This report was originally published by Brandon Smith at Alt-Market.com
While the mainstream media and general public tend to assume that every new day is bringing us closer to a better future, many alternative analysts focus on the underlying weirdness of our world and all of the crisis factors that average people don’t want to think about. I have to say, in my view the “weirdness” has been escalating rather swiftly lately, and I don’t think that very many analysts, alternative or mainstream, appreciate the potential consequences.
The most important issue of course has always been the global economy. With nearly every sector of our system resting on massively inflated financial bubbles driven by central bank fiat printing and artificially low interest rates, there is only one question that really needs to be asked: How long before a geopolitical or economic shock event takes down the entire house of cards?
The mainstream philosophy seems to be that the economy is now impervious to such events. As the media now argues often, stock markets in particular do not appear to care whenever international threats present themselves. I would argue that this is because nothing substantial has actually happened quite yet. We have had a steady build-up of domestic and global political tensions, but the markets have so far been presented with a world that is comfortably predictable. It is a dangerous world with numerous potential pitfalls, but still predictable nonetheless.
And this is the very odd position we find ourselves in. A system which grows progressively more unstable year by year, and a society that has grown ignorantly used to it. To wake people up to the threats ahead would require a surprise, a slap to the face, something entirely unexpected. Here are a few developing powder kegs around the world that may present such a shock.
U.S. Debt Ceiling And The Government Shutdown Battle
I think a lot of people are missing some major points on the government shutdown situation. First, consider this — every new deal to keep the federal government funded offers a shorter stopgap than the last. The latest deal would only keep funding in place for three more weeks, then the same conflict over budget and spending initiatives happens all over again. It is not outlandish to expect that one day soon we will be faced with weekly or bi-weekly funding battles in D.C., while the greater problem of the U.S. debt ceiling is generally ignored.
You see, the “fight” within the federal government is not so much over whether or not more debt is a “bad thing.” In fact, both sides support more debt and bigger government. Instead, the fight is over the allocation of funds (debt) to certain projects and away from others. Who gets the money? And how can a government shutdown be used as leverage to gain the upper hand politically?
The thing is, this is all theater. There are no “sides” to the debate in Washington, and there is no battle. This is all designed to condition the American public into believing that the two parties are separate and opposed when they are in fact not. Beyond that, the shutdown battle also achieves a certain stress factor for the economy that many people are not aware of.
Among alternative analysts, cynicism runs rampant over a government shutdown. “Who cares?!” many of them will say, “Let it shut down!” But there are some concerns here, primarily the concern of full faith in U.S. debt issuance.
While I am all for the notion of the federal government going the way of the Dodo bird, I do not think many alternative analysts are considering the trade-off required when the system does in fact “reset.” For example, while the U.S. Treasury is supposed to remain functional during a government shutdown and certainly remains functional during stop gaps and debates over funding, this internal conflict though theatrical in nature can still produce a lack of faith in Treasury bonds and the dollar internationally. And frankly, faith is all that our economy has left to sustain itself.
If the funding battle continues with ever shorter stop gaps or with an extended period of government shutdown, there is a possibility that the largest foreign investors in U.S. debt and the dollar will begin dumping their holdings. When this is done, it will be done quietly and will be fully denied if questions arise. If China, for example, begins decoupling from U.S. debt, we will not find out until it is far too late. The Chinese would seek to be the first to dump their holding in order to avoid a vast international rush for the exits. They would want to be the first to sell, not the last.
Again, if the funding fight continues to become more aggressive and more absurd, eventually we will see a foreign dump of U.S. debt, and with it an unprecedented crisis. Whether or not this “needs” to happen is not what I am debating here, only that when it does happen, there will be consequences for us all, and being prepared for them is essential.
Syria Back On The Table
So, if you thought the Syrian situation could not get any weirder, the past week might have been a surprise.
The last major development was Vladimir Putin’s orders to pull a large percentage of standing Russian troops from the region, leaving the Assad government particularly vulnerable. This move did not surprise me in the least. In fact, I predicted that Russia would step aside in Syria in interviews last year. I also wrote about the possible problems this would cause in my article ‘A Review Of The Most Disturbing Events Of 2017’. One of these problems would be Putin leaving the door wide open for a foreign force to invade Syria, drawing in other nations like Iran or Lebanon into the fight and expanding the war tenfold.
