The Weekly Watch

A War of Narratives

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It is interesting to me that there's no discussion of the illegal nature of the strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, but instead the argument is about the degree to which the strike degraded Iran's nuclear program. Oddly enough, I'm hoping Trump's false narrative of "Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Have Been Obliterated" holds. If that becomes the accepted position then there's no reason to strike Iran again. However, the Neocons aren't having it. They finally achieved their "Bomb, Bomb Iran" moment and they want more. Meanwhile the Ukraine proxy war has faded from the news cycle...in part because Ukraine is losing.

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The war mongers are forced to create narratives to keep the wars and their grift going. Next year marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration. During those 250 years the US has had only six years without war.

I found Larry Johnson's narrative to be pretty accurate.
Fabricated Crises: Iran, Iraq, and the Power of Misinformation- Larry Johnson

(55 min) Larry C. Johnson is a veteran of the CIA and the State Department’s Office of Counter Terrorism. He talks the events in the Middle East this past weekend, why the ceasefire should hold for now, thoughts on Trump, Gaza, Russia/Ukraine, and much more.

Pepe always is insightful with his world view and focus on BRICS+.
Pepe Escobar together with Larry...

(62 min) US v. BRICS: The Global Battle for Power
Iran, Russia, and China are at the heart of a geopolitical storm, but why did Iran pull back from its aggressive stance? What’s really going on with BRICS and global alliances? In this interview, geopolitical analyst Pepe Escobar helps break down the hidden dynamics that could shape the future of world politics. Watch to understand how Iran, Israel, and BRICS are navigating a complex web of power, strategy, and survival.

War on Iran is part of the US empire’s larger attempt to re-impose its unipolar dominance on the global political and financial system, argues economist Michael Hudson.
Washington wants to preserve dollar hegemony and the petrodollar, while disrupting BRICS and Eurasian integration with China and Russia.
Hudson explained this in the following interview with Geopolitical Economy Report editor Ben Norton. (52 min)
Transcript here.
Or read his article here.

One thing you don't hear about...
On May 10, 2025, a freight train carrying electronics, mechanical parts, and food left Xi'an, China. It crossed 5,500 kilometers of desert and highlands, arriving in Tehran, Iran, on May 24. This marked the official operation of the first train on the China-Iran railway.

(19 min) Chinese state media celebrated the event, calling it a "lifeline" for oil between China and Iran, challenging the traditional power dynamics dominated by the U.S. Navy. On social media platforms like Douyin, influencers were excited, especially after June 19, with many videos suggesting that Israel’s airstrikes on Iran were a response to the railway, as it posed a direct challenge to U.S. sanctions.

To my mind Iran's Qatar strike was theatrics...hardly devastating. Perhaps the US strike on Iran was also just theatrics, since they received forewarning, just as we did before the Qatar strike. In both cases people and material were removed prior to the strikes.

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This conversation between two Iranians provides some context.

(52 min) Mohammad Marandi: Warning to the U.S.: Attack Iran and Face THIS — Just Like Israel

Max Blumenthal: The War Against Iran Is Not Over

(26 min) This ceasefire reminds me of the Minsk Agreement between Russia and Ukraine. I don't expect it to hold.

The Duran offers their take...

(40 min)The Iran narrative and Lavrov demolishes UN nuclear watchdog IAEA

As the focus shifts to Iran, the Gaza genocide continues...
Harvard-linked study finds Israel 'disappeared' nearly 400,000 Palestinians in Gaza, half of them children

Israel Ramps Up Strikes on Gaza, Killing 103 Palestinians Over 24 Hours
Gaza’s Health Ministry said Thursday that Israeli attacks killed 103 Palestinians and wounded 219 over the previous 24-hour period as US-backed Israeli strikes ramped up across the Strip over the past day.

IDF Soldiers Confirm Lethal Weapons Routinely Used On Crowds In Gaza
“The distribution centers typically open for just one hour each morning. According to officers and soldiers who served in their areas, the IDF fires at people who arrive before opening hours to prevent them from approaching, or again after the centers close, to disperse them. Since some of the shooting incidents occurred at night – ahead of the opening – it’s possible that some civilians couldn’t see the boundaries of the designated area.” – Haaretz.

