Replies

A little slow getting this out this morning. Granddaughter needed a little more lap/cuddle time than normal. Doesn’t have me wrapped around her little finger, oh no :)

A busy report today as well.

Globalism / Great Reset –

Senators Klobuchar (D-MN), Cassidy (R-LA), Brown (D-OH), and Markey (D-MA) sent a letter urging Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to convene the Drug Shortage Task Force and identify causes and potential solutions to the amoxicillin shortage. Amoxicillin is a popular antibiotic drug. The Senators also requested an update from the FDA on steps taken to prevent and mitigate drug shortages.

OBSERVATION - Here is another under the radar effect coming from the GGR crowd as they push to control the medical industry. This has all the trappings of the similar shortage of baby formula (that still isn’t resolved).

The Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) released a new treatise on this topic called “Medical Assistance in Dying: A Paediatric Perspective.” Here is what is stated as its mission and purpose:
“Ensuring that newborns, children and youth receive the highest possible standard of care as they are dying is a privilege and a responsibility for physicians and allied professionals. Bringing a thoughtful, respectful and personal approach to every end-of-life situation is an essential and evolving duty of care, and the process should meet each patient’s (and family’s) unique social, cultural and spiritual needs.”

OBSERVATION – More and more, the GGR/WEF reveals itself as a death cult. Using Canada as one of its proxies to beta test the plan and get the public to eventually accept the practice. Never forget – they want to eliminate at least 50% of the global population by 2050(?) and the Georgia Guidestones drawdown humanity to 500 million.

The NYT published an article stating that “there is emerging evidence of potential harm from using blockers, according to reviews of scientific papers and interviews with more than 50 doctors and academic experts around the world.” This “emerging evidence” is causing some doctors (especially in Europe) to halt the practice of prescribing these blockers.

OBSERVATION – Again, the population reduction angle by the GGR. When the child gets this surgery and chemicals – they become infertile -no kids – another way of reducting the ‘excess population’. A bonus to the attack on the family and morality.

Wuhan virus –

Fauci’s lies and incompetence being exposed under disposition. We already knew that though.

Economy –

According to a report by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the driest three-year period on record has resulted in a $3 billion revenue loss for California farmers after a total of 1.3 million acres went unplanted in 2021 and 2022. The Central Valley, which grows about one quarter of all food in the U.S., has experienced the majority of revenue loss. Governor Newsome is considering a push to increase organic farming to 30% of all agricultural production. According to an analysis by ERA Economics, this policy could crash the organic produce market and increase consumer prices.

OBSERVATION – These numbers do not include impacts to agriculture in other states. The last two years with drought and bird flu have hit the industry pretty hard – not to mention the growing impacts from high diesel prices and fertilizer. All this runs down hill to consumers and will maintain the high costs / inflation at the store.

Biden called on Congress to codify without modification or delay the agreement the administration brokered between rail unions and companies in September. In the statement, President Biden warned that attempts to modify the deal in Congress would risk delay and a debilitating shutdown of rail networks. Speaker of the House Representative Pelosi said the House will take up a bill without any changes to the negotiated terms of the agreement this week.

OBSERVATION – Two key items – forcing the agreement pre strike. At this stage, the democrat rhetoric seems very supportive. Second, passing a ‘clean’ bill – one that doesn’t add or subtract from the already negotiated deal – that will be hard for dems to do, but I think they may have the political resolve to pull it off. Even though two years away from the presidential elections, allowing a strike that could devastate the country’s economy to the point that it could still be struggling come Nov 2024 is not palatable for them.

The head of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, said Monday that she didn’t believe inflation in Europe has peaked. According to Lagarde, the European Central Bank (ECB) is set to continue raising interest rates in an effort to stave off inflation, currently sitting at 10.6%.

OBSERVATION – The interlinked global economy doesn’t grant the US a free pass on inflation pressures coming from external sources. Uncontrolled inflation in Europe will be reflected in the US on goods / services coming from the EU.

New Jersey-based BlockFi filed for bankruptcy after exposure to FTX led to a liquidity crisis, but said it does not face the ‘myriad issues’ as that exchange. BlockFi also sued a holding company for FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried to recover shares in Robinhood pledged as collateral three weeks ago.

OBSERVATION – Aftershocks from the FTX disaster continue to ripple around the crypto world. BlockFi is not the only ones facing bankruptcy Serious investigation into FTX will likely be slowed or even blocked because of the links to democrat and republican political powerhouses – and an investigation will reveal just how corrupt the whole system was.

