Don’t expect a full report tomorrow, unless all heck breaks loose.
Wuhan virus -
ABC News analyzed publicly available data and determined that, as states have begun to reopen across the country, the places experts claimed spread the disease have accounted for only a small percentage, if any, of new cases. ABC looked at publicly available data in four states – California, Illinois, Michigan, and North Carolina – and Washington, D.C., and found that less than 5% of new COVID-19 cases in those states came from bars, restaurants, gyms, etc. in those states.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending the continued use of masks and social distancing in schools after issuing new guidance last week that stated vaccinated people do not need to wear masks.
On Saturday, the CDC released an Operational Strategy for K-12 schools in which it pointed to data that suggest schools that abide by mask mandates and social-distancing requirements have been able to safely remain open.
In the post clarifying mask guidance for schools, the CDC argued that schools need to make efforts to remain open as a way to combat “systemic health and social inequities” among students of color. (The Hill)
NOTE - Things always have to come back around to race for these people.
Speaking of the CDC, the director has seemed to be all over the map with her pronouncements - particularly in regards to masks. I suspect that free state success in removing mask mandates finally force the issue. Fauci is expecting the CDC to issue a ’Significant Clarification’ (aka move the goal posts) on the subject.
India still heavily impacted by wuhan related deaths. One aspect I haven’t seen really addressed its the effects of India’s caste system is having. What caste is getting hit the hardest and which cast is receiving the ‘vaccines’?
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Globalism / Great Reset -
In what appears to be an effort to produce ‘evidence’ of increased forest fires due to global warming, the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) seems to be cherry picking data. The NIFC has hidden everything before 1983. By doing so, they remove the massive fire years from about 1926 - 1956. See link for data comparison.
https://granitegrok.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/US-wildfire-NIFC-data-compare-WUWT.png
The US Army is having resources diverted to “fight” climate change. We’re doomed.
A third Alberta Pastor has been arrested and thrown in jail on account of breaking pandemic gathering rules, which limit church services to 15 people inside, or 5 people outside. Control by abusive govt arrests/persecution. Its Canada folks, but there are plenty in the wuhan cult here that tried / advocated the same here in the US, and that pressure here has not let up, as things move toward “vaccine”.
Evangelical pastor Franklin Graham says he would be happy to work with the Biden administration in encouraging evangelicals to get COVID-19 vaccines. Sad blindness to what the govt is pulling - he should look north to see what the govt really wants.
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Economy -
IBM says chip shortage could last two years until the situation improves. This will have a devastating impact on our society that depends so heavily upon electronics for everything.
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Invasion of Illegals -
(NYP) The Biden administration has pulled more than $2 billion out of programs authorized by Congress for COVID-19 testing, emergency medical supplies and other health needs — and is spending it on shelter for the 45,000 unaccompanied migrant children that have flooded across the US border this year. But there is no border crisis. . . . . .
40,000 illegal “got aways” reported for April. This is on top of all the catch and release illegals that the govt is incapable of tracking.
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Biden watch -
Biden had harsh words for HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra when he reportedly failed to provide answers to his questions about how HHS was dealing with the surge in unaccompanied migrant children at the border in late March, according to sources cited in a report by the New York Times.
NOTE - the question I have is what did he say to Harris who he directed to take charge of the situation?
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CW2/Domestic violence -
As noted earlier, sporadic violence associated with BLM/Antifa pro Palestinian ‘protests’ in numerous cities across the country.
Expect more trouble as BLM activists and Antifa militants conduct “George Floyd week” to mark the one year anniversary of his death in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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POLITICAL FRONT -
Pelosi’s Jan 6th commission is moving forward. Just expect democrats to hijack the proceedings and ignore the evidence that doesn’t follow their narrative.
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Cyber Warfare -
Repercussions from the Colonial Pipeline hack continue through out the cybersphere. Most discussion on the continued vulnerability of our networks.
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North Korea -
Radio free Asia has put a report out that NK farmers must donate two liters of their urine daily to make fertilizer. NK normally imports huge amounts of fertilizer from its largest trading partner China, but the northeast Asian neighbors closed their border and suspended all trade at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in January 2020. NOTE - I also suspect that China is diverting fertilizer to meet it’s own food production shortages. This is on top of a human feces collection requirement for local composting started in 2019.
