They couldn’t pay depositors because Democrats spent too much money bribing weak people with welfare over the last 100 years which is what necessitated the provision of low interest rates for 15 years which resulted in the banks holding a bunch of long-term low-yield securities which were under water because Democrats spent too much mone…
They couldn’t pay depositors because Democrats spent too much money bribing weak people with welfare over the last 100 years which is what necessitated the provision of low interest rates for 15 years which resulted in the banks holding a bunch of long-term low-yield securities which were under water because Democrats spent too much money on welfare during the pandemic (which was also caused by Democrats) which caused inflation which caused the Fed to raise rates which is what caused the aforementioned otherwise very safe low-yield securities to lose value and voila.
It's tough to stitch up a $16,000,000,000 hole on the fly when nobody is interested in taking your US treasury bills at the price that you paid for them.
What the Democrats did or not do, Republicans too, in the past is irrelevant to a sane resolution in the time frames of a healthy bank run!
Not when it's value is reduced. And reduced. And reduced. And then reduced some more. Every time they fire up the presses that is what happens. And now thanks to the actions of the war-mongers in Ukraine, China is making inroads on the preference status of US currency. We really need a business minded person, preferably with military experience, in office. Until them I am thinking bullion as a backup to dollars. With bullets and booze as a Plan C.
" And now thanks to the actions of the war-mongers in Ukraine, China is making inroads on the preference status of US currency."
Huh?
Nothing would do so much to "make the U.S. 'safe for moral and financial ruin' " (which go hand-in-hand) than a Putin victory in Ukraine. Hollywood wouldn't celebrate that, but Sili-Con Valley (privately) would.
As for "China is making inroads on the preference status of US currency", I ask what that's supposed to mean.
First, unless there's been a major time-warp and I missed it, China holds more U.S. debt than any other single foreign nation. If the dollar's real market-value became relatively even more worthless, the Chinese could use their US dollar-reserves for confetti and distribute them as tokens in the little red envelopes handed out to youngsters during Moon Festival and New Year celebrations.
How would any of that make a Yuan more valuable on any international market? If SVB teaches any lesson, it's that cultural solidity, transparency and honest, above-board dealings are what ultimately underpins all social trust--and that it's that trust which underpins the deposits at the Bank & Trust. China, with perhaps only Russia as a rival, holds the title for the World's Greatest Hokum-&-Bunkum Nation of Official (& Murderous)_ Grifters."
Would _you_ buy and hold Chinese bonds? Seriously? Would you stuff the matresses with Yuan notes? Before you do that, try and find some Chinese who, when asked, would be so brave as to give you their candid appraisal of their government's and their currency's trust-worthiness.
I neither said nor implied that MY preference was changing. I said the US warmongering in Ukraine was allowing China to make inroads on the long-established (longer than climate fear-mongering so a really long time in some folks estimation). I stand by that. One of the middle east nations has just signed an agreement to supply oil valued on and paid for in a currency other than US dollars. Egypt has withdrawn from a UN trade agreement regarding grains (wheat) it has been a member of for decades. A founding member as I recall. The dominoes may be falling in a way not anticipated by the DC clown show because all they could articulate beyond Putin bad was but, but, but Putin!!! moving across Europe!!!! Like Hitler!!!!! I doubt that, not in the least because the man has been the Russian leadership since the fall of the Berlin Wall (30 years) and made no such moves. So it certainly was not a blitzkrieg. Now a multi-million dollar drone has been struck by a Russian fighter jet and the drone ditched into the sea. Little Blinken said this morning that ""it [the downing] is an act of war." I am not a Putin or Russian proponent. Neither am I blind as to the shortcomings of my government. Glaring shortcomings. As for the rest of your comment about banking and US dollars, that is a lot of woulda, coulda, shoulda and does not describe events on the ground. Either we have rules that are not being followed, which is no surprise as the rule of law and respect therefor is THE foundation of our Constitutional Republic and it is seriously eroded, or the rules are insufficient. The Federal Reserve System is an abysmal failure. It has spent 120 years trying to regulate the economy by tinkering with currency and financial markets. To no avail. All it has accomplished is the further enrichment of the 1% that the left is always screaming about. All we have right now is a suppressed economy, massive federal debt and the value of my dollars shrinking daily. Thanks JB.
..."All it has accomplished is the further enrichment of the 1% that the left is always screaming about. All we have right now is a suppressed economy, massive federal debt and the value of my dollars shrinking daily. Thanks JB."
Right. JB is incompetent and a moron. But if it had not been for Biden's "backing," however woefully hapless and late, Putin would have rolled over Ukraine about a year ago despite the surprising and brave resistance organized and inspired by that so-called "despot", V. Zelensky and which has, till now, stopped that outcome for all the time being.
Had that help not materialized, had that resistance not proven effective, I don't see how any of the things you lament in the above-cited excerpt would have been any different or better than they are now. The 1% should still be richer, our economy still poor, we'd still have a massive federal debt and the value of your dollars should not have shrunk any less. And Putin would be in control of Ukraine's grain products.
As I see it, these Ukraine policy matters are only very tacitly related to the SVB debacle. No important relation except in their being examples of the ineptitude which is typical of the Biden administration's handling of everything.
Are you sore and smarting from having lost policy battles regarding Ukraine? Or is your annoyance similar in foundation to mine: just an expression of personal disappointment over policy matters which, had it been up to you or to me, should have been dealt with very differently than they were and are being handled?
