patti Davis, rent her garments in The New York Times Sunday op-ed page, wailing:

    “My anger over what we have done to this fragile, exquisite Earth was muffled by grief until the other evening when I was watching a news program that had a panel of commentators. The subject was Los Angeles on fire, and one person mentioned climate change as a cause. Another commentator smirked and said he didn’t believe it was the cause.

    I felt rage surge up past my grief.

    My first thought was: “You think you know more than scientists?”

    Of course, my first thought reading that was: Who is paying those scientists? The same question you might ask of the scientists at the CDC, NIH, FDA, and NIAID who declared that Covid-19 was definitely not created in a Wuhan lab, and the mRNA vaccines were “safe and effective.”

    My second thought was: could you possibly find a better example of elite Utopian-Woke performative acting-out?

    My third thought was: since when are “experts” infallible? 

    My fourth thought was: doesn’t science advance on the basis of continuous argument?

    My fifth thought was: if Patti Davis is watching the news, she must be in some comfortable and probably luxurious place that did not burn down.

    So much for my thoughts, entertained without the rending of garments.

    More to the point of the fire itself, you must wonder what is happening to those tens of thousands of displaced persons and families right now? How many of them are sleeping out on their smoldering properties, or in their cars, or just shivering on a sidewalk somewhere. It does not seem possible that they all found a place to go, certainly not at their neighbors’ houses, who were all burnt-out, too. . . and there are just so many hotel rooms not occupied by “the undocumented.” Anyway, how many families can stay in hotel rooms that go for $1,000-a-night, and for how many nights? How many of them lost absolutely everything, including the possibility of a future?

    Which gets you to the realization that we have barely begun to see the knock-on effects of this catastrophe. Those tens of thousands of the burnt-out will not be reporting to work anytime soon. They will have all they can do to find a roof over their heads while they hassle with FEMA officials, State of California bureaucrats, insurance company claims agents, and other “helpers.” The rebuilding quandaries have already been rehearsed in the news. Even if politicians suspended all the building and zoning codes, and the tax issues, where will so many contractors come from in any reasonable time-frame? And where do you put all that melted plastic goop and toxic ash that remains on-the-ground where peoples’ lives used to be?

    If you lost a house valued at $5-million, it will cost you at least $10-million to replace it. Good luck, even if you were a mid-level movie star. Of course, if your insurance got cancelled lately — or you just didn’t have any because it cost too much — then there is zero chance you will get to even fantasize about living in the hills above Malibu ever again. And that job you’re not able to go to right now due to the pressing needs of sheer survival on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. . . you might never go to that job again. The business you worked for might not be there anymore, either.

    If there was ever a proverbial last-grain-of-sand-in-a-landslide, the Great 2025 Los Angeles Fire must be a sure thing vis-a-vis the US economy, especially the financial side of it. An awful lot of homeowners will not be paying their mortgages on a smoldering empty lot. The banks are not in super-fabulous condition these days.

    How many loans-gone-bad will it take to wreck already unstable banks? And, by the way, the collateral isn’t even there anymore. The re-po man is out of the picture.

    What happens to the insurance companies? And the re-insurance companies who theoretically stand behind the insurers? I’ll tell you what happens: they will be backstopped by the government, which doesn’t have the money to backstop them. . . but will create it out of pixels on screens. . . which means expect a considerable uptick in inflation (i.e., a downtick in the purchasing power of the dollar), which will be a black eye for the new Trump administration. How does all this thunder through the US economy as a whole?

    Nobody really know just yet, but the signs are not reassuring. You can infer countless chains-of-consequence. Friday’s action in the financial markets felt like a tremor of things to come. The Bubble-of All-Bubbles abides. . . for how long?

    Tyler Durden
    Mon, 01/13/2025 – 16:20

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