I’ve been warning of a convergence of factors targeting late fall, around the midterms. So far the bullet has been dodged – in a way and not quite as I was concerned, but to summarize –
1. Red wave – wimpered, giving democrats a ‘win’ on the national level.
2. G20/COP27 documented the globalist goals for a global digital ‘passport’; biometric secured digital currency and global warming agendas/reparations.
3. Economy is still on the sharp edge of disaster
4. Biden et al post midterms is doubling and tripling down on his policies.
5. Fed interest rates hammering the housing/mortgage markets
6. Fuel situation is in a serious state regionally.
7. Illegal immigration gets even worse.
Still pending is the potential rail road strike; more impacts from the Fed rate increases; resumption of conflict in the Balkans; armed conflict against iran (both US and Israel) and internal US political unrest as DoJ weaponized against Trump/conservatives and the republicans ramp up for going after biden graft and corruption.
These factors are all in play and IMHO still very much going into the red zone along with new ones. Serious watch over the next few months.
Globalism / Great Reset –
The BOJ (Bank of Japan) has been selling dollars in order to try and prop up their bond markets. And realize this. They are not selling USDs as part of some well-calculated plan because they want to. They are selling USDs because they HAVE to.
And it’s not working.
PauloMacro on Twitter referenced it like this:
“They used 7% of reserves to only keep the Yen from depreciating another 2.5% since they last intervened 4 weeks ago. If the same math holds, the BOJ will blow through the other 93% while the Yen depreciates another 33%, which is roughly what the Yen has depreciated since last December.”
“Said differently, the BOJ will have to blow through all its reserves just to keep the Yen at the same depreciation rate it has incurred over the last 12 months if the math on the last 2 interventions are any guide.””
OBSERVATION - ALL nations are facing this same problem. Central banks held rates far too low for far too long. The real issue now is that the entire system has become dependent on central banks to continue doing this and without it they could trigger a global economic disaster.
Some analysts are looking at Europe and warning of significant food shortages and shock in the near and long term. Having lost most of its imported fertilizer from Russia and Belarus, it finds itself incapable of its own production filling the gap given the shortage of and high price of natural gas. Add to the deliberate assault on agriculture by the Netherlands and Germany (against livestock industry) and they find themselves increasingly dependent on external sources of food. Those sources are in turn suffering similar fertilizer and ‘global warming’ issues too, with some countries restricting exports in order to insure its country is able to be fed first.
Fighting another move by the biden regime to kill the petrochemical industry, twelve attorneys general have submitted comments to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan expressing concerns about a new proposed rule they argue will increase energy costs and risk Americans’ safety.
At issue is the EPA’s proposed rule, “Accidental Release Prevention Requirements: Risk Management Programs under Clean Air Act; Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention.” (87 Fed. Reg. 53,556), which Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton argues is another attempt by the Biden administration to revive an Obama-era “environmental justice” regulation. If implemented, it would far exceed the statutory authority of the EPA, the attorneys general argue, which was curtailed by the Supreme Court earlier this year.
The rule would require a range of American facilities and industries to implement costly new processes to minimize “climate change risks,” which the EPA hasn’t proved will reduce such risks, they argue. Those impacted by the regulations would include petroleum refineries, chemical manufacturers, water and wastewater treatment systems, chemical and petroleum wholesalers and terminals, food manufacturers, packing plants, cold storage facilities, agricultural chemical distributors, midstream gas plants, among others.
OBSERVATION - Biden, like 0bama before him, continues to use regulatory backdoors to impose its anti-petrochemical / anti-business agenda on the country. History indicates that this will end up tied up in courts for years while the regime will enforce it until an injunction is issued (then to continue to violate the injunction through minor modifications that change the initial regulation).
Eugenicists (like Bill Gates) see growth in Europe with increasing work to abort any child with any genetic shortcomings. In some European nations, there are very few with Downs Syndrome to be found – most being aborted upon detection. That effort is spreading to those who make it out of the womb thru euthanasia.
