ericbj

Joe Kent on Charlie Kirk assassination: Charlie Kirk, who was close to Trump, was advising him against war with Iran and on distancing the U.S. from Israel. The FBI forbade the Counter-Terrorism Center to investigate who killed Charlie Kirk. More here:

> Israel attacked Iran’s South Pars gas field, > prompting retaliatory missile attacks from Tehran on > Qatar’s Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas terminal. > > Trump pushed back against reports that the Israeli > strikes were coordinated with and approved by his > administration. Trump's undeclared war on Iran is a joint U.S. Israeli affair. The only way he can distance himself from the conflict is by withdrawing all support from Israel. This he will never do. His controller, Netanyahoo, is leading him by the nose to the slaughter. The rulers of the Arab Gulf States made the mistake, in defiance of much of their population and against the interests of the Palestinians, of joining the US-Israeli syndicate. Far from protecting them, this alliance is exposing them to danger in a war from which they will derive no benefit. If they think that hosting U.S. forces will protect them, they are mistaken. Better to scurry from the sinking ship before it goes down.

Although it can in no way meet China's oil needs, overland supplies from Russia are now supplemented by supplies from Iran via a new railway. Thus if seaborne supplies are cut off (and China is still receiving supplies via the Straits of Hormuz) China will not be wholly dependent upon its huge reserves. https://youtu.be/0npUj23RCQY A train-load of crude amounts to just under 9 million barrels. Compare this to a small oil-tanker's capacity of about 5 thousand barrels, or ultra-large (ULCC) tankers carrying 3 million barrels. The train travels very slowly (walking pace) and takes about a week to complete the journey.

Trump is sending an airborne (i.e. light infantry) division to the Middle East. They will not put their boots on the Iranian soil, unless Trump is more delusional than can be imagined. They will nonetheless be sitting ducks to air-strikes. Substantial shedding of American blood might (or might not) harden U.S. public opinion behind Trump: help people see this as a 'patriotic war' rather than a massive cover-up. Purpose: more likely to threaten the populations of Gulf States - some with substantial Shia populations - that they had better think twice before attempting to overthrow their autocratic pro-US/Israeli Sunni rulers. Chaos in the Middle East could encourage regime change in places it was not planned. I doubt Iran lacks sympathisers and clandestine networks in neighbouring states.

Joe Kent, as head of Counter-Terrorism would likely have had access to the findings of a broad range of the many official secret intelligence networks, such as Naval Intelligence, N.S.A., C.I.A., et cetera, somewhat similar to Tulsi Gabbard who gathers intel from all such sources. Remember that Tulsi Gabbard, before the balloon went up, stated that Iran posed no nuclear threat to the U.S. based upon the official sources of intelligence, thus contradicting claims already made by Trump. Of course when publicly attacked by Trump on this point she very quickly back-pedalled by suggesting U.S. Intelligence might not be in possession of all the facts. Which helps to explain her unwillingness in recent cross-examination to reveal the intel available to her that obviously contradicts Trump's current claims. Most of us probably realise that Trump has his own private intelligence network that operates strictly within his own befuddled brain, telling him what he wants to hear. And that takes preference over all else. One of the worst things one can do in a life-and-death situation is to believe one's own propaganda. Propaganda needs to be based upon intel. Not vice versa.

This is what Joe Kent himself has to say: https://open.substack.com/pub/thegrayzone/p/watch-joe-kents-wide-ranging-interview

Well, first of all you need to decide how much you are going to mix overall, the ingredients (coarse aggregate or not), and the ratios of the dry matter (which the specs give by weight, but I measure by bucket). If it is concrete, I normally mix it in my small electric cement-mixer, but if no coarse aggregate, by hand (using a hoe-like tool) in a big plastic mixing trough because the consistency is better that way when making a fairly stiff mix. If doing a screed I might use three buckets of coarse sand + one bucket of general purpose cement (rather than concreting cement - although in France I would use the latter mixed, say, 2:1 with hydraulic lime [never seen it here]), then choose maybe ¾ of a bucket of water. If one figures on using roughly a ½-litre of hydrofuge for 2 x 50 kg bags of cement which we guesstimate at about 9 of the relatively small Thai builder's buckets (the French ones are a good bit bigger), call it 10 for simplicity, that makes it about 50 millilitres per mix. You might find a yoghurt pot makes a good measure for one mix. Precision is not too critical though better to err slightly on the generous side. Consistency is important; and compaction (tamp with trowel). And not too much water: enough that it does not crumble. Smooth with a soft, wet brush after it has begun setting. And of course keep surface damp until thoroughly cured. I know nothing about Crocodile repair mortar (contains polypropylene fibres?), so cannot help you there. For a normal screed, if memory serves, the recommendation is 20 mm minimum thickness. I might feel inclined to bed wetted slates on to freshly laid screed before it has time to start setting. But have no idea if that would give satisfactory result.