I can't think of anything more evil...starve people, offer food, and shoot them when they show up.

Netanyahu Says It’s Antisemitic For Israeli Soldiers To Describe Their Own Atrocities
“The State of Israel absolutely rejects the contemptible blood libels that have been published in the Ha’aretz newspaper, according to which ‘IDF Soldiers Ordered to Shoot Deliberately at Unarmed Gazans Waiting for Humanitarian Aid.’ These are malicious falsehoods designed to defame the IDF, the most moral military in the world,” the statement reads.
Yeah, right!

Here's a turn of narrative...

text continues...
...in the footsteps of his predecessors and falls in line.
And we have the proof. The world’s first confirmed audio of Jeffrey Epstein since his so-called "death."
If true it might explain his Israel compliance.

“Trump’s Ceasefire Saved Israel’s Ass!” – Steve Bannon Drops Truth Bombs!

(4 min) Steve Bannon claims the recent ceasefire between Israel and Iran was driven largely by the need to save Israel, which had overextended itself militarily and was running out of defensive munitions. According to Bannon, President Trump stepped in to end the war, aided by diplomatic support from Qatar, which has shifted its stance on terrorism financing since Trump's earlier term.

Will there no longer be wars like in the past, where the victorious side was easily identified?
The truth is, considering the statements and propaganda from the three main contenders involved in the conflict sparked by Israel, something unusual has happened: all parties have declared themselves winners! Before analyzing the relative positions of each contender, we must establish the following preliminary points: This ambiguity in how we classify the outcome of the dispute for each party is typical of the intermediate moment we find ourselves in. Consequently, each party’s assessments suffer from the partial way they analyze the event, focusing on the relationship between their starting point and their self-defined endpoint.
The problem is that the “endpoint” not only differs for each party but also the outcome—the dialectical synthesis of the Israel-US/Iran-Islam-BRICS contradiction—remains unpredictable at this stage. None of the parties can claim to have reached or know the final result. In this sense, everyone settles for tactical advantages, more or less significant. In this context, all can claim victory because we are still in that intermediate phase where advances, retreats, losses, and gains are not only mutual but can also be overvalued by some at the expense of others. When the final reckoning comes, this ambiguity will disappear—only to resurface later.

Worth a full read. I guess that helps maintain the forever wars.

On The War On Iran - Summing Up The First Round

USrael's long planned attack to regime change Iran did fail.
Control by the military and political leadership of Iran was never in doubt. Attempts to kill Ayatollah Khamenei were unsuccessful (and would have not mattered at all). The military response to the Israeli attack was quick and successful.
After just twelve days of war Israel sued for peace. Iran agreed but may well rue that decision in future.
It had the advantage of being able to fight and win an attritional war against Israel. At the same time it could control U.S. reactions by its dominance over the oil-flow through the Strait of Hormuz. Holding the war for a few days or weeks, as is done now, will only give time to Israel to prepare for next round.
Israel's understanding of the current ceasefire is that it will allow it to hit again at Iran as soon as the U.S. has refilled its munition storage

And so the war will go on after rearming Israel...

Mark Sleboda - What the Hell Just Happened in the Middle East You May Ask?

The US/Israel realized:
that their regime change plans were not coming to fruition,
that the Iranian govt had more support and stronger foundations than they had believed,
that Israeli air defense was collapsing/exhausted and
that an attrition war of long range strike was going to go badly for Israel.
And Trump began to get freaked out over the rising price of oil with the Iranian threat of closing the strait of Hormuz.

So they wrapped it up, declared victory, and demanded a ceasefire.
Iran agreed because they too have been badly shaken through Israeli covert warfare and their own air defense all but collapsed.
The can will only be kicked down the road, and both sides will start rebuilding, and making preparations and plans for the next round, the next war. This was only a skirmish at the end of the day ...
Iran, for surviving, maintaining a civilian nuclear enrichment program, and for the fact that it was the US/Israel that pushed for the "ceasefire", comes out slightly ahead on points.
The biggest loser - the collapse of the NNPT and international law.
Israel is already thinking about restarting the war.

As the Duran always says, "They have no reverse gear."

The Ukraine Proxy War...

