offguardian--2020-04-12--Why are some respected alt-media embracing a police state?

It should be obvious by now to anyone that the covid19 pandemic , whatever its origins , is being used to fast forward a “ new normal ” world of unparalleled government power , surveillance and curtailment of individual liberty .
We are looking already at : • Biometric chips or bracelets to monitor whether or not you have permission to be outside your home or engage in work • Apps on your phone that can detect any breach of the self-isolation policy .
• Huge new police powers of arrest and detention for anyone suspected of carrying the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ periods at government discretion And this is only the starter course .
We can be pretty sure they are currently just easing us in .
The real stuff will be rolling along in the next months or maybe years ( depending on how quickly they feel able to get this on ) This is the fabric of nightmare .
A worst-case horror story that is the absolute quintessence of everything the alt-media is supposed to oppose .
Surely , you would think , any self-respecting alt-media person would be opposing this with everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voice .
Well , some of us are of course .
And we ’ re going to be posting links to other sites currently doing great work challenging this rollout .
But , weeks into this crisis , there are some very prominent voices still refusing to either question the official narrative of the pandemic or unequivocally condemn the fast dawn of the “ new normal ” Brave New World .
We ’ ve held off from confronting this for a while now .
We figured people needed time to adjust or wake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happening .
It ’ s shocking after all , and deeply disorienting , and different individuals need different amounts of time to get their bearings when something that shakes their worldview comes along .
But adjustment time is long over by now .
Let ’ s also be clear , we ’ re not condemning people for simply disagreeing with us .
We expect disagreement on some issues .
It ’ s a source of strength for all of us .
But this is not about relatively minor differences of opinion or interpretation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resources and experience , failing to condemn , and even supporting , what amounts to de facto international martial law .
This is Labour activists who mere weeks ago were calling Boris Johnson a murderer and psychopath , now cheering as he is handed total control of their lives and their children ’ s lives .
This is respected journalists , commentators and academics who loudly condemned the cynical lies about WMDs or ‘ chemical attacks ’ in Douma , the fake videos and fake White Helmets , suddenly and uncritically accepting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every unsourced video and media meme that has # covid19 as a hashtag .
This is people who have campaigned against the Patriot Act for 19 years , signing off on the new US anti-covid19 legislation without a murmur ; who know that governments always abuse their powers , thinking they somehow just won ’ t abuse these .
This is people who know about Guantanamo and who have seen Julian Assange humiliated and abused , somehow thinking the people who did these things won ’ t use the new post-covid police state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is something more than simple denial .
It ’ s – what ?
Are they simply paralysed with fear , either of the hyped-up virus , or the scary dystopia we are all suddenly inhabiting ?
Is it Stockholm Syndrome ?
Is it still possible some of them will wake up or unfreeze and see what is going on ?
Are some of them gatekeepers , sleeper assets being activated in this extreme situation specifically to divert and delude the questioning and sceptical people who tend to follow them ?
Well , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that out , can we , though I wouldn ’ t want to make that claim about anyone .
Are some just being self-serving and shallow , playing at being dissident while the price was low enough ?
Did they think writing a popular alt media blog was an easy way to be cool , but never had any intention of standing by any of it once it got a bit risky to do so ?
I mean you are not gon na get that coveted slot on RT or Buzzfeed by taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ narrative are you ?
So that ’ s a factor potentially .
You can see the appeal of just sitting on the fence and talking in vague terms about how this fascism malarkey is a bit worrying , but stopping short of actually condemning it .
That way you keep the option open to be ‘ radical ’ again once it looks safe enough to do so , but also don ’ t risk your comfy and lucrative relationship with the Establishment Left , who are all eagerly embracing the new age of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do the same .
Are some , as has been unkindly suggested , just too stupid to see what ’ s going on ?
Do epidemiology stats hurt their brains ?
Does thinking too much take up valuable psychobabble time ?
Is it hard to see the black clouds of tyranny rolling in when your head is too firmly planted in your own delightfully quirky posterior ?
Or – we have to ask this – are a number of them simply , well , fascists ?
Do they actually support tyrannical top-down authoritarianism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ merely been that they themselves are not currently high enough up that hierarchy ?
And do they see the covid19 rollout as some sort of revolution that will launch them and their chums into the positions of sweet supremacy they always knew they deserved ?
Easy to preach permanent lockdown and biometric implant slavery when you figure none of it will apply to you and your family , I suppose .
All of these potential explanations may be the answer in some cases .
And there could be a hundred other reasons besides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do the explanations really matter ?
Do they change anything ?
Excuse anything ?
The fact is these people stood at the barricades cheering and rallying the masses until the tanks could be seen rolling down the street – when they promptly upped and went over to join them .
Is there anything else to be said about that ?
And where do we go from here ?