What did surprise me, though, was the brazen launch of forces into the region by Turkey in particular. Erdogen has been pecking away at Kurdish tribes in Syria for quite some time, but his latest measures are something entirely new. Keep in mind that Turkey is still technically a NATO member and an ally of the U.S., despite Erdogen’s anti-NATO rhetoric and threats to leave the multi-nation defense pact. Also keep in mind that the U.S. government is giving monetary and weapons support to the Kurds. So, to clarify, a U.S. ally is ignoring the tense situation in Syria and the possibility of triggering a wider regional war to hunt and destroy another U.S. ally, all while Saudi Arabia, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Russia, etc., hover on the periphery waiting to jump into the fray.
This is not a recipe for diplomatic discourse. This is a recipe for disaster. Will Syria lead to WWIII as some people suggest? Probably not in the way most of them imagine. War takes many forms, including sporadic region by region conflicts, as well as economic conflicts. Global nuclear war is unlikely considering such an event would virtually vaporize decades of investment by the elitist establishment in control grids around the world. But, constant regional combat and financial disasters? THAT is a strategy that benefits them greatly.
North Korea And The Olympic-Sized Target
First let me say that the very fact that South Korea and the Olympic committee feels compelled to continue the games in the region at a time of such heightened tensions is extremely odd to me. The notion may simply be that the games will “heal” divisions in the Korean peninsula. I am not so sure about that…
I recently wrote about the North Korean war scenario and the potential false flag event during the Olympics in my article ‘Olympic Games In South Korea – Perfect Opportunity For A False Flag Attack?’. I would add to my analysis another interesting development; the negative response by South Koreans to the North’s participation in the Olympic games.
I have continually had to remind people that a war in North Korea would be the most effective trigger event for economic downturn and global distraction, though some skeptics seem to think the situation is going nowhere. Yet, all the elements are now present, including an array of naval forces ready for kinetic response, the escalation of North Korea’s missile technology to include ICBMs capable of striking the U.S. mainland, the war rhetoric grows on both sides, with the Department of Defense being the most aggressive, and now even the South Korean citizenry seems to be shunning diplomacy as they burn photos of Kim Jong Un during Olympic processions and demand a stop to cooperation with the North during the games.
This is a rather sharp break from the mainstream narrative in the U.S., which has told us that South Koreans are seeking generally passive and diplomatic relations with the North, and that the US involvement is universally unwanted. That is to say, the desire for conflict is not limited to U.S. warhawks and North Korean “fanatics,” it is also a large portion of the South Korean population that appears to prefer less-than peaceful solutions.
Add to this the latest CIA claims that North Korea’s nuclear weapons technology will be a full threat to the U.S. in a matter of months, and the news that North Korea’s armies are confiscating food stores from the citizenry at a greater rate than usual, and anyone with any sense can see what is developing here. CIA director Mike Pompeo has asserted that the Trump Administration will act to prevent North Korea from developing an arsenal of ICBMs capable of striking the U.S.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: This is going to end in war. There is no way around it.
The U.S. Dollar Continues Its Rapid Decline
I outlined this interesting development a couple weeks ago in my article ‘The Strange Case Of The Falling Dollar – And What It Means For Gold’, and so far it seems that the downward spiral of the dollar is continuing, now falling at a speed not seen since 2003.
This trend is very strange for a number of reasons – the most prominent being the fact that the dollar index is ignoring policy moves by the Federal Reserve to hike interest rates and reduce its balance sheet. Under normal economic conditions, this should trigger a dollar spike, not a dollar collapse. I predict that the Fed, under “new leadership” through Jerome Powell, will pursue highly aggressive fiscal tightening measures in 2018, including expanded interest rate hikes in the name of tempering the dollar’s decline.
If this takes place, the insane stock market bubble now in full steroid mode will feel a sudden swift kick to the nether regions. However, such a move may still not stop the dollar’s decline. This could be the first stage of the stagflationary crisis I and a few other alternative analysts have been warning about for years.
