shoebat--2020-08-14--New York May Experience A Major Decline

New York May Experience A Major Decline

If there are two cities that one could say “ run the world ’ , without question they are London and New York , for both are major financial , economic , cultural , heavily populated centers whose influence by direct action or indirect effect is felt in every home around the world .
It is true the cities go through “ good and bad times ” , but according to a recent editorial by the New York Post , they foresee New York City in for a serious decline .
New York City ’ s relentless crime spike and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear : Gotham — significant parts of it , anyway — is headed for a steep decline .
The big question now is whether it can be stopped .
As The Post reported Monday , shootings in the city are running at nearly twice the rate of last year .
As of Saturday , there have been 821 outbursts of gunfire , with 1,000 victims this year ; 2019 saw just 446 shootings , with 551 victims at this same point .
Police recorded a dozen gunplay incidents Saturday into Sunday morning alone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the weekend .
Vagrants and addicts , meanwhile , began commandeering public streets long before the pandemic , with Mayor Bill de Blasio doing little to address the problem .
On Manhattan ’ s Upper West Side after the outbreak — as The Post reported last week — the city moved hundreds of vagrants into hotels .
Men are now seen peeing or masturbating in public or lying sprawled out on the streets .
A 40-year-old woman was randomly stabbed near the subway at 72nd Street .
Convicted rapists and sex abusers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ block from the PS 87 playground .
The Post ’ s Doree Lewak reported Sunday that even one of the most vocal anti-crime activists in the area , Elizabeth Carr ( among others ) , is giving up and moving away .
“ We reached our New York expiration date , ” Carr sighed .
“ Things weren ’ t heading in the right direction.
” A friend , she noted , couldn ’ t even find a broker to sell her apartment at 72nd Street and Columbus , a usually highly sought-after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is simply to rail that the crime and chaos are “ unacceptable.
” But his own policies — and new state and city laws — have fueled the problem .
Neither he , nor Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , nor state lawmakers , all of whom share blame , care to address those laws and policies .
Columnist Kyle Smith argues that there ’ s “ no push for law and order ” in the city .
“ New Yorkers aren ’ t hypocrites , ” Smith writes , “ they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrong .
Because without public pressure , decline is inevitable .
( source ) This is not the first time that New York City has had serious problems .
One may recall that during the 1970s , New York City was a dangerous place , filled with crime , homeless people ( of the worst kind ) , drugs , and physical trash leading to a proliferation of disease and “ urban wildlife ” that made the area an undesirable place to live .
Even with efforts in the 1980s to control drugs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of crime that was arguably not brought under control until the 1990s , and thanks to the continued economic “ expansion ” fueled by credit and financialization , it helped to “ boost the economy ” just as in previous years it helped prevent the city from decaying further into more chaos than what it was already inclining towards .
But what will happen now , as the US is experiencing serious financial problems , and there is no “ cushion ” to draw credit off of , save for money printing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that New York ’ s coming decline , fueled by political tensions aggravated for political reasons , could be more serious than in past years , since there is no real way to “ come back ” from the current crisis barring a crash in the dollar .
However , there is one exception to this- that is , if a crash were to happen , followed by the economic boost that would come from a major military conflict allowing for the production of good for war that would ‘ boost the economy.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Gerald Celente , who has said for years , ‘ When all else fails they take you to war , ’ and his point here is of importance because right now , the systems created are failing ( indeed , it is arguable they were created to fail ) , and given the rise in nationalism and militarism , it is likely that one will see the world return to war in probably a decade or so .
All cities go through cycles , and New York will likely be “ revived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to how , and if the patterns of history are correct , it might come at the cost of many innocent people .
However , this has scarcely ever concerned “ Wall Street ” , as it has an infamous history of valuing profit over human life , and doing whatever one believe needs to be done in order to get power without care for who is harmed .
Donate now to help support the work of this site .
When you donate , you are not donating to just any commentary group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the news , reading between the lines and separating hysteria and perception from reality .
In shoebat.com , we are working every day , tirelessly investigating global trends and providing data and analysis to tell you what lies for the future .
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If there are two cities that one could say “run the world’, without question they are London and New York, for both are major financial, economic, cultural, heavily populated centers whose influence by direct action or indirect effect is felt in every home around the world. It is true the cities go through “good and bad times”, but according to a recent editorial by the New York Post, they foresee New York City in for a serious decline.
New York City’s relentless crime spike and chaos on the streets make it painfully clear: Gotham — significant parts of it, anyway — is headed for a steep decline. The big question now is whether it can be stopped. As The Post reported Monday, shootings in the city are running at nearly twice the rate of last year. As of Saturday, there have been 821 outbursts of gunfire, with 1,000 victims this year; 2019 saw just 446 shootings, with 551 victims at this same point. Police recorded a dozen gunplay incidents Saturday into Sunday morning alone. At least four people were killed over the weekend. Vagrants and addicts, meanwhile, began commandeering public streets long before the pandemic, with Mayor Bill de Blasio doing little to address the problem. On Manhattan’s Upper West Side after the outbreak — as The Post reported last week — the city moved hundreds of vagrants into hotels. Men are now seen peeing or masturbating in public or lying sprawled out on the streets. A 40-year-old woman was randomly stabbed near the subway at 72nd Street. Convicted rapists and sex abusers were stuffed into a hotel just a block from the PS 87 playground. The Post’s Doree Lewak reported Sunday that even one of the most vocal anti-crime activists in the area, Elizabeth Carr (among others), is giving up and moving away. “We reached our New York expiration date,” Carr sighed. “Things weren’t heading in the right direction.” A friend, she noted, couldn’t even find a broker to sell her apartment at 72nd Street and Columbus, a usually highly sought-after location. De Blasio’s response is simply to rail that the crime and chaos are “unacceptable.” But his own policies — and new state and city laws — have fueled the problem. Neither he, nor Gov. Andrew Cuomo, nor state lawmakers, all of whom share blame, care to address those laws and policies. Columnist Kyle Smith argues that there’s “no push for law and order” in the city. “New Yorkers aren’t hypocrites,” Smith writes, “they’re masochists.” We hope he’s wrong. Because without public pressure, decline is inevitable. (source)
This is not the first time that New York City has had serious problems. One may recall that during the 1970s, New York City was a dangerous place, filled with crime, homeless people (of the worst kind), drugs, and physical trash leading to a proliferation of disease and “urban wildlife” that made the area an undesirable place to live. Even with efforts in the 1980s to control drugs and homelessness, there was still a lot of crime that was arguably not brought under control until the 1990s, and thanks to the continued economic “expansion” fueled by credit and financialization, it helped to “boost the economy” just as in previous years it helped prevent the city from decaying further into more chaos than what it was already inclining towards.
But what will happen now, as the US is experiencing serious financial problems, and there is no “cushion” to draw credit off of, save for money printing?
This is where it is likely that New York’s coming decline, fueled by political tensions aggravated for political reasons, could be more serious than in past years, since there is no real way to “come back” from the current crisis barring a crash in the dollar.
However, there is one exception to this- that is, if a crash were to happen, followed by the economic boost that would come from a major military conflict allowing for the production of good for war that would ‘boost the economy.’
There is a famous trend analyst, Gerald Celente, who has said for years, ‘When all else fails they take you to war,’ and his point here is of importance because right now, the systems created are failing (indeed, it is arguable they were created to fail), and given the rise in nationalism and militarism, it is likely that one will see the world return to war in probably a decade or so.
All cities go through cycles, and New York will likely be “revived”, but the question remains as to how, and if the patterns of history are correct, it might come at the cost of many innocent people. However, this has scarcely ever concerned “Wall Street”, as it has an infamous history of valuing profit over human life, and doing whatever one believe needs to be done in order to get power without care for who is harmed.
print


shoebat--2020-08-15--Eighty-Four Year Old Chinese Christian Man Ordered To Stop Worshiping Christ, Pray To Image Of Chine

Eighty-Four Year Old Chinese Christian Man Ordered To Stop Worshiping Christ, Pray To Image Of Chinese President Xi

As a part of the communist Chinese government ’ s crackdown on Christianity , the Christian Post reports that an eighty-four year old Christian man was ordered to stop worshiping Christ , remove his cross , and pray to an image of President Xi .
Authorities in China replaced a cross in the home of an elderly Christian man with an image of Xi Jinping and ordered him to pray to the country ’ s president instead of God as part of the Chinese Communist Party ’ s efforts to “ sinicize ” Christianity .
The 84-year-old man in Shanxi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of Christians in several provinces ordered to remove Christian imagery from their homes and replace them with pictures of Communist leaders , religious rights magazine Bitter Winter reported .
“ The township [ Chinese Communist ] Party [ CCP ] secretary asked me to take down and throw away the cross and told me to pray to Xi Jinping from then on , ” the unidentified Christian told Bitter Winter .
“ Xi Jinping is a man , not God .
I feel saddened for the cross being taken down , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Similar reports have emerged from at least five provinces over the last few months , with authorities urging believers — often low-income households reliant on government assistance — to replace crosses and images of Jesus in their homes with posters of Communist Party leaders , or lose welfare benefits .
( source )

