Analysis: Why US politicians are fighting the 'woke agenda' I DW News - YouTube 

#DeSantis #Culture

Israel condemns expulsion of its diplomat from African Union summit • FRANCE 24 English - YouTube 

Excess deaths, MP calls for urgent and thorough investigation - YouTube Go to 6:40 for the start of Christine Anderson's speech

"All these people blindly trusted their governments" "A big lie" "It was never about public health. ... It was always about breaking people."

You are a disgrace! Canada PM Trudeau savaged by German MEP at EU Parliament - YouTube (Anderson a few months ago criticizing Trudeau's unconstitutional government violation of citizen's rights)

Pfizer, blanked out pages - YouTube

"When members of the EU Parliament asked Pfizer for copies of the contract that Pfizer apparently entered into with the European Parliament, The European Union, this is the level of transparency that they got back." (100 blanked out pages were apparently supplied, said Campbell.

Global money saturates the globe's leading regulators - title in BMJ

British regulators limit covid vaccines - YouTube

In UK 86% of the regulators' money comes from industry. US 65%. Canada 50% (so a lower amount maybe doesn't mean all that much).

Spain: PM Pedro Sanchez accused of undermining the constitution, capital rocked by protests | WION - YouTube 

#Spain #Europe

DeSantis Proposes Statewide Ban on COVID 19 Pandemic Mitigation Measures - YouTube 

Politics are becoming a politics of grievance - Jon Alterman

And how can you have a healthy society built on that?

A constant rallying point, US, Israel, Middle East. Partially driven by social media and by PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO CHOSE individually what they like (they chose what gives them an emotional response).

"It's strange that the places we see it most effective (the move away from politics of grievance) is authoritarian states that try not to have politics.

#government

Gravitas: Israeli leader calls for targeted assassinations after blasts - YouTube 

Trump announced he would run in 2024 last week

He gave a long announcement speech. Some commented he seemed more tired than last time.

Democrats did better than expected (past few months expectation)

People thought Republicans would take maybe both houses, because of taxes and Biden things, but now people think that because of the Republican pro-life thing, people went out and voted Democrat.

Also bad candidates hurt the Republicans.

Biden maybe 'caused global inflation', but 'people still have their jobs.' And they vote how they feel.

Sam Bankman-Fried's political connections. Take this video with a grain of salt. This YouTuber just came across my feed, so I don't know how reliable he is. Later though, I saw quite a lot of YouTubers covering this, including MSM.

What the Media Won't Tell You About Sam Bankman-Fried/FTX - YouTube

US midterm elections

Summers said he thought it was a step away from extremes toward a stable center holding. People not fighting over the results, losing candidates conceding.

California votes on adding abortion rights to constitution • FRANCE 24 English - YouTube 

#Law #HumanRights

US Midterm Elections: 'Facts don't seem to matter anymore' • FRANCE 24 English - YouTube 

#Pluralism #Diplomacy #Tribalism

Sunak inherits Political Mess - YouTube

5PMs in 6 years for UK. Each one so impressive!

Ethiopian government, Tigray rebels meet for first peace talks since war began • FRANCE 24 English - YouTube 

How many meetings, over what time frame, is average for a significantly solid peace, in this region and in other regions?

Kanye buying Parler Social Media platform?

"Nashville-based Parler, which has raised about $56 million till date, said it expects the deal to close during the fourth quarter of 2022. It did not give a deal value." - Reuters

Kanye has been blocked from his Insta etc accounts in the past.

Over the past weeks there have been big protests in Iran, and dozens of people have died

Iran arrests ex-president Rafsanjani's daughter Faezeh Hashemi for 'inciting protesters'| World News - YouTube 

Health uber alles - Dennis Prager

"In the name of health, you can do ANYTHING. Anything. You can lie, you can suppress, you can be cruel, you can distort, you can get rid of doctors who dissent, in the name of health."

Trump's ideas are now sort of the orthodoxy - Victor Davis Hanson

"He could say, I gave you this agenda. That everybody seems to agree that we have to restore the industrial capacity of America. We've gotta be tough on China. We've gotta have a border that's secure. We have to have a different foreign policy. We have to have responsible monetary policy. We've gotta pump oil and gas. And people were not talking about it like I was. And now we're all on the same page."