Western nations are using Ukraine as their proxy in a longstanding confrontation with Russia that is deeply rooted in history, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia told RT’s Rick Sanchez. In an interview on The Sanchez Effect aired on Friday, the diplomat argued that the conflict “should be seen in a larger context.” “They do not care about Ukraine. This is not a war between Russia and Ukraine,” Nebenzia said. “Ukraine is a proxy in this war. This is a centuries-old war of the West against Russia, starting with the Polish invasion in the 17th century,” he added. As examples of earlier confrontations, Nebenzia cited Napoleon’s invasion of Russia, the 1854–1856 Crimean War, Western military intervention during the Russian Civil War, and the invasion by Nazi Germany and its allies during World War II.

Peter Erickson from Conversations Among The Ruins with the Duran...

(34 min) Dangerous risks for U.S. as Ukraine crumbles
Looks like the EU and the US MIC will not let this war die

One more from the Duran...
Zelensky determined to stay in power, and then in exile
(20 min)

We can't neglect the NATO meeting this week

(30 sec and 20 sec clips)

Larry asked Nima this week if he knew this one...

What's your name? (What's your name?)
Who's your daddy? (Who's your daddy?)
(He rich?) Is he rich like me?
Has he taken (has he taken)
Any time (any time)
(To show) To show you what you need to live?

Gilbert Doctorow: NATO's Summit - Dead Man Walking? (40 min)
Dr. Gilbert Doctorow addresses the disaster NATO Summit and what is tells us about the future of the military bloc.

The Media

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The Forever Wars need a compliant media. James Corbett has started a series looking at media. I found them well done and interesting.

The Gutenberg Conspiracy (The Media Matrix Part 1) (22 min)
From the Renaissance to the Reformation, from the fall of feudalism to the rise of capitalism, from the Scientific Revolution to the Industrial Revolution, from the way we order our thoughts to what we choose to think about, nothing survived the printing revolution intact. Our world is the world that the printing press has created.
TRANSCRIPT

What Hath God Wrought (The Media Matrix Part 2) (21 min)
It’s difficult for us to appreciate just how incredible it was for those who first witnessed communication from a distance with a disembodied electric ghost. In fact, it was almost impossible for people to understand this type of communication in anything but spiritual terms. Even the word “medium” evokes the specter of contact with the spirit world. . . .
TRANSCRIPT (page down to this episode).

Well friends, at least for the moment, the US hot war with Iran has cooled. Let's hope it continues.

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On the domestic front the "big, beautiful, bill" is creeps onward.
Senate Republicans Revise Trump Tax Bill To Win Over Holdouts
Senate Advances Trump Tax & Spending Bill In Saturday Night Vote
I wonder if the Iran bombing was a payoff to the Senate for the B B bill. It isn't a slam dunk, so we'll have to wait and see.

I'll look forward to your thoughts and comments below...

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Comments

QMS's picture

.
Another chuck full of goodies this Sunday.
The only wars I am fighting now are information
and perhaps sanity & technology. Although they are but skirmishes
compared to the battles some others are dealing with.

After several days of drizzles, the skies have cleared,
the temps shot-up and the wind went away. Going to stay
in the shade maximal, trying to train the new mac book.

Thanks for the watch.

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Zionism is a social disease

Lookout's picture

@QMS

Low 70's and a blue sky. It will get hotter later today.

Today I'll swap out the bush hog for the box scrape and touch up the roads. Then I'll reverse the process and get back to mowing. I'm in pretty god shape, but everything grows fast down here in the summer.

Every time I crank up my 60YO tractor I'm grateful it runs well...at least for now.

Thanks for coming by this morning!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

I don't think it's over. Iran will never forget. We were negotiating, supposedly, for a treaty with Iran, while planning a bombing run to cripple their nuclear power program. On Dec 6,1941 Japanese diplomats were negotiating a treaty with the US, while planning a bombing run, to cripple our navy. We haven't forgotten, neither will they, and we pulled lots of crappy moves on Iran in the name of US oil companies they won't forget.

Mostly, I am really afraid of where we are. I can not see the Trump party giving up power, ever. What that means for elections I guess we'll find out.

Thanks again for the OT. I check out that other place occasionally and there are still a few worthwhile posters in a sea of "everything is racism and misogyny" and endless oh so clever childish insults about the Great Orange Poopy Pants Diaper Baby President. Then there's the grammar and spelling police, the nit pickers and the gangs of Harpies shutting down a post.