As a part of the communist Chinese government’s crackdown on Christianity, the Christian Post reports that an eighty-four year old Christian man was ordered to stop worshiping Christ, remove his cross, and pray to an image of President Xi.
Authorities in China replaced a cross in the home of an elderly Christian man with an image of Xi Jinping and ordered him to pray to the country’s president instead of God as part of the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts to “sinicize” Christianity.
The 84-year-old man in Shanxi Province, China, was among a number of Christians in several provinces ordered to remove Christian imagery from their homes and replace them with pictures of Communist leaders, religious rights magazine Bitter Winter reported.
“The township [Chinese Communist] Party [CCP] secretary asked me to take down and throw away the cross and told me to pray to Xi Jinping from then on,” the unidentified Christian told Bitter Winter. “Xi Jinping is a man, not God. I feel saddened for the cross being taken down, but there is nothing I can do.”
Similar reports have emerged from at least five provinces over the last few months, with authorities urging believers — often low-income households reliant on government assistance — to replace crosses and images of Jesus in their homes with posters of Communist Party leaders, or lose welfare benefits. (source)


shoebat--2020-08-15--Major Electronics Breakthrough With Finnish And German Researchers Prompts Potential Host Of New Tec

Major Electronics Breakthrough With Finnish And German Researchers Prompts Potential Host Of New Technologies

If World War I was defined by the machine gun and poison gas , and World War II by the atom , World War III will be defined by the electron and AI , and how to exploit them best for conflict .
The nation with the best supertechnology will emerge as the winner , and with the world moving closer to war , it is important to follow major developments in these fields .
A team of Finnish German researchers just released a new development in photovoltaic diode technology with the potential to revolutionize electronics .
According to Phys.org @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % efficiency , meaning that for every ten protons that comes into the diode , it activates thirteen electrons .
Aalto University researchers have developed a black silicon photodetector that has reached above 130 % efficiency .
Thus , for the first time , a photovoltaic device has exceeded the 100 % limit , which has earlier been considered as the theoretical maximum for external quantum efficiency .
“ When we saw the results , we could hardly believe our eyes .
Straight away we wanted to verify the results by independent measurements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head of the Electron Physics research group at Aalto University .
The independent measurements were carried out by the German National Metrology Institute , Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt ( PTB ) , which is known to provide the most accurate and reliable measurement services in Europe .
Head of the PTB Laboratory of Detector Radiometry , Dr. Lutz Werner comments , “ After seeing the results , I instantly realized that this is a significant breakthrough—and at the same time , a much-welcomed step forward for us metrologists dreaming of higher sensitivities.
” The secret @ @ @ @ @ @ @ external quantum efficiency of a device is 100 % when one incoming photon generates one electron to the external circuit .
130 % efficiency means that one incoming photon generates approximately 1.3 electrons .
( source ) The potential for this technology is multifold , but what is immediately obvious is the effect it would have on all devices that involve sensors , meaning they could become more nuanced , specialized , and capable for many more uses than previously thought .
This could have a major impact on robotics and their ability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” problems , such as the “ clothes , boots , bike ” scene from Terminator 2 when Arnold Schwartzenegger “ calculates ” the perfect person to beat up and take his clothes from in the “ bar scene ” .
It may not seem like a major development , but it is often small things such as this which are a precursor to or a piece with other parts that result it major technological advances .
Donate now to help support the work of this site .
When you donate , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group , but one that is endlessly observing the news , reading between the lines and separating hysteria and perception from reality .
In shoebat.com , we are working every day , tirelessly investigating global trends and providing data and analysis to tell you what lies for the future .
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If World War I was defined by the machine gun and poison gas, and World War II by the atom, World War III will be defined by the electron and AI, and how to exploit them best for conflict. The nation with the best supertechnology will emerge as the winner, and with the world moving closer to war, it is important to follow major developments in these fields.
A team of Finnish German researchers just released a new development in photovoltaic diode technology with the potential to revolutionize electronics. According to Phys.org, the new diode operates at 130% efficiency, meaning that for every ten protons that comes into the diode, it activates thirteen electrons.
Aalto University researchers have developed a black silicon photodetector that has reached above 130% efficiency. Thus, for the first time, a photovoltaic device has exceeded the 100% limit, which has earlier been considered as the theoretical maximum for external quantum efficiency. “When we saw the results, we could hardly believe our eyes. Straight away we wanted to verify the results by independent measurements,” says Prof. Hele Savin, head of the Electron Physics research group at Aalto University. The independent measurements were carried out by the German National Metrology Institute, Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), which is known to provide the most accurate and reliable measurement services in Europe. Head of the PTB Laboratory of Detector Radiometry, Dr. Lutz Werner comments, “After seeing the results, I instantly realized that this is a significant breakthrough—and at the same time, a much-welcomed step forward for us metrologists dreaming of higher sensitivities.” The secret behind the breakthrough: Unique nanostructures The external quantum efficiency of a device is 100% when one incoming photon generates one electron to the external circuit. 130% efficiency means that one incoming photon generates approximately 1.3 electrons. (source)
The potential for this technology is multifold, but what is immediately obvious is the effect it would have on all devices that involve sensors, meaning they could become more nuanced, specialized, and capable for many more uses than previously thought. This could have a major impact on robotics and their ability to “perceive” and “solve” problems, such as the “clothes, boots, bike” scene from Terminator 2 when Arnold Schwartzenegger “calculates” the perfect person to beat up and take his clothes from in the “bar scene”.
It may not seem like a major development, but it is often small things such as this which are a precursor to or a piece with other parts that result it major technological advances.
print


shoebat--2020-08-15--Will COVID-19 Preempt A Wave Of Suicides?

For several years now , I have warned about a possible increase in the number of suicides among Millennials , especially women , and this logically extends to Zoomers , albeit on a modified schedule , because of the decline in relationships .
With people unable to form families for a variety of reasons , and because women have a limited “ window ” in which their fertility operates , there is a strong change there will be a lot of women without children , and owing to the lack of meaning and sense of loss that many “ career @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many turn to drugs , prescription medication , and even suicide to escape the sadness that has become their lives .
This does not even include the increasing use of chemical substances to deal with depression stemming from systematic economic disenfranchisement , inescapable poverty , isolation , and a sense of no hope for the future .
All of this was exposed prior to COVID-19 .
However , with COVID-19 disrupting economic patterns and thus jobs , it has caused job losses and with that all of the subsequent problems , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as Yahoo !
News reports , there is now a significant rise in people using drugs or alcohol to deal with the losses they are suffering from as a result of the pandemic .
The coronavirus pandemic has led to a marked deterioration in Americans ’ mental health , according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study made public on Thursday .
That study , which surveyed 5,412 Americans , found that “ 40.9 % of respondents reported at least one adverse mental or behavioral health condition.
” According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of respondents were suffering from symptoms of anxiety or depression ; 26 percent experienced symptoms of traumatic disorder ; 13 percent were using drugs or alcohol more heavily , or for the first time , to cope with the pandemic ; and 11 percent had seriously contemplated suicide .
“ Younger adults , racial/ethnic minorities , essential workers , and unpaid adult caregivers reported having experienced disproportionately worse ” mental health outcomes than other groups , the study concluded .
These findings represented levels of psychological distress higher relative to pre-pandemic levels .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same period in 2019 ; the incidence of depression symptoms quadrupled .
The rate of serious suicidal thoughts doubled in comparison to levels recorded in 2018 .
Significantly , more than 90 percent said they were not being treated for anxiety , depression or posttraumatic stress disorder before the pandemic struck , meaning that their symptoms arrived with the coronavirus and its attendant social disruptions .
( source ) Poverty does not kill people .
There are lots of poor people who have not died from poverty .
It is the shock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most damage , just as injuries kill fewer people than the shock from the injuries does .
This is what one may be seeing here .
This is not to say that Americans were rich , and especially younger ones .
Most people under 40 are in a very difficult financial position , while the rest of Gen X and especially the Boomers , while much better off , have the other problem of massive debts but cushioned by a financial cash buttress that will likely prevent or delay debt collection until their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cent to their children , at least allows them to live well .
If the Boomers or Gen X fall , while it may be “ longer ” , it also has a smoother fall , whereas in the case of the younger generations , there is no mattress to soften the blow to the rocky bottom of economic reality .
It is not good to be dependent on substances , but in fairness to the poor , it is also easy to see why such thing exist , for when one is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to get paid , but which bills can be paid and which ones not this month , and living with constant stresses from bill collectors , debt collects , the presence of difficult people as co-workers and neighbors , and then general stresses of life , it is a very short walk down a dark path to addiction that begins with just trying to feel better about one ’ s problems .
My question is , given the stresses above on relationships and the possibility for a suicide wave , will COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or will it have no effect ?
Hopefully it will be the latter , and ideally there will be no increase in suicides , or self-abuse at all .
However , it does not appear that this will be so , and it will be interesting to see as the conditions deteriorate for work in the country and people become more desperate , how they will respond , with either less , the same , or more abusive measures towards themselves .
Likewise , it is also a good time to remember all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of work in one ’ s prayer , and to help in a material way as much as possible those close to you , because times are going to get very tough , and people will need each other to survive .
Donate now to help support the work of this site .
When you donate , you are not donating to just any commentary group , but one that is endlessly observing the news , reading between the lines and separating hysteria and perception from reality .
In shoebat.com , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global trends and providing data and analysis to tell you what lies for the future .
CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW OUR NEW SHOEBAT FACEBOOK PAGE