Versus the Left's 'Lassaz-faire creative destruction 'They should have learned code' (Left turned on its base who didn't succeed like they had) we need cheap labor from other countries for corporate America so we need an open border.' They substituted White for class. Not just black people, but everybody has grievances (even rich ones) against Whites.

Hanson says Trump has to not dwell on himself though, if he wants to be current. Or that he could step aside, allowing his ideas to continue for the party but with someone who won't incite the NeverTrumpers. More easy to focus on the issues.

The Left has the money, the influence, the reach, in this new globalized economy. The Right has the middle classes.

A Versailles Left that dresses up and plays like peasants, moralistic. A Jacobin Left that doesn't believe people are able to make better decisions than they as government can for everyone. A Maoist Left.

US Propaganda Bots Spam Memes at Russia - YouTube 

#MIC #Economy

Is it that there wasn't allowed video before? This release of video has been a headline.

A few hundred people entered the Capitol building 2 years ago.

In the event, one woman died from being shot. During the event, 3 other people had medical emergencies which they died from.

He's talking about July 4, one of the 3 holidays where Americans spend a ton of money. They buy lots of food and gas. We'll see if they can afford to do it this year like past years.

Difference from 2008. 2008 it affected roughly 60% of the population. Today, with inflation, no matter who you are, where you live, how much you make, it will affect you.

Trump misidentified the stock market as the thing Americans look to to decide whether things are good or bad. Biden misidentified jobs.

33% of Americans blame the war in Ukraine. 25% blame corporations for charging too much (Biden is trying to blame Exxon etc for the reason why gas prices are so high).

"The key is not who they blame. The fundamental key is who they think is trying to solve it. And this is where the administration comes up short."

"The Biden administration is afraid of the political impact so they're downplaying the personal impact. And the truth is they should be candid."

Some want Belgium to apologize, not just express regret, but he didn't do this during his speech during his visit.

#Colonialism

Cost is $100k. 9 month study starting this year.

#NASA #SIC

They also lifted tariffs on solar powers from (not China but) Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Thailand.

US is investigating if some Chinese companies are circumventing US customs duties by assembling parts in poor countries.

The same Defense Production Act that Biden used to force more baby food production: Baby formula shortage in USA big plant (Abbot in Michigan) was put on pause by the FDA. After some

The FDA commissioner was grilled today by Congress about why it's taken months to investigate the Abbot lab. He said they could have done better.

One of the bills passed by congress was to increase funding for the FDA, partially so they can do more oversight.

BIden invoked the Defense Protection Act, a wartime tool, to force manufacturers who produce baby formula to prioritize baby food.

It's had this status since it opened in the 1960s, so it can do it's own utilities and emergency services and things no the ground it occupies. It made this arrangement with Florida back then.

But recently CEOs for Disney there spoke out against a bill (the bill would ban the teaching of gender issues to children kindergarden - grade 3) and said they'd try to have it appealed.

Florida politicians didn't like that such a big company can try to effect lawmaking in this way.

The bill to take away Disney's self-governing status is making it's way through legal channels very quickly. But Disney has some months before it would take effect anyway, so the matter isn't settled for sure.

50m people visit Disney each year.

"We're seeing an incredible, very interesting shift in German politics not only when it comes to supplying these weapons [to Ukraine] but also on this discourse on this discussion What it means to be a pacifist. And it's just standing by from the sidelines and seeing how Russia continues to attack Ukraine. ... Many are saying that if you want to support peace and you want to actually support Ukraine they need more than just solidarity on social media. They need either this oil and gas embargo or they need delivery of the heavy weapons the Ukrainian president has repeatedly requested." People saying you can still be a pacifist while calling for and supplying these weapons for Ukraine.

This activist movement in Germany is reportedly a changed movement, the same movement that in the 60s and 80s called for disarmament, especially nuclear disarmament.

Another thing Germans are saying is that one of the reasons this war occurred is because of NATO expansion.

In Germany the main activists protesting are Germans, Ukrainians and Syrians.

#Germany #Ideology #Ukraine

PM Boris Johnson also made headlines this week for making an apology for violating mask mandate (and something about a fine).

#UK #Migration

Guns that can be ordered as a kit and assembled (from 3 or 4 large parts or blocks of parts, it looks like).