This is from Sika Cambodia: "Recommended Dosage 0.5 kg. (0.43 l) per cement 2 bags (contains 50 kg / bag)" https://khm.sika.com/dms/getdocument.get/0bc5e852-7af1-4b68-b745-305159e47fa2/sika_plastocrete.pdf This is obviously for the adjuvant type. There are many types of Sika hydrofuge, but maybe only one in Cambodia, since no type number is given. Perhaps the same in Thailand. It sounds as if you are planning to place a screed over the existing concrete. Might be worth embedding polyester mesh, if available, to reduce risk of cracking. If you overdose, not a problem, but setting time can be very slow.

The problem was solved. Before it even started, by Hungary. Subsequently by Poland, and then Denmark. None of these countries are bounded on all sides by sea. All are members of the E.U. The solution lies in the hands of the politicians who enact the legislation and those that are then charged with putting the laws into practice. Ranting and raving against migrants is of limited use and enables those protesting to be denigrated and criminalised. Target the politicians responsible. Ensure they are never re-elected. And in the mean time make life hell for them. And later, when the occasion presents itself, make them pay for their treasonable behaviour. Perhaps legislation to deprive them of civil rights?

There are two types of hydrofuge for cement mortars and concretes. The one you are writing about is for adding to the water used when preparing the mix. The other type is applied by brush or spraying to the cured surface to cause it to throw off moisture such as rain. 'Sika' makes both types, but I have only used the former here in Thailand. https://usa.sika.com/en/construction/repair-protection/coatings-water-repellents/silane-siloxane-coatings/sikagard-705-l.html Possible additional precaution: afterwards covering the surface with a bituminous paint before re-laying slates? (Surely not real slates: 50 years ago in the UK they cost a fortune - I had a slate roof).

There can be little doubt that the oceans are warming. One has only to notice the steady disappearance of pack-ice over the Arctic Ocean, opening up new trade routes. However the vagaries of climate may be determined by more factors than are accounted for by current computer models. Ice-core samples dating from periods of intense glaciation contain much higher atmospheric carbon dioxide than current levels (assuming dating of the ice was correct). Claims are made that just prior to the Industrial Revolution atmospheric CO2 had fallen to levels approaching the minima necessary to support plant life, and by extension other forms of life. Some commercial greenhouse growers purchase CO2 to enrich the air and foster plant growth. And yet extensive parts of the world have in recent years begun experiencing exceptionally cold weather. It seems there may be factors that are ignored by the computerised climate models. The Sun, the source of our warmth and light, has entered a phase of weakened radiation. This should not make a huge difference. However the Earth's magnetic field has been weakening progressively for decades, and this decline has recently accelerated at an alarming rate. This means that the Earth has already lost a large part of the mantle that protects it from streams of charged particles emanating from the Sun at velocities close to the speed of light. It is said that some of these particles are now breaking through. I am not a climatologist so I offer no conclusions. Only the suggestion of digging deeper. And this snippet: "To understand the real potential of solar flares, we must revisit an extraordinary moment in history: the Carrington Event of 1859. On September 1st of that year, British astronomer Richard Carrington was observing the Sun through a telescope when he witnessed a sudden flash — a massive solar flare. Within hours, Earth was engulfed in the most intense geomagnetic storm ever recorded. "Telegraph systems across Europe and North America failed spectacularly. Sparks leaped from telegraph machines, some bursting into flames. Operators received electric shocks. In some places, telegraph systems continued to send messages even after being disconnected from power sources, driven by the electrical energy surging through the Earth. "The aurora was visible near the equator, in places where no one had ever seen the phenomenon. The skies of Cuba and Hawaii glowed blood red. Newspapers reported frightened citizens believing the world was ending. "This storm occurred before the modern age of electricity, before the digital infrastructure that now connects and sustains civilization. If a Carrington-class event were to happen today, the damage could be catastrophic." [ https://www.sciencenewstoday.org/the-impact-of-solar-flares-on-earths-weather-and-technology ]