For several years now, I have warned about a possible increase in the number of suicides among Millennials, especially women, and this logically extends to Zoomers, albeit on a modified schedule, because of the decline in relationships. With people unable to form families for a variety of reasons, and because women have a limited “window” in which their fertility operates, there is a strong change there will be a lot of women without children, and owing to the lack of meaning and sense of loss that many “career women” in a similar situation feel, many turn to drugs, prescription medication, and even suicide to escape the sadness that has become their lives. This does not even include the increasing use of chemical substances to deal with depression stemming from systematic economic disenfranchisement, inescapable poverty, isolation, and a sense of no hope for the future.
All of this was exposed prior to COVID-19. However, with COVID-19 disrupting economic patterns and thus jobs, it has caused job losses and with that all of the subsequent problems, including an increase in chemical dependency. Thus, as Yahoo! News reports, there is now a significant rise in people using drugs or alcohol to deal with the losses they are suffering from as a result of the pandemic.
The coronavirus pandemic has led to a marked deterioration in Americans’ mental health, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study made public on Thursday. That study, which surveyed 5,412 Americans, found that “40.9% of respondents reported at least one adverse mental or behavioral health condition.” According to the new study, 31 percent of respondents were suffering from symptoms of anxiety or depression; 26 percent experienced symptoms of traumatic disorder; 13 percent were using drugs or alcohol more heavily, or for the first time, to cope with the pandemic; and 11 percent had seriously contemplated suicide. “Younger adults, racial/ethnic minorities, essential workers, and unpaid adult caregivers reported having experienced disproportionately worse” mental health outcomes than other groups, the study concluded. These findings represented levels of psychological distress higher relative to pre-pandemic levels. Anxiety symptoms tripled in incidence compared with the same period in 2019; the incidence of depression symptoms quadrupled. The rate of serious suicidal thoughts doubled in comparison to levels recorded in 2018. Significantly, more than 90 percent said they were not being treated for anxiety, depression or posttraumatic stress disorder before the pandemic struck, meaning that their symptoms arrived with the coronavirus and its attendant social disruptions. (source)
Poverty does not kill people. There are lots of poor people who have not died from poverty. It is the shock of transition to poverty that causes the most damage, just as injuries kill fewer people than the shock from the injuries does.
This is what one may be seeing here. This is not to say that Americans were rich, and especially younger ones. Most people under 40 are in a very difficult financial position, while the rest of Gen X and especially the Boomers, while much better off, have the other problem of massive debts but cushioned by a financial cash buttress that will likely prevent or delay debt collection until their deaths, which while passing not a cent to their children, at least allows them to live well. If the Boomers or Gen X fall, while it may be “longer”, it also has a smoother fall, whereas in the case of the younger generations, there is no mattress to soften the blow to the rocky bottom of economic reality.
It is not good to be dependent on substances, but in fairness to the poor, it is also easy to see why such thing exist, for when one is never sure not even if bills are going to get paid, but which bills can be paid and which ones not this month, and living with constant stresses from bill collectors, debt collects, the presence of difficult people as co-workers and neighbors, and then general stresses of life, it is a very short walk down a dark path to addiction that begins with just trying to feel better about one’s problems.
My question is, given the stresses above on relationships and the possibility for a suicide wave, will COVID-19 cause this trend to precipitate early, or will it have no effect?
Hopefully it will be the latter, and ideally there will be no increase in suicides, or self-abuse at all. However, it does not appear that this will be so, and it will be interesting to see as the conditions deteriorate for work in the country and people become more desperate, how they will respond, with either less, the same, or more abusive measures towards themselves.
Likewise, it is also a good time to remember all of the men and women who are out of work in one’s prayer, and to help in a material way as much as possible those close to you, because times are going to get very tough, and people will need each other to survive.
print


shoebat--2020-08-15--Major Political Move As Trump Suspends Student Loan Payments Through The End Of 2020

In what is nothing less than a major political move , Trump is suspending student loan payments through the end of 2020 according to CNBC .
On Saturday , President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders and memoranda , bypassing stalled negotiations in Congress and calling for an extension in pandemic relief for tens of millions of Americans .
One memorandum — arguably the least controversial — orders Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to continue deferring federal student loan payments through the end of the year with no interest accrued during that time .
This is a three-month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under the CARES Act , which are set to expire on September 30 .
Though the continuation of relief would allow borrowers to put off paying for their student loans with no penalty , it ’ s important to remember , eventually you ’ ll have to pay back your debts .
The extended federal loan deferment could be an opportunity for borrowers to accelerate their payoff progress , argues McClary .
With interest waived , any payments you make during this time will go directly toward chipping away at the principal .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ resume , interest will collect on a lower balance and your overall debt load will be smaller .
“ The suspension of interest on federal student loans makes those payments even more impactful , ” McClary says .
Plus , the earlier you can pay off your student loans , the better .
( source ) This is not about helping students- this is about helping him get re-elected .
It is a logical move , but a blatantly political one .
The student loan crisis is a major issue because it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ housing markets , bond markets , and debt market- with so many people being unable to repay their loans owing to declining incomes , a shrinking job poor , and expanding labor pool , and now permanent job losses due to the COVID-19 exposure of the economic problems , the ability to service said debts is nearing to the impossible .
It is going to be a very interesting future , as such situations with unpayable debts always tend towards revolution in the long term , be it with violence or with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ society for generations to come .
Right now America is undergoing major political and social shifts .
Trump is a part of this , and while it is likely he will be re-elected , if he is re-elected , it will be the last “ hurrah ” for the Boomers , at which point the indebted , lost , confused , and angry Millennials and Zoomers will take over .
And simply delaying student loan payments won ’ t likely be enough… Donate now to help support the work of this site .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ donating to just any commentary group , but one that is endlessly observing the news , reading between the lines and separating hysteria and perception from reality .
In shoebat.com , we are working every day , tirelessly investigating global trends and providing data and analysis to tell you what lies for the future .
CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW OUR NEW SHOEBAT FACEBOOK PAGE

In what is nothing less than a major political move, Trump is suspending student loan payments through the end of 2020 according to CNBC.
On Saturday, President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders and memoranda, bypassing stalled negotiations in Congress and calling for an extension in pandemic relief for tens of millions of Americans. One memorandum — arguably the least controversial — orders Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to continue deferring federal student loan payments through the end of the year with no interest accrued during that time. This is a three-month extension of the student loan relief policies under the CARES Act, which are set to expire on September 30. Though the continuation of relief would allow borrowers to put off paying for their student loans with no penalty, it’s important to remember, eventually you’ll have to pay back your debts. … The extended federal loan deferment could be an opportunity for borrowers to accelerate their payoff progress, argues McClary. With interest waived, any payments you make during this time will go directly toward chipping away at the principal. So, when your payments do eventually resume, interest will collect on a lower balance and your overall debt load will be smaller. “The suspension of interest on federal student loans makes those payments even more impactful,” McClary says. Plus, the earlier you can pay off your student loans, the better. (source)
This is not about helping students- this is about helping him get re-elected. It is a logical move, but a blatantly political one.
The student loan crisis is a major issue because it is tied to the collapsing financial sector, housing markets, bond markets, and debt market- with so many people being unable to repay their loans owing to declining incomes, a shrinking job poor, and expanding labor pool, and now permanent job losses due to the COVID-19 exposure of the economic problems, the ability to service said debts is nearing to the impossible.
It is going to be a very interesting future, as such situations with unpayable debts always tend towards revolution in the long term, be it with violence or with a fundamental shift for values that defines a society for generations to come.
Right now America is undergoing major political and social shifts. Trump is a part of this, and while it is likely he will be re-elected, if he is re-elected, it will be the last “hurrah” for the Boomers, at which point the indebted, lost, confused, and angry Millennials and Zoomers will take over.
And simply delaying student loan payments won’t likely be enough…
print


shoebat--2020-08-16--Turkey In The Midst Of An All-Out Currency Crisis

As the world has focused on Erdogan ’ s power grabs and expansion , a less-discussed aspect of his attempts to re-create a new Ottoman Empire has been serious problems in the Turkish economy .
The Turkish lira has seen continual instability since 2018 , but according to Zero Hedge , is now in a full-blown currency crisis as there are looming signs of a bank run in progress and a rush to gold amid a loss in teh faith of the Turkish currency amid continuing nationalization by Erdogan .
The Turkish lira has cratered against the dollar and most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per dollar , to a record low 7.37 last week after a brief and valiant attempt at imposing shadow capital control by Erdogan ( who is now de facto head of the Turkish central bank ) failed miserably at the end of July , and not even a draconian hike in overnight funding rates above 1000 % last week ( to crush the shorts ) was able to prevent a plunge in the Lira to new all time lows .
As their currency implodes ( in a nation that is becoming increasingly more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Erdogan solidifies his takeover of every government institution , in the process turning off any potential foreign investors ) Turks are discouraged from material purchases of dollars to hedge the collapse in their native currency due to some of the strictest capital controls on the planet , which has left them with just one option .
What ’ s more , it now appears that locals are choosing gold over the dollar , perhaps because the dollar has also been tumbling against gold in recent weeks due to the Fed ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I think it is the best investment right now so I converted my dollars to buy gold , ” the 57-year-old said , adding : “ I might withdraw my lira and buy gold with it too , but I am scared to go to the bank right now because of coronavirus.
” Well , Hasan , for people in Turkey it is the best investment , but there is a rather high chance that Erdo pulls an FDR and makes it illegal for anyone in Turkey to own gold so you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a series of unfortunate boating accidents in the coming weeks .
“ Locals don ’ t want to keep Turkish lira , they ’ ve been dollarizing and buying gold .
Turks have hardly ever done that historically , ” said Shamaila Khan , New York-based head of EM debt strategy at AllianceBernstein .
“ That is why you need proactive policies because if you get to that stage where locals are unwilling to keep their money in the bank then you ’ re heading to a balance of payments crisis .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will start ringing.
” To halt the bank runs , some banks imposed fees on withdrawals this week , while the central bank has curbed cheap credit channels it had opened to ease the coronavirus fallout .
Yet while lira deposits now earn more than the 8.25 % policy rate their real return is negative with inflation at 11.8 % .
( source )