"[R]esistance organized by the so-called 'despot' V. Zelensky . . ." Hardly. Rather my instinct is that this is bought and paid for by the US. Zelensky is an actor playing a role for TV complete with carefully crafted for television. As indicated I do not buy the Putin rolling across Europe trope. At least I do not buy that was his intention last year and certainly not prior to 2014 when my government began meddling where it had no business. So if I am correct, it begs the question, why? It is a rhetorical question, no answer necessary.
My son (mid 20s, very successful day trader) says (only a little bit tongue-in-cheek): there are only three long term investments: water, bullets and the S&P500.
That made me laugh out loud. I do think it is true. In the event of a financial crash or grid failure bullets will be necessary to survival during any transition because wildlife will flourish.
Regarding the banks that is my feeling as well. At some point there is simply not enough money a la Zimbabwe. On looming over us all is $32,000,000,000,000. As for safety and food, that is what the bullets will be for during the transition. The booze will be for barter until I can get the still operational.
I’m one of very few people in the county who can turn animal hair and plant fibers into fabrics and yarns using my hands and feet. No electricity required though it is time consuming.
That’s my ultimate fallback, along with the aforementioned three Bs.
There is a train of thought that you buy what is called trash or junk silver and use that as currency. Junk silver is usually sold in bags and it is old US silver coins that has no collector value but is recognized a valid currency and is made of silver.
I don't know if that would work. If the US currency completely collapses, we would enter a barter market. Buy up freeze dried food. Everybody needs to eat and use it to barter.
Hey Kevin, don't look at reality and draw your conclusions. Instead just read the entrails of animals and watch the flight of birds and use some rather trendy words and discover that humans are good at imitation and you will at last be brought to the insightful discovery that "orange man bad". Now doesn't that feel better?
You assume a lot. Why are Democrat-party Sorcerer Apprentices now now frantically beside themselves trying to figure out how they're going to find and put up a candidate who'll rid them of the double problem of a Biden who's too frail, stupid and dangerous to allow a second run and his idiot-vice-president---whose place is owed to her being an electoral "insurance-policy" of catastrophic proportions--- think, Nixon's Spiro Agnew, or, in case you've forgotten, Obama's Joe Biden--- a vice-president who's just too stupid even for California, home of SVB stupidity? It's a question. That's right: Obama chose--or assented to--Biden on the ticket because he'd reasoned that no public would be so monumentally stupid as to want to see him (Obama) succeeded by such a completely corrupt and moronic figure. And that was openly joked about. Obama joked about Biden's being a dim-wit.
I can see why you are enamored with this disastrous, corrupt, clown. Do you have a laminated picture of the idiot in your wallet so you can take it out a few times a day and kiss it?
Let's hope the Socialists run another socialist beside Biden, at least someone who knows what planet he is on. However, unlike you I can never bring myself to vote for a socialist.
As odious as Trump is, he is no socialist. History shows socialist countries are run by mass murdering dictators. History bears out that socialist regimes are far bloodier than Hitler's NAZIs.
I find them disgusting. You on the other hand will vote for them.
I will say it again. We do not elect the best and the brightest to high office.
Having socialist programs does not make you a socialist country. Swenden is a capitalistic country with massive social programs supported by taxing the living daylights out its populace.
Apparently you skipped over the part about bloody, murdering, socialist dictators.
Why should I bother "researching" when I have _you_ faithfully repeating--as a direct conduit from and mouthpiece -- here your "masters' voice"?
I know there are secret groups which work behind the openly visible scene. I know that they're always "scheming" and I know that among the members of these many groups are a lot of very creepy people. Welcome to grown up life.
I also know that they fail, screw up and have their grand schemes blow up in their faces about as often or more often than they succeed in them. If that were not the case, things would appear to make a lot more "sense" superficially. And they'd resemble present-day Russia and China much more than they do.
One trick pony, "Trump, Trump, Trump". The song of the mentally deficient.
Can't you bring anything else to the table, like civil, logical, debate on any other topic besides Trump? There is a lot out there besides Trump. Put down your weed long enough to unscramble what is left of your brain and give it a shot.
I am skeptical of and curse both parties. You only, like comprof, curse one. The Clinton crime family sold presidential pardons and the Clinton Foundation was a slush fund for the Clintons.
I am no fan of Trump but I can't support socialism. We are trapped in a no win situation. We need term limits and a balanced budget amendment. That won't solve all of our problems but it might help.
Also, we need a neutral (If that is even possible.) investigatory legal branch that does nothing but investigate congress, the presidency and all senior government officials for corruption and start putting these thieves in prison and I don't mean Club Fed. I mean supermax prisons where they take long hot showers with a muscled up, tattooed person named Knuckles.
I do not understand blind loyalty to a corrupt political party. maybe you can explain that to me and while you are at it how members of congress and the President get rich while in office. Nancy Pelosi for example is estimated to be worth 150 million dollars. Biden has two mansions worth between 6 and 8 million dollars all on a senator's salary.
I am sure there are Reps equally as guilty of profiting off their office, Truman said, "Anyone who makes money while in office is a crook." and I believe that.
It doesn't matter who it is. The Dems are already orchestrating the necessary ballots. Two more years of the "Vote Blue No Matter Who" idiots, I mean babies + illegals + convicts = victory. That is why you keep seeing so many polls - gotta know what numbers they need.
You may want to read the recent column discussing CBT. That is textbook catastrophizing.
And it is very obvious to me that Trump was never supposed to get elected the first time, yet it happened. It can happen again. I think much of our Federal bureaucracy was in denial about the extent of the corruption of their agencies, but that is no longer true. Most of it is simply undeniable.