Looks as if this could be another politicians' scheme to squander public funds in order to justify their over-subsidised existence, by showing they are actually "doing something". It would appear that all those involved - the two terrorists, the courageous fellow who terminated their rampage, and the unfortunate victims - were all Semites. No dinky-die Aussies involved. This should help to narrow the breadth of the enquiry.

Is this the future ?

Trump is someone who claims constantly to pursue peace. This is either a deliberate lie or else comes from a mistaken belief that peace can be successfully pursued with violence. At home, abroad, and on the high seas. Yes, a certain calm may be achieved, temporarily, by bludgeoning those conceived as enemies. Repressing rather than allaying may result in later explosions of pent up rage, and alliances between those once mutually antipathetic. Who is not an enemy of Trump? He constantly proclaims the U.S. has been betrayed by her allies who have never lifted a finger to help. Which forces them to see themselves as something other than allies. Decide for yourself as to whether or not this makes sense. Clearly Trump is not a student of Sun Tzu. Those who fail to show obeisance to Trump (even the obsequious Starmer) are seen as enemies not only of himself but of the United States of the Americas, of which he believes himself the personification. He is a gambler who wins a few of his punts, but success whets the appetite for higher stakes. See how it went with Hitler, another psychopathic megalomaniac who sought the affirmation of his views by sycophants, rather than the counsel of the knowledgeable. Some years ago I was accused of being a Trump supporter. My reply was that I saw neither Biden nor Trump as fit to preside over the world's most powerful nation, but that Trump seemed the lesser of two evils. He saw problems that others either did not see or chose to ignore. It is easier now to judge him on results rather than just promises. He must be removed from power democratically, a.s.a.p. And an independent review carried out with a view to examining how the democratic structures may be reformed to render them more responsive to informed public opinion. And since informed public opinion is essential to democracy, the tight grip of mega-finance on the mass media must be loosened

This paints a picture of the Burmese resistance that is likely to be misleading for those who are not following closely the operations. This can be done, for instance, by subscribing to https://burmacoupresistancenotes.substack.com/ or by following various groups on Facebook such as Karen News etc. In fact there is considerable co-operation between PDFs and between PDFs and ethnic armed groups. "State media reported … that Bo Nagar … turned himself in at a military camp … along with family members and several weapons." So, only him and family members. No one else. "Bo Nagar rose quickly in the early stages, leading guerrilla units that once aligned with the shadow National Unity Government (NUG). But in 2023 he rebranded his force as the BNRA, loosening ties with mainstream opposition fighters." Why so ? No longer a shared purpose ? "Tensions with local People’s Defense Force (PDF) units escalated last year, with accusations that BNRA fighters extorted money at checkpoints. The situation boiled over last week when the BNRA admitted to killing a PDF fighter in a dispute. The PDF retaliated with raids, prompting Bo Nagar’s retreat and eventual surrender." Looks like he had to flee - without any followers - after murdering a PDF combattant. "The NUG has accused BNRA members of serious crimes, including killings and sexual violence, and claimed that around 150 fighters have already defected to join PDF ranks." It is obvious whatever Bo Nagar's original motivations may have been, about three years ago his personal ambitions led him to become leader of a dacoit gang, leading many of his unit's members to join genuine resistance units. The democratic forces are clearly better off with this traitor out of the way and his gang dispersed.