OBSERVATION – remember- GGR recently came out and called for a 50% reduction in the planet’s population by the year 2050 – numbers wise that is some 4 BILLION PEOPLE. mRNA reactions, abortion, euthanasia and yes, even wars and induced famine are the currently exposed tools, yet even those tools pale at the desired goal.
IIRC, when I was a kid the planet had 4 BILLION. The now destroyed Georgia Guidestones called for a 500 million population. The death and destruction prophesied in the Book of Revelation doesn’t seem to far off now.
Jon Cunliffe, deputy governor at the Bank of England (BoE), said the U.K. may need a digital British pound as he discussed whether the collapse of crypto exchange FTX would influence the country’s decision to issue a government-controlled digital currency.
Although he initially thought there was no connection between the FTX debacle and the central bank’s work on a central bank digital currency, Cunliffe said on Monday that he understands the concerns.
“Over the past few days, I have had a few comments both to the effect that the collapse of FTX shows that we need to get on and issue a digitally native pound – and to the effect that FTX shows that we do not need do so,”
OBSERVATION – The GGR elements moving forward to exploit the FTX debacle to push digital currency.
EPA has proposed a new estimate for the social cost of carbon emissions, nearly quadrupling the $51 a ton to $191 a ton. It has already drawn legal challenges from a host of Republican-led states. It will correspond to a $ 2-a-gallon gas tax. The metric puts a price tag on the alleged damages created by each metric ton of greenhouse gas emissions. Agencies can then use it as part of their analyses of the costs and benefits of more stringent climate regulation on sources ranging from power plants and automobiles to the oil and gas sector.
The Biden administration has used the Interagency Working Group’s interim value of $51 per metric ton of CO2. But earlier this month, EPA quietly proposed increasing that number to $190.
The administration’s use of the IWG’s interim social cost of greenhouse gases has been challenged in parallel lawsuits led by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry and Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, both Republicans.
That document estimates the social cost of carbon as $120, $190, or $340 per metric ton of CO2, using discount rates of 2.5 percent, 2.0 percent, and 1.5 percent, respectively. Such rates reflect the weight given to future impacts of climate change.
OBSERVATION – This is in essence a tax on the economy and will eventually be used in part as a basis to pay reparations to third world countries for global warming impacts.
Economy –
A very slight breather, the national average price of gasoline dropped to $3.662 a gallon, while demand is 5% lower than this time last year. Diesel, however, remains sky high.
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission member Mike Christie said the push to replace fossil fuel plants with green energy alternatives is creating a crisis for U.S. grids by making energy more expensive, raising concern over the possibility of more frequent blackouts. Christie said he sees renewable energy as critical for cutting emissions, but the speed of transition needs to be realistic to prevent disruptions. (FO)
OBSERVATION – I am convinced, in part, that the great push to replace fossil fuels with “green” solutions is deliberate. You can co-file this under GGR if you want. The goal is to cause the economy to implode and lack of power to run the economy is one way to do it. Europe is the current test bed on a large scale for this disaster - we need to pay attention to the social disruptions that will occur this winter – because we are next.
The two largest freight-rail unions, SMART-TD and the BLET, were the last of the twelve unions covered by national bargaining to release the results of their members’ voting on the tentative labor agreement brokered by the Biden administration two months ago. The BLET narrowly voted to approve the contract, but SMART-TD narrowly voted to reject it. Parties will return to negotiation, with a strike first becoming legal on December 9.
Even one union going on strike would mean the entire national freight-rail network would shut down because the other unions would not cross a picket line. Four of the twelve unions have voted to reject the Biden-brokered deal.
OBSERVATION – Oncoming train wreck still on schedule.
CANCEL CULTURE FRONT
A federal judge ruled Monday that former White House press secretary Jen Psaki must comply with a subpoena and offer deposition in a lawsuit that claims the Biden administration colluded with Big Tech to censor speech.
Judge Terry Doughty of the Western District of Louisiana on Monday rejected a motion by attorneys for Psaki to block a court-ordered deposition, and said there is public interest in “determining whether First Amendment free speech rights have been suppressed.”
OBSERVATION – biden administration was very sloppy on this whole censorship issue – thinking they could get away with it scott free. It is becoming apparent that it isn’t so.