Inflation will likely persist into 2024, St. Louis Federal Reserve President James Bullard warned on Wednesday, suggesting interest rates could likely surge even higher as the Fed battles rising prices.

“I think we’ll probably have to stay there all during 2023 and into 2024,” Bullard told MarketWatch of high interest rates, estimating they could reach between 5 and 7 percent.
Bullard pointed to low unemployment numbers and indicated the jobs market’s strength would enable the Fed to tackle inflation head on through more rate hikes.

“The fact that the labor market is so strong gives us license to pursue our disinflationary strategy now and try to get the inflation under control now. So we don’t replay the 1970s, where the FOMC at that time took 15 years to get inflation under control,” he said.

OBSERVATION - Continued high fed rates will continue to depress the housing market – a key component who’s growth is necessary to pull out of a recession. A note on the ‘low’ unemployment numbers – remember those numbers have been cooked a while ago to make democrats look better (ie 0bama) and understate the numbers.

IN RELATED - Homebuyers in the United States must earn six-figure salaries in order to afford a median-priced home, according to an analysis from real estate brokerage Redfin.

As housing prices remain elevated and the monthly mortgage payment on the typical home surges more than 45% since the same time last year to reach $2,682, the annual salary required to afford such a property has increased from $73,668 to $107,281. Average hourly wages have nominally increased 5% over the same period as inflation continues to erode consumer purchasing power.

OBSERVATION – I’m no economic guru, but my memory and gut say that it will be years before the ability of Americans to purchase a decent home comes back into balance. Continued fed prime rate increases will continue to keep homes out of reach.

MORE RELATED - Bank of America Corp. chief executive officer Brian Moynihan said activity in the U.S. housing market will probably slow for two years as the Federal Reserve raises interest rates, according to an interview Tuesday on CNN.

“This is the toughest thing, because you have to slow down the economy, you have to slow down inflation, and the way you do that is raising interest rates,” Moynihan said, referring to the Fed’s actions. “The intended outcome of their policies doesn’t feel good when you’re trying to buy a home.”
The Fed’s efforts to tame inflation could take about two years, leading to a slowdown in mortgage activity, he said. Rising rents are also going to strain on the finances of Americans who rent their homes, he said.

OBSERVATION – Guess my experience and gut found an ally in Moynihan. This bodes ill for any recession that the fed gets started.

Invasion of Illegals –

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday is set to consider whether President Joe Biden’s administration can implement guidelines — challenged by two conservative-leaning states — shifting immigration enforcement toward public safety threats in a case testing executive branch power to set enforcement priorities.

The justices will hear the administration’s bid to overturn a judge’s ruling in favor of Texas and Louisiana that vacated U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) guidelines narrowing the scope of those who can be targeted by immigration agents for arrest and deportation.

The Democratic president’s policy departed from the hardline approach of his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, who sought to broaden the range of immigrants subject to arrest and removal. Biden campaigned on a more humane approach to immigration but has been faced with large numbers of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.

OBSERVATION – Even if defeated, it is likely biden et al will just wordsmith the guidelines to just push it outside the court’s decision while retaining the essential core of its policy.

CW2/Domestic violence –

Numbers released Monday show that the FBI ran 192,749 National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) background checks on Black Friday 2022.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) noted that the 192,749 NICS checks on Black Friday 2022 “[rank] it third in the Top 10 Highest Days for NICS checks and…[represent] a 2.8 percent increase from Black Friday 2021.”

OBSERVATION – America continues to arm up as crime skyrockets and the growing willingness of the govt to target citizens of the opposite political spectrum as ‘domestic terrorists’.

RELATED – Reports that number of people routinely carrying loaded handguns for protection had more than doubled in a four-year period. From 2015 to 2019, the number of regularly armed citizens swelled from three million to six million. (The Blaze)

OBSERVATION – The right to protect self, family and friends shall not be infringed.

MORE RELATED - Meanwhile, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) admitted that President Joe Biden has “probably not” secured the needed 60 votes to pass gun control in the lame-duck session of Congress.

OBSERVATION – The democrats gained seats with the midterms. Combined with the turncoat republicans, they could patch a bill together next congress that secures the 60 votes necessary to get around a filibuster. The line will have to be held in the house to prevent such a disaster from reaching biden’s desk.