Growing Accustomed To The Weird
I think if you asked most people if they would have believed the developments of today were possible five to 10 years ago, they would say no. The danger is that when a society becomes too accustomed to instability and conflict, they become complacent in terms of their own security and their own freedoms. They might not even notice until it is too late that both necessities have been stolen away from them.
That great global slap in the face is coming, make no mistake, but the question is, can we prepare enough people for it in time to make a difference in the outcome? Reporting on these issues is often compared to “doom and gloom,” but really, it is an act of optimism. I and many other analysts are operating on the assumption that we can tip the balance by informing the public and creating a shield against calamity. Maybe this is a foolish assumption, maybe not. We shall see in due course.
***
If you would like to support the publishing of articles like the one you have just read, visit our donations page here. We greatly appreciate your patronage.
You can contact Brandon Smith at: [email protected]
After 8 long years of ultra-loose monetary policy from the Federal Reserve, it’s no secret that inflation is primed to soar. If your IRA or 401(k) is exposed to this threat, it’s critical to act now! That’s why thousands of Americans are moving their retirement into a Gold IRA. Learn how you can too with a free info kit on gold from Birch Gold Group. It reveals the little-known IRS Tax Law to move your IRA or 401(k) into gold. Click here to get your free Info Kit on Gold.
Yeah its coming alright make no mistake about it. Just prepare is all I can say. One of these clocks or alarm bells are goin’ to get it right one day. Don’t let your ass be hangin’ in the breeze when it does. All I can say ’bout that, got nothing more.
All of that is just BS disttaction to occupy your brain.
Watch this hour video of real American History 5000 years ago. Giant people 10 Feet tall. The Smithsonian steals these finds and destroys this evidence. A must watch video.
Watch this video of real North American Structures and archeological dig sites 5000 yrs old that will blow any current religious history out of the water.
Mysterious North America Giants & Advance Ancient Human Civilizations
ht tps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0hGzzuuJE4
Published on May 14, 2017
The Iroquois, the Osage, the Tuscaroras, the Huron, the Omahas, and many other North American Indians all speak of giant men who once lived and roamed in the territories of their forefathers.
This video discusses sites in Wisconsin. Lake Delevan Giant Skeletons, and Aztaland pyramids in Jefferson Co Wi. Ancient Indian civilizations far advance using mathematical configurations of astronomy. Mound builders, One of the best info videos I have seen in a long time and this was all here in North America.
Far advanced movement of earth materials that seem humanly impossible.
Sorry but this info makes Christianity look like Saturday cartoon foolishness. This should be required teaching in all schools.
Some speculate that Christianity actually caused the dark ages from 500 AD to 1500 AD – ht tps://www.quora.com/Did-Christianity-cause-the-Dark-Ages-i-e-the-5th-to-the-15th-centuries
Did Christianity usher in the dark ages? The term ‘dark ages’ has not been defined by the questioner but it commonly refers to the cultural and economic deterioration that occurred in Western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. There are normally two aspects to what might be termed the ‘Christianity guilt thesis’; firstly that Christianity was a significant contributing factor to the decline and fall of the Roman Empire and secondly that the new religion was hostile to classical learning and did not foster and preserve enough of it as the empire collapsed.
And we know as fact, that after 1492 when Columbus and the rest of the Spanish, under the flag of Christianity wiped out millions of American Indian tribes and cultures.. But that’s what you get when some worship a jealous god. Destruction of cultures and teachings..
Watch the video for some true history enlightenment.
Your assessment of Christianity is entirely nonsense. you got some bad info there. It really isn’t even worth responding too, other then to say it is nonsense.
there may have been some giants running around, but Rome destroyed itself, (caligula, nero, etc) and at the same time the truth of Christianity over took the minds of men giving answer and meaning to life at such a profound level that it changed the world. It is hard to see how much so at this point because we are living out the devastation of the protestant revolt. Protestantism is ultimately atheism, which is little else then the statement, “I am god”.
The Catholic Church built western civilization. Protestantism is destroying it. replacing it with materialism in the forms of capitalism and socialism.
The Roman Empire’s bulk logistics relied on the Mediterranean Sea to ship wheat from North Africa, papyrus from Egypt. etc. The spread of Islam ushered in the dark ages when Muslim (Barbary) pirates terrorized the Mediterranean forcing producers to flee to higher ground and cutting off paper for books. Muslims goats destroyed vegetation causing soil erosion around the Mediterranean basin. Hard to believe, but Greece and Cyprus once had deep soil. Emmett Scott researched and wrote several eye-opening books about this.