Macron still expected to keep his position, though.

#France

India has appeared somewhat in Western news over recent weeks with a sort of insinuation that it shouldn't buy Russian oil. However, today an Indian politician noted that India's monthly purchase of Russian oil is less than Europe's daily purchase.

Of Tehran could serve as Russia's broker, taking a cut of the "illicit" trade it facilitates on Russia's behalf.

Iran has a 'money laundering' architecture, a system they could make available to others.

US/West kicked Iran of Swift, reduced their oil sales from 2.5b barrels to a few hundred thousand. So Iran has dealt with harsher sanctions than Russia (which still sells gas to Europe and has some institutions on Swift reportedly).

#Iran #Russia #Sanctions

... the commenter said Z couldn't ban those ones.

AP published an article saying the research article was 'flawed.'

#PIC #Journalism

They posted a list on their website.

Victor Gao of Soochow U said China believes Ukraine has been used by the US and Western countries. He said what the US and Europe were doing with sanctions were destabilizing for the region.

He said US benefits because they want to sell L&G to Europe without competition from Russia, whose LNG is cheaper and more sustainable.

#Russia #US #China

"The ultra-nationalists and neo-nazis who seized power in Kiev after a revolution supported by the West unleashed real terror.

"It is impossible to remember the terrible tragedy in Odessa on May 2, 2014 without shuddering.... The criminals who committed this crime were known by name. They posed in front of cameras ...

"Attempts to draw the attention of the UN human rights council to the atrocities that have been going on for 8 years ran into their indifference." etc. Speech in YouTube link below outlines Russias position.

Ukraine's crimes are not punished | Russian FM to UN Council - YouTube

#Russia #Ukraine

#Russia #Europe

FIFA refused to suspend teams located in Israeli settlements in Israeli occupied lands, which violate FIFA's own rules (teams can't play in the territory of another country), according to Ali Abunimah.

#Sport #Diplomacy

... in like 1990 (but over several years, and under several US presidents making having talks). The idea was that in the talks, there was nothing in writing, but it was made clear to Moscow that if the SU allowed the reunification of Germany that NATO would not be expanded. That NATO troops would not be able to enter into the eastern part of Germany (only to West Germany).

It wasn't a treaty, but it was (people are saying) the agreement that was made.

#IR #Germany #Russia

"But I actually think that what's going on here is that the West is leading Ukraine down the primrose path, and the end result is that Ukraine is going to get wrecked. And I believe that the policy [of] neutralizing Ukraine, building it up economically, getting it out of the competition between Russia on one side and NATO on the other is the best thing that could happen to the Ukrainians.

"What we're doing is encouraging the Ukrainians to play tough with the Russians. We're encouraging the Ukrainians to think that they will ultimately become part of the West, because we will ultimately defeat Putin and we will ultimately get our way. Time is on our side. And of course the Ukrainians are playing along with this and ... almost completely unwilling to compromise with the Russians, and instead wanna pursue a hardline policy.

"... it would make much more sense for us to work to create a neutral Ukraine."

#Russia #Ukraine

US government entered after saying Iran had weapons of mass destruction, and held up that little prop vial on TV.

Ideas of Ali Abunimah talking to BreakThrough News:

"After 9/11, there was this atmosphere of jingoism, of war fever, of vengefulness, that was directed at other countries and very quickly towards Afghanistan and also toward Iraq. We know how that played out. But also it was internally directed because if you were Muslim, Sikhs, people of color generally lived in terror in this country at that time. ... There was pervasive fear not just of vigilante attacks but of government, monitoring and deportations. ... If you said, "Why did this happen? How did this happen? What led to this point? What are the policies of the US that could have created the conditions for this to happen, you were accused of justifying it. You were accused of justifying it, you were treated as an enemy. You were treated as a traitor. Nothing would be allowed to interfere with the headlong rush into war.

"The 9/11 attacks happened in September. By late October the US was invading Afghanistan. Then ... in 2003 they started the march to the war in Iraq based on lies. One of the lies was that Saddam Hussein was involved in 9/11. There was absolutely no evidence of that but it was a story they put out. polls ... the majority of Americans believed [that] ... in addition to the question of weapons of mass destruction."