Cyber Warfare –
Some nasty group has attacked Comic.com and some affiliated websites – denying Americans their daily dose of humor. Personally, one of the few things that gets me going in the morning (besides a cup of coffee).
China –
Admiral Sam Paparo, Head of the US Pacific Fleet, publicly acknowledged the Chinese military has deployed a new long-range intercontinental ballistic missile onboard its nuclear submarine fleet. Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has equipped its 6 Jin-class nuclear missile submarines with the JL-3 ICBM that he described as being “built to threaten the United States.” With an estimated range of 10,000km, the JL-3 can hit the continental U.S. from the protection of the South China Sea, granting China a true strategic deterrence triad. (FO)
OBSERVATION – A true threat, IIRC the South China Sea is relatively shallow and it is hard for boomers to hide very well. Still, six boomers deployed over the large area of the SCS is nearly looking for a needle in the haystack – unless we have (and maintain) a close fix on them.
North/South Korea –
The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned the United States Tuesday that it would face “a more fatal security crisis” as Washington pushes for U.N. condemnation of the North’s recent intercontinental ballistic missile test.
“The U.S. should be mindful that no matter how desperately it may seek to disarm (North Korea), it can never deprive (North Korea) of its right to self-defense and that the more hell-bent it gets on the anti-(North Korea) acts, it will face a more fatal security crisis,” she said in a statement carried by state media.
OBSERVATION – This is one mean person and should Kim pass away suddenly, she wouldn’t hesitate taking control and starting a war.
Japan –
See GGR above on bond market blowup.
Over the weekend, Japan conducted two test firing events for the U.S.-Japan jointly produced SM-3 Block IIA missile system. Both tests took place in the vicinity of Hawaii on the Kauai U.S. Navy Missile Range Facility. The missile launches were conducted by two Japanese Maritime Self Defense Forces (JMSDF) Maya-class destroyers against ballistic missile targets. Maya-class destroyers are the first AEGIS JMSDF destroyers equipped with a ballistic missile defense capability.
OBSERVATION – Japan is trying to quickly close the gap on ballistic missile defenses and procurement of established – almost off the shelf – US AEGIS systems with the SM-3 Block IIA missiles – is a common sense move. Such systems can not only be used to protect the fleet, but parts of Japan proper.
Russia -
WAR WATCH - Russia is now in its ninth month of the “three days to conquer Ukraine” since fighting starting on Feb 24th.
CURRENT ASSESSMENT - Russian forces continue in a state of disarray following the defeats in the east and west
Russia is incapable of launching any significant offense against any of the fronts in Ukraine due to personnel issues (losses and untrained conscripts), severe logistical shortages and lack of armor/tanks. They are only capable of launching limited attacks – primarily in the east.
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The Pentagon believes that Russia is trying to secure aerial dominance through missile strikes that drain Ukraine’s air defense capabilities Russian fixed wing jets featured less prominently early in this conflict than in Syria and the Kremlin hopes to change that.
OBSERVATION - Russia has failed to establish air superiority from day one of the invasion. It has largely been relegated to strategic bombers firing cruse missiles with some limited close air support. Meanwhile, Ukraine has gained a multifaceted air defense capability. Efforts to drain Ukranian ADA missile stockpiles is diminishing as Ukraine has transitioned to guns-based systems to shoot down the drone swarms, freeing up missiles to tackle the Russian missiles.
Ukraine -
WEATHER FORECAST – Lots of rain and snow in the 10-day forecast period. First major snowstorm has hit a lot of the country.
24 HOUR ROUND UP –
There seems to be further signs of fighting intensity declining as the weather deteriorates in many parts of the country. Fighting continues to be intense around Donetsk and in the villages on the northern side of Bakhumt.
Russian shelling yesterday remained mostly more sporadic in the impacted regions. Shelling exchanges occurred north of Kherson and there were some intensive Russian shelling attacks around Donetsk and Bakhmut.
Eastern (Kharkiv) front ——
Ground conflict northwest of Svatove overnight with scattered artillery along the LOC. Some rumors that Hwy 66 between Svatove and Kreminna has been cut by Ukraine forces – to be confirmed. Likely Ukraine SOF.