Catte Black
It should be obvious by now to anyone that the covid19 pandemic, whatever its origins, is being used to fast forward a “new normal” world of unparalleled government power, surveillance and curtailment of individual liberty.
We are looking already at:
Compulsory DNRs for some elderly.
Biometric chips or bracelets to monitor whether or not you have permission to be outside your home or engage in work
Drone surveillance as normal.
Apps on your phone that can detect any breach of the self-isolation policy.
Huge new police powers of arrest and detention for anyone suspected of carrying the virus.
Suspension of elections for indefinite periods at government discretion
And this is only the starter course. We can be pretty sure they are currently just easing us in. The real stuff will be rolling along in the next months or maybe years (depending on how quickly they feel able to get this on)
This is the fabric of nightmare. A worst-case horror story that is the absolute quintessence of everything the alt-media is supposed to oppose.
Surely, you would think, any self-respecting alt-media person would be opposing this with everything they have while they still have a voice.
Well, some of us are of course. And we’re going to be posting links to other sites currently doing great work challenging this rollout.
But, weeks into this crisis, there are some very prominent voices still refusing to either question the official narrative of the pandemic or unequivocally condemn the fast dawn of the “new normal” Brave New World.
We’ve held off from confronting this for a while now. We figured people needed time to adjust or wake up to the reality of what was happening. It’s shocking after all, and deeply disorienting, and different individuals need different amounts of time to get their bearings when something that shakes their worldview comes along.
But adjustment time is long over by now.
Let’s also be clear, we’re not condemning people for simply disagreeing with us. We expect disagreement on some issues. It’s a source of strength for all of us.
But this is not about relatively minor differences of opinion or interpretation.
This is sophisticated analysts, with resources and experience, failing to condemn, and even supporting, what amounts to de facto international martial law.
This is Labour activists who mere weeks ago were calling Boris Johnson a murderer and psychopath, now cheering as he is handed total control of their lives and their children’s lives.
This is respected journalists, commentators and academics who loudly condemned the cynical lies about WMDs or ‘chemical attacks’ in Douma, the fake videos and fake White Helmets, suddenly and uncritically accepting the veracity of every government virus narrative, every unsourced video and media meme that has #covid19 as a hashtag.
This is people who have campaigned against the Patriot Act for 19 years, signing off on the new US anti-covid19 legislation without a murmur; who know that governments always abuse their powers, thinking they somehow just won’t abuse these.
This is people who know about Guantanamo and who have seen Julian Assange humiliated and abused, somehow thinking the people who did these things won’t use the new post-covid police state to do them even more.
This is something more than simple denial. It’s – what?
Are they simply paralysed with fear, either of the hyped-up virus, or the scary dystopia we are all suddenly inhabiting? Is it Stockholm Syndrome? Is it still possible some of them will wake up or unfreeze and see what is going on?
Are some of them gatekeepers, sleeper assets being activated in this extreme situation specifically to divert and delude the questioning and sceptical people who tend to follow them?
Well, I guess we can’t completely rule that out, can we, though I wouldn’t want to make that claim about anyone.
Are some just being self-serving and shallow, playing at being dissident while the price was low enough? Did they think writing a popular alt media blog was an easy way to be cool, but never had any intention of standing by any of it once it got a bit risky to do so?
I mean you are not gonna get that coveted slot on RT or Buzzfeed by taking on this major ‘new normal’ narrative are you? So that’s a factor potentially.
You can see the appeal of just sitting on the fence and talking in vague terms about how this fascism malarkey is a bit worrying, but stopping short of actually condemning it. That way you keep the option open to be ‘radical’ again once it looks safe enough to do so, but also don’t risk your comfy and lucrative relationship with the Establishment Left, who are all eagerly embracing the new age of mass incarceration and really want you to do the same.
Are some, as has been unkindly suggested, just too stupid to see what’s going on? Do epidemiology stats hurt their brains? Does thinking too much take up valuable psychobabble time? Is it hard to see the black clouds of tyranny rolling in when your head is too firmly planted in your own delightfully quirky posterior?
Or – we have to ask this – are a number of them simply, well, fascists? Do they actually support tyrannical top-down authoritarianism? Has their beef with the PTB merely been that they themselves are not currently high enough up that hierarchy? And do they see the covid19 rollout as some sort of revolution that will launch them and their chums into the positions of sweet supremacy they always knew they deserved?
Easy to preach permanent lockdown and biometric implant slavery when you figure none of it will apply to you and your family, I suppose.
All of these potential explanations may be the answer in some cases. And there could be a hundred other reasons besides.
But, in the end, do the explanations really matter? Do they change anything? Excuse anything?
The fact is these people stood at the barricades cheering and rallying the masses until the tanks could be seen rolling down the street – when they promptly upped and went over to join them.
Is there anything else to be said about that?
And where do we go from here?


offguardian--2020-04-16--WATCH: Perspectives on the Pandemic #3

WATCH: Perspectives on the Pandemic #3

“ Is Our Fight Against the Coronavirus Worse Than the Disease ?
” Journeyman Pictures sits down with Dr David @ @ @ @ @ end to social distancing , the time-frame of vaccine development , and if the current @ @ @ @ @ the disease .
The Interviewer : John Kirby is the director of FOUR DIED TRYING @ @ @ @ @ series on the major assassinations of the 1960 ’ s and their calamitous impact on @ @ @ @ @ the struggle for justice for Dr. King , Malcolm X , and John and Robert @ @ @ @ @ Dr David L Katz is an American physician and former professor of public health .
@ @ @ @ @ hundred academic papers , and is the former director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center @ @ @ @ @ science at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale .
Follow Journeyman @ @ @ @ @ their website for more of their award-winning factual content .

“Is Our Fight Against the Coronavirus Worse Than the Disease?”
Journeyman Pictures sits down with Dr David L Katz to discuss an end to social distancing, the time-frame of vaccine development, and if the current cure may be worse than the disease.
The Interviewer: John Kirby is the director of FOUR DIED TRYING, a feature documentary and series on the major assassinations of the 1960’s and their calamitous impact on the country. To join the struggle for justice for Dr. King, Malcolm X, and John and Robert Kennedy.
The Interviewee: Dr David L Katz is an American physician and former professor of public health. He has authored over one hundred academic papers, and is the former director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center and associate director for nutrition science at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale.
Follow Journeyman Pictures on youtube or visit their website for more of their award-winning factual content.