CANCEL CULTURE FRONT

Reports that Apple is threatening to remove Twitter from its App store. Fireworks at 10, break out the popcorn.

OBSERVATION - Can’t believe Apple would be that stupid – but then again that is based on Before Times thinking. Meanwhile, twitter activity and signups have reached an all time high.

POLITICAL FRONT –

The lame duck congress has the following democrat priorities they are working on before it ends

1. To avoid a government shutdown, Congress must pass a federal funding package by Dec. 16. Some Democrats are considering a week-long continuing resolution.
2. Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)
3. Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act Republican Maine Sen. Susan Collins’ bill would limit the ability of members of Congress to object to electoral count slates. It raises the threshold necessary for Congress to consider an objection from one representative and one senator to one-fifth of each chamber.
4. Respect for Marriage Act. Some conservatives argue the legislation as written does not provide enough religious liberty protections. Utah Sen. Mike Lee is pushing for an amendment to the legislation, but three Republicans would have to flip their votes to enforce a filibuster.

Biden Energy Department official Sam Brinton, the non-binary drag queen who served as the department’s deputy assistant secretary for spent fuel and waste disposition, was charged with stealing women’s luggage at the Minneapolis airport in September, before taking a leave of absence.

According to a criminal complaint filed on Oct. 26 in Minnesota state court, Brinton while traveling from Washington DC allegedly stole a $2,325 Vera Bradley suitcase from a luggage carousel at the Minneapolis St. Paul Airport on Sept. 16.

OBSERVATION – Unbelievable piece of mindwarped trash controlling our nuclear materials. And yet the senate approved the appointment.

Domestic / International Terror (modified)-

The executive director of the Air Marshal National Council has a message for the Biden administration. She warns that air travel is becoming less safe because air marshals are being diverted to the border.
Sonia Labosco called on the Biden administration to stop sending air marshals to the U.S-Mexico border on Monday. She asked that they be returned to their regular duties patrolling commercial flights. She’s worried about another 9/11 type of terrorist attack.

“We have been decimated. We have been depleted. We’re on less than 1% of flights. These ground-based duties that they’re pulling us out of the sky to go to the border are just demolishing our chances at stopping another 9/11.”

“We actually wrote him another letter over the weekend because we had a level four and a level three incident. Level four means that they tried to breach the cockpit. Level three, we had two of those, which means there were life-threatening behaviors on one of those aircraft. An individual had a straight razor to a passenger’s throat. So these are very serious incidents.”

OBSERVATION – Not surprising that biden et al are letting the ball get dropped on this aspect too. He didn’t care – he was off vacationing, again.

Strategic Activity / Deployments –

The Israel Air Force this week will hold one of its largest drills in years with the United States Air Force simulating offensive strikes against Iran’s nuclear program.

The drill will take place from Tuesday until Thursday over the Mediterranean Sea and Israel. It will include long-range flights such as those that Israeli pilots might need to make in order to reach the Islamic Republic.
The exercise will include refuelers as well as fighter jets from both forces.

OBSERVATION – The proof of the pudding is if biden authorizes this level of support when (not if) Israel has to act to take our Iran’s program.

China –

Protests have died down some in China this past Monday. The regime has launched a cyber counter offensive on some social media platforms when one searches for a Chinese citiy. The search results is flooded by porn and other ‘advertising’ links in order to bury any protest related information.

Police forces in affected cities have slowly forced the protests back to a degree. They have established barriers/fences to keep protestors away from central areas of the city and police began stopping and searching pedestrians in Shanghai and Beijing, although there were no signs of protests on Monday. Police are also searching mobile phones for signs of VPNs and western social media applications like Telegram, which are outlawed in China.

Yesterday, the White House issued a statement on the protests in China: “We’ve long said everyone has the right to peacefully protest, here in the United States and around the world. This includes in the PRC,” a National Security Council spokesperson says.

OBSERVATION – These protests appear not to have any legs and the citizenry are being cowed back into submission as they have been trained to.

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen resigned from the head of her ruling party after staggering midterm election losses that put the opposition Kuomintang in charge of 22 municipalities. It was the worst loss for the Democratic Progressive Party in its 36-year history.

OBSERVATION – Tsai has been a hardliner on not holding reunification talks with China. Change in political power may usher in a potential alternative to Chinese military take over. No sign yet of how the Chinese wuhan protests may effect the Taiwanese thinking.