Donetsk Oblast ——
Bakhmut and Donetsk attacks continue.
Zaporizhizhia Front ———
Scattered Russian artillery attacks.
Crimean front ———
Relatively calm, some Russian artillery striking Kherson city Ukrainian continues deep strikes on Russian CPs, Logistics and troop concentrations.
Western / Central Ukraine ——
NSR
Russian Territory -—
NSR
Partisan Resistance ——
NSR - but don’t let that fool you, there are plenty of unconfirmed reports of rear area attacks crossed Russian occupied territory.
OUTLOOK ——
As of late, the battlefield seems to have calmed down into a predictable pattern. Russia continues to batter itself via frontal attacks on Ukrainian defenses along the Dontesk-Bakhmut line using a much degraded Russian artillery corps for support. Ukraine makes progression towards cutting off the north of Lutusk oblast via progress along the Svatove – Keminna front.
A lot of dynamics have changed after the now nearly 10 months of conflict. The massive advantage in Russian artillery is nearly gone – lost to attrition from Ukraine fire, lack of replacement gun barrels and loss of ammo dumps making resupply problems even worse. Russian missile/cruse missile fires have dropped considerably from early on and now Russia is looking to Iran for new supplies. Now even more poorly trained and equipped soldiers are manning the Russian lines and they are hoping for a break in the action.
Ukrainian success has come at the cost of a lot of western arms and munitions – a lot. IMHO, Ukraine has to make or break it this winter, else the war will quickly break down into a stale mate.
Belarus -
Belarus is considering turning to Iran to help it produce 152mm and 122mm artillery shells, Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) reported on Saturday.
Furthermore, the country is seeking Iran’s assistance with transitioning to a closed ammunition production cycle.
Additionally, Belarus is assessing the possibility of assembling 122-mm, 220-mm, and 300-mm artillery projectiles using imported components.
OBSERVATION – These rounds will ultimately be used by Russia in Ukraine – but it will take time to get production ramped up and a lot of sanctions to work around.
SERBIA / KOSOVO -
Talks between Kosovo and Serbian diplomats in Brussels have reportedly failed. Talks were being held to find a solution to the ongoing issue of license plates. Kosovo officials are demanding that all those residing in Kosovo swap Serbian-issued number plates for Kosovo ones. Serbia’s Vucic says absolutely no agreement was reached, and “tough days and sleepless nights await us”.
Kosovo has sent police special forces to northern Kosovo, Serbia’s president Vucic says. “Close to conflict.
Vucic did announce that “his country would stop issuing and renewing license plates in northern Kosovo.”
Kosovo has postponed plans to begin fining drivers with Serbian license plates for another two days. Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Twitter that he had granted a request from US Ambassador Jeff Hovenier for a 48-hour delay in the imposition of fines for“illegal” license plates. “I am happy to work with the US and the EU to find a solution during the next two days,” he wrote.
Shortly before Kurti’s announcement, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price pointed out that both Kosovo and Serbia “will need to make concessions to ensure that we do not jeopardize decades of hard-won peace in an already fragile region.”
According to Pristina’s plan, drivers who failed to switch from Serbian to Kosovo car plates will be fined €150 (around $154). But after the transition period ends in April 2023, they would have their vehicles seized.
OBSERVATION - Serbia’s offer to end its issuance of license plates in northern Kosovo provides Vucic with a quick PR victory and a moral high ground on which to fuel domestic propaganda narratives to justify military interventions in Kosovo in order to protect ethnic Serbs from “mistreatment.” This mirrors similar narrative techniques utilized by Serbia’s ally, Russia, to justify its war in Ukraine and may indicate Russian attempts to manipulate tensions in the Balkans to draw NATO’s attention away from Ukraine. (FO)
FURTHER – Looking to see available OSINT that indicates if Serbia has postured its miliary for any kind of invasion. Such an invasion would likely result in the invocation of NATO Article 5 response.
Israel –
Gen. Aharon Haliva, the head of Israeli military intelligence, warned Monday that Iran could soon approach the 90% uranium enrichment level necessary to build a nuclear weapon, Axios reported.
