“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
Pablo Picasso

Morning - a few thoughts have been swirling around by head this week.

First up traditional values. If only we could turn back the hands of time to "The Good Old Days" when life was better.

The question is better for who? Varying societal groups, professions and genetic families have different values and traditions they wish to reestablish from the same time period. Nostalgic memories are not universal.

divine right of kings, in European history, a political doctrine in defense of monarchical absolutism, which asserted that kings derived their authority from God and could not therefore be held accountable for their actions by any earthly authority such as a parliament. Originating in Europe, the divine-right theory can be traced to the medieval conception of God’s award of temporal power to the political ruler, paralleling the award of spiritual power to the church. By the 16th and 17th centuries, however, the new national monarchs were asserting their authority in matters of both church and state.
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The bishop Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet (1627–1704), one of the principal French theorists of divine right, asserted that the king’s person and authority were sacred; that his power was modeled on that of a father’s and was absolute, deriving from God; and that he was governed by reason (i.e., custom and precedent). In the middle of the 17th century, the English Royalist squire Sir Robert Filmer likewise held that the state was a family and that the king was a father, but he claimed, in an interpretation of Scripture, that Adam was the first king and that Charles I (reigned 1625–49) ruled England as Adam’s eldest heir.
Britannica 9/2023

Birthright ascendancy to power, affluence and prestige on going for generations. Does an oppressor group have the right to suppress or rule another forever? Or, should turns be taken in periods of time (perhaps decades) where the power structures are reversed and a new group gains birthright privileges. Determining who's turn it is for ultimate power creates an unending stream of conflicts.

Or can humanity learn to actively engage in conflict resolution to create space for different community experiences to raise children and live adult lives?

A little research to better understand a standing ovation for a Nazi, retired from the Waffen SS, by the Canandian Parliament, Sabine Sparwasser, Germany’s ambassador to Canada, Ukrainian President Zelensky and other officials in attendance.

Canada is one of the oldest extant monarchies in the world.[19][38] Established in the 16th century,[n 1] the monarchy has evolved through a continuous succession of initially French and later British sovereigns into the independent Canadian sovereigns of today.[59] No part of Canada has been a republic or part of a republic;[60] though, there have been isolated calls for the country to become one. The Crown, however, is considered to be "entrenched" into the governmental framework.[64] The institution that is Canada's system of constitutional monarchy is sometimes colloquially referred to as the Maple Crown[n 2] or Crown of Maples,[68] Canada having developed a "recognizably Canadian brand of monarchy".
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There are five aspects to the monarchy of Canada: 1. The constitutional monarchy: the use of the royal prerogative in summoning and dissolving parliament, granting royal assent, issuing orders-in-council, etcetera. 2. The national monarchy: for example, delivering the Speech from the Throne and the Royal Christmas Message, distributing honours, decorations, and medals, and partaking in Remembrance Day ceremonies. 3. The international monarchy: the monarch being head of state of each of the 15 Commonwealth realms, holding the position of head of the Commonwealth, attending heads of government meetings and Commonwealth Games, and so on. 4. The religious monarchy: the monarch having in his title the words by the grace of god, the Act of Settlement, 1701, requiring the sovereign to be Anglican, and the monarch encouraging people "to tolerate, accept, and understand cultures, beliefs, and faiths different from our own". 5. The welfare and service monarchy: seen in members of the royal family founding charities and supporting others, fundraising for charity, and giving royal patronage to civil and military organizations.
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The government of Canada—formally termed His Majesty's Government[281]—is defined by the constitution as the King acting on the advice of his Privy Council;[285] what is technically known as the King-in-Council,[8] or sometimes the Governor-in-Council,[113] referring to the governor general as the King's stand-in, though, a few tasks must be specifically performed by, or bills that require assent from, the King.[288] One of the main duties of the Crown is to "ensure that a democratically elected government is always in place,"[256] which means appointing a prime minister to thereafter head the Cabinet[289]—a committee of the Privy Council charged with advising the Crown on the exercise of the royal prerogative
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The royal prerogative further extends to foreign affairs, including the ratification of treaties, alliances, international agreements, and declarations of war,[301] the accreditation of Canadian high commissioners and ambassadors and receipt of similar diplomats from foreign states,
Wikipedia 9/2023

The Fascist Sympathies of Britain’s Aristocracy Tribune Oct, 25, 2020

The elective affinity between fascism and aristocracy goes a level deeper than these eye-catching cases. If aristocracy has a core, it is the preservation and perpetuation of an elite lineage, which is ultimately about purity of the blood. Even today, for instance, adoptees into aristocratic families in the UK are ineligible to inherit titles or properties – a fact which is not widely known.