As the world has focused on Erdogan’s power grabs and expansion, a less-discussed aspect of his attempts to re-create a new Ottoman Empire has been serious problems in the Turkish economy. The Turkish lira has seen continual instability since 2018, but according to Zero Hedge, is now in a full-blown currency crisis as there are looming signs of a bank run in progress and a rush to gold amid a loss in teh faith of the Turkish currency amid continuing nationalization by Erdogan.
The Turkish lira has cratered against the dollar and most developed currencies, plunging from 3 TRY per dollar, to a record low 7.37 last week after a brief and valiant attempt at imposing shadow capital control by Erdogan (who is now de facto head of the Turkish central bank) failed miserably at the end of July, and not even a draconian hike in overnight funding rates above 1000% last week (to crush the shorts) was able to prevent a plunge in the Lira to new all time lows.
As their currency implodes (in a nation that is becoming increasingly more “banana” with each passing day as Erdogan solidifies his takeover of every government institution, in the process turning off any potential foreign investors) Turks are discouraged from material purchases of dollars to hedge the collapse in their native currency due to some of the strictest capital controls on the planet, which has left them with just one option.
…
What’s more, it now appears that locals are choosing gold over the dollar, perhaps because the dollar has also been tumbling against gold in recent weeks due to the Fed’s overt attempts to debase the greenback.
“I think it is the best investment right now so I converted my dollars to buy gold,” the 57-year-old said, adding: “I might withdraw my lira and buy gold with it too, but I am scared to go to the bank right now because of coronavirus.”
Well, Hasan, for people in Turkey it is the best investment, but there is a rather high chance that Erdo pulls an FDR and makes it illegal for anyone in Turkey to own gold so you and your fellow countrymen may want to have a series of unfortunate boating accidents in the coming weeks.
…
“Locals don’t want to keep Turkish lira, they’ve been dollarizing and buying gold. Turks have hardly ever done that historically,” said Shamaila Khan, New York-based head of EM debt strategy at AllianceBernstein. “That is why you need proactive policies because if you get to that stage where locals are unwilling to keep their money in the bank then you’re heading to a balance of payments crisis. That’s when the alarm bells will start ringing.”
To halt the bank runs, some banks imposed fees on withdrawals this week, while the central bank has curbed cheap credit channels it had opened to ease the coronavirus fallout. Yet while lira deposits now earn more than the 8.25% policy rate their real return is negative with inflation at 11.8%. (source)


shoebat--2020-08-16--Lumber Prices Skyrocket Owing To The Effects Of COVID-19

I have noted in passing that there is a “ national lumber crisis ” taking place due to the effects of COVID-19 , which have disrupted supply chains for the foreseeable future .
This information has largely come from individuals working in the industry as well as those involved in shipping lumber who have shared data about purchases .
According to the Galveston County Daily News , this is the literal truth , and it is official now that there is a national lumber crisis taking place .
When builders go to the lumberyard , they expect two-by-fours in ample @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to find milk at the supermarket .
So , earlier this year , when the number of two-by-fours available to builders fell off dramatically , Jay Wilson knew something was up .
“ The supply chain was screwed up , ” said Wilson , the owner of Wilson Construction in Galveston .
“ Dimension sizes were in limited supplies ; even something as simple as a two-by-four-by-twelve Southern yellow pine treated was in extremely short supply.
” The fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown local builders and building suppliers into chaos as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , combined with a higher demand for supplies , has resulted in unprecedented price increases .
“ We ’ ve had to shop all over town for pickets for fences , ” said Ron Woods , the owner of Firehouse Builders , a general contracting company that specializes in building fences , decks and other smaller projects .
After looking for supplies in the usual big construction vendors and striking out , Woods found what he wanted at a smaller lumberyard in Texas City .
“ We had to pay three times the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The explanation they had for us was that COVID-19 shut down the plants that treat the wood , and that finally caught up.
” The price changes are affecting all sorts of basic building materials , said Al Fichera , the owner of Fichera Builders in Galveston .
In the past two weeks , sheets of plywood have gone from $ 15 a sheet to $ 34 a sheet , he said .
It ’ s normal for the price of building supplies to fluctuate , he said , but that kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the owner of Galveston ’ s Carr Construction Services , which builds homes and commercial buildings in Galveston and Harris counties , said the current price increases represent the “ longest sustained rise in prices ” he ’ d seen in all his years of business .
Many factors are feeding the volatility , insiders said .
COVID-19 infections and precautions earlier this year shut down lumber mills , creating a shortage in supplies , particularly in pressure-treated wood .
That was followed by an increase in demand for common materials such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a surge in interest among people working from home or furloughed and able to complete home-improvement projects such as building fences and decks .
Now another surge in demand is underway driven by people building new houses , both in Galveston County and across the country .
The higher prices showing up in lumberyards now are a result of decisions suppliers made months ago .
“ I think it ’ s a demand issue , ” said Bill Schick , who sells lumber for Raleigh , North Carolina-based Building Materials and Construction Solutions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mills anticipated this kind of demand after such a slowdown in the early spring , and it ’ s just hard to gear it back up .
They did very little logging in the first three months of this year , so they ’ ve been playing catch-up all along.
” In June , the number of new housing starts reported in the United States increased by 17 percent over May , according to the U.S. Census Bureau .
Construction began on about 1.9 million homes in June , compared with about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bureau .
Still , the number of new houses being built this year is lower than it was in June 2019 .
Caleb Apffel , owner of Galveston Wholesale Building Materials , said demand for lumber is growing .
His theory is that people working from home want bigger , better spaces and are building them or that people avoiding long trips abroad see reason and opportunity to invest in building homes near the beach .
“ When the housing market didn ’ t crash , and with these low interest rates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big players in the stock market are saying , ‘ I ’ m going to go build a few houses , ’ ” Apffel said .
“ We ’ ve stayed as busy as we were last year .
We ’ re right on par .
Pandemic or no pandemic , we did the same.
” The situation now is that builders have to search wide and act fast to obtain the material they need .
“ The prices have gone up and there ’ s nothing even on the shelf , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , it may be weeks out.
” ( source )

I have noted in passing that there is a “national lumber crisis” taking place due to the effects of COVID-19, which have disrupted supply chains for the foreseeable future. This information has largely come from individuals working in the industry as well as those involved in shipping lumber who have shared data about purchases. According to the Galveston County Daily News, this is the literal truth, and it is official now that there is a national lumber crisis taking place.
When builders go to the lumberyard, they expect two-by-fours in ample supply. It’s like expecting to find milk at the supermarket.
So, earlier this year, when the number of two-by-fours available to builders fell off dramatically, Jay Wilson knew something was up.
“The supply chain was screwed up,” said Wilson, the owner of Wilson Construction in Galveston. “Dimension sizes were in limited supplies; even something as simple as a two-by-four-by-twelve Southern yellow pine treated was in extremely short supply.”
The fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown local builders and building suppliers into chaos as decreases in the supply of some material, combined with a higher demand for supplies, has resulted in unprecedented price increases.
“We’ve had to shop all over town for pickets for fences,” said Ron Woods, the owner of Firehouse Builders, a general contracting company that specializes in building fences, decks and other smaller projects. After looking for supplies in the usual big construction vendors and striking out, Woods found what he wanted at a smaller lumberyard in Texas City.
“We had to pay three times the price,” he said. “The explanation they had for us was that COVID-19 shut down the plants that treat the wood, and that finally caught up.”
The price changes are affecting all sorts of basic building materials, said Al Fichera, the owner of Fichera Builders in Galveston. In the past two weeks, sheets of plywood have gone from $15 a sheet to $34 a sheet, he said. It’s normal for the price of building supplies to fluctuate, he said, but that kind of spike is unusual.
Jimbo Carr, the owner of Galveston’s Carr Construction Services, which builds homes and commercial buildings in Galveston and Harris counties, said the current price increases represent the “longest sustained rise in prices” he’d seen in all his years of business.
Many factors are feeding the volatility, insiders said. COVID-19 infections and precautions earlier this year shut down lumber mills, creating a shortage in supplies, particularly in pressure-treated wood.
That was followed by an increase in demand for common materials such as plywood and two-by-fours, apparently driven by a surge in interest among people working from home or furloughed and able to complete home-improvement projects such as building fences and decks.
Now another surge in demand is underway driven by people building new houses, both in Galveston County and across the country.
The higher prices showing up in lumberyards now are a result of decisions suppliers made months ago.
“I think it’s a demand issue,” said Bill Schick, who sells lumber for Raleigh, North Carolina-based Building Materials and Construction Solutions. “I don’t think the mills anticipated this kind of demand after such a slowdown in the early spring, and it’s just hard to gear it back up. They did very little logging in the first three months of this year, so they’ve been playing catch-up all along.”
A surge in home building isn’t limited to Galveston County.
In June, the number of new housing starts reported in the United States increased by 17 percent over May, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Construction began on about 1.9 million homes in June, compared with about 1 million in May, according to the bureau.
Still, the number of new houses being built this year is lower than it was in June 2019.
Caleb Apffel, owner of Galveston Wholesale Building Materials, said demand for lumber is growing.
His theory is that people working from home want bigger, better spaces and are building them or that people avoiding long trips abroad see reason and opportunity to invest in building homes near the beach.
“When the housing market didn’t crash, and with these low interest rates, some of these people who are big players in the stock market are saying, ‘I’m going to go build a few houses,’” Apffel said. “We’ve stayed as busy as we were last year. We’re right on par. Pandemic or no pandemic, we did the same.”
The situation now is that builders have to search wide and act fast to obtain the material they need.
“The prices have gone up and there’s nothing even on the shelf,” said Fichera. “If you order it, it may be weeks out.” (source)


shoebat--2020-08-16--Ali Mohamed: The Missing Link Of The 9/11 Attacks And The Revival Of Nationalism In Europe