"I would ask a lot of people who naively supported the invasion of Afghanistan back then, 'If you knew what you know now back then, would you support it again?' Same with Iraq. Forget about people who say this is immoral, this is illegal, this is a war crime."

"People would say, 'But we were attacked.'"

"That's a fact we can't change. Is the response to escalate more war or is it to seek a different approach?"

"I get the same responses today. When you say, 'How did we get here?' you're accused of justifying what Putin did. You're taking the side of Russia. "

"One of the grievances Putin has is the expansion of NATO."

#Russia #IR

#Ukraine

#Norway #Russia #Europe

... some say. He didn't accept the US invitation for him to come to the States. He reportedly hasn't been avoiding battles, joining the soldiers where the fighting is. And he has demonstrated he can work 24 hours a day.

#Ukraine #Europe #Leader

#Propaganda

In Belarus, on the Ukraine-Belarus border. Delegations from each country which don't include the two leaders.

#Russia #Ukraine #Belarus #Diplomacy

The West said they wouldn't recognize the referendum results, which happened while Russia was invading Ukraine and while Belarus was serving as a launchpad for some of the invading Russian troops.

#Belarus #Russia

They left out 18-49 year-olds, basically skewing the data to sell booster efficacy, according to Breaking Points. Apparently they also had data about breakthrough infections and didn't publish it.

The C.D.C. Isn’t Publishing Large Portions of the Covid Data It Collects - The New York Times 

CDC CAUGHT Hiding Troves Of Booster Shot Data | Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar - YouTube

#CDC #PIC

If you are an app developer, and you sell your app data to some company, it can be used this way.

Some of these apps are for things like gay dating (Bro) and religious prayer and study (Muslim Pro, an app that notifies people 5 times per day it's time for them to pray) (Full Quran, an audio book of the Quran), as well as one where people upload their faces and do virtual makeup on it (Perfect365).

#Privacy #CivilRights #HumanRights

"Never in my 56 years have I ever experienced a country so divided, so full of hatred towards friends and neighbors. They may have opinions that differ from theirs, but they're so willing to publicly shame and humiliate and spew forth angry vitriol. We have been called 'terrorists.' For the first 36 we were inundated with hatred with threats of violence. People threatened our team on the phone, telling them "We're coming to get you." "We're going to throw bricks through your window." "You'll pay for this you nazi supporter." I personally have been called a disgusting pig of a woman and that I shall rot in hell." Our rural shop out in Meritville, Ontario, someone draped a large bedsheet over our sign ... and the sign read, "Tammy supports terrorists." - Tammy, the woman who was doxed after donating $250 of her own money to the Canadian trucker protest.

"Late yesterday messages of support and encouragement started to arrive, and people from coast to coast to coast throughout Canada and the US, they've been buying gift cards online and calling themselves 'guardian angels.'"

"Our kids arrived today and there were heart-shaped balloons hanging from the door handle and the window was covered with little sticky notes and they were all these inspiration notes of encouragement.

#Canada #Communication

"Globally, it's in the millions."

He said a study published in Lancet suggests roughly 40% of deaths in the first year were unnecessary.

The Pfizer vaccine now accounts for 25% of the company's profits.

The People's Vaccine Project estimates the 3 vaccine makers make about $65k a minute from the vaccines (that would mean $93m per day).

In 2021 the vaccines created 9 new billionaires, according to Oxfam (months ago though so could be more).

The vaccines were developed with taxpayer money (Moderna). The president and Congress have not really done much to try to have them pay taxes on excess profits in this type of moment.

His book is about people who took advantage or made profits from the pandemic, such as Bezos.

#PIC #Pharma

... in Australia. It's the image of it. (I haven't watched it.)

But an example of what happens when not everyone quietly does what the government says or avoids things, but instead goes about their civilian life which causes a confrontation.

A lockdown solely for the unvaccinated. Tyranny? It was a Christmas without being allowed to go out. Only out for "essential reasons" like shopping at the supermarket.

In a couple weeks there will be vaccine mandate, meaning there will no longer be a choice to not get the vaccine (except a few medical exceptions). Those not vaccinated will have to pay 200 Euros per person per month. If you refuse, you will be fined a further 3600 Euros. Then they will start confiscating your property and then send people to jail, at least according to some.

Protests of even over 100k people (country has 8.5m people).