“We are getting closer to the point where Iran will toy with enriching uranium to 90%, even if it will only be symbolic and in very small quantities at the beginning,” Haliva said at an Institute for National Security Studies conference in Tel Aviv.
The shocking move would still require a “few years or many, many months” to build a capable nuclear device, but suggested “the only thing holding them back” on flirting with the idea is how their Qatari allies would respond.
OBSERVATION – 90% potential ‘red line’ for Israel.
Iran –
The IRGC has attacked the headquarters of Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), an Iranian Kurdish dissident group, in Altun Kupri, south of Erbil province, Iraqi Kurdistan.
The Iranian opposition party headquarters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) was also bombarded in Koya district of Erbil province.
Violence increases as protests continue. The protests are transitioning into an insurrection and the IRGC/regime response is resembling that of counterinsurgency operations. IRGC has been going and arresting/shooting anyone it believes to be an insurrectionist (protestor). This in turn has further inflamed protestor’ s passions for more protests and revenge.
Independent internet monitor NetBlocks announced a major disruption to Iranian internet networks as violent unrest sweeps the nation. NetBlocks said the disruption had severed the mobile internet for many users across the country in an apparent crackdown on the communications networks utilized by protestors and activist groups. The announcement comes as unconfirmed early reports indicate Iranian security forces launched major operations in the country’s western Kurdish-populated regions where open source videos indicate Iranian forces may have fired on protestors with live munitions resulting in casualties.
OBSERVATION – Unlike previous uprisings, this one appears to have the roots necessary to hold out and grow over a long period. Iran’s focus on Kurdish regions in Syria and Iraq is valid in part because it is appearing that the protestors are starting to receive more and more support from their fellow kurds. The next level will be the smuggling of weapons and training cells to take the fight to the IRGC.
Iraq -
See Iran above on attacks on kurds.
Lebanon -
The United Nations World Food Program announced earlier today that it has boosted its food assistance to Lebanon and is now feeding approximately one-third of the country’s population. Lebanon has a population of about 6 million people, 1 million of which are Syrian refugees.
OBSERVATION - Now a third world country, Lebanon displays the woes that the wuhan/GGR induced global economic crash are producing. Making it worse are the efforts of Hezbollah to use the crisis to control the population and make them complaint with their preparations for war against Israel.
Syria -
Turkish drones and jets continued to target Kurdish elements in Syria.
There are unconfirmed reports that Kurdish forces have stepped up attacks in southern Turkey in response to the aerial attacks. Syrian oil fields now reportedly being
OBSERVATION – Turks don’t care and their aggression is not solely linked to the Kurds, but pro-Assad forces in the north.
Turkey -
Turkey now also starting to strike oil infrastructure in NE Syria, in particular in this area already faced with severe pollution that is affecting water quality, soil, air and livelihoods of local communities.
Misc of Note -
According to the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. is experiencing a nationwide shortage of the liquid form of the antibiotic Amoxicillin commonly used in pediatric cases. The shortage is due to increased demand, the FDA said. Three of the top four makers of the antibiotic reported supply issues.
OBSERVATION – I noted this shortage several weeks ago. Only now popping up on national feeds. I expect this to pan out like the ongoing baby formula crisis – shortages for an extended period of time. The liquid Amoxicillin shortage comes at the same time as record RSV and Influenza pediatric cases in the United States. While both are viruses, they can make children susceptible to bacterial infections that would normally be treated with Amoxicillin. A shortage could force medical providers to turn to alternatives or do without.
I’ll be standing down for tomorrow in celebration of Thanksgiving. Ever thankful for my family, friends and faith. I’ll be watching the Macy’s parade, setting up my outdoor nativity scene and eating turkey. In times of uncertainty I’ll enjoy that we still can celebrate the holidays – for one more year.
Woops, looks like I double clutched yesterday’s post.