The one event that really marks the beginning of the international nationalist phenomena that we have been witnessing is 9/11 .
9/11 quickly led the US to commence its invasion of Iraq ; this invasion had a ripple effect , causing instability throughout the Middle East , and this chaos , inevitably , caused a wave of migrations from the Middle East to Europe .
The migrations would bring about the ugly side of humanity — tribalism — in the form of European ultranationalism .
This accumulated for years , and reached its high point in the 2015 Migrant Crises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ narrative that would serve major political victories for various nationalist and racialist parties in European parliaments .
In other words , America ’ s intervention sparked horrendous violence in the Middle East , forcing people to leave their homes and head towards Europe where their presence would be used as efficient propaganda fodder for political parties who would — in an otherwise normal situation — be considered marginal , insignificant or fringe .
This is not going to be an essay on 9/11 , the Iraq War or the Migrant Crises ; rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essay on the bigger picture , as to how these very significant events helped to empower diabolical forces in Europe , possessing the nations for the cause of fascism , militarism and tribalist hysteria .
This is an essay that will go further into our inquiry on the crumbling of the world order that we have become so accustomed to , and the return towards the fascism , radicalism and tribalism of the first half of the 20th century .
In our last article on the subject of the fall of the current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and training of the Mujahideen and this policy connected with NATO ’ s destruction of Yugoslavia .
In this present essay we will discuss Ali Mohamed , an Egyptian-American operative who who worked for the FBI ( Ali Mohamed served as an informant for the FBI who got from Mohamed its first known comprehensive briefing on al Qaeda all the way back in 1993 ) , the CIA , and the US Special Forces all the while exerting his efforts for a global jihad in his training of Al-Qaeda , the terrorist group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the watershed moment that would act as a catalyst towards the Iraq Invasion , that conflict that would help to bring about the Migrant Crisis .
After Ramzi Yousef , Peter Lance calls Ali Mohamed “ the greatest enigma in the war on terror.
” This description is very fitting , given that such a high ranking terrorist was also a high ranking American soldier who was very deep within the US security apparatus .
Our investigation begins with Ali Mohamed , the main trainer for Al-Qaeda .
Born in Alexandria , Egypt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ father ’ s footsteps and joined the Egyptian military , eventually working his way through the ranks and becoming a major in Egypt ’ s special forces .
He would serve as a bodyguard for Egyptian diplomats in other countries and partook in joint training sessions with American troops in Egypt and the US .
During his service in the Egyptian military , Mohamed secretly joined the Egyptian Islamic Jihad , a fanatical group that was behind the murder of Anwar Sadat in 1981 .
But Mohamed escaped investigation because he just so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time on an officer exchange program .
He was eventually dismissed from the Egyptian military for his excessive fundamentalism .
In 1985 , Mohamed went to the United States .
In 1986 Mohamed reconnected with the US Army and got a position as an Army supply sergeant and occasional lecturer on Mideast culture at the U.S. Army ’ s special-warfare school in Fort Bragg , where he had studied earlier as an Egyptian soldier .
He was active in the US military until 1989 .
But was very operational within the CIA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CIA and the Afghan Mujahideen .
His Muslim friends in California knew about the work Mohamed was doing for the CIA .
Ali Zaki , a San Jose , Calif. , obstetrician who was close to Mohamed , recounted : “ Everyone in the community knew he was working as a liaison between the CIA and the Afghan cause , and everyone was sympathetic ” .
Muslims in California were not shocked to see that Mohamed was in the state with Ayman Zawahri ( one of the masterminds behind the 9/11 Attacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early 1990s .
Zawahri even managed to get Mohamed a position within Egypt Air , where he studied all the air piracy counterterrorism measures .
In boxes filled with notes and materials confiscated by authorities from an Islamic fanatic named El Sayyid Nosair after he murdered zionist radical , Meir Kahane , there was found instruction manuals for terrorists .
In these materials one saw the network which Ali Mohamed was a part of .
These training manuals were from Fort Bragg , some of them were in Arabic , and all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Peter Lance explained : But , this material was not used against Mohamed ; rather they were solely used in the prosecution of Nosair , who was part of a local group inspired by Sheik Omar and was closely connected to the al Kifah Refugee Center in Brooklyn , which would be used as the main recruiting center for Islamic terrorists in the United States and which at one point was used by the US as a conduit to support the Afghan Mujahideen .
American investigators would have found out that Mohamed was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But they didn ’ t .
Instead , Mohamed was free to go right into the heart of al-Qaeda to train terrorists .
In 1991 , a request came to the al-Kifah Center for Mohamed to travel to Sudan to assist Osama bin Laden in setting up a base of operations there .
He obliged .
A year later Mohamed went to Afghanistan to train al-Qaeda operatives in the tasks of intelligence , military tactics and explosives .
But Mohamed ’ s activities would have far-reaching effects in American society .
In 1989 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surveillance camera , spotted five young Arab men shooting targets at a rifle range .
The FBI , according to the Wall Street Journal , “ wrote them off as harmless zealots , fired up to help the mujahideen fighting the Soviet puppet government in Afghanistan.
” All five of these men were later convicted on conspiracy charges in connection to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and its aftermath .
Mohamed succeeded in infiltrating the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center at Fort Bragg , from 1987 to 1989 , while training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trade Center in 1993 .
This is the school where Delta Force and Green Berets are trained .
How Mohamed was able to gain entry into this high level military school still remains an enigma .
In the words of Peter Lance : And its not as though Fort Bragg did not know that Ali Mohamed had terrorist ties .
Officials at Fort Bragg knew very well that Mohamed had jihadist sympathies .
As Lance explains : Mohamed worked as an informant for the the FBI in the early 1990 ’ s , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Agents .
All the while he trained the cell responsible for the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and “ Day of Terror ” plots .
Ali Mohamed also coordinated the US embassy attacks in Africa in which 224 people were killed .
He surveilled the embassies that Osama bin Laden wanted bombed and made sure that his demands were made with precision .
Ali Mohamed was successful in training al-Qaeda while simultaneously working under the US government .
While he ran a computer consulting firm from his home in Silicon Valley , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sudan to train Al-Qaeda in bomb-making and assassination .
In an interview , Peter Lance explained in regards to Mohamed : “ mysteriously he was able to get past the U.S. watch list .
And one of his former CO at Fort Bragg told me he believed that he had had help from the CIA getting into America.
” It was this training of al-Qaeda that would help lead to the 9/11 attacks .
In the words of journalist Peter Lance : Ali Mohamed even had a personal meeting with Patrick Fitzgerald , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of New York , in 1996 , in which Mohamed told him that he was ready to direct an attack on the United States ; that he “ loved ” bin Laden and “ believe [ d ] in him.
” As Peter Lance explained in an interview with Amy Goodmen : After the meeting , Fitzgerald turned to Jack Cloonan , the principal agent who was at the meeting , and said : “ That is the most dangerous man I have ever met .
We can not leave him on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ali was allowed to remain free for another 10 months .
It was only a month after the 1998 bombings of the US embassies in Africa ( a plot that Ali had been perfecting since 1993 ) to arrest him .
Not only was Ali Mohamed involved in training the 1993 World Trade Center terrorists , but he also in the meantime avoided arrest while working as an FBI informant and smuggling Osama bin Laden in and out of Afghanistan , and writing the Al-Qaeda terrorist manual .
Ali Mohamed ’ s training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 9/11 attacks… Officials within the US government were trying to make the link between Saddam Hussein and the 9/11 attacks , to no avail .
Nonetheless , the American people overwhelmingly supported the invasion of Iraq .
The anger surrounding 9/11 had served its purpose to of gaining the support of the populace .
But this support was based on anger , and not reality ; for on September 21st , 2001 , Bush was told by the intel community that there was no evidence linking Saddam to 9/11 ( but the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22 , 2005 ) .
The anger had served its purpose , and the train of destruction was already set .
The Iraq War would spark a horrendous migrant crisis .
According to the Wall Street Journal : “ At the end of 2014 , there were almost 4 million refugees and internally displaced people.
” What this migrant crisis would spark was a revival of European nationalism which we saw in Britain with Brexit ; in the Netherlands with the Freedom Party and the eugenist and nationalist Forum for Democracy ; in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fur Deutschland Party ( AfD ) and a vicious nationalism amongst the populace ; in Italy with the rise of Matteo Salvini ; in Hungary with Victor Orban .
The migrant crisis made nationalism a new normal in Europe again .
And this can be traced all the way back to the Iraq War which was supported based on a false belief that 9/11 had something to do with Saddam Hussein .
9/11 was done by al-Qaeda , and al-Qaeda was trained by Ali Mohamed , a terrorist who was working within the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , right in there with the FBI , the CIA and the United States Special Forces .
It is quite fascinating that the revival of nationalism in Europe — which is really revival of eugenics , tribalism and racialism — is linked to 9/11 which was helped caused by someone deep within the US military , the CIA and the FBI .

