Strictly Political

 

China Trying to Replace Dollar with Yuan

At their recent summit in Uzbekistan, members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)—a prominent regional organization led by China and Russia—agreed on a road map to expanding trade in local currencies. A road map for using local currencies in trade and developing alternative payment and settlement systems has been part of the SCO’s economic plan for years.

This agenda is in line with individual policies on the part of the group’s most prominent members, including Russia’s attempt to cushion the blow of Western sanctions, China’s deteriorating relations with the United States, India’s use of nondollar currencies in its trade with Russia, and Iran’s recent proposal for a single SCO currency.

Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed to address development deficits through regional integration, especially by expanding the shares of local currency settlements, strengthening the development of local-currency cross-border payment and settlement systems, and promoting the establishment of an SCO Development Bank.

Xi did not openly discuss the geopolitical risk of U.S. dollar dependence when addressing the recent SCO summit. However, his proposal reflected Chinese leaders’ deep concerns about the vulnerability of the Chinese economy to U.S. dollar hegemony and their desire to develop alternative systems to hedge against the risk of the dollar’s dominance.

Beijing is not, for now, attempting to make the yuan an internationalized currency. It does not seek to dethrone the U.S. dollar and replace the dollar’s dominance in the global system with the yuan. Instead, it is taking steps to make the yuan a regionally powerful currency through local institutions in China and regional intergovernmental organizations such as the SCO. 

Beijing wants to increase the use of the yuan in China’s cross-border trade settlements and investment, reduce its dependence on the dollar, minimize exchange risk and dollar liquidity shortage, and maintain access to global markets during geopolitical crises.

China’s de-dollarization initiatives are not only implemented by the central government in Beijing. Some of the initiatives have also been carried out by local governments and local financial institutions. One example is the Sino-Russian Financial Alliance. In October 2015, China’s Harbin Bank (a city commercial bank) and Russia’s Sberbank (the largest savings bank in Russia by assets) initiated the Sino-Russian Financial Alliance as a nonprofit cross-border financial cooperation organization. 

The alliance’s primary goal is to establish an efficient mechanism to support Sino-Russian trade, facilitate comprehensive bilateral financial cooperation, and promote the use of local currencies in bilateral settlements. This financial alliance had 35 initial members, including 18 Chinese financial institutions (small and medium-sized banks, insurance companies, and trust investment companies) and 17 Russian institutions. When the alliance was launched, Sun Yao, vice governor of Heilongjiang province, said that the alliance “is an important platform to facilitate the development of the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor.”  READ MORE...

Dancing Dog

 

Americans LOVE their ILLEGAL DRUGS

WHY ARE SO MANY ILLEGAL DRUGS COMING INTO THE USA?

AMERICANS WANT THEIR ILLEGAL DRUGS...

And that is the really interesting part of this narrative...  illegal drugs would not be coming into this country were it not for the Americans who buy the damn drugs.

Basic economics deals with the relationship between supply and demand.  If the demand is there then someone will provide the supply...

If the USA wants to stop the supply of drugs they must first convince Americans not to want illegal drugs...  For some reason, American are demanding an increase in illegal drugs...  and, it would be interesting to know why this demand is increasing...  What causes Americans to demand illegal drugs???

East TN is not considered to be the mecca of variety as one would expect from NYC, WashingtonDC, Atlanta, Chicago, LA, Vegas, Maimi, and other large metropolitan areas...  BUT...  we have illegal drugs being distributed in our elementary schools, junior high schools, and high schools...   Why is this happening here in East TN???

If it is happening here, you can just imagine what it is like in these big and bigger cities.

The real question that no one is addressing is WHY are AMERICANS DEMANDING THESE ILLEGAL DRUGS???

America is Just as Corrupt

We think of corrupt governments as being those in South America, Africa, the Middle East, Russia, China, etc., because of the way their governments are managed and controlled and because they really don't incorporate the rule of law or honor freedoms like we do here in the US of A.

However, the US of A is just as corrupt and evil as all the other countries we just create a smoke screen that we hide behind making us more hypocritical...

Our politicians are corrupt.

Our business leaders are corrupt.

Our educational system is corrupt.

Our judicial system is corrupt.

Our churches are corrupt.