offguardian--2020-03-15--Toilet Paper Is the People’s Vaccine

Toilet Paper Is the People’s Vaccine

The coronavirus panic has resulted in hordes of people running after toilet paper .
Such actions are the flip side of running with the bulls , except that I suspect those who run with the bulls have some sense of why they do it .
I imagine the thrill is a bit different , even if the goal is similar .
The overriding narratives of every society are composed of myths and symbols .
Societies operate within controlling mythic symbol systems whose primary purpose is to allow people to move through their lives on automatic pilot , believing they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arms of the authorities .
All cultures revolve around death and the need to control people ’ s fears of it through the construction of symbols of reassurance .
People need to be convinced that they are protected .
In “ normal ” times , all this goes relatively smoothly and the symbols of protection – such as the military , the primary institutions , and photos of the political leaders against a backdrop of flags – serve as a comforting security blanket .
In times of extreme stress , however , whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reassurance breaks down and people panic .
Enter the coronavirus and the run on toilet paper .
Many economists and psychologists have commented on the fear that motivates this hoarding behavior .
Most commentaries are true as far as they go .
The problem is they don ’ t go very far and never touch the real issue .
Hoarding is obviously done to quell the fear of running out .
But running out of what ?
Why toilet paper ?
The explanations I have seen say that toilet paper is an essential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because it has no expiration date and comes in large packages that are light and easy to carry and store .
All true .
Fear induces hoarding , and people have gone insane hoarding all kinds of items , as if the plague to end the world were upon us , which is what the mass media keeps repeating as it whips up lunatic reactions .
The end times are near !
The Grim Reaper is at your door !
The authorities have inflamed this fear , as authorities are apt to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of death and disease , is the greatest way to control people .
Remember the aftermath of the attacks of September 11 , 2001 .
Fear went rampant and people ran to religious services for a while as elements within the U.S. government sent anthrax through the mail to heighten the fear .
But anthrax was nothing compared to the coronavirus ’ s spread and panic .
With the 2001 attacks , the terrorist fear soon went onto the back burner to simmer away for all these years and keep everyone on an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ execute its war and Patriot Act plans with little rebellion .
It worked very well .
Constant fear and anxiety became the norm as people internalized the 9/11 meme and its emergency phone number reminder .
But now the coronavirus panic is running wild and we don ’ t know when it will end .
But why this frantic race to scoop up toilet paper ?
The answer should be quite obvious , but it isn ’ t because it is unconscious .
People react to the real biological fear of death by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from it .
Excrement is the fundamental symbol of death .
It suggests we are bodies and nothing more ; that the symbols of transcendence , whether religious or secular , are mirages .
Shit has always been so associated , and always will .
It has also long been associated in the Western imagination with the devil , Satan , the Lord of the underworld , who rules the pit of smelly steaming death where the bodies of people are deposited down in the earth to rot away .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , just maggots in the dirt where shit descends .
The thought that that is all we are doesn ’ t go over well with many people .
To accept that we are only bodies , and that civilization and cultures have been constructed upon symbols created to tell us this isn ’ t true are pipe dreams , is the fear that runs rampant in days such as these , with the coronavirus allegedly stalking everyone as if it were Mister Pumpkin Head ready to pounce .
The fundamental human fear is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destined to be buried and forgotten ; that we will be buried in the earth or flushed down a toilet .
The fear is that “ dead ” excrement is what we are and that all the shiny symbols erected by civilization to say we are more are just bullshit .
This fear is compounded when science often claims that everything religions have ever taught is hocus pocus .
The religious symbol systems that were the overarching bulwarks of western civilization have been replaced by science and technology .
But these twins have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , except to say it is inevitable and maybe we can help you to live a bit longer .
Many people , if only unconsciously , might not be satisfied with that answer .
So when death comes courting in the guise of a so-called plague or pandemic , toilet paper will keep you safe and clean .
You can wipe away any reminder that you are mortal and will return to the earth ; that you will rot there unless you somehow believe in the transcendent spirit of days gone by .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ unleashed by government violence – their alleged protectors – people are easily manipulated into fearing the wrong things and unconsciously seeking some innocuous symbol that might do the job .
Running with the bulls gives people the thrill of teasing death while defeating it .
It must be very exciting .
Running after toilet paper is quite dull by comparison , but it serves a similar purpose .