Britain has throughout history received immigrants, usually refugees fleeing persecution, such as French Huguenots, loyal Americans, 'White' Russians, and German Jews. Even Count Esterhazy, the villain of the Dreyfus affair (my mother in her childhood sometimes saw him, an old man, walking slowly down to the shops leaning on the arm of his valet). They adapted, often brought skills (certainly true of the Huguenots) and became devoted and loyal servants of the country of their adoption, often serving in the armed services. This has been true also of many post-war immigrants of non-European race, as can be judged from what they say in interview and their criticism of uncontrolled immigration of masses of antisocial young males opposed to British culture, custom and laws. The latter's contempt for Britain is amply demonstrated by their choice of illegal entry. They have come to the wrong place and must be sent packing. These masses of illegal immigrants constitute a national threat. The cause of the crisis must be tackled before all else. The cause lies with the politicians. If one cannot put the fear of God into them, one must put the fear of the mob into them. Seeing they feel they can afford, with taxpayer money, luxury accommodation and other perks for illegal immigrants to whom no duty is owed, except under a half-baked piece of E.U. legislation, let them offer these facilities to our own homeless people; in some cases made destitute by the incompetence of successive governments. https://england.shelter.org.uk/media/press_release/at_least_382000_people_are_homeless_in_england_today_

RUSSIAN & CHINESE MIGHT ON DISPLAY IN DRAMATIC SHOW OF STRENGTH Russian Air Defense + Chinese Radar Ready for US Attack on Iran: This is WW3 https://rachelblevins.substack.com/p/russian-defense-chinese-radar-iran-stanislav-krapivnik

It remains to be seen whether China and Russia are prepared to take an active part in fighting, if it occurs. Probably not. But they will do everything short of that to help Iran to survive any attack. Might be of interest: https://open.substack.com/pub/glenndiesen/p/stanislav-krapivnik-russia-and-china

We could perhaps be about to see a proxy war between China and the United States, where China hopes to see a substantial reduction of its antagoniser's capacity for global power projection, without great loss to itself (a sort of re-run of the Ukraine War, but with positions reversed) : https://www.thedefensenews.com/news-details/China-Supplies-HQ-9B-Missiles-to-Iran-in-Oil-for-Weapons-Agreement "In a development that underscores the growing strategic alignment between Tehran and Beijing, Iran has reportedly entered into a barter agreement with China, exchanging large volumes of crude oil for HQ-9B long-range air defense systems and other advanced military technologies."

You may be assuming that the company managing an ETF is doing it not only on a charity basis but without having to cover any overheads. Unfortunately that is not the case. The gold bullion an ETF purchases has to be stored and insured, and this involves costs. Moreover you will need to study the small print of the ETF's Conditions to discover to what extent the net asset value of the fund must consist of physical gold and how much may be 'paper gold', i.e. derivatives. The ordinary investor cannot withdraw his investment in the form of gold. 'Whales' may be able to do so and if much use is made of this right it can substantially affect the value of the fund. Bullionvault custody charges (including insurance): Gold: 0.12% per annum with a monthly minimum of $4. Hope this helps.

Does that mean printing more dollars ?

What defenses does this fleet possess against hypersonic missiles ?

Scammers are sometimes both skilful and patient. They build up trust over a period of time. With the help of accomplices, of convincing arguments, and seemingly genuine but actually false documents bearing, for example, bank letterheads. I was nearly scammed once over a considerable period of time, many years ago (have forgotten the details), but fortunately smelt a rat and broke contact. But then was successfully scammed by a pseudo-Portuguese "businessman" supposedly dying of cancer and who claimed wished to "leave money to the poor people of Burma". Which had me looking into how to set up such things as a trust account in Thailand, and eventually making a payment to release funds. All this supported with seemingly convincing documents. A Kayah retired veterinary friend of mine from the U.S. was ripped off by a Burmese New Yorker who pursuaded him to put money into his FX speculation fund. He did so, and received a couple of fat cheques not long after. So put in most of his life savings. And that was the end of it. Gold is an excellent store of value, especially in uncertain times. But many Thais lost their gold during the Asian crisis of 1997. Because it was stored with the dealers they bought it through, who went bankrupt. The creditors took all, because the gold was not ALLOCATED (legally owned) by those who had paid for it. Hold the metal, not paper. Or, if you want leverage, shares in successful mining, streaming or royalty companies.

These articles may be of interest as regards pollution by motorbikes: https://motorgearexpert.com/how-much-do-motorcycles-pollute/ https://gearjunkie.com/motors/motorcycle-vs-vehicle-emissions

It seems Trump is being pressurised by not only Natanyahou but also people within his own circle to require what is effectively total surrender of Iran. No longer just concerns nuclear industry, but surrender of missiles, etc., etc. Details in this interview of Alastair Crooke by Col.Davis: