We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Tuesday, December 28, 2021

Posts that I especially recommend for Tuesday, December 28, 2021

  • Video Transcript: Why are Hillary and Trump United in Warning of Bitcoin's Dangers? Interview with Alex Gladstein featuring Glenn Greenwald interviewing (107:23) Gladstein--from his weblog on Substack. (Note: This post features a literal audio transcription in addition to a video interview which you will need to scroll down to it.) My reaction: I have been mostly collecting posts of cryptocurrencies, but I haven't made up my mind yet even after listening/reading to the post over the long weekend. I offer this post to you for your study only--I do not endorse cryptocurrencies. I am not a financial analyst. Recently Sovren has been running short video appearances by various individuals here, here, and here.
  • The central bank takeover of Russia by Edward Slavsquat from his weblog on Substack. (Note: I have no idea if the author is a legitimate knowledgeable authority or not regarding cryptocurrencies and central banks.)
The US/British/Zionist Empire engages, as always, in psychological projection accusing Russia of aggression when it is the other way around, that is, the Empire is engaging in aggressive actions by encircling Russia with military bases next to it border designed to provoke Russia in defense of its nation. No doubt this strategy is accompanied by lucrative rewards to European politicians to support the Empire's goal of making Europe dependent on American gas. 
 
The capitalist Empire always offers monetary rewards to bribe its way to power and domination when direct intimidating violence is out of the question. It will be up to ordinary European citizens to decide this contest.
 
It is my opinion that the aggressive policies of moving NATO troops up to the Russian border and promulgating militant anti-Russian propaganda are methods to sabotage efforts of Europeans to secure much cheaper gas from Russia. To the directors of the Empire, this is a crucial strategy to keep Russia and Europe apart. For them to cooperate in this economic effort would be a major defeat for the goal of global domination of the world by the capitalist Empire. The directors of the Empire are staking everything on the success of this strategy which is threatening the world with a global nuclear war conflagration. This is the reason why Russia has issued some "red lines" (see here, here, and here.)
Russia’s strategic patience has worn out. Years of relentless encroachment by the United States and NATO on Russia’s territory has reached the point where Moscow has peremptorily declared red lines that must be respected. In short, no more eastward expansion by the U.S.-led military bloc and, secondly, the removal of U.S. strike weapons from neighbouring states.

The latest phase in the long post-Cold War game has been the vicarious menacing with Ukraine. Moscow could be criticized for being too complacent about the bad faith and backsliding by NATO since the late-1990s in ripping up assurances to Russia over no eastward expansion. But the NATO-backed Kiev regime threatening Russian people in eastern Ukraine and Russia’s national security is the last straw. Better late than never.
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