North/South Korea –

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol says if North Korea conducts a new nuclear test Kim Jong Un should expect a response “not seen in the past”. -Reuters

OBSERVATION - Yoon ran as a war hawk in the recent elections and SK’s more aggressive stance and responses to NK provocations to date are evidence he’s for real on that issue. However, this threatens a serious escalation depending on just what that ‘response’ is.

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 are finishing redeployment of forces removed from the west bank of the Dnipir River. Many to support fighting in the east while others are detailed to increase defenses of the access to Crimea.

Russia continues to be 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.

Ukraine -

WEATHER FORECAST – Decreasing precipitation but increasingly cold temperatures in the 10-day forecast period.

24 HOUR ROUND UP –
Like yesterday, Russian shelling increased again around Bakhmut where it was very intensive in phases to cover Russian localized offensives. Now confirmed reports of some minor Russian advances. Bakhmut continues to hold despite the most significant pressure from Russian forces in several directions.

Shelling elsewhere was mostly more sporadic yesterday. Shelling exchanges continued sporadically north of Kherson.

Overnight there were a few missile launches from Belgorod into Ukraine – again primarily targeting power grid related facilities. Some observers note activity at Russian facilities that is similar to those preceding the earlier cruise missile barrages that hit Ukraine in past weeks.

Explosions were reported in Henichesk and Skadovsk of occupied Kherson Oblast, likely HIMARS action. Both strikes show that the main supply route into Ukraine proper from Crimea via the narrow land bridge is very vulnerable.

Eastern (Kharkiv) front ——
Ukraine continues to pressure the Silversk – Kreminna defensive line

Donetsk Oblast ——
NSR

Zaporizhizhia Front ———
NSR

Crimean front ———
Russian’s have established a layered defensive on the left (eastern) Dnipir River region of occupied Kherson Oblast. OSINT and other analysts looking at open source satellite imagery suggest that the defenses are poorly designed and laid out. They seem to focus on fighting the way Russia has been fighting – run straight down a road and frontal assaults. These strong points are not mutually supporting and there are large gaps between them that Ukraine can (and has in the past) exploited to maneuver around Russian positions and cut them off. Time will tell just what will happen.

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 ——
Battles around Bahkmut and Donetsk to continue. Russia will expend a lot of forces and equipment on tactically and strategically insignificant battles. The only ones potentially benefitting from this blood bath is Wagner Group mercenaries – by being able to claim (exaggerated) ‘victories’ around Bahkmut.

I expect another round of cruise/ballistic missile fire across Ukraine in the near future. However, those attacks may have triggered a western response to provide longer range munitions.

The Pentagon is considering a Boeing proposal to supply Ukraine with cheap, small precision bombs fitted onto abundantly available rockets, allowing Kyiv to strike far behind Russian lines as the West struggles to meet demand for more arms.

Boeing’s proposed system, dubbed Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), is one of about a half-dozen plans for getting new munitions into production for Ukraine and America’s Eastern European allies, industry sources said.

Although the United States has rebuffed requests for the 185-mile (297km) range ATACMS missile, the GLSDB’s 94-mile (150km) range would allow Ukraine to hit valuable military targets that have been out of reach and help it continue pressing its counterattacks by disrupting Russian rear areas.
GLSDB could be delivered as early as spring 2023, according to a document reviewed by Reuters and three people familiar with the plan. It combines the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) with the M26 rocket motor, both of which are common in U.S. inventories.

OBSERVATION – Deeper penetration into Russian rear areas with a guided munition. It was my private thought that US could use the power grid attacks as justification for ATACMS systems. These smaller, less expensive but accurate rockets could fit the bill.

Poland -

Polish defense officials have requested Patriot air defense batteries offered by Germany to bolster polish air defenses be sent to Ukraine instead. Polish President Andrzej Duda said the request made sense from a “military point of view” that the missiles be placed in Ukraine, as that positioning would enable them to protect “Ukraine and Poland most effectively.”

OBSERVATION – The plan would be to train Ukrainians to run the systems. But if placed in Ukraine would potentially cause Russia to escalate attacks.

Pakistan –

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, announced Monday that they are withdrawing from a months-long ceasefire agreement with the Pakistani government.