For the record, I didn't mention CBT, Barry Cooper did. I cited an article from the website Tangle (here on substack) related to a paper by MIT (below here in the comments).
Nature Human Behaviour is a journal covering the technologies/fields/categories related to Behavioral Neuroscience (Q1); Experimental and Cognitive Psychology (Q1); Social Psychology (Q1). It is published by Nature Publishing Group. The overall rank of Nature Human Behaviour is 244. According to SCImago Journal Rank (SJR), this journal is ranked 5.205. SCImago Journal Rank is an indicator, which measures the scientific influence of journals. It considers the number of citations received by a journal and the importance of the journals from where these citations come. SJR acts as an alternative to the Journal Impact Factor (or an average number of citations received in last 2 years). This journal has an h-index of 63. The best quartile for this journal is Q1.
The ISSN of Nature Human Behaviour journal is 23973374. An International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is a unique code of 8 digits. It is used for the recognition of journals, newspapers, periodicals, and magazines in all kind of forms, be it print-media or electronic. Nature Human Behaviour is cited by a total of 7576 articles during the last 3 years (Preceding 2021).
If widespread vote-counting is rigged again--as it has been demonstrated to have been--and if the major mass-media can call the election (at any time--January would do, so would June, or August; why even bother holding an election? just ask Hillary who won.) in favor of just any Kamala-like moron with a "D" next to the name, then, how does a fair election result in a Trump victory when the system's corruptors don't want to see a Trump victory?
A new research paper published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour suggests party loyalty and partisan motivation may be interfering less with Americans’ thinking than previously believed. The study, done by MIT behavioral researchers, suggests both Democrats and Republicans are more open to being challenged than previously thought. “Our results are clear and unequivocal: Learning the in-party leader’s position on an issue certainly did influence partisans’ attitudes — but it did not cause the partisans to ignore or discount arguments and evidence that ran counter to the leader’s position,” David Rand, who was involved in the study, said. You can read more about the study here.
Agree. What we do matters. But, we aren't really doing anything meaningful, are we? I think that's the point of this article, and the point of mimetics. We are following. We are not thinking, we are not leading, we are not even challenging. My all-time favorite quote: Do not follow where the path may lead- Go instead, where there is no path... and leave a trail.
It is not catastrophizing at all. I have a firsthand view. We live in a trickle up economy not a trickle down economy, which is based on our guaranteed herd mentality. And, it was meant for Trump to get elected the first time. The storied money preferred his fiscal agenda to Hilary and Soros. Dynasties work like we do (we are all human after all). They create an elite class where few reside and don't get involved until they have to. They must get involved now because things have become so disastrous and untenable. It will be DeSantis. Biden won't run, and even if he does, he will not survive the onslaught. The Democrats have no one else. They are throwing all the money away and creating no future value. It is more than predictable, as Trump was predictable, but few want to see.
I’m not sure. A perspective from what I see locally. DeSantis and trumpet are nominees, but their base is split. DeSantis voters won’t vote for Trump and vice versa. So that leaves a couple of possibilities: Biden wins second term, or republican DeSantis wins by the slimmest of margins. If it is Trump that wins a guaranteed call of election fraud throwing everything into turmoil, hell, if DeSantis wins call of election fraud, turmoil. No election at all, civil rights temporarily suspended.
Yes, agree. Worst case scenario is a Trump/Biden race again. Then we will know definitively that we are all a bunch of apathetic mimetic lemmings going over a cliff.
There's no way to know. For my part I will continue to insist Trump won in 2020, and that any Democrats opposing HONEST investigations into the hundreds of patent problems are effectively helping to end democracy in this nation.
Why does no one care that the evidence more or less demands we view the FBI as the principle instigators? We have known agents on the front lines tearing down barriers. Ray Epps perjured himself before Congress.
All HONEST patriots--all people who value a system which is responsive to public pressure in any way--need to care about all this. Even if it is true at the MOMENT that Democrats, nominally, are benefiting, why should that remain the case? Even now most of what Joe Biden people are having him do hurts ordinary Americans in many ways, most of the traditional Democrat voters.
If Trump won or lost it was by the slimmest of margins. Enough of a margin for a recount and serious investigations of both parties. In my world, heads would have rolled no matter who won. I am angry and I am truly sick and tired of the hands off approach.
We really have no way of knowing what the true totals should have been, but I think he won Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin and Georgia, which would have been a pretty decisive victory.
Sure we do. We're just led by people who have no intention of determining those totals openly and accurately for the simple reason that they know their corruptly-gained positions depend on their _not_ doing that.
I'm not certain. I'm making a calculated prediction based on the information right now. It can change, and I most certainly can and will say I was wrong if it turns out I am wrong. You are now categorizing me into a box (along with deplorables?). I am an independent thinker. As independent as one can be in the context of being human and also in our present cultural times. I don't particularly care for DeSantis and am a bit skeptical. At this point I would vote for Nikki Haley and, to a lesser degree because of lack of government experience, Marianne Williamson. But, it is not in our control ultimately (unless and until we take that control). The game has begun for who the candidates will be. That's why they begin this charade so far in advance. It takes time to cultivate the herd mentality.
Kevin is not off base guys. Think about it more with less enthusiasm for quibbling. But DeSantis will win. And I believe he’s aware of the setup (and that dies make him a bit crazy but not Trump crazy).