I feel fortunate to have found a place where you are not spoon fed foolishness and expected to fight over it.

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Lookout's picture

@Snode

In fact I think this is just a break to rearm Israel and for Iran to get their air defense systems reorganized.

Sadly I fear we're in for a long conflict.

I would be surprised if Trump tries for a 3rd term, but one never knows.

I'm glad you found this community too. Thanks for the visit!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Dawn's Meta's picture

lucky ones. Starting with the post war years and by the '70s things were so, so good. Innovation, real tunes, complex composition, stories, philosophy and much more.

The Animals for heavens' sake put out things we re-listened to this week and now the Zombies. Who knew?

Compared to the drivel we get today which uses a so called tried and true play book, every nook and crannie had some band working on another way of telling us what they thought. We have so much on vinyl, tapes of all kinds, CDs, and now the new ways of archiving. We are rich in diversity and expression.

Whose first thought when "Don't bring me down" was read on Friday Night Photos meant it must be the Beatles. Oh wait it must be "Don't Let Me Down".

Thanks for the in depth compilations. We need to see it all and still may not get all that's happening.

I look for anything that Alex Krainer says and puts out on Substack.

I also am wondering where Snoop Dawg is. I found a couple of things on Substack including a new one written by Sam. There are others' Substacks which Sam comments in, but nothing this week. Hoping all is ok.

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A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit. Allegedly Greek, but more possibly fairly modern quote.

Consider helping by donating using the button in the upper left hand corner. Thank you.

Lookout's picture

@Dawn's Meta @Dawn's Meta

...but didn't post any for fear of running too long. Here's a few clips, some of which you may not have seen.

Geopolitical Chess Trump, Iran, Israel, and British Imperialism (52 min)

Money Lending Oligarchy in Trump’s Crosshairs? | Interview with Alex Krainer.

(45 min)

Alex Krainer: Israel’s Worst Defeat Yet - Iran Just Turned the Tables!

(69 min)

Hope all is well in your world. Nice to see you this Sunday. Thanks for coming by!

PS Have not seen SD this week either. Hope she is well.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Pluto's Republic's picture

@Lookout

....with Alex Krainer. He has an important understanding of the global situation — (one that he is having a hard time putting into words). Yet I see that his ideas are taking form and Krainer is on a solid reality track. There is a strong need for a very clear understanding (consensus) of the exact goal that driving every participant in this geopolitical conflict. The goals are all different. Also there is a general fuzziness about the situation that thinking people are struggling to define. I believe this mind-static is happening because we a dealing with large factions of people and leaders who are criminally insane and/or completely toxic with passionate, brain-damaging beliefs in invisible gods. (Psychotic fantasy gods.) Sane people must agree on who the criminally insane and sick minds are, and segregate them, before we can gain any clarity or make progress toward a solution..

I havre no proposals about enacting this clean-up operation. I simply know for certain that much of humanity (and maybe the planet itself) is doomed to destruction if we do nothing about this mental toxin that is currently disabling intelligent awareness throughout the Western hemisphere.

Anyway, thanks for posting Krainer. I see things I didn't acknowledge before.

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Lookout's picture

@Pluto's Republic

as the root of chaos is interesting. He used the phrase, "misery at home, and mayhem abroad" as US/western goal.

Always nice to "see" you!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Socialprogressive's picture

@Dawn's Meta
I sent snoopy a text this morning. I'll update when or if I hear back from her.

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MAGA
Morons
Are
Governing
America

@Socialprogressive I hope she responds and that she and Sam are perfectly fine and dandy. I had intended to pm you about contacting her.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

QMS's picture

Was quite good.
Thanks for sharing this.
Worth the hour long listen.
Makes many pieces fit.
Johnsons counter currents works.

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Zionism is a social disease

Lookout's picture

@QMS I thought the first summary by Larry was spot on too.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

The violence between these two religiously led "I" countries in the Middle East? Yes. the Tit for Tat last year was over in a few days; the 12 Day War, strangely enough, lasted twelve days. Will Israel stop fucking with all its neighbors? Nope. Not until it disbands itself in the face of obliteration.