You can blame Christianity for many things, but not the fall of the Roman Empire.
On another note, if you have a Beretta 96 with 11 round factory mags you can get 15 rnd. mags made by meggar that function very well. Go to midwayusa dot com to order. Free shipping with over 100.00 purchase.
Oooops, I meant 10.00 off code.
And beprepared dot com has maple/pecan granola on sale for 10 bux a can (if you buy 12). Free shipping too!
The FBI and NSA team up and do mass surveilance on Americans using the Cell phone data dump fake cell towers collection with “StingRay” which sucks all your data off your phones as you pass by the fake cell phone tower. They also use small planes to fly above you and also use this Stingray cell phone data extraction equipment to spy on you as well as mobile vans loaded with this stingray equipment. It sucks all the data off your cell phones including all your texts, all your photos, your entire phone book of contacts and your phone call logs. Never put anything on your cell phone you would not want anybody to see. You can take the battery out of your phone to stop the data extraction as you travel to avoid this data theft and privacy breach. Nothing is safe or private these days. Thats why your goal is to be all off their grid as much as possible. You cant take the battery out of i-phones so stick to Android. Apple is screwing you bigtime. Most all cell phoned have about 7 points of entry back doors to hack into and steal the data in the phone.
TSB, I’ve a better idea. Live free – dump your addiction or supposed need for the cellphone. Get rid of it entirely. It is quite possible and liberating as all hell. Locate and disable any geo-tracking/comm. system in your vehicle. Use your pc/internet device in only one location. It is the mobility of the equipment you use that is the Achilles heel of most people. And you’re dead wrong unfortunately in thinking you can simply pull the battery out of all phones or devices. ‘i’Devices cannot be accessed for that. Furthermore, most laptops and even desktops have a small memory battery on the motherboards. That is for some designs how ‘wake on LAN’ can function. Even in an ‘off’ state, they can be turned on remotely.
Global Crisis Events: The Weird Keeps Getting Weirder
It is not weird, it is just what we expect-a coming collapse to bring worth a New World Order. From ashes, a new order.
That is why people prepp/prepare.
Whatever occurs some kind of sustainability can be maintained by the person.
Regardless, nearly all will suffer some sort of loss or inconvenience and it seems it seems to be nearer than it was yesterday.
So, if it occurred tomorrow, after shock wears off that it actually happened, then humans will adapt and continue on.
But for Dogs, I just don’t know.
Look. I’m an old guy, and not the most computer literate. I don’t know how to send links.
I’d send you this one if I could. Maybe someone here can help me out.
Go to traderschoice.net and listen to the podcast. Big news that mainstream media will not
cover. The podcast for Wed. Jan 24th post-market wrap-up.
At first it was a matter of “IF” they were spraying chem trails.
Before there was any admittance …
now what’s in question is what happens if they stop.
You can’t make this stuff up.
ht today://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/science/2018/01/22/creating-clouds-stop-global-warming-could-wreak-havoc/1054026001/
That’s my favorite Salvador Dali btw
The author Brandon is way behind the Info curve. The world has been dumping Americas debt for years. China has been dumping Billions is Tbills and moving its own economy and Yuan backed with real gold assets. The petro dollar has been abandoned by a host of countries, China Russia, Veneszuela and many others. Now bitcoin is taking over foreign exchange. The US tactic and of using the petrodollar with the threats of a point of a gun is over. Its game over folks, your money is worth nothing.
Kim is in a no win situation. If the author is correct that a false flag event may be planned for the Olympics, then if Kim withholds his citizens from participation, that fact will be used to bolster the idea that the attack came from North Korea. Likewise if he sends athletes South to participate, they or their North Korean “fans” will be accused of being the perpetrators. Or, the third and most likely Senario could be a false flag against the North Korean athletes or their families and another false flag attack blamed on North Korea as a response to the first; bringing us into allout war with North Korea.
“Oh, what a tangled web we weave when at first we do deceive” maybe.