The TTP is an umbrella group of Pakistani tribesmen that control the lawless regions along Pakistan’s Afghan border. They have traditional ties with the country’s intelligence service, and elements within the government and military are known to be sympathetic to their cause. Pakistan is a nuclear-armed country, with a history of nuclear proliferation, on the brink of a financial crisis led by a caretaker government fighting two separate armed insurgencies. The deposed former Prime Minister is currently agitating for new elections, despite an assassination attempt in early November. The security of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal could soon be a growing concern for Washington D.C. (FO)

OBSERVATION – As FO notes, security of the nuclear arsenal is of great concern.

Israel –

See Strategic Activity / Deployments above for practice run to take out Iran’s nuke program.

Iran –

Protests continue.

In a warning, NATO says that Iran and the rest of the countries should not provide Russia with drones and other weapons.

OBSERVATION – This is likely a precursor of the EU instituting new sanctions on Iran. Analysis of parts from shot down drones shows that Iran has been obtaining western materials for their construction – those sources may well be close to being shut down soon.

Syria -

Erdogan has now announced that the air strikes were only the beginning and that he is preparing to launch a land operation when the time is right. -
“We are continuing the air operation,” he said in a speech to his AK party members in parliament, “and will come down hard on the terrorists from land, at the most convenient time for us.”

He asserts that Turkey is more determined than ever to secure its southern border by seizing a “security corridor” running along it west to east – territory that is nominally part of sovereign Syria. “We have formed part of this corridor,” he announced, and “will take care of it starting with places such as Tal Rifaat, Manbij and Ayn al-Arab (Kobane), which are the sources of trouble.”

OBSERVATION – Turkey seized a chunk of this ‘security corridor’ a couple years ago. Now it appears Turkey is poised to attempt to capture more territory – designed to create a buffer zone between the Kurd dominated regions in Syria (and probably eventually Iraq). There is danger if those plans head into US occupied areas of Syrian oilfields.

Turkey -

See Syria for latest attacks in the northern part of the country.

Misc of Note -

Measles vaccinations steadily declined during the COVID pandemic, and that leaves 40 million children worldwide “dangerously susceptible” to infection, according to a joint publication by the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The report says 22 countries experienced “large and disruptive” measles outbreaks in 2021, when an estimated 9 million cases caused some 128,000 deaths worldwide.

OBSERVATION – Don’t necessarily want to start a new generic medical category, but with the CDC and WHO fear mongering it may be hard not to.

Granddaughter’s are important...

Globalism / Great Reset –

India will begin testing a retail version of digital Rupee on Thursday. The e-Rupee will come in the same denomination as notes and coins Four banks plan to participate initially; four more to join later.

OBSERVATION – Slightly different approach, rather than completely replacing the currency, India will continue to permit physical currency to exist with the electronic version. The move is designed to condition the peoples attitudes towards digital currency and use.

Norway, Europe’s largest natural gas supplier, announced it would halt oil and gas exploration in untapped areas of its extensive oil and gas fields. The moratorium on exploration will last at least through the current parliament, which ends in 2025. According to Aasland, the decision was part of a minority government budget deal with the opposition Socialist Left Party (SV) in an effort to fight climate change.

OBSERVATION – This is a first step in the effort to eventually kill Norway’s oil and gas industry. With this, the left will continue to force the green energy agenda.

Wuhan virus –

Americans don’t need mandates to keep them safe from COVID, they need information and treatments and aren’t getting them, Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House Coronavirus Task Force during the Trump administration.
“We’re not giving Americans the tools that they need to protect their families,” Birx told Newsmax’s “National Report.” “Americans are smart. They know what to do. We don’t need mandates. We need knowledge in the communities and access to those tools, which rural America doesn’t have.”
It is not just a matter of vaccines, said Birx, as “rural Americans don’t have access to Paxlovid. Most of them don’t even know that Paxlovid could keep them out of the hospital.”

OBSERVATION – This is rich, coming from one of the chief architects of the national lockdown. Also interesting is how she singles out “rural America” as being in some manner ignorant – “rural America” largely being equivalent to the Red states. Even spreads misinformation – Paxlovid – has reportedly and has been documented as not being effective in nearly all cases after treatment the patient gets hammered a second time.

Economy –

Biden calls on Congress to ratify labor deal reached with railroad unions this fall, saying a fight for more concessions can’t be allowed to happen because it could “hurl this nation into a devastating rail freight shutdown.”

The House is scheduled to consider House Joint Resolution 100 to resolve the current rail labor dispute and Concurrent Resolution 119 to provide paid sick leave for rail workers.