Globalism / Great Reset –
There appears to be a new push under the radar for a new WHO pandemic treaty. This hit the front burner many months ago but now is resurfacing. Key item of this treaty reportedly is the abilty for the WHO to overrule your local doctors, hospitals and clinics, forcing them to follow WHO directives on things like masks, quarantines, social distancing and economic lockdowns. WHO pandemic treaty also calls for global censorship against all who disagree with the WHO, allowing the WHO to dictate which voices or organizations should be removed from tech platforms. In essence, it makes the WHO the “Ministry of Truth.”
OBSERVATION – I slogged through part of this document – eyes quickly rolled up into my head at the bureaucrease language. Apparently there is an edited draft floating around the interwebs from Nov 16th timeframe. For those interested the link is below.
https://www.keionline.org/wp-content/uploads/ADVANCE_for_16_November_A_INB3_3_E.pdf
As it turns out, creating soy burgers and other “meat substitutes” isn’t much better — or safer. According to a report in Bloomberg, a plant operated by the fake meat company Beyond Meat is a veritable petri dish of really gross and nasty stuff.
“Products from the plant tested positive for Listeria, a harmful bacteria, on at least 11 occasions during the second half of last year and the first half of 2022, according to an internal document provided by a former employee concerned about conditions at the plant,” reported the news site.
OBSERVATION – Eat bugs and fake meat created under gross conditions - the elite don’t care.
Wuhan virus –
A new Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) report suggests the need for masking and social distancing mandates to protect people from “long COVID.”
Long COVID lacks a specific definition, but generally covers signs, symptoms, and conditions that continue or develop after initial infection.
One short-term recommendation for the general public is: “Encourage or mandate policies and protocols regarding masking and social distancing in public spaces that protect people from infection or reinfection and possible Long COVID.”
The report maintains that ending the mask mandate in late 2021 and 2022 is making it harder for people with long COVID.
“Many people with Long COVID avoid public spaces and events due to a fear of reinfection and the potential worsening of their Long COVID symptoms and health impacts. Some may experience PTSD symptoms as a result of trauma they incurred during their acute infection,” the report said.
OBSERVATION – CDC denying their own science. They’ve admitted that masks do very little to nothing to prevent the spread of wuhan. If it makes long wuhan sufferers feel better to stay masked- then they should. However, to force it upon the rest of society has been proven to be wrong. BTW – I agree that there is something called ‘long covid’ – and I think if/when the medical community gets its head out of its arse and really look at it they may find ways to fight it. However, it seems they want to persist on the same misinformation we’ve had to put up with for over 2 years.
In April of this year (2022), a paper was published that demonstrated that patients who had received a lung transplant were experiencing lung transplant rejection (“LTR”) due to what appeared to be antibody-mediated rejection (“AMR”).
Limited antibody response to messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines has been reported in LTR, with the majority mounting a response after the 2nd dose. In this series, 3 patients developed new and significant respiratory compromise after their 2nd vaccine dose consistent with antibody-mediated rejection (AMR).
Covid-19 Vaccine Triggered Rejection in Lung Transplant Recipients: A Case Series, The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation, April 2022
OBSERVATION- Remember, some big time organ transplant hospitals have been rejecting patients because they haven’t had the jab. Now this information goes to confirm more nasty side effects from the mRNA they want infecting your body. It in fact appears to cause rejections.
Economy –
Advocates of wind and solar energy have argued that the cost of those energy sources would decline over time as they are more widely adopted. That never made any sense, and it has not proved true. In fact, the cost of both wind and solar energy is destined to continue rising sharply as the massive quantities of materials they require become more expensive as a result of increasing demand, driven by government mandates and subsidies.
In fact, the cost of electricity generated by wind and solar is already skyrocketing , having almost doubled in three years,
OBSERVATION - Wind/solar are fantasies and cannot take over for conventional power plants.
The Labor Department cleared the path for employers to consider environmental, social, and governance principles when choosing investment funds for their 401(k) plans.
The move, which was announced on Tuesday, rolls back restrictions put in place during the Trump administration that made ESG considerations more challenging for employers. The final rule on the matter will take effect in 60 days.
“Today’s rule clarifies that retirement plan fiduciaries can take into account the potential financial benefits of investing in companies committed to positive environmental, social, and governance actions as they help plan participants make the most of their retirement benefits,” Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said.
