Friday, April 28, 2023

Listen-up BRICS & other out-of-line nations: no country can have a "Sphere of Influence" except for the USA!

That seems to be what our Fed Gov't has been saying for years.  Talk about hubris!


It's no wonder that countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, pockets of Europe, and a few other places are fed-up-to-the-gills with the USA's holier-than-thou arrogance.  The majority of our politicians appear to be stuck in the Past, with no clue as to how the world is changing.  They cling to the hostile, immature concept of:  whoever has the biggest stick gets to make all the rules.

Add to the above the fact that we're overextended financially and militarily, plus we're in massive ecological overshoot, and it becomes clear why the USA Empire is crumbling.  In the long run, that's a good thing.  The Rat-Race existence which some refer to as "The American Dream" is somewhat like junk food.  It looks good and tastes good, but it's not especially good for you.

A few have awakened (some long ago), but most of our politicians are in a dogmatic slumber, and such does not bode well for Main Street or the world.  The sleepers are stuck in war, trickle-down economics, patriarchy, neocolonialism, neoliberalism, and "holier-than-thou"-ism.  It doesn't have to be this way.

Politicians who are stuck in the Past (McCarthy, Pence, Trump, Biden, Schumer, et al.) don't have a majority of voters supporting them today but are at the top of the game because of the RNC and the DNC.  Those two Committees  (it seems to me) make sure that forward-looking, comprehensive thinkers don't get nominated to run for President.  So with the Dems, people like Warren and Sanders don't have a chance.  With the Repubs, someone who has (for example) a non-interventionist foreign policy - such as Rand Paul - has no chance either.

What it all means to me is as follows.  The stale, out-of-touch, Establishment factions - which are the majority in the top tiers of each major Party - will almost always be the lapdogs of the Oligarchs and Plutocrats.  Overall, that means we'll continue to have wars, interventions, sanctions, eco-overshoot, insane military spending, neocolonialism, etc.  That is, unless we...
stop electing those who adhere to failed concepts/policies/actions.

Neoliberalism, neocolonialism, trickle-down economics, constant intervention in the affairs of other nations, spying on literally everyone, trying to be the world's police, financial/economic sanctions (which harm Main Streets more than Leaders), and acting as if we are King of the World are all not only bad ideas/actions, but also dangerous to world stability.  If - because of the RNC & DNC - only oligarch lapdogs are on the ticket, then vote for the Green Party (which is better by far for the world than the major Parties) , or the Constitution Party, or the Libertarian Party, or some other Party. 

People say, but third parties don't have a chance of getting elected.  They certainly don't if everyone keeps saying and believing that.  In any case, such could be a loud message to the major Parties, a boycott of sorts...IF enough people participated.  Or, simply don't vote.  The game is rigged anyway (but not in the manner thought by the Trump Cult).

I've been keenly observing USA elections since 1956 and one thing is clear.  About 95% of the time, voters keep electing the same types of politicians to high office:  smooth talkers, believers in USA hegemony, people who essentially are ecologically illiterate, those who think infinite economic growth is a good thing, people who have interventionist foreign policies, and those who believe the USA should be the world's police force.  All of that must cease if we are to provide our progeny a sustainable future.
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Wednesday, April 26, 2023

"Jeffrey Sachs on China's 'Historic' Push for Multipolar World to End U.S. Domination"

If only Biden & Crew had even half the knowledge and experience in diplomacy and history as does Sachs, the world would be much safer.  [Trump would need ten times as much:]

If you're pressed for time, fast-forward to the beginning of the Sachs interview at 3:28.  In any case, don't miss the last one-third starting at about 15:35.  Especially don't miss the hypothetical situation involving Mexico & China described starting at 22:44.

You won't find most of this on the mainstream (corporate) media.  Why?  Because it runs contrary to the propaganda supporting the concept of USA's hegemony.
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Monday, April 24, 2023

For any new readers here,

at the link below you'll find my bona fides---


Also, some of you may have noticed that recently my book received a 1-Star review on Amazon.  I'm not concerned about the 1-Star rating because as the old saying goes, you can't please all the people all the time.  Plus, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

What I must comment on, though, are the two blatant lies in the review.  According to the reviewer, 
1)  the book is "climate denial", which is so false it's laughable; and
2)  the book is "anti-scientific", which also is false.
I've been steeped in science ever since the early 1960's, in academia, government employment, and environmental work in the private sector.  The book reflects that with specific examples.

I have no idea which specific ax this reviewer has to grind with me, but again, I don't mind critical, contrary opinions...as long as no falsehoods are involved.  Number 1) above is completely refuted by only two pages in my book, 37-38, and pretty much refuted in several other places.  Number 2) above is refuted by almost the entire book.  Just so you know.
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Be Well

Thursday, April 20, 2023

"LAST WARNING to Family and Friends"

Below is a recent email I sent (slightly edited).
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RE:  the Financial/Economic Crash---

1.  In the past few days, I've watched the analyses of about a dozen or so well-known financial and/or economic forecasters who have stellar past records (multiple times) re predictions on these topics, people such as Michael Burry, Warren Buffett, Charley Munger, Ray Dalio, et al.  The clips were no more than a week old.  Long story short (no time for details):  the probability is extremely high that the Crash will begin this year, and it will be a hard landing.  They all agree, with only minor variations.  All that, plus what I've seen for the past few years, reinforces my belief in a 90%-95% probability of the start of a Crash shortly.  [Or arguably, it already has begun.]  It will be global in effect.