A general strike is currently being organized, and is seen as the most effective way to fight back against the government.

Regarding data protection (which is a serious thing in Europe), does this introduce an unlawful dragnet search?

I’m Living In A Prison Country - YouTube

The vlogger says she doesn't see an effortless end to this, but rather actions and courageousness to fight the government.

#Austria #DataProtection #PIC #Pharma

Some claim the economic incentive causes bad data and perhaps less than great practice.

Tax funded.

#Health

In 2020 Q1, the total deaths of people from ONLY Covid (no other underlying conditions), was 9400. Average age 81. That was when the pandemic started, and there were not yet any vaccines.

(UK has 68m people.)

2021 Q1, total deaths 6500. Average age around the same.

Q2 total deaths 350.

Q3 total deaths 1150.

In the first 3 quarters of 2021, 17,500 people died of Covid without having other underlying conditions. The average age was 82 years (higher than average life expectancy 79 for men 83 for women).

This is not what MSM in the UK has been leading people to believe. Official government data says 137k people have died as of Sep 30 2021. This includes all deaths where the person tested positive for Covid, no matter how they died. Seven times higher than the data they have not reported.

Relatedly,

A former WHO authority (did he resign?) Karol Sikora (U of Buckingham prof now) said about 50k more people have died from cancer over past 18 months, due to failure to report early, difficulty in seeing a GP, fear of hospital admissions, missed chemo or radio.

There are 6m people waiting for NHS treatment right now.

#Information #Integrity #MSM #Pharma #PIC

... and said, "I really want to piss them off. And so we will continue to do so, to the bitter end. That's the strategy." More protests in the streets followed this. "Liberte" was among the chants.

Recently Biden also said something like he was 'losing patience' with Americans who didn't agree with universal mandatory vaccination in this case, as though he were not the their civil servant but rather their patriarch?

#France

Video interview of author:
Mass Hysteria explained with Professor Bagus - YouTube

Mini-lecture: Philipp Bagus: COVID-19 and the Political Economy of Mass Hysteria [Free Market Road Show] - YouTube

Three strategies recommended in a German government paper: 1. Fear of death by suffocation; 2. Fear of although you get better it can kill you some time later; 3. Having children believe their grandparents can die for their fault.

UK government has been the number one customer for advertising in media in UK since start of pandemic.

All the news, especially in a crisis, comes from the government. You need a good contact. If you act as a media broadcaster for the government, you get special benefits.

If you don't comply with the rules, you are ostracized and a nazi.

Pharma, big tech, and government, cooperating with the government, make this mass hysteria possible.

Ways to reduce stress from mass hysteria: exercise and socializing, seeing the faces of other people, smiling. Having fun. Going out to drink, do sports. Forbidden under 'lockdown.'

Isolation, more vulnerable to messaging (also to 'brainwashing'). Constant bombardment with the same message.

Decline of religion and church (functions in community, support), more vulnerable to mass hysteria, psychological problems in general.

"Constitutions are to protect the citizens against the government, but they did not fulfill this role. If this was their role, they totally failed. So constitutions are not the way to go. I think the size of the government has to be reduced. So the connections to the media, the connections to the government should be totally separated, for Big Tech also, for pharmacy, there should be no influence.' - Phillip Bagus.

'If there is just one voice, if he talks out of this halls of Congress, that normal people cannot walk into, from there he says "There's this killer virus," then you believe. If government would not be responsible for that, if it would be private, there would be many independent specialists about public health, about health issues, which would compete with each other and one would say "This is a killer virus," another would say "No, don't freak out, don't panic, act normal more or less, take some measures." But when you have all this power to the government, then this message of fear can really overwhelm you and lead to the panic.'

Government controls education, the media.

'However, a huge part of the population in this crisis has stopped to believe in government. They have become more skeptical, From all political backgrounds. Because the lies of government, what they told about the vaccine, about the threat, and the harm they actually did to people, that people can actually feel it. Many people want their liberty back.'

'Governments have an incentive to increase threats and use them to increase their power.'

Also, 'With the State, the politicians have very bad incentives with the mass hysteria, because they face asymmetric payoffs. When they underestimate the threat, that is very bad. They will be ousted. They are responsible. If they overestimate threat. There might also be deaths, but they are not as directly connected with the threat (suicides, bad health, economic). Not connected to the politician decisions. In any case they have the media to protect them. ... The result is to overreact. To do a lockdown. The costs the politician does not assume. He will get his salary, but the people who lose their jobs, their savings, the business they built, they lose. People who get depressions they lose. The politician does not face these. He can externalize them.'