Meanwhile, unions are rejecting biden’s appeal. The National Railway Labor Conference (NRLC) and The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED) apparently have no plans of relenting from its respective bargaining positions — in advance of a potential nationwide railway strike on Dec. 9 — despite President Joe Biden’s calls for Congress to pass legislation that would enforce the tentative rail-labor agreement.
In a joint statement, the NRLC and BMWED didn’t share the Biden administration’s optimism for concocting a labor resolution within the next 10 days.
Congressional legislation regarding a railway strike “denies railroad workers their right to strike while also denying them of the benefit they would likely otherwise obtain if they were not denied their right to strike,” the statement reads.

OBSERVATION – The proverbial slow moving train wreck is still getting closer to happening. These are big democrat supporting unions and with the next national elections being two years out, democrats in congress may be looking to actually stopping the strike and sucking up the short term funds losses in hopes that all will be well in 2024.

Morgan Stanley’s Mike Wilson, who has an S&P 500 year-end target of 3,900 for next year, warns corporate America is getting ready to unleash downward earnings revisions that will pummel stocks.
“It’s the path. I mean nobody cares about what’s going to happen in 12 months. They need to deal with the next three to six months,” he told CNBC’s “Fast Money” on Tuesday. “That’s where we actually think there’s significant downside. So, while 3,900 sounds like a really boring six months. No... it’s going to be a wild ride.”
Wilson, who serves as the firm’s chief U.S. equity strategist and chief investment officer, believes the S&P could drop as much as 24% from Tuesday’s close in early 2023.

OBSERVATION – Another big money analyst seeing economic woe in the coming months.

U.S. consumer confidence fell for the second straight month in November amid ongoing high inflation, rising interest rates, and layoffs in the tech sector.
The Conference Board reported Tuesday that its consumer confidence index fell to 100.2 this month, down from 102.2 in October. November’s figure is the lowest since July, and likely reflected an uptick in gas prices earlier this fall, said Lynn Franco, senior director of economic indicators at the Conference Board. The data indicate Americans are taking a more gloomy view about the economy. Before the pandemic, the index regularly topped 120.

OBSERVATION – Tea reading by the Fed misses what is actually being experienced by the people.

A proposed rule advanced by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is aimed at stifling methane releases from oil and gas wells on public land. A similar rule imposed during the Obama administration was tossed by a Federal court. The new rule is bolstered by the Inflation Reduction Act, which requires companies to pay royalties on all gas that is extracted, even if deliberately vented or burned off. The rule will require energy companies to spend an estimated $121.9 million annually to upgrade equipment and detect leaks. (FO)

OBSERVATION – More easter eggs from the so called “Inflation Reduction Act” that will actually increase natural gas and oil prices. The rule will likely be challenged in court and it remains to be seen if the wording in the “Inflation Reduction Act” will provide enough justification to avoid it being tossed out again.

Biden / Harris watch –

Biden’s rented Secret Service vehicles burst into flames in a parking lot Monday, just one day after he left his Nantucket vacation.
Biden spent Thanksgiving on the ritzy Massachusetts island with his family last week. The Secret Service rented five vehicles from Hertz to carry the president and his family, and all five of them caught fire in the parking lot, according to footage first obtained by the Nantucket Current.
The cause of the blaze remains under investigation, but one of the vehicles - a Ford Expedition- was under a safety recall by the manufacturer due to a faulty battery junction box that has caused fires. While it had been scheduled for service under the recall, sources said, it had not been repaired.

OBSERVATION – The level of weird timing surrounding this report pegged the meter. I first attributed initial reports to some wackos. Have to wait on the investigation results – but it seems that nothing nefarious was done by anyone.

CW2/Domestic violence –

Republican Montana attorney general Austin Knudsen alleges that new shipping guidelines allow UPS and FedEx “to track firearm sales with unprecedented specificity and bypass warrant requirements to share that information with federal agencies.” The letter, signed by Knudsen and 16 other state attorneys general, says the altered shipping guidelines force licensed firearm dealers into providing detailed information about purchasers who are receiving items through the mail.

By requiring firearms dealers to provide an unprecedented level of information about their clients, the shipping companies may be giving “federal agencies a workaround to normal warrant requirements,” the letter states. This ultimately allows them “to provide information at will or upon request to federal agencies—information detailing which Americans are buying what guns.” The state officials are asking UPS and FedEx to provide them with information about any recent rule changes and disclose any role the federal government played in the matter.