In recent years, for many reasons and on many topics, I have taken to quoting Yogi Berra: "It's hard to make predictions. Especially about the future".
I can certainly make myself feel smart saying THIS is what is going to happen. But I don't know. This is a confusing, complex situation. I do strongly believe that Trump won in 2020 by a good ten million votes, and that he can win again. I would be fine with Ron DeSantis too. You really can't get worse than a senile President who takes bribes from our enemies and rivals, and who has undertaken the destruction of our national sovereignty and well being as a matter of more or less conscious and planned policy.
America First should be a given. It should tell anyone with half a brain all they need to know that that slogan has somehow become controversial. We should be debating what is best for America, not that our leaders should prioritize our own well being over that of other nations.
I think your "compassion" would most effectively be exercised through silence. But those with nothing to say can't stop saying it. That's not what the internet was invented for, but seemingly one of the principle uses to which it is put. Nobody actually stuck in the room with you could but fail to excuse themselves and leave. Here, though, you can butt in anywhere and any time you like.
That's enough from me. I myself become progressively more foolish the more I interact with you. But telling people to shoot themselves would get you banned, if I were a moderator. That's beyond the line.
You took all these drugs, met "God", and presumably even now think that your political views are enlightened, humane, and beneficial. Yet here you are, acting like a little turd, rejoicing every time you can get a rise out of someone. It's childish.
And I will say to the moderators that people like RT here can dramatically lower the quality of a forum, and do so quickly. The people who actually have interesting things to say look at people like him, and say goodbye to the whole mess.
If you want to protect this as a quality forum, give warnings to the people who seem to be here just to cause trouble, ban them for a week if they don't change, then ban them permanently if you need to ask a third time. That will ENCOURAGE thoughtful discourse, not discourage it. Asinine trollery is everywhere on the internet. RT is likely only here because he's either in the majority on leftwing sites--which reliably ban conservative opinions--or banned everywhere else with an active and alert moderation staff. It's not his opinions that are the problem: it's the patent desire to demean, bully, insult, and create chaos.
Your last sentence resonates. Rt can be good at that, but so can Kevin. Does Kevin engage in thoughtful discourse? No answer necessary. He slashes and burns anyone he dislikes. But in some weird way I like him. I think he's a useful foil to play with. And he's great when he gets on that maniacal attack run of his. He's talented. Everyone here seems to love him. But take him seriously? Nah.
I suggest you do the same. It's all hyperbole and good zingers with these two.
But is it adult or useful? I used to run around doing this sort of thing on a playground when I was grade school. I grew out of it.
Where as a society will be in ten years if this is the default, as it is rapidly becoming?
I personally like to believe in human potential, but a great many of the people I encounter really don't deserve freedom, because they don't value dignity, their own or that of others.
This was supposed to be the Information Age. All I can see is that it the Age of Children.
It was supposed to be the Information Age, you're right. But I think (and I speak for myself) that there is way too much information today, at warp speed coming at us from everywhere, far too much to assimilate, most of it negative and contrary to what we want to see, so we retreat into places where we can be heard. And when there are contrary voices in that safe space there can be anger. And then they get angry, And then anger is all there is. And mocking and condescension.
Very simplistic, I know. But to me it's close to your playground analogy.
Seeing past that anger sounds easy, but I know first hand it's hard..
You would not talk like that in front of me. You are an internet hero, and I have no doubt that in any actual physical rooms you occasionally darken, you have nothing to say to anyone, because you are at heart a coward.
It's always interesting to me how the people who want the government to be "compassionate" are actual a-holes to everyone outside their cult. Small wonder that genuine horrors ensue every time the "compassion" and "justice" people get their claws into a society.
Trump will 100% definitely lose but DeSantis will also lose and I’m rooting for Biden to win anyways.
Obviously, it would be idiotic to set it up so DeSantis get blamed for the collapse that is going to occur as a result of 100 years of Democrat policy.
They couldn’t pay depositors because Democrats spent too much money bribing weak people with welfare over the last 100 years which is what necessitated the provision of low interest rates for 15 years which resulted in the banks holding a bunch of long-term low-yield securities which were under water because Democrats spent too much money on welfare during the pandemic (which was also caused by Democrats) which caused inflation which caused the Fed to raise rates which is what caused the aforementioned otherwise very safe low-yield securities to lose value and voila.
I get it. It's all FDR's fault...
And I know that someone here will surely answer me with a resounding YES!!
I'm smiling.
Thank God for Google translate..
It's tough to stitch up a $16,000,000,000 hole on the fly when nobody is interested in taking your US treasury bills at the price that you paid for them.
What the Democrats did or not do, Republicans too, in the past is irrelevant to a sane resolution in the time frames of a healthy bank run!
Not when it's value is reduced. And reduced. And reduced. And then reduced some more. Every time they fire up the presses that is what happens. And now thanks to the actions of the war-mongers in Ukraine, China is making inroads on the preference status of US currency. We really need a business minded person, preferably with military experience, in office. Until them I am thinking bullion as a backup to dollars. With bullets and booze as a Plan C.
Buy Swiss Francs.
Gonna need things to trade/barter after the initial shock.
Bullets
" And now thanks to the actions of the war-mongers in Ukraine, China is making inroads on the preference status of US currency."
Huh?
Nothing would do so much to "make the U.S. 'safe for moral and financial ruin' " (which go hand-in-hand) than a Putin victory in Ukraine. Hollywood wouldn't celebrate that, but Sili-Con Valley (privately) would.
As for "China is making inroads on the preference status of US currency", I ask what that's supposed to mean.