As far as trying to figure out their strategic goals and how these loony birds imagine they are possible to attain -- I don't worry about it or care. Violent gesticulation is applied insanity -- trying to rationalize it is almost as crazy as doing it.

BTW, no insult to anybody here intended. The loony shit can get out of hand and kill us all. No fooling. So it is not crazy or ignorant to try to understand. In my opinion, there is no good answer, but the question is worth asking.

What next?

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I cried when I wrote this song. Sue me if I play too long.

Lookout's picture

@fire with fire

in the USreal-Iran war in order to rearm. As I suggested up-thread, this reminds me of the Minsk agreement with Russia and Ukraine...used as an opportunity to build Ukraine's military.

No insult taken on my part for sure. This aggression could spell our collective end.

Glad you dropped in!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

enhydra lutris's picture

100 in our back yard yesterday and should be hotter today, so I've been doing outside stuff while I still can, and there is, of course, plenty to do. Will have to watch the vids tonight or this afternoon.

be well and have a good one

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Lookout's picture

@enhydra lutris

...but is moderating this weekend. I've been starting outdoor tasks at 6AM and coming in by 11 or so.

Stay cool my friend!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

was quite effective but the truth is slowly leaking out.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/haifa-oil-refinery-resumes-...

Israel’s Oil Refineries says it has partly resumed activities at its Haifa facility, which was shut down following an Iranian missile strike two weeks ago.

Israel’s Oil Refineries, or Bazan, says in a regulatory filing in Tel Aviv that it was gradually restoring operations and would likely be fully operational by October. It noted that it holds insurance covering damage and profit losses of up to $250 million caused by acts of terrorism and war.

The company said on June 15 that its pipelines and transmission lines in Haifa had been damaged by Iranian missile strikes, which killed three employees, and that it was examining the impact of the damage on its operations and implications on its financial results.

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Lookout's picture

@humphrey

attributed to Mark Twain and Winston Churchill. Here are two versions:

(1) A lie travels around the globe while the truth is putting on its shoes.

(2) A lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth can get its boots on

Either way, the truth slowly seeps out. Larry J. think the ceasefire was a mistake for Iran..they should have finished Israel while they had the chance. I'm sure there were plenty of other considerations.

Thanks for the X post and link. Not much info allowed out.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Our shopping trip might get cancelled due to rain. Well, make that a thunderstorm.
Regardless, I did hours of house cleaning yesterday, so today can be devoted to videos featured in the WW.
I did read that the Grand Ayatollah in Iran issued a fatwa for all Muslims in the world to assassinate Trump and Bibi. Well, Big Guys, FAFO.
Thanks for the WW, a wealth of info, as expected, dear friend!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Lookout's picture

@on the cusp

It is hit or miss storms today and all week. However, the heat has abated here...in the 70's after the shower.

Y'all have a great afternoon and evening.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

@on the cusp

in order gain some headlines and sympathy in order to continue the Palestinian genocide.

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soryang's picture

It was raining yesterday evening and I could hear thunder off in the distance. I didn't think much of it, and continued reading or writing whatever I was working on, on my laptop. Ms. So was watching some foreign travelogue in the living room.

Then a bolt of lightning hit the building we are in, and the flash and thunderclap were simultaneous. At the same time my hand was resting on my laptop. I received a substantial shock coming up from right hand fingers up to my right shoulder. I was in shock for about five minutes, I didn't collapse or lose consciousness or anything like that, but I was disoriented and my right hand and forearm was tingling and achy for about two and a half hours after that, and then wore off.

Oddly, the electricity didn't go out. The big screen stayed on. Three outlets in the kitchen area within inches of me at the counter to about 10ft away in the corner of the kitchen counter were disabled, inoperative. Oddly, these outlets although on different walls were directly aligned from where I was sitting to the corner of the kitchen. I didn't see any sparks or fire at all, other than the initial flash from the lightning outside. The power didn't go out. I say this because During my childhood, I personally experienced a lightning strike in a home before. the power went out, there was visible ball lightning which passed within two feet of us, and there was fire, sparks coming out of appliances, the roof was on fire, etc. The power of course did go out back then.