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Israel - WAR
So much getting blown up, I don’t have the time to fully monitor everything, thus trying to summarize and capture key events and actions.
SUMMARY - More of the same. Hamas et al’s capabilities continue to be eroded, rocket launches continue, but the volume is down. Loss of rocket response is evident from this weekend report by the IDF stating Hamas fired some 120 rockets at Israel between 7 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. Sunday. Monday of last week that would barely equal one salvo. But enough to keep their bomb sirens going and people heading to shelters.
Israel continues to systematically target launchers and storage facilities. Israel also continuing to head hunt terrorist leaders, keeping many on the run, killing many others. Israel also methodically taking out the underground infrastructure with over 100 Km of tunnels destroyed.
Since the start of the conflict, Hamas et al have fired over 3150 rockets from Gaza. IDF claims Iron Dome is intercepting 90 percent of its intended targets even after switching from a 2-interceptors per missile procedure to 1-interceptor per missile, effectively doubling its saturation point without efficacy loss.
Sources report that Israeli officials say the security cabinet decided to continue the Gaza operation according to the military plans. The official said that if there will be new military proposals or if PM Netanyahu & MoD Gantz decide to move ahead towards a cease fire the cabinet will be updated. MoD Gantz visited the Gaza Division HQ, reportedly approving assault plans for the coming week.
Sunday activity seems to have slowed some what on both sides. This is not unprecedented as both sides took the opportunity to reload their systems. The pause only lasted until last night local when IAF said its warplanes are carrying out “widespread” strikes across the Gaza Strip, claimed they are targeting “terror sites,” but gave NO further details. Palestinian sources said there have been 66+ strikes in 30 min after the resumption of air strikes and the bombardments are particularly intense
IAF -“In the last few hours, IAF fighter jets and aircraft have attacked nine headquarters of the Hamas terrorist organization throughout the Gaza Strip. The houses that were attacked were used as terrorist infrastructure and in some of the houses, weapons depots were even found.” “Among the houses of the attacked commanders are the house of the commander of the Beit Hanun Battalion, the house of the commander of the Beit Hanun company, the house of a company commander in Gaza City and the house of a company commander in the Shatti battalion of Hamas”
PIJ commander of the northern battalion in Gaza, Hisam Abu Harbid, who replaced Baha Abu al-Ata after his killing in 2019 has reportedly been killed in an airstrike in Jabaliya.
Israel has posted a compiled list, but the list was in Hebrew.
In a different method of attach, a Hamas launched an unmanned submarine (torpedo?) that was by intercepted Israeli forces. I’m not sure on the target, Israeli naval forces have been joining in the artillery bombardments. It was destroyed and the operatives were injured.
Calls for peace are increasing globally but have yet to gain traction with either Israel or Hamas. Egypt seems to be the lead country many are falling in line with. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Monday that a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas might be within reach. “Egypt is going to great lengths to reach a ceasefire between the Israelis and Palestinians – and hope still exists that a collective action could end the conflict,” he said in an interview to the Al Arabiya news outlet. (JP)
According to a CNN report, progressives are threatening a significant rift with Biden if he doesn’t drop even the luke-warm support for Israel he has expressed over the past week. The deliberate blind spot these progressives have is that if the facts were fully laid out, they would be shown as completely naked in their views.
Great point made concerning the downing of the building that housed AP, Al Jazera and other media operations. A law of war reminder - The use of an otherwise-civilian building for military purposes converts it into a military target. This is a basic aspect of the law of war. The blame for the attack on the target thus rests with the entity that converted it into a military target. Israel provided the US with intelligence conclusively proving Hamas intel operations there (and as I commented - it was the type of place I would have set up in as well). One observation I missed and that is the propaganda release to the outlets. Hamas intelligence had access to spread disinformation to a substantial number of willing media outlets.
Sure to stir up another hornet’s nest Israeli military reportedly passes through official channels that UN administered schools Al Aqsa and Buraq need to be evacuated in preparation for targeting of militant positions nearby to the schools. It has been well documented that Hamas in the past has positioned launchers adjacent to schools and other facilities like this.