By Theodore Shoebat
The one event that really marks the beginning of the international nationalist phenomena that we have been witnessing is 9/11. 9/11 quickly led the US to commence its invasion of Iraq; this invasion had a ripple effect, causing instability throughout the Middle East, and this chaos, inevitably, caused a wave of migrations from the Middle East to Europe. The migrations would bring about the ugly side of humanity — tribalism — in the form of European ultranationalism. This accumulated for years, and reached its high point in the 2015 Migrant Crises which would be used as the main narrative that would serve major political victories for various nationalist and racialist parties in European parliaments. In other words, America’s intervention sparked horrendous violence in the Middle East, forcing people to leave their homes and head towards Europe where their presence would be used as efficient propaganda fodder for political parties who would — in an otherwise normal situation — be considered marginal, insignificant or fringe. This is not going to be an essay on 9/11, the Iraq War or the Migrant Crises; rather, this is going to be an essay on the bigger picture, as to how these very significant events helped to empower diabolical forces in Europe, possessing the nations for the cause of fascism, militarism and tribalist hysteria. This is an essay that will go further into our inquiry on the crumbling of the world order that we have become so accustomed to, and the return towards the fascism, radicalism and tribalism of the first half of the 20th century.
In our last article on the subject of the fall of the current world order, we discussed NATO arming and training of the Mujahideen and this policy connected with NATO’s destruction of Yugoslavia. In this present essay we will discuss Ali Mohamed, an Egyptian-American operative who who worked for the FBI (Ali Mohamed served as an informant for the FBI who got from Mohamed its first known comprehensive briefing on al Qaeda all the way back in 1993), the CIA, and the US Special Forces all the while exerting his efforts for a global jihad in his training of Al-Qaeda, the terrorist group who would conduct the 9/11 Attacks, the watershed moment that would act as a catalyst towards the Iraq Invasion, that conflict that would help to bring about the Migrant Crisis. After Ramzi Yousef, Peter Lance calls Ali Mohamed “the greatest enigma in the war on terror.” This description is very fitting, given that such a high ranking terrorist was also a high ranking American soldier who was very deep within the US security apparatus.
Our investigation begins with Ali Mohamed, the main trainer for Al-Qaeda. Born in Alexandria, Egypt in 1952, Mohamed followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the Egyptian military, eventually working his way through the ranks and becoming a major in Egypt’s special forces. He would serve as a bodyguard for Egyptian diplomats in other countries and partook in joint training sessions with American troops in Egypt and the US. During his service in the Egyptian military, Mohamed secretly joined the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, a fanatical group that was behind the murder of Anwar Sadat in 1981. But Mohamed escaped investigation because he just so happened to be in Fort Brag at the time on an officer exchange program. He was eventually dismissed from the Egyptian military for his excessive fundamentalism.
In 1985, Mohamed went to the United States. In 1986 Mohamed reconnected with the US Army and got a position as an Army supply sergeant and occasional lecturer on Mideast culture at the U.S. Army’s special-warfare school in Fort Bragg, where he had studied earlier as an Egyptian soldier. He was active in the US military until 1989. But was very operational within the CIA, acting as a third party between the CIA and the Afghan Mujahideen. His Muslim friends in California knew about the work Mohamed was doing for the CIA. Ali Zaki, a San Jose, Calif., obstetrician who was close to Mohamed, recounted: “Everyone in the community knew he was working as a liaison between the CIA and the Afghan cause, and everyone was sympathetic”. Muslims in California were not shocked to see that Mohamed was in the state with Ayman Zawahri (one of the masterminds behind the 9/11 Attacks) during a fund-raising tour in the early 1990s. Zawahri even managed to get Mohamed a position within Egypt Air, where he studied all the air piracy counterterrorism measures.
In boxes filled with notes and materials confiscated by authorities from an Islamic fanatic named El Sayyid Nosair after he murdered zionist radical, Meir Kahane, there was found instruction manuals for terrorists. In these materials one saw the network which Ali Mohamed was a part of. These training manuals were from Fort Bragg, some of them were in Arabic, and all of them came from Ali Mohamed. As Peter Lance explained:
“He used to come up weekends from Fort Bragg, and he would bring top-secret—I have like 30 pages of heretofore classified documents in the book. And he would bring these top-secret memos from Fort Bragg, and he’d give them to Nosair. They found them the night after the rabbi’s murder in Nosair’s apartment.”
But, this material was not used against Mohamed; rather they were solely used in the prosecution of Nosair, who was part of a local group inspired by Sheik Omar and was closely connected to the al Kifah Refugee Center in Brooklyn, which would be used as the main recruiting center for Islamic terrorists in the United States and which at one point was used by the US as a conduit to support the Afghan Mujahideen.
American investigators would have found out that Mohamed was in this same circle of jihadists. But they didn’t. Instead, Mohamed was free to go right into the heart of al-Qaeda to train terrorists. In 1991, a request came to the al-Kifah Center for Mohamed to travel to Sudan to assist Osama bin Laden in setting up a base of operations there. He obliged. A year later Mohamed went to Afghanistan to train al-Qaeda operatives in the tasks of intelligence, military tactics and explosives. But Mohamed’s activities would have far-reaching effects in American society.
In 1989, the FBI, through a secret surveillance camera, spotted five young Arab men shooting targets at a rifle range. The FBI, according to the Wall Street Journal, “wrote them off as harmless zealots, fired up to help the mujahideen fighting the Soviet puppet government in Afghanistan.” All five of these men were later convicted on conspiracy charges in connection to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and its aftermath. Mohamed succeeded in infiltrating the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center at Fort Bragg, from 1987 to 1989, while training the terrorists who blew up the World Trade Center in 1993. This is the school where Delta Force and Green Berets are trained. How Mohamed was able to gain entry into this high level military school still remains an enigma. In the words of Peter Lance:
“But in any event, he ends up at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare School at Fort Bragg, which is the heart of the advanced training for Delta Force and the Greet Berets. And his CO, Colonel Anderson, told us, he said it would be easier to win the power ball lottery than to be in the unit that murdered Anwar Sadat and get past the watch list and end up at the SWC, they call it.”
And its not as though Fort Bragg did not know that Ali Mohamed had terrorist ties. Officials at Fort Bragg knew very well that Mohamed had jihadist sympathies. As Lance explains:
“key officials at Bragg were aware of Ali Mohamed’s openly jihadist views. They even used him in a training video, in which Ali declared (with chilling confidence) that it was the duty of all Muslims to change countries with secular governments into Islamic regimes. “It’s an obligation,” said Ali on the training tape, “it’s not a choice.””
Mohamed worked as an informant for the the FBI in the early 1990’s, interacting with top federal prosecutors and Special Agents. All the while he trained the cell responsible for the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and “Day of Terror” plots.
Ali Mohamed also coordinated the US embassy attacks in Africa in which 224 people were killed. He surveilled the embassies that Osama bin Laden wanted bombed and made sure that his demands were made with precision.
Ali Mohamed was successful in training al-Qaeda while simultaneously working under the US government. While he ran a computer consulting firm from his home in Silicon Valley, he was also traveling to Afghanistan and the Sudan to train Al-Qaeda in bomb-making and assassination. In an interview, Peter Lance explained in regards to Mohamed: “mysteriously he was able to get past the U.S. watch list. And one of his former CO at Fort Bragg told me he believed that he had had help from the CIA getting into America.”
It was this training of al-Qaeda that would help lead to the 9/11 attacks. In the words of journalist Peter Lance:
“In the years leading to the 9/11 attacks, no single agent of al Qaeda was more successful in compromising the U.S. intelligence community than a former Egyptian army captain turned CIA operative, Special Forces advisor, and FBI informant named Ali Mohamed.”
Ali Mohamed even had a personal meeting with Patrick Fitzgerald, Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York, in 1996, in which Mohamed told him that he was ready to direct an attack on the United States; that he “loved” bin Laden and “believe[d] in him.” As Peter Lance explained in an interview with Amy Goodmen:
“Patrick Fitzgerald himself had a meeting with Ali Mohamed, face to face, in Sacramento in October, at which point Ali said to him—and by the way, at this point Ali Mohamed is a naturalized U.S. citizen, an Army veteran getting a pension, you know, from the U.S. Army—he said to Patrick Fitzgerald across the table, “I love bin Laden. I do not need a fatwa to attack America. I have a number of sleepers who I can make operational like that.”
After the meeting, Fitzgerald turned to Jack Cloonan, the principal agent who was at the meeting, and said: “That is the most dangerous man I have ever met. We cannot leave him on the street.” But yet they did. Ali was allowed to remain free for another 10 months. It was only a month after the 1998 bombings of the US embassies in Africa (a plot that Ali had been perfecting since 1993) to arrest him.
Not only was Ali Mohamed involved in training the 1993 World Trade Center terrorists, but he also in the meantime avoided arrest while working as an FBI informant and smuggling Osama bin Laden in and out of Afghanistan, and writing the Al-Qaeda terrorist manual. Ali Mohamed’s training of al-Qaeda would pave way to the 9/11 attacks…
“US scrambling to establish a link between Iraq and Al Qaida is so far frankly unconvincing…We are still left with a problem of bringing public opinion to accept the imminence of a threat from Iraq…Regime change does not stack up. It sounds like a grudge between Bush and Saddam.” — Downing Street memo, 2002
Officials within the US government were trying to make the link between Saddam Hussein and the 9/11 attacks, to no avail. Nonetheless, the American people overwhelmingly supported the invasion of Iraq. The anger surrounding 9/11 had served its purpose to of gaining the support of the populace. But this support was based on anger, and not reality; for on September 21st, 2001, Bush was told by the intel community that there was no evidence linking Saddam to 9/11 (but the public was not told this fact until November 22, 2005). The anger had served its purpose, and the train of destruction was already set. The Iraq War would spark a horrendous migrant crisis. According to the Wall Street Journal: “At the end of 2014, there were almost 4 million refugees and internally displaced people.”
What this migrant crisis would spark was a revival of European nationalism which we saw in Britain with Brexit; in the Netherlands with the Freedom Party and the eugenist and nationalist Forum for Democracy; in Germany with the rise of the Alternative fur Deutschland Party (AfD) and a vicious nationalism amongst the populace; in Italy with the rise of Matteo Salvini; in Hungary with Victor Orban. The migrant crisis made nationalism a new normal in Europe again. And this can be traced all the way back to the Iraq War which was supported based on a false belief that 9/11 had something to do with Saddam Hussein. 9/11 was done by al-Qaeda, and al-Qaeda was trained by Ali Mohamed, a terrorist who was working within the deepest realms of the American security apparatus, right in there with the FBI, the CIA and the United States Special Forces. It is quite fascinating that the revival of nationalism in Europe — which is really revival of eugenics, tribalism and racialism — is linked to 9/11 which was helped caused by someone deep within the US military, the CIA and the FBI.
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shoebat--2020-08-16--Chinese Communist Police Raid Christian Mothers’ Parenting Group