“Removing the prior administration’s restrictions on plan fiduciaries will help America’s workers and their families as they save for a secure retirement,” he added.
OBSERVATION – This follows BlackRock’s lead in forcing ESG on corporations through back door govt pushing. Instead of securing one’s future, it will eventually destroy them – feeding right into GGR / WEF goals to make people dependent on bigger govt.
Invasion of Illegals –
Kevin McCarthy, on Tuesday called on Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to step down, warning that the House may try to impeach him when Republicans take the majority next year.
OBSERVATION - Impeachment is far too good of a consequence for this piece of evil detrital.
CW2/Domestic violence –
Anderson Lee Aldrich, the suspect who allegedly shot and killed five people and wounded at least 18 others over the weekend at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado, identifies as non-binary and uses “they/them” pronouns, according to a court filing on Tuesday night.
OBSERVATION – Progressives and their LGBTQ etc. henchmen find their legs cut out from beneath them again, yet they press on claiming MAGA and conservatives are the reason for this violent act. In fact the rhetoric from the left has been inflammatory. Have to monitor this trend as Antifa has been ‘partnering’ with the LGBTQ etc community to protest/counterprotest many events pro/con.
POLITICAL FRONT –
SUMMARY –
The collapse of FTX has generated pressure for Democrats to divest themselves of what they received from the failed Ponzi scheme in campaign contributions.
China –
In the last few days, the mainland China daily Covid case count has climbed to around or more than 28,000 — near levels seen in April during a stringent lockdown in Shanghai, according to CNBC calculations of Wind Information data.
“China might have already passed the point of no return, as it’s unlikely to achieve zero Covid again without another Shanghai-style hard lockdown,” Macquarie’s Chief China Economist Larry Hu said in a report Tuesday.
In GDP terms, nearly 20% of China’s economy was negatively affected by Covid controls as of Monday, close to the high of 21.2% recorded in mid-April during Shanghai’s lockdown, Nomura’s Chief China Economist Ting Lu said, citing the firm’s model.
OBSERVATION - China’s economy will continue to be suppressed as long as Xi pursues the zero covid policy.
Russia -
WAR WATCH - Russia is now in its ninth month of the “three days to conquer Ukraine” since fighting starting on Feb 24th.
CURRENT ASSESSMENT - Russian forces continue in a state of disarray following the defeats in the east and west
Russia is incapable of launching any significant offense against any of the fronts in Ukraine due to personnel issues (losses and untrained conscripts), severe logistical shortages and lack of armor/tanks. They are only capable of launching limited attacks – primarily in the east.
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Ukrainian forces have killed approximately 85,000 Russian troops (and wounded approximately thrice that number), destroyed 278 fighter, attack, bomber and transport jets, 261 attack and transport helicopters, 2,895 tanks, 1,882 artillery pieces, 5,827 armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, 395 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), 16 boats and cutters, 4,393 vehicles and fuel tanks, 209 anti-aircraft batteries, 1,537 tactical unmanned aerial systems, 161 special equipment platforms, such as bridging vehicles, and four mobile Iskander ballistic missile systems, and 480 cruise missiles shot down by the Ukrainian air defenses.
OBSERVATION - Getting a solid count – for either side – is difficult. Doubly so for some battlefields like the Bahkmut region which resembles a WW1 zone where the dead and wounded don’t get recovered. Equipment totals are in line with OSINT trackers of verifiable losses, which generally undercounts actual losses. No matter how you slice it – Russia’s army has been taking a beating – far far worse than Afghanistan and Chechenia combined.
Ukraine -
WEATHER FORECAST – Lots of rain and snow in the 10-day forecast period. First major snowstorm has hit a lot of the country.
RUMINT –
Ukrainian special forces are reportedly battling the Russians on the islands and in marshes to the southwest, trying to push them out of a strategically vital peninsula at the mouth of the Dnipro River where it meets the Black Sea.
The fighting is focused on the Kinburn Spit, on the east bank of the Dnipro River, the Ukrainian authorities said on Tuesday. For tourists who have visited the sliver of land, the spit is a place of rare natural beauty, but it could also prove pivotal to the next phase of the country’s war against Moscow.