Because Fauci is the constant between the Trump and Biden admins, Fauci's position on (I don't know what it was but it's in a popular book called the Truth about Fauci) AIDS in the 80s.

"I don't think that position, moving forward, I'm comfortable being one person. I think it's a Supreme Court model [that would be better]. ... On one side, you got somebody that's part of the Peter McCollaugh camp, somebody that's part of a Malone camp ... on the other side, you got a Fauci, you got any of these guys. Sit down, hash it out, let us, let Congress people, question both of you. But right now the only person's argument you're allowed to hear is Tony's.

Spain Declares End Of Pandemic? - YouTube 

#Health #Democracy #Republicanism

1 in 10 NHS professionals are not vaccinated. They will be fired pretty soon upon a mandated deadline.

See the treatment he gets from 'journalists': Unvaccinated NHS Doctor Explains Challenging Sajid Javid On Compulsory Covid Jabs

#Health #PIC

20,000 tonnes of waste batteries have built up in the Gaza Strip (leaking pollutants), because export of batteries is still banned by Israel (13 years now for the ban).

#Israel #Palestine

MSM is tying vaccine mandate opposition to 'nazis,' it seems.

But there might be two things here: first, that protesting vaccine mandates (which would include people of all political affiliations) could be a basis for political organization and activity; and radical political extremes in political limitations on those in the chairs.

#Europe #Germany #Organization #Health

... and between 25k and 75k deaths. London School of Medicine. They recommend more vaccinations. They didn't recommend vitamins D or Zinc or the treatment measures discussed in non-mainstream medicine.

Inconsistent with real-world experience of South Africa, where in a population of 60m 5500 people have been hospitalized so far.

#Pharma #UK #Integrity

Because it can't tell which parts are political and which militant. Hamas does have a 'political wing,' though.

US, Canada and EU already designate Hamas a terrorist group.

The new Israel leadership has been pushing against 'terrorism' and closing NGOs under this justification.

"I think it's actually a fallacy to consider military and political separate. The political wing is integral in helping the military wing in terrorist organizations." - Anne Herzberg

Included in the political move, if it passes (and Boris is considered to be pro-Israel) is criminal liability including jail punishment for people who support Hamas (as a 'terrorist organization'). This will affect all groups doing fundraising, meetings, media coverage. A Cambridge University professor commented that it affects teachers and how they teach, and that there has already been challenges to them and their freedom of expression, and the Hamas classification would add to that. She said England's Palestinian community of about 5000 would not any longer be able to speak freely about this issue.

#UK #Israel #Terrorism #Censorship

Russia, despite having a vaccine earlier, has only 33% vaccination.

Or does it have something to do with public information about the nationalist approach to a vaccine.

Reportedly, you can buy a vaccine passport in Russia online for 70Euros, and it doesn't matter if you got the vaccine for real.

In the US, govt decisions about medicines is being framed in light of incentives. For example, the new Merck Molnupiravir costs $17 to produce and the US is paying $700 a course for it. Expected revenue for Merck this year is $7b.

The Bill and Melinda gates foundation gave BBC Media Action $1.6m this year. Why?

In India, the Indian Bar is taking a head of the WHO to court, alleging the WHO give false medical info.

Another question in the US/West. Early in the Pandemic, the government made decisions based on input from their scientists. The govt thereby thought they were following the science, but was the science correct? Did the chief science officers get it wrong? or what happened there? (Note that even as a layman, during the first week or two of the Pandemic in late Feb 2019, there was data available showing where the virus came from, how it spread, etc., which the government's positions seemed to disagree with, and my guess at the time was that if govt officials were actually motivated to public welfare, they understood from data they had and I didn't but could guess at, that even if they told their populations to treat it seriously and restrict contagion risks, their population wouldn't have obeyed).

#Integrity

... despite, many say, many indicators like rising house prices, rents, wages.

"Yes, you need to fight the Fed," Komal Sri Kumar said this week, which is the opposite of what most stock investors say and have been saying since the Pandemic. "Because the Fed cannot win at all times.