There are any number of jokes and comments about groups at church , most of them about the ideas of how they are anything but sinister and are just a bunch of average people from average families trying to help other average people .
For example , the idea that a mom ’ s group at church would be secretly selling drugs , or that a “ Knights of Columbus ” meeting was about promoting illegal business dealings .
While there are surely troubled thing that can happen in any group , the idea is that most of these groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in an unfortunate twist , as the Christian Post reports , the Chinese communist government has seen that such things are a threat , and has even sent police forces to raid and arrest members of a Christian mom ’ s group for being part of “ unauthorized religious activity ” .
Authorities in China ’ s Xiamen city raided a moms group affiliated with an influential house church as they held a meeting in a private home to talk about parenting .
Officers accused the women of organizing “ unauthorized ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a police station , according to reports .
Public security officials barged into the meeting on Wednesday morning without showing any documents authorizing them to raid the group in the port city on China ’ s southeast coast in Fujian Province , the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern reported .
About a dozen mothers who had gathered to share books and discuss parenting were then taken to the Wucun police station , likely because of their affiliation with Xunsiding Church , which was disbanded by the government last year .
Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Communist Party ’ s Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau issued an order demanding the women “ correct their behavior , ” International Christian Concern said .
The owner of the house where the meeting was held was accused of violating the Regulations of Religious Affairs by organizing unauthorized religious activities .
The owner was warned that if the behavior was not “ corrected , ” administrative punishment would follow , China Aid reported .
The historic Xunsiding Church was shut down by authorities last May .
( source ) The very heavy-handed approach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while it may be ‘ effective ’ in stopping the public practice of religion or limiting it , tends to reinforce the negative imagery of China as a repressive place .
Even in Muslim nations , such as the UAE , while there is persecution , some have taken a more careful stance in recent years save for Turkey ( due to geopolitical reasons ) , as they are concerned about what the world long-term response may be to them .
China may try to look tough , but she looks more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a major global conflict , it ensures not only fewer people who want to associate with her , but also that those who do end up conquering her will show her far less mercy .
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In shoebat.com , we are working every day , tirelessly investigating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to tell you what lies for the future .
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There are any number of jokes and comments about groups at church, most of them about the ideas of how they are anything but sinister and are just a bunch of average people from average families trying to help other average people. For example, the idea that a mom’s group at church would be secretly selling drugs, or that a “Knights of Columbus” meeting was about promoting illegal business dealings. While there are surely troubled thing that can happen in any group, the idea is that most of these groups are rather boring and bland.
However, in an unfortunate twist, as the Christian Post reports, the Chinese communist government has seen that such things are a threat, and has even sent police forces to raid and arrest members of a Christian mom’s group for being part of “unauthorized religious activity”.
Authorities in China’s Xiamen city raided a moms group affiliated with an influential house church as they held a meeting in a private home to talk about parenting. Officers accused the women of organizing “unauthorized” religious activities and apprehended them for interrogation at a police station, according to reports. Public security officials barged into the meeting on Wednesday morning without showing any documents authorizing them to raid the group in the port city on China’s southeast coast in Fujian Province, the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern reported. About a dozen mothers who had gathered to share books and discuss parenting were then taken to the Wucun police station, likely because of their affiliation with Xunsiding Church, which was disbanded by the government last year. Police released them in the afternoon after the Communist Party’s Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau issued an order demanding the women “correct their behavior,” International Christian Concern said. The owner of the house where the meeting was held was accused of violating the Regulations of Religious Affairs by organizing unauthorized religious activities. The owner was warned that if the behavior was not “corrected,” administrative punishment would follow, China Aid reported. The historic Xunsiding Church was shut down by authorities last May. (source)
The very heavy-handed approach that China is taking to the crackdown, while it may be ‘effective’ in stopping the public practice of religion or limiting it, tends to reinforce the negative imagery of China as a repressive place.
Even in Muslim nations, such as the UAE, while there is persecution, some have taken a more careful stance in recent years save for Turkey (due to geopolitical reasons), as they are concerned about what the world long-term response may be to them.
China may try to look tough, but she looks more like a bully than tough, and in a major global conflict, it ensures not only fewer people who want to associate with her, but also that those who do end up conquering her will show her far less mercy.
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shoebat--2020-08-18--Turkish-Backed Islamic Terrorist Group Threatens To Execute Kurdish Christian Man For Apostasy

According to the Christian post , a Turkish-backed Islamic terrorist group is threatening to execute a Kurdish Christian man and English teacher for apostasy .
The headmaster of a school in the city of Afrin in northern Syria has been accused of apostasy and arrested by an Islamist group loyal to Turkey , which wants to punish him for refusing to convert the school into an Islamic educational institution , according to reports .
Forty-year-old Radwan Muhammad , a Kurdish Christian who teaches English , is being held at the headquarters of Failaq Al-Sham , an Islamist group affiliated with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the U.K.-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide .
“ We are extremely worried about Radwan ’ s life and wellbeing , ” Pastor Nihad Hassan , who leads a Kurdish church in Beirut , Lebanon , told CSW .
“ [ T ] hey may execute him.
” The group had ordered Muhammad to turn over his school so they could turn it into an Islamic educational institution , but the Christian teacher refused , saying , “ I will hand you the building in one case only : if Jesus Christ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CSW reported .
He was arrested on July 30 .
Afrin was taken over by the Turkish army in March 2018 .
Hassan noted , “ Those Islamist groups and their Turkish masters are walking in the footsteps of IS ( Islamic State ) .
In fact , many of their fighters are former IS and al Qaeda members.
” CSW Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas called for his immediate release .
“ We also urge the Turkish authorities to intervene by restraining the various Islamist militia groups functioning under its command , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forms of violence and human rights abuses in the areas they control , ” Thomas said .
( source )

According to the Christian post, a Turkish-backed Islamic terrorist group is threatening to execute a Kurdish Christian man and English teacher for apostasy.
The headmaster of a school in the city of Afrin in northern Syria has been accused of apostasy and arrested by an Islamist group loyal to Turkey, which wants to punish him for refusing to convert the school into an Islamic educational institution, according to reports.
Forty-year-old Radwan Muhammad, a Kurdish Christian who teaches English, is being held at the headquarters of Failaq Al-Sham, an Islamist group affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, in Afrin, according to the U.K.-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
“We are extremely worried about Radwan’s life and wellbeing,” Pastor Nihad Hassan, who leads a Kurdish church in Beirut, Lebanon, told CSW. “[T]hey may execute him.”
The group had ordered Muhammad to turn over his school so they could turn it into an Islamic educational institution, but the Christian teacher refused, saying, “I will hand you the building in one case only: if Jesus Christ comes down to earth again,” CSW reported. He was arrested on July 30.
Afrin was taken over by the Turkish army in March 2018.
Hassan noted, “Those Islamist groups and their Turkish masters are walking in the footsteps of IS (Islamic State). In fact, many of their fighters are former IS and al Qaeda members.”
CSW Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas called for his immediate release.
“We also urge the Turkish authorities to intervene by restraining the various Islamist militia groups functioning under its command, and to immediately bring to an end all forms of violence and human rights abuses in the areas they control,” Thomas said. (source)


shoebat--2020-08-17--China Will Soon Become Irrelevant As Japan Will Rise And Return To The Warpath

China is the center focus by the media when it comes to foreign policy .
But , there is a @ @ @ @ @ both militarily and technologically — and that is Japan , and no one is focusing @ @ @ @ @ a Japanese frankenstein .
This is what I discussed in my most recent interview :

By Theodore Shoebat
China is the center focus by the media when it comes to foreign policy. But, there is a much more powerful country — both militarily and technologically — and that is Japan, and no one is focusing on the real prospect of a Japanese frankenstein. This is what I discussed in my most recent interview:
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shoebat--2020-08-17--Trump Declares Thats Biden Will Not Be Able To Handle Erdogan

Trump recently declared that Biden will not be to handle the president of Turkey , Recep Tayyip Erdogan , if h becomes the next US president .
In an interview with Fox and Friends Trump said : “ Let ’ s face it , Joe ’ s shot … You ’ re dealing with people that are very sharp .
You ’ re dealing with world-class chess players in the leaders of these countries .
I know them all .
We do very well with all of them , ( President Recep Tayyip ) Erdoğan of Turkey .
You can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t know where he is .
You can ’ t have a guy that ’ s afraid to leave his basement because he can ’ t speak any longer ” What makes this ironic are recent reports about how Trump has actually gotten outsmarted by Erdogan and this is the reason why he okayed the withdrawal of troops from Syria , an action which has empowered Turkish expansionism .
According to veteran journalist , Carl Bernstein , there is a report that claims that Erdogan called “ at least twice a week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President on standing orders from Trump ” .
Bernstein further affirmed that such conversations with Erdogan demonstrated that Trump “ posed a danger to the national security of the United States ” .
Trump , according to sources , was “ woefully uninformed about the history of the Syrian conflict and the Middle East generally .
‘ Erdogan took him to the cleaners , ’ said one of the sources.
” Moreover , the sources stated that the US ’ decision to withdraw troops from Syria in October last year , thus enabling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ north of the country “ were directly linked to Erdogan ’ s ability to get his way with Trump on the phone calls ” .
So it looks like whoever is in charge of the presidency will allow for Turkish expansion because this is in accordance to NATO policy which has been on the side of Turkey for many decades .