Edward Curtin
The coronavirus panic has resulted in hordes of people running after toilet paper. Such actions are the flip side of running with the bulls, except that I suspect those who run with the bulls have some sense of why they do it. I imagine the thrill is a bit different, even if the goal is similar.
The overriding narratives of every society are composed of myths and symbols. Societies operate within controlling mythic symbol systems whose primary purpose is to allow people to move through their lives on automatic pilot, believing they are safe from death and chaos in the arms of the authorities. All cultures revolve around death and the need to control people’s fears of it through the construction of symbols of reassurance.
People need to be convinced that they are protected. In “normal” times, all this goes relatively smoothly and the symbols of protection – such as the military, the primary institutions, and photos of the political leaders against a backdrop of flags – serve as a comforting security blanket. In times of extreme stress, however, whether real or created, the system of reassurance breaks down and people panic.
Enter the coronavirus and the run on toilet paper. Many economists and psychologists have commented on the fear that motivates this hoarding behavior. Most commentaries are true as far as they go. The problem is they don’t go very far and never touch the real issue. Hoarding is obviously done to quell the fear of running out. But running out of what?
Why toilet paper? The explanations I have seen say that toilet paper is an essential household item that is easy to hoard because it has no expiration date and comes in large packages that are light and easy to carry and store. All true. Fear induces hoarding, and people have gone insane hoarding all kinds of items, as if the plague to end the world were upon us, which is what the mass media keeps repeating as it whips up lunatic reactions. The end times are near! The Grim Reaper is at your door!
The authorities have inflamed this fear, as authorities are apt to do, since fear, and the fear of death and disease, is the greatest way to control people. Remember the aftermath of the attacks of September 11, 2001. Fear went rampant and people ran to religious services for a while as elements within the U.S. government sent anthrax through the mail to heighten the fear.
But anthrax was nothing compared to the coronavirus’s spread and panic. With the 2001 attacks, the terrorist fear soon went onto the back burner to simmer away for all these years and keep everyone on an emergency fear footing so the government could execute its war and Patriot Act plans with little rebellion. It worked very well. Constant fear and anxiety became the norm as people internalized the 9/11 meme and its emergency phone number reminder.
But now the coronavirus panic is running wild and we don’t know when it will end. But why this frantic race to scoop up toilet paper? The answer should be quite obvious, but it isn’t because it is unconscious. People react to the real biological fear of death by adopting any means that might protect them from it. Excrement is the fundamental symbol of death. It suggests we are bodies and nothing more; that the symbols of transcendence, whether religious or secular, are mirages. Shit has always been so associated, and always will.
It has also long been associated in the Western imagination with the devil, Satan, the Lord of the underworld, who rules the pit of smelly steaming death where the bodies of people are deposited down in the earth to rot away. That’s it. No heaven, no immortality, just maggots in the dirt where shit descends. The thought that that is all we are doesn’t go over well with many people.
To accept that we are only bodies, and that civilization and cultures have been constructed upon symbols created to tell us this isn’t true are pipe dreams, is the fear that runs rampant in days such as these, with the coronavirus allegedly stalking everyone as if it were Mister Pumpkin Head ready to pounce.
The fundamental human fear is that we, like excrement, are destined to be buried and forgotten; that we will be buried in the earth or flushed down a toilet. The fear is that “dead” excrement is what we are and that all the shiny symbols erected by civilization to say we are more are just bullshit.
This fear is compounded when science often claims that everything religions have ever taught is hocus pocus. The religious symbol systems that were the overarching bulwarks of western civilization have been replaced by science and technology. But these twins have no answer for the fact of death, except to say it is inevitable and maybe we can help you to live a bit longer. Many people, if only unconsciously, might not be satisfied with that answer.
So when death comes courting in the guise of a so-called plague or pandemic, toilet paper will keep you safe and clean. You can wipe away any reminder that you are mortal and will return to the earth; that you will rot there unless you somehow believe in the transcendent spirit of days gone by.
Rather than focus on all the death unleashed by government violence – their alleged protectors – people are easily manipulated into fearing the wrong things and unconsciously seeking some innocuous symbol that might do the job.
Running with the bulls gives people the thrill of teasing death while defeating it. It must be very exciting.
Running after toilet paper is quite dull by comparison, but it serves a similar purpose.
It’s the people’s vaccine against death.


offguardian--2020-03-14--Dependency & Distress: The Story of Bt Cotton in India

In the early 2000s , genetically modified ( GM ) Bt insecticidal cotton was being heavily promoted in India on the basis that it would cut pesticide use dramatically , boost yields and contribute to the financial well-being of farmers .
Private sector Bt cotton hybrids now cover over 90 % of the area under cotton .
Supporters of Bt cotton have wasted little time in claiming that GM technology has increased cotton yields , reduced pesticide use and has been of enormous benefit to farmers due to increased crop profitability .
If we consider Prof Glenn Stone ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cotton Narratives in India ’ , however , it becomes clear that such claims are too often weaved from flawed data and studies and merely serve to bolster vested interests .
In an attempt to shed further light on the role of Bt cotton in India , Glenn Stone ( Washington University in St Louis ) and his colleague K R Kranthi ( International Cotton Advisory Committee ) have jointly authored a new paper – ‘ Long-term impacts of Bt Cotton in India ’ – that appears in the journal Nature Plants ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the paper is quite unique as it is based on a long-term analysis that spans a period of 20 years .
While proponents of Bt cotton say that GM technology is responsible for tripling cotton production between 2002 ( when Bt cotton was commercialised in India ) and 2014 , Stone argues that the largest production gains came prior to widespread GM seed adoption and must be viewed in line with changes in fertilisation practices and other pest population dynamics .
He adds that Bt plants were highly vulnerable to other insect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ farmers adopted the crop .
Although yields in all crops jumped in 2003 , the increase was especially large in cotton .
Stone argues that any changes in productivity have more to do with huge increases in insecticides and fertilisers and that farmers in India are now spending more on seeds , more on fertiliser and more on insecticides .
So , what has been the overall impact of Bt cotton in India ?
Stone says that Bt cotton ’ s primary impact on agriculture will be its role in making farming more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits .
And this conclusion appears to confirm what others have been saying in recent years .
During a September 2019 media event in Delhi , for instance , Aruna Rodrigues and Vandana Shiva showed that pesticide use is back to pre-Bt levels and yields have stagnated or are falling .
Moreover , they noted that some 31 countries rank above India in terms of cotton yield and of these only 10 grow GM cotton .
They concluded that farmers now find themselves on a ( capital-intensive ) chemical-biotech treadmill and have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resistant pests and rising costs of production .
Their data indicated that overall net profit for cotton farmers in the pre-Bt era had plummeted to average net losses in 2015 , while fertiliser use kg/ha had exhibited a 2.2-fold increase .
As Bt technology was being rolled out , costs of production were thus increasing .
And these costs have increased in the face of stagnant yields .
They too indicated that increased fertiliser and insecticides along with high-yielding hybrid trait value ( independent of Bt technology ) and increased acreage under cotton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ productivity .
In fact , based on his own research , Prof A P Gutierrez argues that Bt cotton has effectively put many farmers in a corporate noose .
Although Bt cotton hybrids perform better under irrigation , 66 % of cotton in India is cultivated in rain fed areas , where yields depend on the timing and quantity of highly variable monsoon rains .
Unreliable rains , the high costs of Bt hybrid seed , continued insecticide use and debt have placed many poor ( marginal ) smallholder farmers in a situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extensive field research in India , cultural anthropologist Andrew Flachs argues that independent cultivators have become dependent on corporate products , including off-farm commodified corporate knowledge .
In the past , they cultivated , saved and exchanged seeds ; now , as far as cotton cultivation is concerned , they must purchase GM hybrid seeds ( and necessary chemical inputs ) each year .
While Bt cotton farmers are losing their traditional knowledge and skills due to increasing market dependency , they are now trapped in a scenario of debt and rising input @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one in four seasons a farmer will attain a good enough yield to break even .
Flachs notes that negotiating risk and gambling on seeds , weather and pesticide use have become an integral part of the corporate cotton seed and chemical treadmill .
It all begs the question : just who has benefitted from Bt cotton ?
For the answer to this , let us turn to Imran Siddiqi from the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad , who notes that India opted to use hybrids seeds for Bt technology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parent strains having different genetic characters and the plants have more biomass than both parents and capacity for greater yields .
But they also require more inputs , including fertiliser and water , and require suboptimal planting ( more space ) .
Siddiqi notes that all other cotton-producing countries grow cotton not as hybrids but varieties for which seeds are produced by self-fertilisation .
He argues that the advantages of non-hybrids are considerable : twice the productivity , half the fertiliser , reduced water requirement and less vulnerability to pest damage due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that agricultural distress is extremely high among Indian cotton farmers and the combination of high input and high risk has likely been a contributing factor .
The introduction of hybrids disallowed seed saving , forcing farmers to purchase new , expensive hybrid Bt cotton seed each year , as hybridisation – unlike pure line varieties – affords one-time vigour .
The use of hybrids in India gave pricing control to seed companies and Monsanto that issued licenses for the technology , while ensuring a continuous market .
When viewed in this light , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to what veteran rural reporter P Sainath terms the ‘ predatory commercialisation of the countryside ’ by corporate interests .
Its main role from the outset has been value capture and the creation of market dependency .
It this respect , Bt cotton has been an outstanding success .