OBSERVATION – Love our kick arse State AG. The swamp has accelerated its collection of information on the citizens. The key item is correct – they are developing a work around the law. When the govt does that, it is clear that they do not have good intentions. Just like the way they are using the USPS to directly spy on citizens – skirting the law.
BTW – private sales of ammo being shipped are ‘disappearing’ on a regular basis via these shippers as well. Tells you just who’s side they are on.
ALSO – I strongly suspect that the govt already has a substantial database of gun owners in the US, created via many other available backdoor means. More data means more eventual targets.

Recently, the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, chaired by Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) released the report “The Rising Threat of Domestic Terrorism.” The chief concern? White supremacist groups. The fourth paragraph of the Executive Summary reads:
“Since 2019, DHS and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have repeatedly identified domestic terrorism, in particular white supremacist violence, as the most persistent and lethal terrorist threat to the homeland, including in multiple threat alerts provided to Congress and law enforcement agencies across the country. Despite this acknowledgement (sic) and multiple analyses, plans, and National Strategies across multiple Administrations, this investigation found that the federal government has continued to allocate resources disproportionately aligned to international terrorist threats over domestic terrorist threats.”

OBSERVATION – A continuation of trying to paint the situation as dire. It further keeps the fire going for what I suspect will be an eventually govt crackdown on conservatives. Absent of course is the very active danger presented by Antifa – but they’ve waved that a way by defining it as an idea and not an actual organization.

(AP) Supervisors in San Francisco voted Tuesday to give city police the ability to use potentially lethal, remote-controlled robots in emergency situations — following an emotionally charged debate that reflected divisions on the politically liberal board over support for law enforcement.
The vote was 8-3, with the majority agreeing to grant police the option despite strong objections from civil liberties and other police oversight groups. Opponents said the authority would lead to the further militarization of a police force already too aggressive with poor and minority communities.
Supervisor Connie Chan, a member of the committee that forwarded the proposal to the full board, said she understood concerns over use of force but that “according to state law, we are required to approve the use of these equipments. So here we are, and it’s definitely not a easy discussion.”
The San Francisco Police Department said it does not have pre-armed robots and has no plans to arm robots with guns. But the department could deploy robots equipped with explosive charges “to contact, incapacitate, or disorient violent, armed, or dangerous suspect” when lives are at stake, SFPD spokesperson Allison Maxie said in a statement

OBSERVATION - Interesting move by liberal SF and police. Has all sorts of apocalyptic connotations.

Meanwhile, Antifa et al, continues to support a variety of social causes ranging from pro-abortion, pro-LGBT, and pro-radical environmentalism events. No major social/political events to stir them into violence.

CANCEL CULTURE FRONT

Twitter has stopped enforcing its COVID-19 “misleading information” policy that had resulted in nearly 100,000 pieces of content being cut from the platform and led to more than 11,000 account suspensions.

OBSERVATION – misinformation – the left’s definition of facts that are contrary to their propaganda/narrative. Enjoyable to continue to watch lefties on FB melt down.

POLITICAL FRONT –

The U.S. Senate passed the Respect for Marriage Act on Tuesday in a bipartisan vote of 61 to 36, which will require the federal government to recognize all marriages, including same-sex marriages, that are legal in the state where they took place.
The measure will now move to the House, where it is expected to pass in the final days of a Democratic-controlled chamber before making its way to the White House for President Joe Biden’s signature.
A handful of GOP senators, including Roy Blunt, Richard Burr, Shelley Moore Capito, Susan Collins, Joni Ernst, Cynthia Lummis, Lisa Murkowski, Rob Portman, Mitt Romney, Dan Sullivan, Thom Tillis and Todd Young, earlier this month helped the bill clear a first procedural hurdle. The same 12 Republicans propelled the legislation across the finish line Tuesday.

OBSERVATION – 12 RINOs sided with this extremely leftist bill. Expect these 12 to continue to side with democrats during the next term. Passage of this bill guarantees that religious organizations will come under withering attacks to either bend the knee to LGBT et al causes or face never ending lawsuits.

China –

After what appeared to be a pause in protests overnight clashes spread to Guangzhou city.

On November 29, 2022, the USS Chancellorsville (CG 62) asserted navigational rights and freedoms in the South China Sea near the Spratly Islands, consistent with international law. China raised a big stink about the transit, claiming the area as part of its territory.