NOTE:  I predicted the same thing for 2016, but my confidence in that forecast was only about 75%.

2.  Also viewed about a dozen precious metals analysts (Jim Rickards, Mike Maloney, et al.) who basically agree with number 1 above, & because of that, most say the probability is extremely high for gold to go to about $2200 and silver to about $35 by the end of the year or perhaps Jan. -Feb.  Then, in the following 1 - 3 years, gold at $4K - $5K and silver at $100 - $300.  [Silver has multiple industrial uses, especially in the High Tech sector, & especially in solar energy...never mind the "store-of-value" monetary attraction.  Demand is increasing.]
I don't follow it, but Bitcoin probably will be at a gazillion $. :)

So, plan accordingly...or not.
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Monday, April 10, 2023

Part II: ANOTHER BIG reason why the U.S. Empire is nearing the end of that road

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C47uM-Ieyc&list=WL&index=73

Pay particular attention to the woman who is a former diplomat for the African Union.  She pulls no punches.

Like the South and Central American situation in the post immediately before this one, the African dissatisfaction with the U.S. Government's hubris goes way back.  It's not only the fault of Biden and Obama.  It goes back to at least just shy of JFK's Administration, and for all I know, further back than that.

Whether they mean to or not, our politicians seem to project a "holier-than-thou" image  all around the world.  Exceptions to that general observation certainly exist, but they are few.  I've watched it ever since 1956 (that date is not a typo).  Countries put up with it for many decades, but it appears that's over.
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Saturday, April 8, 2023

A BIG reason why the U.S. Empire is nearing the end of that road

 A brilliant analysis---
p.s.  Reminder:  I love the Land in which I live (the USA), but that doesn't mean I have to support the neoliberal incompetents (or their puppets) in Power here.  They continue to ruin my country, and it doesn't matter much at all whether Repubs or Dems are in the Oval Office or in control of Congress.  99% (+/-) of them promulgate a foreign policy which is arrogant, hostile, and generally harmful to the world.  They all should be voted out of office ASAP.
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Thursday, April 6, 2023

The desperate attempt by the Fed Reserve to save the hegemonic, declining USA Empire

Below  is my response (edited) to an email I received.
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Thanks for the piece on FedNow (which does NOT use blockchain technology).  The Fed is trying to save the world reserve currency status of the Dollar (USD), something which is being threatened on multiple fronts.  My take on FedNow is as follows.

1. Sounds too good to be true (for central bank interactions).  ðŸ˜Š  Actually, it's a horrible concept when it gets down to the Main Street consumer level.  If I understand it correctly, you may as well add the Fed to your bank account as a co-account-holder.  [Why would anyone do anything similar to that!?  Mind boggling:]

2.  Even with FedNow, the USD is still FIAT currency, backed by a Gov't which essentially is bankrupt.  [Never imagined I'd see the day when our national debt was more than $31.5 trillion.  Our GDP is about $21 trillion, which means the Debt never will be repaid in full.  We can't afford it, especially because it gets larger every minute.  Plus, the interest payment alone is $1.3 billion per day.  That's where most of your personal income taxes go.]  Including the national Gov't debt, the corporate debt, and household debt, our total debt is about $70 trillion.  Tragic, and dangerous.

3. FedNow still allows the USA Gov't to lay siege via sanctions to any country it disagrees with , something with which much of the world is fed up.  Arguably, sanctions are an act of war.


4.  For most countries (other than the G-7), it's doubtful that the USD with FedNow would be preferable to a commodity-backed digital currency.  BRICS will have that (or something similar) sooner than later.

5. This whole thing appears mostly to be an attack on cryptos (including upcoming central bank cryptos in other countries), so if it wants to remain competitive, the crypto industry needs to clean up all its stupid problems involving exchanges, access, and fees.  ðŸ˜Š  When it comes to currency, people want something which is easy and accessible.  Crypto never should have called itself a "currency", because it's not.  It's a commodity (and so-defined by the U.S. Gov't), and that's why it's so convoluted and SLOW, and not easy to use.  It's somewhat like trying to buy your groceries with a bar of gold (or a bushel of grain), or even a gram of gold.  That isn't easy unless the normal legal currency has collapsed.

Such has been my main problem with crypto.  Too many people think it's a currency rather than what it is:  a commodity for investment (or barter).  At this time, the only Legal Tender (currency) in the USA is the US Dollar*****.  Everything else pretending to be currency is a commodity used in bartering, or strictly as an investment which later will be exchanged for Legal Tender.  To me, the crypto industry is bordering on (or committing) fraud when it claims to be a "currency".  Definitions matter.  ☺

*****Such was proven years ago when our Gov't cracked down hard on the "Ron Paul Silver Dollar", which was being offered by a group of private individuals as an alternative currency.  https://www.thestreet.com/opinion/raid-on-ron-paul-dollar-maker-10390631
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

"Don't Believe Him"

The Nazis in the 1930's and 1940's used exactly the same propaganda tactic as is used by Trump:  repeat a lie over & over, and m...