Colin Todhunter
In the early 2000s, genetically modified (GM) Bt insecticidal cotton was being heavily promoted in India on the basis that it would cut pesticide use dramatically, boost yields and contribute to the financial well-being of farmers. Private sector Bt cotton hybrids now cover over 90% of the area under cotton.
Supporters of Bt cotton have wasted little time in claiming that GM technology has increased cotton yields, reduced pesticide use and has been of enormous benefit to farmers due to increased crop profitability. If we consider Prof Glenn Stone’s 2012 paper ‘Constructing Facts: Bt Cotton Narratives in India’, however, it becomes clear that such claims are too often weaved from flawed data and studies and merely serve to bolster vested interests.
In an attempt to shed further light on the role of Bt cotton in India, Glenn Stone (Washington University in St Louis) and his colleague K R Kranthi (International Cotton Advisory Committee) have jointly authored a new paper – ‘Long-term impacts of Bt Cotton in India’ – that appears in the journal Nature Plants (March 2020). Unlike previous assessments, the paper is quite unique as it is based on a long-term analysis that spans a period of 20 years.
While proponents of Bt cotton say that GM technology is responsible for tripling cotton production between 2002 (when Bt cotton was commercialised in India) and 2014, Stone argues that the largest production gains came prior to widespread GM seed adoption and must be viewed in line with changes in fertilisation practices and other pest population dynamics.
Stone says:
“There are two particularly devastating caterpillar pests for cotton in India, and, from the beginning, Bt cotton did control one of them: the (misnamed) American bollworm. It initially controlled the other one, too – the pink bollworm – but that pest quickly developed resistance and now it is a worse problem than ever.”
He adds that Bt plants were highly vulnerable to other insect pests that proliferated as more and more farmers adopted the crop.
According to Stone:
“Farmers are now spending much more on insecticides than before they had ever heard of Bt cotton. And the situation is worsening.”
Although yields in all crops jumped in 2003, the increase was especially large in cotton.
However, Stone says:
“… Bt cotton had virtually no effect on the rise in cotton yields because it accounted for less than 5% of India’s cotton crop at the time.”
Stone argues that any changes in productivity have more to do with huge increases in insecticides and fertilisers and that farmers in India are now spending more on seeds, more on fertiliser and more on insecticides.
So, what has been the overall impact of Bt cotton in India?
Stone says that Bt cotton’s primary impact on agriculture will be its role in making farming more capital-intensive, rather than any enduring agronomic benefits. And this conclusion appears to confirm what others have been saying in recent years.
During a September 2019 media event in Delhi, for instance, Aruna Rodrigues and Vandana Shiva showed that pesticide use is back to pre-Bt levels and yields have stagnated or are falling. Moreover, they noted that some 31 countries rank above India in terms of cotton yield and of these only 10 grow GM cotton. They concluded that farmers now find themselves on a (capital-intensive) chemical-biotech treadmill and have to deal with an increasing number of Bt/insecticide resistant pests and rising costs of production.
Their data indicated that overall net profit for cotton farmers in the pre-Bt era had plummeted to average net losses in 2015, while fertiliser use kg/ha had exhibited a 2.2-fold increase. As Bt technology was being rolled out, costs of production were thus increasing. And these costs have increased in the face of stagnant yields. They too indicated that increased fertiliser and insecticides along with high-yielding hybrid trait value (independent of Bt technology) and increased acreage under cotton cultivation were responsible for any increase in productivity.
In fact, based on his own research, Prof A P Gutierrez argues that Bt cotton has effectively put many farmers in a corporate noose. Although Bt cotton hybrids perform better under irrigation, 66% of cotton in India is cultivated in rain fed areas, where yields depend on the timing and quantity of highly variable monsoon rains. Unreliable rains, the high costs of Bt hybrid seed, continued insecticide use and debt have placed many poor (marginal) smallholder farmers in a situation of severe financial hardship.
Based on extensive field research in India, cultural anthropologist Andrew Flachs argues that independent cultivators have become dependent on corporate products, including off-farm commodified corporate knowledge. In the past, they cultivated, saved and exchanged seeds; now, as far as cotton cultivation is concerned, they must purchase GM hybrid seeds (and necessary chemical inputs) each year.
While Bt cotton farmers are losing their traditional knowledge and skills due to increasing market dependency, they are now trapped in a scenario of debt and rising input costs. In the meantime, maybe one in four seasons a farmer will attain a good enough yield to break even. Flachs notes that negotiating risk and gambling on seeds, weather and pesticide use have become an integral part of the corporate cotton seed and chemical treadmill.
It all begs the question: just who has benefitted from Bt cotton? For the answer to this, let us turn to Imran Siddiqi from the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad, who notes that India opted to use hybrids seeds for Bt technology. Hybrids are made by crossing two parent strains having different genetic characters and the plants have more biomass than both parents and capacity for greater yields. But they also require more inputs, including fertiliser and water, and require suboptimal planting (more space).
Siddiqi notes that all other cotton-producing countries grow cotton not as hybrids but varieties for which seeds are produced by self-fertilisation. He argues that the advantages of non-hybrids are considerable: twice the productivity, half the fertiliser, reduced water requirement and less vulnerability to pest damage due to a shorter field duration. He concludes that agricultural distress is extremely high among Indian cotton farmers and the combination of high input and high risk has likely been a contributing factor.
The introduction of hybrids disallowed seed saving, forcing farmers to purchase new, expensive hybrid Bt cotton seed each year, as hybridisation – unlike pure line varieties – affords one-time vigour. The use of hybrids in India gave pricing control to seed companies and Monsanto that issued licenses for the technology, while ensuring a continuous market.
When viewed in this light, Bt hybrid cotton technology has been integral to what veteran rural reporter P Sainath terms the ‘predatory commercialisation of the countryside’ by corporate interests. Its main role from the outset has been value capture and the creation of market dependency. It this respect, Bt cotton has been an outstanding success.