Rioting/fighting picked up yesterday in arab/jewish towns. Palestinians and Israeli security forces (ISF) fought at Shuqba village NW Ramallah City, Jabal Al Mukaber neighborhood E of Jerusalem City and Ni’lin village W Ramallah City just to name a few.
Fatah leaders in the West Bank are calling for a general strike on Tuesday and to “confront” the Israeli security forces in protest of continued fighting in the Gaza Strip. The West Bank, for the most part, has stayed out of much of the conflict, though arab/Palestinians living in mixed arab/jewish communities that in some manner are associated with the West Bank have been rioting.
OUTLOOK - I expect more calls and efforts toward attaining at least a cease fire which I think Hamas will be the first to accept. However blood lust by both sides is still strongly in play. Israel, if it senses enough global pressure to stop will likely intensify its attacks even more to inflict as much damage as possible. I still think a ground offensive may occur some time this week. Israel has activated about 16,000 reserves, enough for a significant ground operation.
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Lebanon -
As noted before, Lebanon is undergoing financial and economic collapse. The country’s currency has lost around 85% of its value and the majority of the population could soon face acute poverty. Since Hezbollah is the puppet master for the Lebanese govt, this could explain some of the reluctance to engage Israel over the current conflict. They have their hands full as it is, and dealing with civilians who already see Hezbollah as a substantial cause of their worse may be more than they are ready to handle.
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The only thing that he says to her is "Yes, M'am, how high? Will that be all, M'am?"
Given the tempo of the war between Gaza and Israel as well as in other areas, I made time to put together a streamlined report to maintain continuity.
Biden watch -
Regarding vaccinations biden said - “if they do not, states with low vaccination rates may see those rates, may see this progress, reversed. Ultimately, those who are not vaccinated will end up paying the price. The vaccinated will continue to be protected against serve illnesses, but others may not be if you’re not vaccinated.”
NOTE - This appears to be another threat against the unvaxxed.
The White House on Monday called an early afternoon lid on President Joe Biden’s public activities after an extended weekend at home in Delaware. Heaven forbid the middle east is threatening to blow up and the economy is on life support and hundred of thousands of Illegals are pouring into our country . . . . .
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CW2/Domestic violence -
CORRECTION - George Floyd Week is next week, 22-29 May, not this week.
(FO) The Pentagon has plans to “continuously” monitor social media accounts of service members, according to a document leaked to a journalist at The Intercept. In order to circumvent First Amendment concerns, the Defense Department will contract third party digital surveillance firms to look for “concerning behaviors” online. While several high ranking U.S. military leaders have pushed back on the idea that the force has problems with extremism, the Pentagon has forged ahead with its Countering Extremism Working Group.
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Strategic Developments /Deployments -
(FO) The U.S. Navy relocated two MQ-4C Triton unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) from Guam to the Misawa base in Northern Japan. This is the first time that the unarmed, high-altitude, long endurance surveillance UAVs have been deployed to Japan. According to the Navy, they will provide “the Japan-U.S. alliance with enhanced maritime surveillance capabilities.”
The Tritons were first deployed to Guam last year and have conducted multiple surveillance missions of People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) bases along China’s East coast, forces in the Taiwan Strait, and in the proximity of artificial islands in the South China Sea. The Tritons will accompany reconnaissance and anti-submarine aircraft in Misawa and give “the navy an opportunity to test out the capability over more congested waters and other different environmental factors.” Meanwhile, the U.S. Air Force will soon deploy RQ-4 Global Hawk UAVs to Japan as they have since approximately 2014. With a maximum operational range of more than 9,300 and 12,300 miles respectively, the Triton and Global Hawk can be used to conduct surveillance of Chinese forces throughout most of the Pacific. The move is likely a combination of seasonal rotations to avoid typhoons, preventing UAVs from being concentrated in one area that could be targeted by the PLAN in the future, and the military’s ongoing push to integrate unmanned systems into various combat or combat support units.