Russia took control of the peninsula in June in one of its last notable advances in the south before it was forced onto the defensive by a sustained Ukrainian counteroffensive. Two weeks ago, the Kremlin ordered a retreat from the city of Kherson, on the west bank of the Dnipro, but military experts said it would fight tenaciously to keep control of Kinburn.
Control of the peninsula allows Russia to project force deeper into the Black Sea, guard routes to the ports in Mykolaiv and Kherson and protect its forces in Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014. If Ukraine were to take Kinburn, it would put key Russian supply lines running north out of Crimea in easy range of Ukrainian weapon systems.
OBSERVATION – This action is being reported, but not confirmed.
24 HOUR ROUND UP –
After a lull of several days, Russia launched a new round of missile strikes targeting Ukrainian power grid overnight across the whole country. Ukrainian power grid operator warns of blackout up to 24 hours across Ukraine.
Russia also has apparently targeted hospitals in Ukraine, hitting two with missiles.
Russian shelling increased on Zaporizhzhia and the Sumy region overnight with significant shelling exchanges around Kherson too. Russian shelling around Bakhmut and north of Donetsk remained intensive at times, while in most other impacted regions it was mostly more sporadic
No changes of significance were reported around Bakhmut despite Russian attempts to break through Ukrainian defenses.
Eastern (Kharkiv) front ——
Activity concentrated northwest of Svatove.
Donetsk Oblast ——
Bakhmut and Donetsk attacks continue.
Zaporizhizhia Front ———
Russian army constructing fortifications along Kherson-Melitopol highway, - General Staff of Armed Forces of Ukraine says in the morning report
Crimean front ———
Relatively calm, some Russian artillery striking Kherson city Ukrainian continues deep strikes on Russian CPs, Logistics and troop concentrations.
Western / Central Ukraine ——
NSR
Russian Territory -—
Governor of Belgorod region reports shelling in Ustinka village
Partisan Resistance ——
NSR - but don’t let that fool you, there are plenty of unconfirmed reports of rear area attacks crossed Russian occupied territory.
OUTLOOK ——
No change expected in the near future. Bahkmut, Donetsk and Svatove-Kreminna all constant.
Mix in sporadic Russian missile attacks on the power grid.
Israel –
Members of Knesset (MKs) from the parties involved in the coalition negotiations demanded on Wednesday morning that a government be formed immediately in the wake of the bombings in Jerusalem. “I will not speak about politics but I will say one thing. We need to form a government as quickly as possible – the terror will not wait,” Otzma Yehudit chairman MK Itamar Ben-Gvir said at the site of the explosion at the entrance to the city.
Iran –
Iran has begun enriching uranium to 60% at its underground Fordow nuclear site, Reuters reported on Tuesday. Tehran had sent a letter to the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency informing the nuclear watchdog of the move, said the report.
Syria -
Turkish warplanes bombed “Saeeda and Zaraba Oil Stations” with air raids in Qamishli canton, north of Al-Hasakah, amid plumes of smoke rising in the area.
Turkey -
President Erdogan – “Turkey’s operations will ensure the territorial integrity of Iraq and Syria. We will complete the safe line step by step, starting from boil-headed places such as Tel Rifat, Manbij and Ayn al Arab.”
“The operations we carry out with planes, artillery and drones are only the beginning.”
“”It has been understood that the forces that assured our country that no threat would come from the regions under their control in Syria failed to keep their promises.”
Misc of Note -
Now, in addition to reporting shortages of some of the world’s most widely used antibiotics, pharmacies across the US have reported that kids’ Tylenol too has become scarce.
OBSERVATION – If you know the common, over the counter medicines you use during the winter cold and flu season – you better stock up now because current shortages are not going to get any better soon and other items are likely to become scarce as well. Here in my home, we’ve stocked up early for years on common items we normally use such as ‘theraflu’, throat lozenges, pain meds (asprin, Tylenol, etc) and the like. Now with the grandkiddies stocking up on stuff like kids Tylenol and cough/cold meds. Don’t just sit there – DO IT.