offguardian--2020-03-14--Sugar and Spice and Everything Vice: the Empire’s Sin City of London

The over 1000 point plunge of the stock market on Feb 27th and broader ruptures of the financial system last week have been yet another wake up call for those who have been contented so far to “ live in the moment ” of fast money .
Since the 2008 financial crisis , which is considered the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s , many have not been able to go back to sleep after such a lucid nightmare .
Some have chosen the path of stocking up on cans of beans , distilling their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Bear Grylls hoping to absorb his skills through television osmosis .
The 2008 crisis put in the spotlight the psychopathic level of greed , vice , apathy and short-sightedness from those who wanted to play into the City of London and Wall Street casino houses .
Get rich quick and don ’ t care who you screw in the process , after all , at the end of the day you ’ re either a winner or a loser .
Since the general public tends to consist of decent people , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entire economies of countries have been hijacked by these piranhas .
That we have hit such a level of crime that even people ’ s hard-earned pensions , education , health-care , housing etc .
are all being gambled away… LEGALLY .
Looking upon investment bankers today , one is reminded of those sad addicts in the casino who are ruined and lose everything , except the difference is , they are given the option to sell their neighbour ’ s family into slavery to pay off their debt .
It is no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” that goes through the City of London and Wall Street is dirty and yet despite this recognition , there appears to be an inability to address it and that at this point we are told that if we tried to address it by breaking up and regulating the “ Too Big to Fail ” banks , then the whole economy would come tumbling down .
That is , the world is so evidently run by criminal activity that at this point we have become dependent on its dirty money to keep afloat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ onrushing collapse of the financial system , the greatest Ivy League trained minds of the world have run into a dead end : the bailouts into the banking system that began this past September have prevented a chain reaction meltdown for a few months , but as the liquidity runs out so too will the ideas on where the money justifying bank bailouts will come from .
With these dead ends , we have seen the lightbulb go off in the minds of a large strata of economists who have been making the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can yet be generated from one more untapped stream : the decriminalisation and legalisation of vice .
Hell , the major banks have already been doing this covertly as a matter of practice for generations… so why not just come out of the closet and make it official ?
This is where the money is at .
This is where the job market is at .
So let us not “ bite the hand that feeds us ” !
But is this truly the case ?
Is there really no qualitative difference how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is spent as long as there is an adequate money flow ?
Well it is never a good sign when beside the richest you can also find the poorest just a stone ’ s throw away .
And right beside the largest financial center in the world , the City of London , there lies the poorest borough in all of London : Tower Hamlets with a 39 % poverty rate and an average family income amounting to less than £ 13 , 000/year .
Although Wall Street has contributed greatly to this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America is best understood as the spawn of the City of London .
The City of London is over 800 years old , it is arguably older than England herself , and for over 400 years it has been the financial center of the world .
During the medieval period the City of London , otherwise known as the Square Mile or simply the City , was divided into 25 ancient wards headed each by an alderman .
This continues today .
In addition , there existed the ominously titled City of London @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is the municipal governing body of the City .
This also still continues today .
Though the Corporation ’ s origins can not be specifically dated , since there was never a “ surviving ” charter found establishing its “ legal ” basis , it has kept its functions to this day based on the Magna Carta .
The Magna Carta is a charter of rights agreed to by King John in 1215 , which states that “ the City of London shall have/enjoy its ancient liberties ” .
In other words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has never been questioned , reviewed , re-evaluated EVER but rather it has been left to legally function as in accordance with their “ ancient liberties ” , which is a very grey description of function if you ask me .
In other words , they are free to do as they deem fit .
And it gets worst .
The Corporation is not actually under the jurisdiction of the British government .
That is , the British government presently does not have the authority to undermine how the Corporation of the City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the world .
The City has a separate voting system that allows for , well , corporations to vote in how their separate “ government ” should run .
It also has its own private police force and system of private courts .
The Corporation is not just limited to functioning within the City .
The City Remembrancer , which sounds more like a warped version of the ghost of Christmas past , has the role of acting as a channel of communication between the Corporation and the Sovereign ( the Queen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Remembrancer thus acts as a “ reminder ” , some would even say “ enforcer ” , of the will of the Corporation .
This position has been held by Paul Double since 2003 , it is not clear who bestows this non-elected position .
Mr .
Double has the right to act as an official lobbyist in the House of Commons , and sits to the right of the Speaker ’ s chair , with the purpose of scrutinising and influencing any legislation he deems affects the interests of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right to review any piece of legislation as it is being drafted and can even comment on it affecting its final outcome .
He is the only non-elected person allowed into the House of Commons .
According to the official City of London website , the reason why the City has a separate voting system is because : However , the workers have absolutely no say .
The City ’ s organisations they work for have a certain size vote based on the number of workers they employ , but they do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them are not even aware that such elections take place .