First, unless there's been a major time-warp and I missed it, China holds more U.S. debt than any other single foreign nation. If the dollar's real market-value became relatively even more worthless, the Chinese could use their US dollar-reserves for confetti and distribute them as tokens in the little red envelopes handed out to youngsters during Moon Festival and New Year celebrations.
How would any of that make a Yuan more valuable on any international market? If SVB teaches any lesson, it's that cultural solidity, transparency and honest, above-board dealings are what ultimately underpins all social trust--and that it's that trust which underpins the deposits at the Bank & Trust. China, with perhaps only Russia as a rival, holds the title for the World's Greatest Hokum-&-Bunkum Nation of Official (& Murderous)_ Grifters."
Would _you_ buy and hold Chinese bonds? Seriously? Would you stuff the matresses with Yuan notes? Before you do that, try and find some Chinese who, when asked, would be so brave as to give you their candid appraisal of their government's and their currency's trust-worthiness.
I neither said nor implied that MY preference was changing. I said the US warmongering in Ukraine was allowing China to make inroads on the long-established (longer than climate fear-mongering so a really long time in some folks estimation). I stand by that. One of the middle east nations has just signed an agreement to supply oil valued on and paid for in a currency other than US dollars. Egypt has withdrawn from a UN trade agreement regarding grains (wheat) it has been a member of for decades. A founding member as I recall. The dominoes may be falling in a way not anticipated by the DC clown show because all they could articulate beyond Putin bad was but, but, but Putin!!! moving across Europe!!!! Like Hitler!!!!! I doubt that, not in the least because the man has been the Russian leadership since the fall of the Berlin Wall (30 years) and made no such moves. So it certainly was not a blitzkrieg. Now a multi-million dollar drone has been struck by a Russian fighter jet and the drone ditched into the sea. Little Blinken said this morning that ""it [the downing] is an act of war." I am not a Putin or Russian proponent. Neither am I blind as to the shortcomings of my government. Glaring shortcomings. As for the rest of your comment about banking and US dollars, that is a lot of woulda, coulda, shoulda and does not describe events on the ground. Either we have rules that are not being followed, which is no surprise as the rule of law and respect therefor is THE foundation of our Constitutional Republic and it is seriously eroded, or the rules are insufficient. The Federal Reserve System is an abysmal failure. It has spent 120 years trying to regulate the economy by tinkering with currency and financial markets. To no avail. All it has accomplished is the further enrichment of the 1% that the left is always screaming about. All we have right now is a suppressed economy, massive federal debt and the value of my dollars shrinking daily. Thanks JB.
..."All it has accomplished is the further enrichment of the 1% that the left is always screaming about. All we have right now is a suppressed economy, massive federal debt and the value of my dollars shrinking daily. Thanks JB."
Right. JB is incompetent and a moron. But if it had not been for Biden's "backing," however woefully hapless and late, Putin would have rolled over Ukraine about a year ago despite the surprising and brave resistance organized and inspired by that so-called "despot", V. Zelensky and which has, till now, stopped that outcome for all the time being.
Had that help not materialized, had that resistance not proven effective, I don't see how any of the things you lament in the above-cited excerpt would have been any different or better than they are now. The 1% should still be richer, our economy still poor, we'd still have a massive federal debt and the value of your dollars should not have shrunk any less. And Putin would be in control of Ukraine's grain products.
As I see it, these Ukraine policy matters are only very tacitly related to the SVB debacle. No important relation except in their being examples of the ineptitude which is typical of the Biden administration's handling of everything.
Are you sore and smarting from having lost policy battles regarding Ukraine? Or is your annoyance similar in foundation to mine: just an expression of personal disappointment over policy matters which, had it been up to you or to me, should have been dealt with very differently than they were and are being handled?
"[R]esistance organized by the so-called 'despot' V. Zelensky . . ." Hardly. Rather my instinct is that this is bought and paid for by the US. Zelensky is an actor playing a role for TV complete with carefully crafted for television. As indicated I do not buy the Putin rolling across Europe trope. At least I do not buy that was his intention last year and certainly not prior to 2014 when my government began meddling where it had no business. So if I am correct, it begs the question, why? It is a rhetorical question, no answer necessary.
Bullets and booze together make a potent combination. But I do hope I can be on your team..
I have a friend that invests in ammo to use as currency if there is a societal crash.
My son (mid 20s, very successful day trader) says (only a little bit tongue-in-cheek): there are only three long term investments: water, bullets and the S&P500.
That made me laugh out loud. I do think it is true. In the event of a financial crash or grid failure bullets will be necessary to survival during any transition because wildlife will flourish.
Regarding the banks that is my feeling as well. At some point there is simply not enough money a la Zimbabwe. On looming over us all is $32,000,000,000,000. As for safety and food, that is what the bullets will be for during the transition. The booze will be for barter until I can get the still operational.
I’m one of very few people in the county who can turn animal hair and plant fibers into fabrics and yarns using my hands and feet. No electricity required though it is time consuming.
That’s my ultimate fallback, along with the aforementioned three Bs.
Useful skills long ago and likely in the future I fear. As for the present, just beautiful.
I am aware and reasonably prepared. Plus am of an advanced age so do not need as long range plans as some of you.
There is a train of thought that you buy what is called trash or junk silver and use that as currency. Junk silver is usually sold in bags and it is old US silver coins that has no collector value but is recognized a valid currency and is made of silver.