_
An revolu de grand nombre septiesme
Apparoistra au temps Jeux d’Hecatombe
Non esloigne du grand eage milliesme
Que les entres sortiront de leur tombe.
The year of the great seventh number accomplished,
it will appear at the time of the games of slaughter,
not far from the age of the great millennium,
when the dead will come out of their graves.
“Weider”?
Everything is getting weirder. Men marring men, women marring men, one time men becoming women then marring either their birth or chosen sex. Any of the preceding are entitled to share a locker room with your HS age daughter. Domestic “Un-rule of law”. The vaulted self described premier law enforcement agency of the entire world, the FBI, losing evidence that would implicate them in illegal activities. We had “My Three Sons” and we now have, “Modern Family”. At one time, “Ozzie and Harriet” now “Shameless”. The “Addams Family” would be portrayed as normal today and preferable as neighbors to the previous.
Its absolutely nuts and with each passing day its getting nuttier.
good one, kevin!
Yes – I think “nuttier” is a better term than “weirder”.
I am confident it’s headed for nuclear war and that it will be a retribution against this generation for its evil. Like the Canaanites of old, judgment will likely fall when the West has filled up on its full measure of sin; it might be at the point when genetic tech / cloning allows two Sodomites to produce a baby using just their own DNA. Or it might happen before western society stoops that low.
If you look at the WW2 and WW1 generations, sinful and rebellious against God though they were, their sins seem relatively trivial compared to this generation’s. Yet they were not spared the horrors of mass genocide, so how much more ripe for an even worse hammering is the West today?
In this age, up is down, back is front, black is white, male is female, evil is good and good is evil. God presribes a curse on all such who indulge in this: “woe unto them that call evil good and good evil” – Isaiah 5:20.
It’s my view that mass repentance, while the only thing that could prevent tremendous afflication for this rebellion, will not happen. Rather, I believe the nukes will fly, millions will die (especially in the liberal cities), but the surviving society will not turn to Christ. Instead, I believe the aftermath will see the emergence of an atheistic, hyper-Socialist transnational superstate that outlaws all religion and everything we consider conservative and free today. Very, very dark days ahead, in other words.
Quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat.
Roughly translated…..”Those whom God would destroy, He first makes mad.”
Read Romans 1 for reference.
I’m convinced all muti nationals are going block chain
That can only mean one thing …
quantum computing has arrived.
If you think things are weird now just wait…you ain’t seen nothing yet.
Quantum Computing = The Beast
No such word as ‘weirder’
Old Codger
Decades ago there was no word for transexual either. Weirdo, weirder the words fit.
Merriam-Webster says there is.
Too many people, greedy people. Insanity is the new normal.
Its all part of the Hollywood cult and particular 3ews that are polluting the minds of our young with garbage to destroy our nation within a few generations. Imagine our country run by snowflake melinials. We are screwed. I hope im dead by then.
Oh! You miss a great opportunity to use the work “Hollyweird” there !!!
Even here in good olcanada things have entered the twilight zone. Not sure what’s gonna happen but everyone feels it in thier bones. Something has to give soon.
The world truly has gone mad, most anyone can do is hang in there.
Angry B., well said.
What’s the latest twilight zone happening?
SHTF can happen gradually;it doesn’t have to be a catastrophic event. Prayer helps. Music helps. Having artwork that you like helps. Macaroni & Cheese helps if you’re not lactose intolerant. Depression starts when you feel like you have no control.
Depression stops when you give up control to Jesus and cease to fear for the future. It is absolutely liberating. Jesus said “I come that you might have life and have it more abundantly”. He spoke the truth. I know first hand.
The MSM and social media have dulled our senses. I was watching Communist News Network and Alyson Camaroto could not get her two guests to bite on Trump’s alleged spanking by a porn star with a Forbes magazine…trying to get them to say it was “alarming”. Both said no it isn’t…this is the new norm. Trump and his never constant tweeting and running his mouth have the world not listening, not paying attention, and generally numb.
There is no more outrage, no more caring. Seems most are on some type of medicine for ADD, ADHD, depression, anxiety, OCD, hormones, etc. Time to get out of the Matrix. We need a Neo and sorry but Trump is not The One.
Jesus is the one.
We look but we do not see. We ask but we do not listen for the answer.