Yeah. About Tower Seven…

11 Wednesday Sep 2019

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From TPC:

A Global Failure, Not a Progressive Collapse

 

Given my headline (mine, unless editorially altered), one might assume this column regards the accelerating economic decay or the impending general political cataclysm. It does not; my apologies. An alternative, or modifying, title might well be “The Demise of World Trade Center Tower Seven.” You will, I trust, remember that event, occurring eighteen years ago, this week.

 

It is well known that the United States DOES NOT negotiate with terrorists. That is why, following the longest and least successful war in American/United States history, “your” government is currently negotiating with the Taliban regarding the surrender (to the Taliban) of Afghanistan. USA! USA!

 

The Afghan Taliban, along with Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussien, perhaps Mossad, SIS, and the CIA, and possibly even elements of SPECTRE, may have been the proverbial “some people” who “did something,” in the parlance of an elected official I don’t think I’m any longer allowed to reference. That said, on September 11, 2001, the United States was attacked in spectacular fashion. (Those over forty may vaguely recall). Thousands died and prominent buildings were destroyed. One of them – the one you’re supposed to have completely forgotten, if ever you heard of it in the first place – was WTC7, aka the Salomon Brothers Building (alt., 1988-2001). You may also recall that it was embarrassingly announced collapsed IN ADVANCE of the actual event and despite obvious video evidence to the contrary.

…

READ THE WHOLE THING AT TPC

So much more to the contrary…

 

 

9/11/2019

11 Wednesday Sep 2019

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Eighteen years ago. And, nothing, nothing, nothing learned – except to never trust the state. Here’s a fun story:

The U.S.-led coalition says American warplanes have dropped 36,000 kilograms (40 tons) of bombs on an Island in the Tigris River “infested” with members of the Islamic State group.

The coalition said F15 and F35 warplanes took part in the bombing on Qanus Island in the central province of Salaheddine, north of the capital Baghdad.

Tuesday’s attack is part of operations carried out by Iraqi forces and the U.S.-led coalition against IS, which was defeated in Iraq in 2017.

Maybe “defeated” has a cool new meaning, something borrowed from the Queer movement, about “operational fluidity” or some such bullshit. Iraq never had anything to do with 9/11, other than the pathetic aftermath. And, for the coming domestic unpleasantness, especially for all y’all AR-15ers with the cold, dead hands, 80,000 pounds of bombs is roughly the payload of a single B52. Parity? No.

9/11 features into the background of “The Substitute,” moving along at a swimming pace. You’ll see soon. And, more imminently – barring another scheduling conflict – I’ve got a 9/11 engineering bit coming to TPC.

Fitness Matters

11 Wednesday Sep 2019

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Body and mind:

It’s no secret that exercise can be beneficial from a psychological perspective. A session at the gym or jog around the neighborhood can help us clear our mind, reset our thoughts, and improve our mood. Now, a team of German scientists have discovered that keeping oneself physically fit is also associated with better brain structure and functioning in young adults.

The research team believe their findings indicate that if a person can improve their physical fitness, it may lead to improved cognitive ability, including elevated memory retention and superior problem solving.

This correlation suggests the opposite is also true. Hence, Westerners have grown fatter and dumber in conjunction. Both ways, it’s not just for the young. Join the slim, smart team.

More Sincere Than Ever – Out with the Prosperity BS

10 Tuesday Sep 2019

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Benny Hinn publicly repudiates false gospels. A great start!

When you have done things a certain way for almost your entire career, it can be exceedingly difficult to admit that you were wrong. This is true in any field, but it is especially true for those in the ministry. So Benny Hinn showed an enormous amount of courage when he completely repudiated the “prosperity gospel” on Monday night during a Facebook Live broadcast. This represents a 180 degree turn for his ministry, and it could be a watershed moment for American evangelical Christianity as a whole. For decades, an extreme emphasis on wealth and prosperity has virtually drowned out the message of the cross on Christian television, and this has greatly damaged the evangelical movement. Having high profile leaders such as Benny Hinn renounce the “prosperity gospel” would do much to heal the damage that has been done, and he should be greatly applauded for his public repentance.

I first (indirectly) praised Hinn over six years ago, here: Via a (now) nearly 25-year-old conversation with my friend A. Smith, Jr.:

I had just seen him on the Benny Hinn show and had some questions about Hinn’s performances, which, honestly, look as scripted as anything from the WWF. Roberts assured me that Hinn was a sincere Christian and that he exuded an uncanny “electric” presence – one that could be felt physically.

Electric!

Or 2477%

10 Tuesday Sep 2019

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Measuring (low estimate) derivative totals against GDP. Or, this is bad enough.

Total potential debt for the U.S. by one all-encompassing measure is running close to 2,000% of GDP, according to an analysis that suggests danger but also cautions against reading too much into the level.

AB Bernstein came up with the calculation — 1,832%, to be exact — by including not only traditional levels of public debt like bonds but also financial debt and all its complexities as well as future obligations for so-called entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare and public pensions.