The US of A bends or breaks the rules to suit our purpose.  Our CIA supports the Drug Cartels so that the CIA can sell drugs to finance covert operations in foreign countries to influence and in some cases change their government, forcing them to support the US of A at the United Nations.

The US of A creates wars so that our engineering companies can profit from the rebuilding that takes place in those countries after the war.

The US of A took land away from the Native Americans here as well as from the Mexicans because we were stronger and wanted that land...  the exact same thing that Putin is doing in the Ukraine.  We say Putin is wrong in what he does but we were somehow justified???

Business leaders sit in church on Sundays and are deacons in the church sometimes, then on Mondays go to work and treat the workers as if they have no Christian beliefs in their hearts and souls at all.  They lie and steal time from the workers.  The manipulate and use the workers then fire them if they complain.  Management of American companies treat the workers as if they are second class citizens.  Then go to church on Sundays and teach Sunday School classes to children teaching the values of being a good Christian ALL THE TIME.

Most Americans lie on their income taxes

Break the speed limits when driving

Use their influence to go to the head of the line

Use their influence to break the law and not be prosecuted

Use their influence to get their children out of jail

The US of A is no different than China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Iraq, or Saudi Arabia and in some cases we might be more evil because we pretend not to be evil.  The US of A will do anything (and I mean anything) to win...  don't underestimate our GREED.

New Data Transfer Record

A team of researchers has reportedly set a new data transmission world record.

The international group from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden used a single light source to transmit 1.8 petabits per second.

In a release, DTU said that they were the first in the world to transmit more than 1 petabit per second – corresponding to 1 million gigabits – using only a single laser and a single optical chip called a "frequency comb."

"In the experiment, the researchers succeeded in transmitting 1.8 Pbit/s, which corresponds to twice the total global Internet traffic," they wrote. "And only carried by the light from one optical source. The light source is a custom-designed optical chip, which can use the light from a single infrared laser to create a rainbow spectrum of many colors, i.e. many frequencies. Thus, the one frequency (color) of a single laser can be multiplied into hundreds of frequencies (colors) in a single chip."

The colors are fixed at a specific frequency distance from each other like the teeth on a comb, which is why it is called a frequency comb.

"Each color (or frequency) can then be isolated and used to imprint data. The frequencies can then be reassembled and sent over an optical fibre, thus transmitting data. Even a huge volume of data, as the researchers have discovered," DTU explained.

Victor Torres Company, a professor at Chalmers University of Technology, said that the chip has ideal characteristics for fiber-optical communications, with "high optical power" and covering a "broad bandwidth within the spectral region that is interesting for advanced optical communications."  READ MORE...

Stock Market Explained

 

A Conservative Liberal Speaks Out

I was a Kennedy Democrat but because the Democratic Party has become progressive and is moving towards Socialism, I am just a Liberal who has strong conservative values because I believe in a balance budget and being debt free.

I would especially like the idea that all illegal drugs should be legalized because Americans should be allowed to decide for themselves if they want to become a drug addict or for that matter an alcoholic.  Yes, it may impact our healthcare system but it is still their choice...  the same holds true for females and abortion.  It does not matter what the reason or the excuse, if a female wants an abortion she should be able to make that choice and live with the responsibility of that choice.   AND...  the same holds true for a male who wants to become a female or a female who wants to become a male...  It is their choice and not the choice of the government.

We should be able to say what we want to say when we want to say it...  and if I don't like what you have to say...  tough shit on me...  you should be able to say it and that's that.  To rob us of our freedom of speech is a violation of our constitutional rights.  If you want to change the constitution that is your right as well...  have at it...

 

Finally, I believe in a strong military and a small federal government...  Government should stay the hell out of my business and our military should have the ability to KICK ASS of any country in the world, if it needs to from a defensive point of view not an aggressive point of view.

I don't believe in wars and I will never own a handgun even though I have the right to do so...  I choose not to...  what other explanation is there other than NO WARS and no wars so that we can get rich rebuilding other countries.

Business leaders should pay a fair wage and make a fair profit but management has NO RIGHT to make the high salaries that they make...  they are just not worth it...  and, this is from someone who has been in middle and upper management for 40 or my 45 year career...  I was in management because I earned an MBA with a focus in strategic planning.  But, the wealth of the company should be divided among the staff, employees, customers, stockholders, vendors, and the community.   WE SHOULD ALL BE IN THIS LIFE TOGETHER...