If you feel like you have just walked through Alice ’ s Looking Glass , you ’ re not alone , but what appears to be an absurd level of madness is what has been running the largest financial center in the world since the 1600s , under the machinations of the British Empire .
Therefore the question is , if the City of London has kept its “ ancient liberties ” and has upheld its global financial power , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to popular naïve belief , the empire on which the sun never sets ( some say “ because God wouldn ’ t trust them in the dark ” ) never went away .
After WWII , colonisation was meant to be done away with , and many thought , so too with the British Empire .
Countries were reclaiming their sovereignty , governments were being set up by the people , the system of looting and pillaging had come to an end .
It is a nice story , but could not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1950s , to “ adapt ” to the changing global financial climate , the City of London set up what are called “ secrecy jurisdictions ” .
These were to operate within the last remnants of Britain ’ s small territories/colonies .
Of Britain ’ s 14 oversea territories , 7 are bona fide tax havens or “ secrecy jurisdictions ” .
A separate international financial market was also created to facilitate the flow of this offshore money , the Eurodollar market .
Since this market has its banks outside of the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the jurisdiction of either country .
By 1997 , nearly 90 % of all international loans were made through this market .
What is often misunderstood is that the City of London ’ s offshore finances are not contained in a system of banking secrecy but rather of trusts .
The difference being that a trust ultimately plays with the concept of ownership .
The idea is that you hand over your assets to a trustee and at that point , legally those assets are no longer yours anymore and you are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ connection to said assets is completely hidden .
In addition , within Britain ’ s offshore jurisdictions , there is no qualification required for who can become a trustee : anyone can set up a trust and anyone can become a trustee .
There is also no registry of trusts in these territories .
Thus , the only ones who know about this arrangement are the trustee and the settler .
John Christensen , an investigative economist , estimates that this capital that legally belongs to nobody could amount to as high as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Not only is this not being taxed , but a significant portion of it has been stolen from sectors of the real economy .
So how does this affect “ formerly ” colonised countries ?
There lies the rub for most developing nations .
According to John Christensen , the combined external debts of Sub-Saharan African countries was $ 177 billion in 2008 .
However , the wealth that these countries ’ elites moved offshore , between 1970-2008 , is estimated at $ 944 billion , 5X their foreign debt .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also STOLEN money from the resources and productivity of these economies .
Thus , as Christensen states , “ Far from being a net debtor to the world , Sub-Saharan Africa is a net creditor ” to offshore finance .
Put in this context , the so-called “ backwardness ” of Africa is not due to its incapability to produce , but rather that it has been experiencing uninterrupted looting since these regions were first colonised .
These African countries then need to borrow money , which is happily given to them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a level of debt that could never be repaid .
These countries are thus looted twice over , leaving no money left to invest in their future , let alone to put food on the table .
Offshore havens are what make this sort of activity “ legal ” and rampant .
And it doesn ’ t stop there .
Worldwide , it is estimated that developing countries lose $ 1 trillion every year in capital flight and tax evasion .
Most of this wealth goes back into the UK and U.S. through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currencies to stay strong whilst developing nations ’ currencies are kept weak .
However , developing nations are not the only ones to have suffered from this system of looting .
The very economies of the UK and U.S. have also been gutted .
In the 1960s and onward , the UK and U.S. , to compensate for the increase in money flow out of their countries decided that it was a good idea to open their domestic markets to the trillions of dollars passing through its offshore havens .
However , such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money into industry and manufacturing , they put their money into real estate speculation , financial speculation and foreign currency trade .
And thus the financialization of British and American economies resulted , and the real jobs coming from the real economy decreased or disappeared .
Although many economists try to claim differently , the desperation has boiled over and movements like the yellow vests are reflections of the true consequences of these economic policies .
We have reached a point now where every western first world country is struggling with a much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of living than 40 years ago .
Along with increased poverty has followed increased drug use , increased suicide and increased crime .
According to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction ( EMCDDA ) report in 2017 , the UK has by far the highest rate of drug overdose in all of Europe at 31 % followed by Germany at 15 % .
That is , the UK consists of 1/3 drug overdoses that occur in all of Europe .
The average family income in the UK is presently £28 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UK is ~20 % .
The average family income of what was once the epicentre of world industrialisation , Detroit , has an average family income of $ 26 , 249 .
The poverty rate of Detroit is ~34.5 % .
What is the solution ?
Reverse Margaret Thatcher ’ s 1986 Big Bang deregulation of the banking system that destroyed the separation of commercial banking , investment banking , trusts and insurance for starters .
A similar restoration of Glass-Steagall in the USA should follow suit , not only to break @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” banking system but to restore the authority of nation states over private finance once more .
IF these emergency measures were done before the markets collapse ( and they will collapse ) , then the industrial-infrastructure revival throughout trans-Atlantic nations can still occur .
Let us end here by hearkening to the words of Clement Attlee , UK Prime Minister from 1945-1951 :