Putting all that together paints a daunting picture but one that requires nuance to understand. Paramount is realizing that not all of the debt obligations are set in stone, and it’s important to know where the leeway is, particularly in the government programs that can be changed either by legislation or accounting.

All perfectly healthy, huh? When will CNBC’s “buy, buy, buy!” turn into “bye, bye, bye?”

Pushing Out the Pushbroom

10 Tuesday Sep 2019

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Mustache, begone! Not a minute too soon.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he asked Bolton to resign after he “disagreed with many of his suggestions.”

“I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House. I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the Administration, and therefore I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning,” Trump said on Twitter.

In other news, Baphomet has a new chief advisor.

Financial Sorcery = Medical Debts

10 Tuesday Sep 2019

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All of this is directly related to the satanic evil that has become of our failed economic and financial system.

Unpaid medical bills are a leading cause of personal debt and bankruptcy, with hospitals from Memphis to Baltimore criticized for their role in pushing families over the financial edge. But UVA stands out for the scope of its collection efforts and how persistently it goes after payment, pursuing poor as well as middle-class patients for almost all they’re worth, according to court records, hospital documents and interviews with hospital officials and dozens of patients.

UVA sued patients for as little as $13.91 and as much as $1 million during most of that period, until July 2017, when it restricted lawsuits to those owing more than $1,000, the analysis shows.

Every year, the health system sued about 100 of its own employees who also happened to be patients. It garnished thousands of paychecks, largely from workers at lower-pay employers such as Walmart, where UVA took wages more than 800 times.

Under a Virginia program designed to help state and local governments collect debt, it also seized $22 million in state tax refunds to patients with outstanding medical bills in the last six fiscal years — most of it without court judgments, said health system spokesman Eric Swensen.

Over many years, it filed thousands of property liens from Albemarle County all the way to Georgia.

Beyond its recovery of debts, UVA dunned some former patients an additional 15 percent for legal costs, plus 6 percent interest on their unpaid bills, which over the course of years can add up to more than the original bill.

I have experience with the medical system. Odds are you do too. No solipsism allowed. It’ not about how good or bad your doctor or hospital is or isn’t. It’s about the total hijacking of the money and the pricing models. Taxes, inflation, usury. How much more, America?

Baltimore Sad … #VanControl

09 Monday Sep 2019

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Better ban vans quick, as they found out in Baltimore today.

‘No bomb’ found in van with 1,000 gallons of gas in downtown Baltimore parking garage, precautionary sweeps continue…

Baltimore emergency officials evacuated a large area of downtown on Monday after an abandoned van loaded with 1,000 gallons of gasoline was discovered in the parking garage of one of the city’s most venerable companies, officials said.

Shortly after 11 a.m. police received a call about a suspicious vehicle in the parking garage of 100 E. Pratt St., home to T. Rowe Price, one of the city’s largest private employers. Officials quickly began an evacuation from several high rise buildings that sparked Sept. 11 anxiety and turned the heart of the city’s business and tourist district into a crime scene tied off with yellow tape.

Thank God it wasn’t a bomb! Or a white nationalist with a fully-automatic military assault cannon. Now, now… Russia! could still be behind this.

I have been saying this for a while now: #VanControl! Think of the children.

It is a little embarrassing, but I forgot to include gasoline in my big list of things they need to ban for safety. Addendum: ban petrol! I think we can all agree that nobody outside of the police or the military needs vans or unleaded gas. Hunters and sportsmen can make do with gold carts and steam power, just like the Founders envisioned. No-one wants to take away your 3rd Amendment protections! We just need a little common sense gun control van control, etc. All garages are equal! How can one possibly justify such high-capacity gas cans? Waiting periods at the pump! Bump pump? Background checks. I saw a red flag and I’m saying something. Blah, blah, blah.

Anyone heard from ISIS lately? Rep. Ilan (D-Somalia) aside, I don’t think they’ve been active since the LVNV shooting and/or cover-up. I was starting to think they had read and adopted Napoleon’s “not interfering with” ideology regarding the late-stage US Empire.

Or, could this be a sad attempt to divert attention from the Patriots’ great start on their record seventh SB run?

Hell, it’s Baltimore – we’ll probably never know. I’m just glad no hedge funds were harmed in this LARP.

UPDATE: It was just diesel fuel and alleged theft, of diesel fuel. #DieselControl!

VERY RARE Political Endorsement!

09 Monday Sep 2019

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From me. You know how extraordinary this is…

After careful consideration, and another painful, perhaps drug-addled visit with my surgeon, I hereby endorse THIS GUY,

Screenshot 2019-09-09 at 1.05.54 PM

for President of the… No! NO! Wait, I endorse THIS DUDE,

Screenshot 2019-09-09 at 1.06.27 PM

for President of What’s Left of the Whatever States of You Know. He’s got it. I don’t know who he is, that he’s really running, or anything else, but WOW! This is the man to solve the stuff! ROCK THE VOTE, MAN!!!

GAWD, I hurt…