By Theodore Shoebat
Trump recently declared that Biden will not be to handle the president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, if h becomes the next US president. In an interview with Fox and Friends Trump said:
“Let’s face it, Joe’s shot … You’re dealing with people that are very sharp. You’re dealing with world-class chess players in the leaders of these countries. I know them all. We do very well with all of them, (President Recep Tayyip) Erdoğan of Turkey. You can’t have a guy that doesn’t know where he is. You can’t have a guy that’s afraid to leave his basement because he can’t speak any longer”
What makes this ironic are recent reports about how Trump has actually gotten outsmarted by Erdogan and this is the reason why he okayed the withdrawal of troops from Syria, an action which has empowered Turkish expansionism. According to veteran journalist, Carl Bernstein, there is a report that claims that Erdogan called “at least twice a week and was put through directly to the President on standing orders from Trump”. Bernstein further affirmed that such conversations with Erdogan demonstrated that Trump “posed a danger to the national security of the United States”. Trump, according to sources, was “woefully uninformed about the history of the Syrian conflict and the Middle East generally. ‘Erdogan took him to the cleaners,’ said one of the sources.” Moreover, the sources stated that the US’ decision to withdraw troops from Syria in October last year, thus enabling Turkey to strike Kurdish posts in the north of the country “were directly linked to Erdogan’s ability to get his way with Trump on the phone calls”.
So it looks like whoever is in charge of the presidency will allow for Turkish expansion because this is in accordance to NATO policy which has been on the side of Turkey for many decades.
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shoebat--2020-08-17--California Under Worst Heat Wave In Seventy Years

California is known as a “ hot ” place , although her reputation has significantly “ cooled ” off for many reasons .
Now amid growing taxes and social instability , she is experiencing another “ cooling off ” as record high temperatures are causing likewise a record heat wave , the worst one in seventy years , and all happening at a time when massive fires are scorching the state , causing rolling blackouts as it has been reported by Bloomberg .
First , it was the prospect of wildfires that took down large swaths of California ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s the worst heat wave in 70 years .
Climate change is contributing to increasingly extreme weather in California .
Less than a year ago , millions of people were plunged into darkness in an effort to keep power lines from sparking catastrophic wildfires .
This time , dangerously high temperatures are taxing the system , bringing about the state ’ s first rolling blackouts since the 2001 energy crisis .
What ’ s more , they ’ re hitting just as the pandemic has trapped people indoors in a state that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place , leaving the powerless with a difficult choice between enduring the heat indoors and seeking relief elsewhere .
It ’ s the latest collision of wild weather and the pandemic simultaneously wreaking havoc upon the world .
Last week , Tropical Storm Isaias left millions across the eastern U.S. without power for days , forcing remote workers into coffee shops and crowded parking lots to access Internet .
For Californians , Saturday was the second night in a row that grid operator California Independent System Operator made the rare call to shut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went dark — or roughly 1 million people based on the average size of a household .
A day earlier , about 2 million people lost service over the course of four hours .
And more outages are expected with the heat wave .
“ I ’ m pretty shocked by this — I think everybody is , ” said Michael Wara , director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program at Stanford University .
“ This has to be addressed with a lot of attention , and fast.
” Extreme weather fueled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a profound toll on electrical grids in recent weeks .
Just days ago , millions of people lost power across the U.S. Midwest after a wall of lightning , hail and deadly winds tore a path of ruin from central Iowa to Chicago .
Before that , Tropical Storm Isaias darkened homes from the Carolinas to Connecticut .
For California , the problem is heat .
An unrelenting high-pressure system is pushing temperatures upward , leaving the region facing what ’ s expected to be its hottest two weeks in 70 years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to extreme levels , making it harder for generating plants to keep pace .
Before Friday , California hadn ’ t imposed rolling blackouts since the energy crisis of 2001 , when hundreds of thousands of customers took turns being plunged into darkness , power prices surged to record levels and the state ’ s largest electric utility went bankrupt .
( It went bankrupt a second time last year in the face of crippling wildfire liabilities . )
The rotating blackouts on Saturday took Californians especially by surprise .
Less than an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manager had said that blackouts wouldn ’ t be necessary .
Then a 470-megawatt power plant went down , along with 1,000 megawatts of wind power , and it became clear the system couldn ’ t meet demand , said Anne Gonzales , a spokeswoman for the ISO .
Similarly on Friday , the grid operator ordered blackouts after a 500-megawatt generator tripped offline unexpectedly .
A 750-megawatt unit was already down .
If both had been in service , the agency wouldn ’ t have had to call for outages , Gonzales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a quick and serious look , ” Wara said , “ at what our reserves are and the degree of which market conditions are affecting their quality and reliability.
” The abrupt and unannounced nature of the rotating outages made the situation especially disruptive for those affected .
Mandy Feuerbacher , an immigration attorney in Los Gatos , saw her lights go out without warning on Friday evening .
Her two-year-old twins were up until 2 a.m. crying from the heat .
She and her husband moved their beds into the downstairs kitchen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in there for them to sleep .
“ The babies were so hot .
They were freaking out .
We were really worried about our food spoiling , ” Feuerbacher said .
“ It was terrible.
” Saturday ’ s outages were at least briefer .
Edison International ’ s Southern California Edison utility said about 70,000 customers were affected by the short-lived event .
“ At 6:28 p.m. , we dropped load .
We de-energized about 70,000 customers , ” Southern California Edison spokesman Robert Villegas said .
“ Then we were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6:44 p.m. ” ( source )

California is known as a “hot” place, although her reputation has significantly “cooled” off for many reasons. Now amid growing taxes and social instability, she is experiencing another “cooling off” as record high temperatures are causing likewise a record heat wave, the worst one in seventy years, and all happening at a time when massive fires are scorching the state, causing rolling blackouts as it has been reported by Bloomberg.
First, it was the prospect of wildfires that took down large swaths of California’s power grid. Now, it’s the worst heat wave in 70 years.
Climate change is contributing to increasingly extreme weather in California. Less than a year ago, millions of people were plunged into darkness in an effort to keep power lines from sparking catastrophic wildfires. This time, dangerously high temperatures are taxing the system, bringing about the state’s first rolling blackouts since the 2001 energy crisis.
What’s more, they’re hitting just as the pandemic has trapped people indoors in a state that has recorded more Covid-19 infections than any other place, leaving the powerless with a difficult choice between enduring the heat indoors and seeking relief elsewhere. It’s the latest collision of wild weather and the pandemic simultaneously wreaking havoc upon the world. Last week, Tropical Storm Isaias left millions across the eastern U.S. without power for days, forcing remote workers into coffee shops and crowded parking lots to access Internet.
For Californians, Saturday was the second night in a row that grid operator California Independent System Operator made the rare call to shut off power. An estimated 352,500 customers went dark — or roughly 1 million people based on the average size of a household. A day earlier, about 2 million people lost service over the course of four hours. And more outages are expected with the heat wave.
“I’m pretty shocked by this — I think everybody is,” said Michael Wara, director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program at Stanford University. “This has to be addressed with a lot of attention, and fast.”
Extreme weather fueled in part by climate change has taken a profound toll on electrical grids in recent weeks. Just days ago, millions of people lost power across the U.S. Midwest after a wall of lightning, hail and deadly winds tore a path of ruin from central Iowa to Chicago. Before that, Tropical Storm Isaias darkened homes from the Carolinas to Connecticut.
For California, the problem is heat. An unrelenting high-pressure system is pushing temperatures upward, leaving the region facing what’s expected to be its hottest two weeks in 70 years. That’s driving up power demand to extreme levels, making it harder for generating plants to keep pace.
Before Friday, California hadn’t imposed rolling blackouts since the energy crisis of 2001, when hundreds of thousands of customers took turns being plunged into darkness, power prices surged to record levels and the state’s largest electric utility went bankrupt. (It went bankrupt a second time last year in the face of crippling wildfire liabilities.)
The rotating blackouts on Saturday took Californians especially by surprise. Less than an hour before ordering outages, the grid manager had said that blackouts wouldn’t be necessary. Then a 470-megawatt power plant went down, along with 1,000 megawatts of wind power, and it became clear the system couldn’t meet demand, said Anne Gonzales, a spokeswoman for the ISO.
Similarly on Friday, the grid operator ordered blackouts after a 500-megawatt generator tripped offline unexpectedly. A 750-megawatt unit was already down. If both had been in service, the agency wouldn’t have had to call for outages, Gonzales said.
“There needs to be a quick and serious look,” Wara said, “at what our reserves are and the degree of which market conditions are affecting their quality and reliability.”
The abrupt and unannounced nature of the rotating outages made the situation especially disruptive for those affected.
Mandy Feuerbacher, an immigration attorney in Los Gatos, saw her lights go out without warning on Friday evening. Her two-year-old twins were up until 2 a.m. crying from the heat. She and her husband moved their beds into the downstairs kitchen, hoping it would be cool enough in there for them to sleep.
“The babies were so hot. They were freaking out. We were really worried about our food spoiling,” Feuerbacher said. “It was terrible.”
Saturday’s outages were at least briefer. Edison International’s Southern California Edison utility said about 70,000 customers were affected by the short-lived event. “At 6:28 p.m., we dropped load. We de-energized about 70,000 customers,” Southern California Edison spokesman Robert Villegas said. “Then we were directed by CAISO to restore them by 6:44 p.m.” (source)