I don't know if that would work. If the US currency completely collapses, we would enter a barter market. Buy up freeze dried food. Everybody needs to eat and use it to barter.
Thanks LP I will investigate that. It could also be melted for bullets.
Yeah if you want to kill werewolves.
Hahaha. I might.
Democrats caused the pandemic? That's a new one.
Anthony Fauci and Peter Daszak are Democrats, Compost.
Washington DC is 100% Democrat. If you don’t want Democrats to be responsible for everything then don’t support the totalitarian state next time.
But you’re one of their many parasite apes so you will always support them.
Hey Kevin, don't look at reality and draw your conclusions. Instead just read the entrails of animals and watch the flight of birds and use some rather trendy words and discover that humans are good at imitation and you will at last be brought to the insightful discovery that "orange man bad". Now doesn't that feel better?
I had to stop using animal entrails because it eats up too much of my monthly carbon credit allotment.
Do you how many Dems it takes to eat an armadillo? Three, one to eat the armadillo, two to watch for cars.
You get the best results out of a goat. Very accurate.
Lol button.
You are confusing syphilis and trichomoniasis I think. I do have hardcore syphilis but it’s not from the road kill.
Why is penicillin spelled with a “c” and not an “s”? Sure would clarify the link between cause and cure, if you ask me….
That really dod make me laugh out loud.
You assume a lot. Why are Democrat-party Sorcerer Apprentices now now frantically beside themselves trying to figure out how they're going to find and put up a candidate who'll rid them of the double problem of a Biden who's too frail, stupid and dangerous to allow a second run and his idiot-vice-president---whose place is owed to her being an electoral "insurance-policy" of catastrophic proportions--- think, Nixon's Spiro Agnew, or, in case you've forgotten, Obama's Joe Biden--- a vice-president who's just too stupid even for California, home of SVB stupidity? It's a question. That's right: Obama chose--or assented to--Biden on the ticket because he'd reasoned that no public would be so monumentally stupid as to want to see him (Obama) succeeded by such a completely corrupt and moronic figure. And that was openly joked about. Obama joked about Biden's being a dim-wit.
..."a known con man and grifter "...
A reference to Biden?
..."all indications are that Biden will not only run but if against Trump,"...
You just wrote telling us that, "The two party system is an illusion."
In that case, the term "winning", as applied to an election, has no meaning and the election of Biden (once more) no legitimacy.
https://news.grabien.com/story-supercut-joe-biden-the-wanderer
I can see why you are enamored with this disastrous, corrupt, clown. Do you have a laminated picture of the idiot in your wallet so you can take it out a few times a day and kiss it?
Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump!!!
I may not agree with you but I would never try to get you canceled. I am not a woke leftist.
Let's hope the Socialists run another socialist beside Biden, at least someone who knows what planet he is on. However, unlike you I can never bring myself to vote for a socialist.
As odious as Trump is, he is no socialist. History shows socialist countries are run by mass murdering dictators. History bears out that socialist regimes are far bloodier than Hitler's NAZIs.
I find them disgusting. You on the other hand will vote for them.
I will say it again. We do not elect the best and the brightest to high office.
Having socialist programs does not make you a socialist country. Swenden is a capitalistic country with massive social programs supported by taxing the living daylights out its populace.
Apparently you skipped over the part about bloody, murdering, socialist dictators.
Who writes the script playing in your head? Do you see them as well as "hear" them? Do "they" know you're watching them as they watch you?
Do you have a secret "sign" with which to safely signal those who are not "with 'Them' "?
Why should I bother "researching" when I have _you_ faithfully repeating--as a direct conduit from and mouthpiece -- here your "masters' voice"?
I know there are secret groups which work behind the openly visible scene. I know that they're always "scheming" and I know that among the members of these many groups are a lot of very creepy people. Welcome to grown up life.
I also know that they fail, screw up and have their grand schemes blow up in their faces about as often or more often than they succeed in them. If that were not the case, things would appear to make a lot more "sense" superficially. And they'd resemble present-day Russia and China much more than they do.
Your opinions of what I "need" don't interest me.
One trick pony, "Trump, Trump, Trump". The song of the mentally deficient.
Can't you bring anything else to the table, like civil, logical, debate on any other topic besides Trump? There is a lot out there besides Trump. Put down your weed long enough to unscramble what is left of your brain and give it a shot.
I am skeptical of and curse both parties. You only, like comprof, curse one. The Clinton crime family sold presidential pardons and the Clinton Foundation was a slush fund for the Clintons.
I am no fan of Trump but I can't support socialism. We are trapped in a no win situation. We need term limits and a balanced budget amendment. That won't solve all of our problems but it might help.
Also, we need a neutral (If that is even possible.) investigatory legal branch that does nothing but investigate congress, the presidency and all senior government officials for corruption and start putting these thieves in prison and I don't mean Club Fed. I mean supermax prisons where they take long hot showers with a muscled up, tattooed person named Knuckles.
I do not understand blind loyalty to a corrupt political party. maybe you can explain that to me and while you are at it how members of congress and the President get rich while in office. Nancy Pelosi for example is estimated to be worth 150 million dollars. Biden has two mansions worth between 6 and 8 million dollars all on a senator's salary.
I am sure there are Reps equally as guilty of profiting off their office, Truman said, "Anyone who makes money while in office is a crook." and I believe that.
It doesn't matter who it is. The Dems are already orchestrating the necessary ballots. Two more years of the "Vote Blue No Matter Who" idiots, I mean babies + illegals + convicts = victory. That is why you keep seeing so many polls - gotta know what numbers they need.