"We have had times in history when the Fed goes to extremes, it doesn't anticipate what is going to happen, and then the whole thing fails.

"One example was effort to keep interest rates, bond yields under control during the 1940s, early 50s, and it just collapsed.

"2008, Fed did not foresee the crisis."

Many countries have been hiking rates but not in the developed world.

#US #Economy #Fed

Around 35%. Particularly low among independents and women, who were both part of how he got elected.

Over 70% of Republicans and 35% of Democrats think 'democracy' is serious under threat.

... just a few months after Rumsfeld. Powell was 84.

According to people commenting on posts about him, he'll be most remembered for lying the US into its war against Iraq, and for 'regime change.' People called him war criminal.

Here is a piece about him:

Creator of Most Effective Anti-War Meme Dead. An excerpt:

Note that as effective as visual propaganda is in its message, it is also very effective the other way once it's meaning has been redefined.

#Integrity #US #Propaganda

Fairly risk averse gov. Potential of losing is quite deterrent.

Not much war experience, even to take on the Taiwanese.

US and Japan are close. India and US are closer than before, increasingly seen as an ally. Aukus and Quad alliances. China increasingly isolated. What diplomatic options?

Xi's foreign policy is not considered a success over the past 10 years.

#China

According to Jill Clark-Gollub (Activist with Friends of Latin America), Ortega, who was elected in 2006 after 16 years of the kind of government the US wanted, will easily win the upcoming election in Nicaragua since he has 2 to 1 support, so the US actions there, according to leaks from the US embassy in Managua, is another coup attempt. Since Ortega is the democratically popular leader, the US will try to delegitimize the election, she said.

US is conducting economic warfare as part of its democracy promotion/meddling/regime change, according to Clark-Gollub. The Nica Act had the US veto projects and loans from multi-lat institutions and aid since 2018. However, the US did send aid during the pandemic (although less than Nica's neighbors). The US sanctions target the whole of government, so how can the minister of health import medicines? The sanctions also target the police and army and the entire Sandanista political party FSLN (2.1 card carrying members of Nicaragua's 6.5m people, although their families would also be affected more or less directly by the sanctions).

#Nicaragua #DanielOrtega

Basically in preparation for a possible war with China, and we might suppose the MIC.

There has been 'increased tension' between Aus and China recently.

France quite upset and vocal about being left out. China made the usual critical statements.

Aus will get a nuclear capable submarine fleet with US/UK tech.

NATO is maybe not as popular an idea as it once was (if ever), with members making further pacts among themselves and competing in military business matters.

#Australia #Economy #MIC

They also cancelled a gala to celebrate France-US relations, and is now reportedly trying to convince other EU countries to pull out of talks with Aus over a proposed free trade agreement.

The original 2016 deal for 12 French subs was to be estimated $25b, which grew incrementally, finally to $90b, and was behind schedule. $300b would have been the total cost including maintenance for subs not ready till between 2035 - 2050, and there are questions how outdated they might be then.

Something about China stepping up aggression in the oceans, and Aus looking at buying from the US/UK.

#Australia #France #Economics

He was asked in an interview with FoxNews this month what was hard about being pres. He said:

"Well, I had 2 forms of presidency. Number 1 I had to run the country, work on the world, and do things. In the other one I had to survive. The survival was much tougher, because I had fake Muller people coming after me, I had 19 really haters after me. I had every form of law enforcement after me. It started from the day I came down the escalator. It never stops. I had every prosecutor after me. They're looking at deals I did years and years ago. I forgot about them. ... But if you don't survive, you can't do a good job in terms of running."

"... with Pelosi and Schumer and all of them. That was probably the toughest. Far tougher than a lot of world leaders."

#Trump #People #US

... after just a year in office, after the resignation of Abe.

People said it was just simple politics, that he doesn't have political backup and is stepping down to avoid more infighting which might cause his party (LDP) to lose more seats. Suga's ratings are low.

#Japan

Critics say President Alpha Conde didn't deliver on the promises he made that put him in government, Last year he changed the constitution to allow himself a third term.

The main points are ethnic reconciliation and economic improvement. Critics say that although he said he would work towards ethnic unification, he later politicked and used ethnic divisions to advantage.

#Africa #Guinea