These are the views of a conservative liberal...

 

Strictly Political

 

Arizona Governor VERSUS Arizona Sheriff

An Arizona county sheriff said Saturday that he’s frustrated with Gov. Doug Ducey sending large shipping containers to the border in an effort to construct a makeshift border wall.

With the containers reaching within 6 miles of Santa Cruz County, Sheriff David Hathaway told FOX 10 Phoenix he’ll arrest anyone who tries to place them in the county, which he referred to as "illegal dumping."

"The area where they're placing the containers is entirely on federal land, on national forest land," the sheriff told the station. "It's not state land, it's not private land, and the federal government has said this [is] illegal activity. 

So just the way if I saw somebody doing an assault or a homicide or a vehicle theft on public land within my county, I would charge that person with a crime."

Ducey filed a lawsuit against the federal government in October when he was told to stop double stacking the more than 100 containers in the border wall gaps on federal and tribal lands near Yuma.  READ MORE...

Making An Applie Pie

 

An Artist's Tribute

 

As a tribute to all enslaved people buried in cemeteries in unmarked graves, artist Craig Walsh illuminated trees with faces to honour their souls

Let's Demand Socialism

 Socialism is where the economy is controlled by the government and while it provides for more welfare programs for those who cannot work or those who cannot make enough money to support themselves or their family.  And while that is something that enlightened populations should strive to do for their less fortunate, socialism is totally predicated upon paying taxes.

If a majority of Americans find loopholes in the law and can avoid paying their fair share of taxes, those who embrace socialism will be hurt unless the government either cuts back on other items it funds like the military or it borrows money from foreign countries or it prints up more money.

Printing up more money dilutes the value of the currency being used which causes inflation and borrowing money requires that future generations pay the debt which is somewhat of a ponzi scheme when you think about it.

TAXES are the best way to go if you want socialism for everyone...   so, the wealthy and others must be stopped from using the loopholes in the law to avoid taxes.  This also involves corporations avoiding taxes as well...

However, if coporations are taxes too much they will not invest in the future as their main focus is to pay their shareholders a dividend every 3 months.   Stockholders drive the direction of companies.

There are a few downsides of socialism:

• slow economic growth
• less entrepreneurial activity
• less competition
• less individual motivation to improve

The main two types of governments that have the ability to CONTROL THE WORLD are:

• Capitalism
• Communistic Dictatorship

As far as a communistic dictatorship is concerned we have two great examples:

• China
• Russia

Countries that move in the direction of socialism typically do not have strong militaries and are therefore controlled by capitalistic countries or communist countries.

The other difference that one must seriously take into consideration and that is the fact that only capitalism affords the FREEDOMS that are present in the USA. No other country in the world has the freedoms that Americans have...  especially with our Bill of Rights.

What concerns me is that if the USA moves closer to Socialism will they lose their freedoms which is exactly what the management team at TWITTER did when they censored free speech and only allowed speech that agreed with their political views.

Only the ignorant do not understand the importance of free speech.,

Strictly Political

 

Twitter & Musk

Elon Musk took to Twitter Friday morning to voice his opinion about the prisoner swap President Biden negotiated with Russia for the release of U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner.

On Thursday, Biden announced the U.S. would release Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was sentenced 25 years for providing weapons used to kill Americans, in exchange for Griner. The deal notably excluded American Paul Whelan, an Iraqi war veteran who remains imprisoned in Russia since 2018. The Griner deal also excluded Marc Fogel, a Pennsylvania teacher in Russian custody.

Musk said Friday the U.S. should "never" leave behind one of its own servicemen.

"Never leave a marine behind. Never," Musk tweeted, responding to a user who inquired about his opinion.

The initial user asked: "Does it surprise anyone the Biden regime would leave a Marine behind after they abandoned Americans in Afghanistan?"

Musk’s criticism joined the chorus of Republican lawmakers and others who voiced concern Biden failed to free Whelan.

Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, took to Twitter demanding an answer from the Biden administration on why he excluded the Iraq war veteran from the deal.

"This was likely not a simple ‘choose him or her’ situation. But if it was, you choose the guy that served our country, Paul Whelan. We should get an explanation from this administration immediately," Crenshaw wrote.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Illinois, echoed: "What about retired marine who has been unjustly detained for years, Paul Whelan? Surely an arms dealer is worth two innocent people?"  READ MORE...