"Eat a bullet"? You really are mentally ill. I don't think I had quite grasped the scope of your problem.
It’s not confusing at all. The storied money has already decided. We’re just trapped inside the game that ensues after that decision.
You may want to read the recent column discussing CBT. That is textbook catastrophizing.
And it is very obvious to me that Trump was never supposed to get elected the first time, yet it happened. It can happen again. I think much of our Federal bureaucracy was in denial about the extent of the corruption of their agencies, but that is no longer true. Most of it is simply undeniable.
"CBT" ?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, I believe.
See my comment and link below to counter point:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-023-01551-7
Okay. Thank you.
For the record, I didn't mention CBT, Barry Cooper did. I cited an article from the website Tangle (here on substack) related to a paper by MIT (below here in the comments).
May 7 2022:
About Nature Human Behaviour
Nature Human Behaviour is a journal covering the technologies/fields/categories related to Behavioral Neuroscience (Q1); Experimental and Cognitive Psychology (Q1); Social Psychology (Q1). It is published by Nature Publishing Group. The overall rank of Nature Human Behaviour is 244. According to SCImago Journal Rank (SJR), this journal is ranked 5.205. SCImago Journal Rank is an indicator, which measures the scientific influence of journals. It considers the number of citations received by a journal and the importance of the journals from where these citations come. SJR acts as an alternative to the Journal Impact Factor (or an average number of citations received in last 2 years). This journal has an h-index of 63. The best quartile for this journal is Q1.
The ISSN of Nature Human Behaviour journal is 23973374. An International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is a unique code of 8 digits. It is used for the recognition of journals, newspapers, periodicals, and magazines in all kind of forms, be it print-media or electronic. Nature Human Behaviour is cited by a total of 7576 articles during the last 3 years (Preceding 2021).
If widespread vote-counting is rigged again--as it has been demonstrated to have been--and if the major mass-media can call the election (at any time--January would do, so would June, or August; why even bother holding an election? just ask Hillary who won.) in favor of just any Kamala-like moron with a "D" next to the name, then, how does a fair election result in a Trump victory when the system's corruptors don't want to see a Trump victory?
From Tangle (you can find them on Substack):
A new research paper published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour suggests party loyalty and partisan motivation may be interfering less with Americans’ thinking than previously believed. The study, done by MIT behavioral researchers, suggests both Democrats and Republicans are more open to being challenged than previously thought. “Our results are clear and unequivocal: Learning the in-party leader’s position on an issue certainly did influence partisans’ attitudes — but it did not cause the partisans to ignore or discount arguments and evidence that ran counter to the leader’s position,” David Rand, who was involved in the study, said. You can read more about the study here.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-023-01551-7
I think everyone knows the System is messed up, but it's hard to know what to do about it.
What I would suggest we NOT do about it is stop listening, or stop trying to build a better world, or assume that nothing we do matters.
Agree. What we do matters. But, we aren't really doing anything meaningful, are we? I think that's the point of this article, and the point of mimetics. We are following. We are not thinking, we are not leading, we are not even challenging. My all-time favorite quote: Do not follow where the path may lead- Go instead, where there is no path... and leave a trail.
I'm not following anyone, and I definitely do my best to do my own thinking.
It is not catastrophizing at all. I have a firsthand view. We live in a trickle up economy not a trickle down economy, which is based on our guaranteed herd mentality. And, it was meant for Trump to get elected the first time. The storied money preferred his fiscal agenda to Hilary and Soros. Dynasties work like we do (we are all human after all). They create an elite class where few reside and don't get involved until they have to. They must get involved now because things have become so disastrous and untenable. It will be DeSantis. Biden won't run, and even if he does, he will not survive the onslaught. The Democrats have no one else. They are throwing all the money away and creating no future value. It is more than predictable, as Trump was predictable, but few want to see.
I’m not sure. A perspective from what I see locally. DeSantis and trumpet are nominees, but their base is split. DeSantis voters won’t vote for Trump and vice versa. So that leaves a couple of possibilities: Biden wins second term, or republican DeSantis wins by the slimmest of margins. If it is Trump that wins a guaranteed call of election fraud throwing everything into turmoil, hell, if DeSantis wins call of election fraud, turmoil. No election at all, civil rights temporarily suspended.
Worse case scenerio?
Yes, agree. Worst case scenario is a Trump/Biden race again. Then we will know definitively that we are all a bunch of apathetic mimetic lemmings going over a cliff.
There's no way to know. For my part I will continue to insist Trump won in 2020, and that any Democrats opposing HONEST investigations into the hundreds of patent problems are effectively helping to end democracy in this nation.
Why does no one care that the evidence more or less demands we view the FBI as the principle instigators? We have known agents on the front lines tearing down barriers. Ray Epps perjured himself before Congress.
All HONEST patriots--all people who value a system which is responsive to public pressure in any way--need to care about all this. Even if it is true at the MOMENT that Democrats, nominally, are benefiting, why should that remain the case? Even now most of what Joe Biden people are having him do hurts ordinary Americans in many ways, most of the traditional Democrat voters.
I did not realize Epps had testified.
If Trump won or lost it was by the slimmest of margins. Enough of a margin for a recount and serious investigations of both parties. In my world, heads would have rolled no matter who won. I am angry and I am truly sick and tired of the hands off approach.
We really have no way of knowing what the true totals should have been, but I think he won Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin and Georgia, which would have been a pretty decisive victory.