Long before the advent of more modern race theory pseudo-sciences, this outlook of the English aristocracy provided the fount for the plantation system and racial segregation practiced from Ireland to the Caribbean and the America South. Earlier aristocracy would model control of heredity and the policing of mixing that eugenicists and fascists would later seek to impose upon entire national populations. Fascism, in short, broadened the practices and ideas of aristocracy, and attempted to develop them for a new century.

By the First World War the British aristocracy owned up to four-fifths of all the land in the UK – something which could be traced back to land enclosures from the 13th century onward which had helped to deepen aristocratic power in British society.
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Yet the rise of industrial tycoons as a rival power base, and a Great War that devastated their ranks, pushed the aristocracy into survival mode. One strategy pursued – and now romanticised and bathed in nostalgia – was that of marrying a rich American, as dramatised in Downton Abbey. Another strategy, which has somehow been the source of less nostalgia, was political radicalisation – a panoply of restorationist and conservative revolutionary ideologies to restore and retain their leadership over land and country. “Aristo-fascism” is not to be conflated with pro-appeasement policies, but rather stands for the willingness to forego and oppose fundamental postulates of the democratic state in favour of some authoritarian alternative.
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Our final example speaks to perhaps the most virulent strain of British fascism that made common cause with essential war aims of Nazi Germany, namely Archibald Ramsay and the “Judeo-Bolshevist” conspiracy. This conspiracy theory fused Russophobia, reactionary politics and racial antisemitism to construct a demonic Other which could be blamed for social ills from wars to exploitative financial practices and the spread of Communism. An absurdity, by any stretch of the imagination, and yet with the re-emergence of “cultural Marxist” conspiracy theories one that seems quite explicable in the 21st century.
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There is hardly a major British institution that was left untouched by fascism, from the Bank of England to the Daily Mail to the House of Commons. Just as today there is hardly any other country that has so revelled in the glamorisation and persistence of feudal structures and their pursuit of mastery and luxury. If there is a story to be told about Britain and fascism, let it be this: while the people of Britain stood up to the Nazis, the British ruling class were in many cases enthusiastic collaborators – and found justification for being so in their own aristocratic roots and worldviews.

A repeat video from last week with explanation of what part I found most interesting as requested in one of last weeks comments.

First half of the video is a review of a speech Colonel Doug Macgregor presented at the Ron Paul Institute regarding problems facing America today. Video starts at 2:33 with discussion of Army officers regarding changes in historical recruitment and promotion since Nixon. 9:14 discuses historical special privileges of 20% of the upcoming officers related to Generals. 10:26 Another competency problem is the person with the most stars is the smartest person in the room. 12:06 update Ukraine from 10 days ago.

Ukraine and American Decline w/Col Doug Macgregor (27:10 min) Sept 19, 2023

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Tony discusses Neocons in our government, followed by thoughts on Ukraine counteroffensive and 18:41 discuss Canadian Parliaments standing ovation for a member of Waffen-SS including history of military unit and Canada's follow-up.

Can Ukraine Possibly Still Win the War? w/Tony Shaffer (24:38 min) Sept 26, 2023

The livestream videos this week by Judge Napolitano channel ongoing discussions regarding current Ukraine/Russia conflict and this week Canadian Parliament. The interviews are generally posted on Monday through Friday if would like to view them in a more timely manner. The link opens in the LIVE column, occasionally an interview only appears in VIDEOS section.

Evaluation of counteroffensive operation launched in June by Ukranians, followed by discussion of possible Russian options, diplomatic outreach to outreach to Iran and North Korea. Last 10 minutes on military hardware of Unites States and Russia.

Garland Nixon - FAILED OFFENSIVE - WITH ANDREI MARTYANOV AND SCOTT RITTER (106:36)

According to Adrei and Scott Ukrainian losses are 500,000 dead and up to 1 million injured. Other sources show at least 10 million have left the country. US Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell explains how destroying a country is a successful US jobs program in a speech this week.

MIC McConnell: Senator discloses that the indefinite proxy war in Ukraine is purposed with 'reindustrializing' the arms industry The Dossier Sept 27, 2023

In making the case for the continuing war effort, McConnell made sure to mention that the “Ukrainians,” and not Americans, “are doing the fighting themselves,” as if this was some kind of video game that justified the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of human beings.

His next comment really let the cat out of the bag.