I will note that a couple of people were hit by lightning on a beach in New Smyrna a few days ago. Earlier Saturday, I had heard one of local broadcasters warn people not to go outside in the Orlando area to avoid any lightning risk. My shock was pretty strong, I think, because I shocked myself once as a child when I was screwing around with some wires and pushed them into a wall outlet. It was quite a bit stronger than that. I remember thinking good thing it didn't go through my chest.

Ironically, when I was cleaning up around the yard at the house around three weeks ago, a storm was brewing, it was just starting to rain, and I could hear thunder off in the distance. Normally, I would scurry inside, or get in the car to avoid that. I remember thinking because I was in a funk, "go ahead, make my day, end it all here with a lightning strike." Ha, ha. Be careful what you wish for. I guess I've been warned.

Thanks for the WW, Lookout! I was listening earlier to a psychiatrist on Dialogue Works. It's all caused by testosterone. That's my theory! Just kidding.

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語必忠信 行必正直

@soryang

it could have been much worse.

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soryang's picture

@humphrey @humphrey

When I was attacked by a large dog about two months ago, I realized I shouldn't have listened to the owner, who said, "oh don't worry, he's friendly, he won't bite."

When the New Smyrna strikes occurred, the newscaster said, the lightning struck people on the beach, while the sky was still blue over the beach, and the clouds appeared to be a few miles away.

Now that I know, I'll do like I used to, and shut off the tv, computer etc., even if its still miles off.

Thanks Humphrey!

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語必忠信 行必正直

@soryang to see a dr.
My long-time friend and client was an electrician who had been shocked several times. A few years ago, he suffered seizures any time he saw flashing lights. He got himself into a couple of auto accidents when he approached flashing stop lights or came upon emergency vehicles.
He was only 36 when he died from a heart attack.
Stay safe, friend.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

soryang's picture

@on the cusp

I'll keep alert for prodromal signs. If I have any I'll follow through. I think I'll be fine, appreciate the concern by everyone. Safety first and all that.

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語必忠信 行必正直

Lookout's picture

@soryang

My neighbor's house burnt down after a strike. Good you have just a few outlets damaged.

I read about a group of cows recently killed by lightening hanging out under a tree. The rumble of thunder is the sign to get indoors.

All's well that ends well, I guess.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

QMS's picture

@soryang
.
over the years where my eyes lit-up, hair stood up
and the CNS sizzled and buzzed for days afterword.
Talk about energy transfer!! At least my converse
did not melt.
Wink

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Zionism is a social disease

soryang's picture

@QMS

QMS, Did you see lightning strikes as a sailor? I imagined it would be more common at sea.

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語必忠信 行必正直

QMS's picture

@soryang
.
.

but most of the close strikes happened onshore. Think it has to do with
the atmospheric charges seeking ground? Water surface is too disperse
to attract a bolt. As opposed to a tree or a golfer.
Wink

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soryang's picture

@QMS

I'm probably conflating St. Elmo's fire with lightning. Read too many sea stories when I was a kid.

You know how a sea story starts right? It always begins with no s..t.

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語必忠信 行必正直

Lookout's picture

@soryang
Nestled at the base of Lookout Mountain, St. Elmo

We like that area.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

the cameras. They should adopt the "omerta" method with regards to their nuclear activities.

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Lookout's picture

@humphrey
..of the situation. As I said in the intro, none the less I wish Trump's narrative will hold. The battle of the narrative.

IAEA has been damaged and both Russia and China are unhappy with them. We'll have to wait and see the outcome.

Thanks for the X post and the Tom and Jerry!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

QMS's picture

@Lookout
.
along with the ICC, UN, ICJ and other international
institutions. Perhaps it is the 'new global order' at work?
I don't know what is behind the domino effect. But a
'strongly worded letter' is no longer of much effect.
Nor a security council resolution for that matter.

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Zionism is a social disease

Lookout's picture

@QMS
in a hell of a speech...https://www.mid.ru/en/press_service/video/view/2030626/
...spoke last week about the western capture of the international agencies. Reminds me of the UN OPCW lies in Syria...
https://thegrayzone.com/2021/04/18/at-un-aaron-mate-debunks-opcws-syria-...

The nuclear non proliferation treaty has been nullified by the Iranian strike.

We are where we are.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Lookout's picture

@on the cusp

...just other Zionists.