Sure we do. We're just led by people who have no intention of determining those totals openly and accurately for the simple reason that they know their corruptly-gained positions depend on their _not_ doing that.
Just curious: if things do not play out as you seem to think they certainly will, will you say to yourself and others "I was wrong"?
I'm not certain. I'm making a calculated prediction based on the information right now. It can change, and I most certainly can and will say I was wrong if it turns out I am wrong. You are now categorizing me into a box (along with deplorables?). I am an independent thinker. As independent as one can be in the context of being human and also in our present cultural times. I don't particularly care for DeSantis and am a bit skeptical. At this point I would vote for Nikki Haley and, to a lesser degree because of lack of government experience, Marianne Williamson. But, it is not in our control ultimately (unless and until we take that control). The game has begun for who the candidates will be. That's why they begin this charade so far in advance. It takes time to cultivate the herd mentality.
Kevin is not off base guys. Think about it more with less enthusiasm for quibbling. But DeSantis will win. And I believe he’s aware of the setup (and that dies make him a bit crazy but not Trump crazy).
In recent years, for many reasons and on many topics, I have taken to quoting Yogi Berra: "It's hard to make predictions. Especially about the future".
I can certainly make myself feel smart saying THIS is what is going to happen. But I don't know. This is a confusing, complex situation. I do strongly believe that Trump won in 2020 by a good ten million votes, and that he can win again. I would be fine with Ron DeSantis too. You really can't get worse than a senile President who takes bribes from our enemies and rivals, and who has undertaken the destruction of our national sovereignty and well being as a matter of more or less conscious and planned policy.
America First should be a given. It should tell anyone with half a brain all they need to know that that slogan has somehow become controversial. We should be debating what is best for America, not that our leaders should prioritize our own well being over that of other nations.
rt gets ragdolled on every single thread and comes back to all of them because he likes getting ragdolled.
His vote cancels out your vote and my taxes pay his rent. I cannot think of a more reprehensible set of circumstances.
No. Not any more.
I think your "compassion" would most effectively be exercised through silence. But those with nothing to say can't stop saying it. That's not what the internet was invented for, but seemingly one of the principle uses to which it is put. Nobody actually stuck in the room with you could but fail to excuse themselves and leave. Here, though, you can butt in anywhere and any time you like.
That's enough from me. I myself become progressively more foolish the more I interact with you. But telling people to shoot themselves would get you banned, if I were a moderator. That's beyond the line.
I sympathize with RT because imagine if we had tried your exact plan over and over and over for decades and it failed spectacularly.
You would be lashing out irrationally as well. There’s like a stages of grief thing happening.
You took all these drugs, met "God", and presumably even now think that your political views are enlightened, humane, and beneficial. Yet here you are, acting like a little turd, rejoicing every time you can get a rise out of someone. It's childish.
And I will say to the moderators that people like RT here can dramatically lower the quality of a forum, and do so quickly. The people who actually have interesting things to say look at people like him, and say goodbye to the whole mess.
If you want to protect this as a quality forum, give warnings to the people who seem to be here just to cause trouble, ban them for a week if they don't change, then ban them permanently if you need to ask a third time. That will ENCOURAGE thoughtful discourse, not discourage it. Asinine trollery is everywhere on the internet. RT is likely only here because he's either in the majority on leftwing sites--which reliably ban conservative opinions--or banned everywhere else with an active and alert moderation staff. It's not his opinions that are the problem: it's the patent desire to demean, bully, insult, and create chaos.
Your last sentence resonates. Rt can be good at that, but so can Kevin. Does Kevin engage in thoughtful discourse? No answer necessary. He slashes and burns anyone he dislikes. But in some weird way I like him. I think he's a useful foil to play with. And he's great when he gets on that maniacal attack run of his. He's talented. Everyone here seems to love him. But take him seriously? Nah.
I suggest you do the same. It's all hyperbole and good zingers with these two.
Let them go at it, I say..
But is it adult or useful? I used to run around doing this sort of thing on a playground when I was grade school. I grew out of it.
Where as a society will be in ten years if this is the default, as it is rapidly becoming?
I personally like to believe in human potential, but a great many of the people I encounter really don't deserve freedom, because they don't value dignity, their own or that of others.
This was supposed to be the Information Age. All I can see is that it the Age of Children.
I'll drop all this. I've said my piece.
I like your answer.
It was supposed to be the Information Age, you're right. But I think (and I speak for myself) that there is way too much information today, at warp speed coming at us from everywhere, far too much to assimilate, most of it negative and contrary to what we want to see, so we retreat into places where we can be heard. And when there are contrary voices in that safe space there can be anger. And then they get angry, And then anger is all there is. And mocking and condescension.
Very simplistic, I know. But to me it's close to your playground analogy.
Seeing past that anger sounds easy, but I know first hand it's hard..
You would not talk like that in front of me. You are an internet hero, and I have no doubt that in any actual physical rooms you occasionally darken, you have nothing to say to anyone, because you are at heart a coward.
It's always interesting to me how the people who want the government to be "compassionate" are actual a-holes to everyone outside their cult. Small wonder that genuine horrors ensue every time the "compassion" and "justice" people get their claws into a society.
Trump will 100% definitely lose but DeSantis will also lose and I’m rooting for Biden to win anyways.
Obviously, it would be idiotic to set it up so DeSantis get blamed for the collapse that is going to occur as a result of 100 years of Democrat policy.
Yeah I also blame Eisenhower for the Great Society. Zeihan is CIA. Mexico is run by illiterate criminals.