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China -
(FO) Taiwan is reorganizing its Army command structure to improve joint operations with the Air Force, Navy, and regional commands to improve operational flexibility in a conflict with China. According to Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng, multiple corps and defense commands of the Taiwanese Army will be reorganized as “combat theater commands.” The Army, however, did not announce if there will be any changes to the Kinmen and Matsu defense commands — the first line of defense off the coast of mainland China. The Army will initially lead all these new regional commands, but Navy and Air Force commanders are possible in the future, especially in the second theater command in eastern Taiwan and outlying islands. Joint combatant commands and better interservice coordination will likely improve the survivability and adaptability of Taiwanese forces during a military conflict with China.
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Israel - WAR
One outcome from this war maybe the creation of a more stable government. PM Netanyahu and Blue and White chairman (who is also the minister of defense) Benny Gantz are in talks to form another unity government as Israel continues to face rocket barrages from the Gaza Strip, Channel 12 News reported.
OBSERVATION - War tends to strip away the petty and reveals the character of the individual. I think that is what happed as the two worked through this crisis.
According to the Washington Post, Biden’s administration has approved the sale of $735 million in weapons to Israel as the nation continues to battle a barrage of rockets fired by the terrorist organization Hamas from Gaza. Congress was first notified of the potential sale on May 5, according to three people familiar with the matter. Anti-Israeli congress critters are calling for a review to stop but at this time it appears there are too late.
Given how anti-Israel biden’s administration is this is surprising. The US mission to the United Nations has blocked a joint statement condemning the violence between Israel and Palestinian-backed terrorist groups. This is the third attempt by the UN Security Council to issue such a statement in the past week, with the United States being the only one to block the statement each time. The statement is not a peace seeking statement by the council, but rather a statement to condemn Israel by world leaders.
Biden is also starting to cave from the anti-Israel leftists and is calling for a cease fire. Gantz spoke with Sec Def Austin on Tuesday that Hamas continues to fire at civilians and other aggressive operations, and that the military operation will continue with the aim of bringing long-term peace. Gantz added that Israel has been and will continue to act with security and political responsibility and has achieved significant military achievements in recent days.
IAF reported 6 rockets were fired from Lebanon toward northern Israel Monday, all of which fell inside Lebanon. In response, our artillery forces fired toward the sources of the launches. “The operation will last at least another 48 hours”, IDF chief of staff tells local heads of communities in southern Israel. The IDF estimates that there will still be rocket launches from Lebanese territory towards Israel by Palestinian squads.
NOTE - I’ve posted earlier, smaller groups loyal to Hamas inhabit Lebanon and Syria. I don’t expect these elements to be effective.
Palestinians across Israel and the occupied territories went on strike in a rare collective action against Israel’s policies on Tuesday with strikes called. There has been a lot of civil unrest across many arab / jewish mixed cities in Israel and the chances of violence breaking out by the protests in support of Hamas are high.
An aspect that came to light has been an element of Israeli “shock and awe” in that over the past few days IAF would time their air strikes and unleash 60-80 bombs at nearly the same time. Very frightful to the locals in Gaza. Even with that, IAF strikes are trending down.
Rocket fire from Gaza continues to decline with greater intervals between salvo and fewer rockets fired. IDF spokesperson Tuesday morning reported that Between 1900 Monday and 0700 Tuesday about 90 launches have been identified from the Gaza Strip to Israeli territory. About 20 launches fell in the Gaza Strip. This compares to thousands in the first couple days of the war.
A lesser component of the Hamas et al attacks are mortars - primarily because they are short range. With he losses of rockets, they are turning increasingly to them. Al-Quds Brigades and Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades claim to be firing mortars at Israeli soldiers/vehicles gathered near the Gaza border. More mobile, they can shoot and scoot, avoiding to a degree counter fire.
CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS. - War tempo is declining on both sides. Hamas continues to be on the ropes but the clock is ticking. Netanyahu has stated they are in no hurry to stop the fighting until they have accomplished their goal of pounding Hamas and the other islamic terror groups into the ground. It appears that Israel has done their homework and are methodically taking out Hamas et al leadership, facilities, launch site, and munitions. The fact that Hamas is still able to throw a few rockets is a testament to just the shear volume of materials and preps they have had years to set up. This has also exposed to the Gazans just how corrupt Hamas has been in using money that was suppose to be going to better their lives. Unbelieveable money spent on a VERY extensive underground network for instance. I still anticipate a ground operation to do the final clean up in key areas some time this week as the air campaign is apparently winding down - though still a target rich environment.
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