From one year ago...
How Does the Government of Israel Treat Christians? Christian Leaders in the West Should Care

(43 min) How does the government of Israel treat Christians? In the west, Christian leaders don’t seem interested in knowing the answer. They should be. Here’s the view of a pastor from Bethlehem.

Thanks for the Jimmy clip!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

soryang's picture

These stories aren't as dramatic as those in the news lately, but they are significant.

MBC did a news video today on the former administration's plan to send drones into North Korea, in fact to fly over Pyongyang in an effort to induce a military response from North Korea in October and then again in November of last year. The report appears to be reliable because there are multiple unnamed military sources. The theory is, if North Korea responded violently, or if it could be made to appear that the North Korean's were "attacking" South Korea, then an emergency and martial law could be declared. North Korea's restraint under the circumstances was remarkable really. This is a separate drone incident from those flights which occurred in late 2022, which demonstrated air defense over South Korea and Seoul was compromised. North Korea did threaten a military response in Oct 2024 if it was repeated, but nothing happened after the drone incursion reported to have occurred in November 2024.

Sadly, it appears that Yoon and the other major conspirators are out of pretrial detention, and their trials are not yet near completion because the prosecutors and judges are slow walking the trials. The original detention warrants were only good for 180 days. A warrant to put Yoon back in detention was rejected by the court last week, and Yoon appears to be stonewalling special prosecution summons playing cat and mouse and being very uncooperative. I think this applies generally. There has been documented destruction of evidence, and it is quite apparent these people are dangerous, so obviously the government is still in a civil war mode.

If you are interested in tactical air operations in the North Korean theater, you might want to take a look at this video, because it shows the tactical ingress route for drones into North Korea on the way to Pyongyang. When at least one of the drones got there, it circled Pyongyang "tens of times" at 1100 ft altitude in an obvious effort to make sure it was detected, and to provide the necessary provocation. If you know how to use the youtube translate function this video is quite interesting, militarily and politically. I'll cue it to the map of the ingress route, for the tactical spoiler.

"무인기, 北에 또 보냈다"
They sent a drone to North Korea again!

At least one drone crashed in North Korea. The Russian Ambassador reported in October people heard the drone from their balconies in Pyongyang. This report says the drone was supposed to only be used for training, because it was too noisy for tactical use. The drones were supposedly used to drop propaganda leaflets on North Korea.

edit fix typos, add comments

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Lookout's picture

@soryang

My sister is here visiting. She is headed out to S. Korea, somewhere near Seoul to teach for a few years. I hope all goes well for her and the country.

Alex Krainer said somewhere, misery at home and mayhem abroad...is the US project.

Take care!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

soryang's picture

@Lookout

I thought about doing that myself at one point, but it wasn't a practical fit for us at the time. I understand that those jobs are difficult to get. I think it will be a wonderful experience for your sister.

Ms. So spent 6 weeks over there not too long ago. It was a great experience. An experience of a lifetime really. While she was there, I would keep track of her location by KaoKao talk message service on a daily basis, and monitor the location of the political demonstrations, which I was doing anyway. I would tell her which neighborhoods in Seoul or elsewhere to avoid when one was going on. Outbreaks of violence are rare and pretty tame usually by US standards, it was more the inconvenience the demos imposed (gridlock on streets and public transport, inability to access subway and bus stations).

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In case you missed here is the video.

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Lookout's picture

@humphrey

but must admit I ain't into death chants despite the terrorism of the IDF.

Thanks for the X posts and memes!

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Pluto's Republic's picture

.....Jason, from "livinginChina" has posted a video of a countryside visit in China. Local tourism is one of the many industries that helped China alleviate poverty among people who live in more remote parts of China. The government helped the Chinese people restore their villages and buildings, and turn their villages into vacation destinations. This has been has been a wildly successful and popular undertaking. China's high speed railway system has made In-country tourism convenient and affordable and enjoyable — year-round. It's possible to visit all parts of China in a matter of hours for a unique scenic getaway..

.

Tongue-in-cheek — as always — Jason describes this latest video.

In this video, I expose the most common myths and misconceptions the West holds about China and the Chinese countryside. Discover how these false narratives fall apart when faced with reality and how visiting China can completely transform your understanding of the country.