“As a result of the weapons transfers that we’ve made to Ukraine, we are reindustrializing our base here in the United States,” McConnell added. “And we’re employing a significant number of Americans, in this country, building our industrial base again.”
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The conversation gets even more bizarre and yet clarifying, with the host asking, “how does supporting Ukraine actually support U.S. jobs in the military industrial complex.”

Yes, she really said military industrial complex, a term coined by President Eisenhower to warn about the perverse incentive structures in the defense industry.

McConnell answers:

“As we ship weapons and ammunition to the Ukrainians, we rebuild those in many instances with more modern, cutting edge equipment.”

The video - Senator Mitch McConnell – CEPA Forum 2023 (16:07 min)

Political economists Radhika Desai and Michael Hudson are joined by geopolitical analyst Pepe Escobar discuss changing Russia North Korea relationship, Asia economic vibrancy, BRICS, G20, and G77 and the UN General Assembly.

BRICS or NATO? G20 or G77? Summits mark rapidly changing world order (106:19min)

Pepe Escobar: Russia-China Partnership Defangs US Empire Sputnik Global News Sept 29, 2023

China’s State Council has released a crucial policy paper titled 'A Global Community of Shared Future: China’s Proposals and Actions' that should be read as a detailed, comprehensive road map for a peaceful, multipolar future.
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The five key points include building partnerships “in which countries treat each other as equals”; a fair and just security environment; “inclusive development”; inter-civilization exchanges; and “an ecosystem that puts Mother Nature and green development first," as Xi detailed at the 2015 UN General Assembly.
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The hegemon is already preparing the next stages of its hybrid war against China – even as it remains buried deep down into a de facto proxy hot war against Russia in Ukraine.

Russian strategic policy, in essence, completely aligns with the Chinese white paper, proposing a Greater Eurasian Partnership, a concerted drive towards multipolarity, and the primacy of the Global South/global majority in forging a new system of international relations.

But the Straussian neocon psychos in charge of the hegemon’s foreign policy keep raising the stakes. So it’s no wonder that after the recent attack on the HQ of the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, a new National Security Council report leads to an ominous warning by Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev:
“NATO has turned into an openly fascist bloc similar to Hitler’s Axis, only bigger (...) It looks like Russia is being left with little choice other than a direct conflict with NATO (...) The result would be much heavier losses for humanity than in 1945."
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There’s absolutely no way some sharp intellect in the Beltway would read the Chinese white paper and be “infected” by the concept of harmony. Under the yoke of Straussian neocon psychos, there are zero prospects for a détente with Russia – not to mention Russia-China.

Both the Chinese and Russian leaderships know quite well how the Ray McGovern-defined MICIMATT (military-industrial-congressional-intelligence-media-academia-think tank complex) works.

The kinetic aspect of MICIMATT is all about protection of the global interests of big US banks, investment/hedge funds and multinational corporations. It’s not a coincidence that MICIMATT monster Lockheed-Martin is mostly owned by Vanguard, BlackRock and State Street. NATO is essentially a mafia protection racket controlled by the US and the UK that has nothing to do with “defending” Europe from the “Russian threat."
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Still, what Medvedev just said carries the implication that the hegemon on desperation row could even be tempted to launch WWIII against, in fact, a new “axis of evil” of three BRICS nations – Russia, China and Iran.

Secretary of the [Russian] National Security Council Nikolai Patrushev could not have been more crystal clear:
“In its attempts to maintain its dominance, the West itself destroyed the tools that worked better for it than the military machine. These are freedom of movement of goods and services, transport and logistics corridors, a unified system of payments, global division of labor and value chains. As a result, Westerners are shutting themselves off from the rest of the world at a rapid pace.”

If only they could join the community of shared future – hopefully on a later, non-nuclear, date.

Last week had a question on dizziness and potential cause. These videos each cover the subject a little differently. Hopefully provide a better understanding of some of the common causes and treatments available. Dizziness is also a common adverse effect of medications and a sign of physiological disorders and should be brought to the attention of your healthcare provider.

Do you have orthostatic hypotension? Light Headed with Standing? (4.05 min)

Top 3 Signs Your Vertigo is BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo) (6:38 min)

Sign in 0:03 / 11:41 Vestibular & Vertigo Symptoms? 10 Best Balance Exercises. (11:41 min) 6:28 starts discussing vestibular dizziness

Sign in 9:03 / 19:59 Vertigo & Dizziness, Home Treatments (19:49) A visiting specialist discussing treatments that can be done at home to address various types of dizziness.

What is on your mind today?