Japan –

Japan is looking to acquire a “counterstrike capability” to take out enemy missile sites if the country is attacked, the nation’s Ministry of Defense confirmed Tuesday.
A policy document detailing the concept was shown Friday at a meeting of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, Komeito, the Kyodo news agency reported Saturday, citing an anonymous source with knowledge of the matter.

OBSERVATION – Japan continues to aggressively prepare for an eventual conflict with China.

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 are constructing defensive lines across occupied southern Ukraine. It is only capable of very local offensive actions as in the ongoing fighting around Bakhmut and Donetsk.
Russia is also capable of launching more cruise/ballistic missile attacks directed against Ukrainian infrastructure -primarily its power grid, but massively reduced inventories of such missiles means these barrages will be further apart and less intense.
While Russia has nuclear capability, the probability is low that it will use one to swing the initiative back to its forces.

********

NUKE WATCH -
Moscow has postponed a round of nuclear arms control talks with the United States set for this week because of stark differences in approach and tensions over Ukraine, a senior Russian diplomat said Tuesday.

Logistics –
- More and more outdated tanks and armored vehicles are being used by Russian forces as more modern equipment is being destroyed or captured in combat.

Russian Personnel Issues –
- Speculation is mounting that Russia could soon try to mobilize men in the occupied part of Kherson, in southern Ukraine.

- Putin says Russia may need to mobilize five million men in order to defeat Ukraine. That is considered impossible unless Russia can carry out a mobilization on the scale of the mobilization carried out after the Germans invaded in 1941.

- Russia is having difficulties filling key positions as it tries to rebuild an armor corps decimated from combat. Lack of officers and skilled armor/tank crews lead the shortages.

Ukraine -

WEATHER FORECAST – Decreasing precipitation but increasingly cold temperatures in the 10-day forecast period.

24 HOUR ROUND UP –
Like yesterday, Russian shelling increased again around Bakhmut where it was very intensive in phases to cover Russian localized offensives. Now confirmed reports that Russian forces managed to capture Kurdiumivka.

On the outskirts of Kherson in the village of Pravdyne, a new mass burial of people killed by the Russian military was discovered. The bodies were found with their hands tied and blindfolded. All were shot in the head at close range
NOTE - I haven’t posted much on the war crimes uncovered by Ukraine after liberating Kherson and Kharkiv Oblasts – but they are abundant.

Eastern (Kharkiv) front ——
Ukraine continues to pressure the Silversk – Kreminna defensive line

Donetsk Oblast ——
Russian forces claimed control over Kurdiumivka about 20 Km south of Bakhmut

Zaporizhizhia Front ———
NSR

Crimean front ———
Western / Central Ukraine ——
NSR

Russian Territory -—
Fuel depot caught fire in Surazh district of Bryansk Oblast after suspected drone attack.
Blackouts in Sudzha and Korenevo districts of Kursk Oblast of Russia as result of shelling at electrical power infrastructure

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 ——
Like a stuck record, I see little change from previous days. Intensity of fighting around Bahkmut may lead to some more minor gains by Russia, but would achieve nothing of tactical or strategic significance – other than a PR victory to bleat about in Russia. Piggy backed on this PR would be Wagner Group slamming the MOD because it is getting ‘victories’ and the MOD is withdrawing forces from claimed lands.

Ukraine has diverted some of its long range assets to hit electrical infrastructure in surrounding Russian territory. However, those assets are precious and continued attacks unlikely to be sustained.

Iran –

Protests continue, though at a lower level of intensity as of late.

Syria -

The United States has reduced the number of patrols with the Syrian Democratic Forces in northern Syria because of Turkey’s strikes in the region, the Pentagon says. No U.S. troops redeployed so far ahead of a feared a Turkish ground invasion.

OBSERVATION – Turkey doesn’t care who’s toes they step on. A Turkish invasion will set the ISIS battle back.

Central / South America General-

Argentinean television has revealed new evidence of voting machine fraud in around 280,000 voting machines that were pre-2020 models used in the October 30, 2022, Brazilian Presidental elections. Argentine political consultant Fernando Cerimedo asserted on the program that statistical analysis conclusively shows the result was fraudulent.

OBSERVATION - Turmoil from the last election continues. If these evidences are credible, the chances increase that the military may get involved in some way. Following an audit of the election results, the military concluded that there was a “possible security risk” in the country’s voting system.