According to Western media and the China-haters the Chinese countryside is a run down wasteland with crumbling houses, peasants and homeless people everywhere. Yeah… not quite.

Today I'm going to show you the reality, show you the truth. The Chinese countryside is shockingly beautiful—Rich with history and culture, clean, and full of life. THE complete opposite of the endless tent cities you'll see popping up across America, and Europe.

We’re cutting through the propaganda and taking you deep into rural China where we'll visit multiple different towns and villages. Get ready to have your stereotypes shattered.

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Lookout's picture

@Pluto's Republic

I'm sorry more people don't realize the advancement and progress they've made.

Thanks for the clip!

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soryang's picture

@Pluto's Republic

Haven't watched Jason in a while but he has a sense of humor. Probably the best thing about Jason's videos are the subtitles. You can read the Mandarin along with the English, and see how much you can understand. It will take me a long time to get through it, but if I did it every day... Most of the travelogues I watch on China, Vietnam, and Laos, are in Korean, because that's what Ms. So watches. The scenery is amazing in China. That Miao town is extraordinary.

I saw a good one yesterday from Yanbian, the autonomous Korean district. It's just north of the North Korean border on the Tumen River in China. They call it the third Korea. I'm very interested in that place. I don't really have a bucket list, but I think I'd enjoy it there, and learn and see a lot.

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Lookout's picture

...but what choice do I have?

[Verse 1]
Come, you masters of war, you that build the big guns
You that build the death planes, you that build all the bombs
You that hide behind walls, you that hide behind desks
I just want you to know I can see through your masks

[Verse 2]
You that never done nothing but build to destroy
You play with my world like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand and you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther when the fast bullets fly

[Verse 3]
Like Judas of old, you lie and deceive
A world war can be won you want me to believe
But I see through your eyes and I see through your brain
Like I see through the water that runs down my drain

[Verse 4]
You fasten all the triggers for the others to fire
Then you set back and watch while the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion while the young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies and is buried in the mud

[Verse 5]
You've thrown the worst fear that can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children into the world
For threatening my baby, unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood that runs in your veins

[Verse 6]
How much do I know to talk out of turn?
You might say that I'm young, you might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know, though I'm younger than you
That even Jesus would never forgive what you do

[Verse 7]
Let me ask you one question is your money that good?
Will it buy you forgiveness? Do you think that it could?
I think you will find, when your death takes its toll
All the money you made will never buy back your soul

[Verse 8]
And I hope that you die and your death will come soon
I will follow your casket by the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered down to your deathbed
And I'll stand over your grave 'til I'm sure that you're dead

18417_2.jpeg

One of Dylan’s fiercest songs, “Masters of War” protests not only the Vietnam war but war in general. It demonstrates the real nature of war—that the “masters” who initiate and orchestrate the wars are safe in their homes, while normal (and usually young) people are forced to go out to fight and fear for their lives. The song also discusses philosophical questions, such as whether a war can really be “won” when losses are sky-high on both sides.

Dylan borrowed the melody from the late medieval English folk song “Nottamun Town”. The song had been forgotten until Jean Ritchie recorded it in 1960 and brought it to the folk revivalist community.

“Masters of War is supposed to be a pacifistic song against war. It’s not an anti-war song. It’s speaking against what Eisenhower was calling a military industrial complex as he was making his exit from the presidency. That spirit was in the air, and I picked it up.”

We are the war mongers. Good night my friends!

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janis b's picture

Can someone please explain to me why I should trust and seriously consider the wisdom of Alex Krainer, a market and hedge fund manager who lives in Monaco, a banking empire, and whose investments are in the Cayman Islands? I know there are many paradoxes in life, but this one baffles me more than others. How is he contributing, with all his resources, to redressing the empire's predatory use of slaves, besides talking?

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Lookout's picture

@janis b

...as the driver of chaos around the world is fairly unique. Tom Luongo is the only other one I know that touches on why all wars are banker's wars.
An example of Tom's commentary:
Understanding Tariffs, Gold, and Global Economy with Tom Luongo

PR's comment above expresses another view.

Alex is from Serbia and experienced the chaos we helped create in the old Yugoslavia.

Hope all is well in your world, and your winter isn't too cold this year. Thanks for coming by tonight!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”