Miniature Pony

 

The American Monster

Half of our country want to eliminate petroleum crude oil (gasoline,diesel, jet fuel) and propane gas IMMEDIATELY...  and move into solar, wind, electric energy consumption.

Half of our country does not want to make this transition IMMEDIATELY.

GLOBAL ISSUE ON GOING GREEN:  

1. Russia, China, India, Parts of Africa and South America have publicly stated that they are not going green until they absolutely have to
2. China owns 80% of the all the minerals needed to construct solar panels and electric batteries (most of which were located in Afghanistan)
3. China has the largest military in the world and growing its nuclear weapons faster than the USA
4. China and India have the two largest populations in the world
5. China and India are building up their economies by not spending money on going green

Because the USA cannot move from gasoline to batteries overnight (or immediately), the need for gasoline will be around for several years.  However, because we closed down our domestic production of petroleum crude oil, we now have to import petroleum crude oil from other countries.  We are negotiating with Venezuela to buy oil from them and experts say that their oil in the dirtiest oil in the entire world, creating more polution in the USA...  whereas our domestic oil is considered to be the cleanest.

My concern is that while we are damaging our economy by trying to go green quickly, the rest of the world, especially our ENEMIES are not following our lead...  they are building their ecnomies the old fashion way and soon their economies will surpass our economy leaving us sitting in our ivory towers wondering why we made the decision that we did.

BTW - we don't have the energy grid in place to go green as fast as half this country wants to move...  that, in and of itself, is incredibly stupid and irresponsible.

All the billionaires know this reality... They are not stupid and yet they are supporting this quick transition...  WHY?

Do they think we can build up everything as we go?

Think about that logic when it came to building the Hoover Dam?     

Classic Sunday Morning Newspaper Cartoons

 

Another Great Depression On Its Way

‘The set-up will be more like 1929’: Cathie Wood just warned of another ‘Great Depression’ if the Fed keeps ignoring these signals — here are 3 safe haven sectors for proven protection

The U.S. Federal Reserve has been raising interest rates aggressively in an effort to bring inflation under control. According to Ark Invest’s Cathie Wood, this could have serious consequences.

In a series of tweets on Saturday, Wood compares the current situation to events that led up to the Great Depression.

“The Fed raised rates in 1929 to squelch financial speculation and then, in 1930, Congress passed Smoot-Hawley, putting 50%+ tariffs on more than 20,000 goods and pushing the global economy into the Great Depression,” Wood says. “If the Fed does not pivot, the set-up will be more like 1929.”

The super investor points out that the U.S. central bank is “ignoring deflationary signals.” At the same time, she warns that the Chips Act “could harm trade perhaps more than we understand.”

Of course, not all assets are created equal. Some — like the three listed below — might be able to perform well even if the Fed doesn’t soften its hawkish stance.

Real estate
It may seem counterintuitive to have real estate on this list. When the Fed raises its benchmark interest rates, mortgage rates tend to go up as well, so shouldn’t that be bad for the real estate market?  READ MORE...

Dumbing Down Education

 In 1966, I entered my first year in college in North Carolina.  As a member of the Freshman class, we were brought into the auditorium for the Dean of Students to talk to us about our future.  His comments stayed in my mind.  "look at the person to your right then look to the person on your left.  Neither one of them will be here at the end of your first year."  It was a statement that most of us did not understand and if we understood the comment, because of our age, we would have not have given a shit.

In 2006 (40 years later) the Dean of Students at that same Freshman class, no longer makes that comment.

What does that mean?

It means that colleges are no longer wanted to flunk people out so that the best of the best are the only ones who survive their first year and ultimately graduate...

Why is this happening?

Colleges and Universities are more interested in generating revenue than they are in graduating only the best, most educated students.

In fact, some colleges and universities are no longer using entrance exams to see if the Freshmann class has the intellectual capacity to be a college student.

We are now pumping out college graduates who are not educated in the hopes of competing with the rest of the world who are well educated and can run circles around American College Graduates.

The unintended consequences of these intellectualized stupidity will show itself in 2030...  a mere seven years away...  

Oh yea...  by then it will be too late to do anything about it.

Welcome to your future, idiot...