Cynthia Chung
The over 1000 point plunge of the stock market on Feb 27th and broader ruptures of the financial system last week have been yet another wake up call for those who have been contented so far to “live in the moment” of fast money.
Since the 2008 financial crisis, which is considered the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s, many have not been able to go back to sleep after such a lucid nightmare. Some have chosen the path of stocking up on cans of beans, distilling their urine into water and binge-watching survivalists such as Bear Grylls hoping to absorb his skills through television osmosis.
The 2008 crisis put in the spotlight the psychopathic level of greed, vice, apathy and short-sightedness from those who wanted to play into the City of London and Wall Street casino houses. Get rich quick and don’t care who you screw in the process, after all, at the end of the day you’re either a winner or a loser.
Since the general public tends to consist of decent people, there is a widespread difficulty in comprehending how entire economies of countries have been hijacked by these piranhas. That we have hit such a level of crime that even people’s hard-earned pensions, education, health-care, housing etc. are all being gambled away… LEGALLY.
Looking upon investment bankers today, one is reminded of those sad addicts in the casino who are ruined and lose everything, except the difference is, they are given the option to sell their neighbour’s family into slavery to pay off their debt.
It is no secret that much of the “finance” that goes through the City of London and Wall Street is dirty and yet despite this recognition, there appears to be an inability to address it and that at this point we are told that if we tried to address it by breaking up and regulating the “Too Big to Fail” banks, then the whole economy would come tumbling down.
That is, the world is so evidently run by criminal activity that at this point we have become dependent on its dirty money to keep afloat the world economy.
Faced with the onrushing collapse of the financial system, the greatest Ivy League trained minds of the world have run into a dead end: the bailouts into the banking system that began this past September have prevented a chain reaction meltdown for a few months, but as the liquidity runs out so too will the ideas on where the money justifying bank bailouts will come from.
With these dead ends, we have seen the lightbulb go off in the minds of a large strata of economists who have been making the case in recent years that valuable revenue can yet be generated from one more untapped stream: the decriminalisation and legalisation of vice.
Hell, the major banks have already been doing this covertly as a matter of practice for generations… so why not just come out of the closet and make it official? This is where the money is at. This is where the job market is at. So let us not “bite the hand that feeds us”!
But is this truly the case? Is there really no qualitative difference how the money is generated and how it is spent as long as there is an adequate money flow?
Well it is never a good sign when beside the richest you can also find the poorest just a stone’s throw away. And right beside the largest financial center in the world, the City of London, there lies the poorest borough in all of London: Tower Hamlets with a 39% poverty rate and an average family income amounting to less than £ 13, 000/year.
A City within a City
“Hell is a city much like London”
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Although Wall Street has contributed greatly to this sad situation, this banking hub of America is best understood as the spawn of the City of London.
The City of London is over 800 years old, it is arguably older than England herself, and for over 400 years it has been the financial center of the world.
During the medieval period the City of London, otherwise known as the Square Mile or simply the City, was divided into 25 ancient wards headed each by an alderman. This continues today. In addition, there existed the ominously titled City of London Corporation, or simply the Corporation, which is the municipal governing body of the City. This also still continues today.
Though the Corporation’s origins cannot be specifically dated, since there was never a “surviving” charter found establishing its “legal” basis, it has kept its functions to this day based on the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta is a charter of rights agreed to by King John in 1215, which states that “the City of London shall have/enjoy its ancient liberties”.
In other words, the legal function of the Corporation has never been questioned, reviewed, re-evaluated EVER but rather it has been left to legally function as in accordance with their “ancient liberties”, which is a very grey description of function if you ask me. In other words, they are free to do as they deem fit.
And it gets worst. The Corporation is not actually under the jurisdiction of the British government. That is, the British government presently does not have the authority to undermine how the Corporation of the City chooses to govern the largest financial center in the world.
The City has a separate voting system that allows for, well, corporations to vote in how their separate “government” should run. It also has its own private police force and system of private courts.
The Corporation is not just limited to functioning within the City. The City Remembrancer, which sounds more like a warped version of the ghost of Christmas past, has the role of acting as a channel of communication between the Corporation and the Sovereign (the Queen), the Royal Household and Parliament. The Remembrancer thus acts as a “reminder”, some would even say “enforcer”, of the will of the Corporation. This position has been held by Paul Double since 2003, it is not clear who bestows this non-elected position.
Mr. Double has the right to act as an official lobbyist in the House of Commons, and sits to the right of the Speaker’s chair, with the purpose of scrutinising and influencing any legislation he deems affects the interests of the Corporation. He also appears to have the right to review any piece of legislation as it is being drafted and can even comment on it affecting its final outcome. He is the only non-elected person allowed into the House of Commons.
According to the official City of London website, the reason why the City has a separate voting system is because:
“The City is the only area in the country in which the number of workers significantly outnumbers the residents and therefore, to be truly representative of its population, offers a vote to City organisations so they can have their say on the way the City is run.”
However, the workers have absolutely no say. The City’s organisations they work for have a certain size vote based on the number of workers they employ, but they do not consult these workers, and many of them are not even aware that such elections take place.
If you feel like you have just walked through Alice’s Looking Glass, you’re not alone, but what appears to be an absurd level of madness is what has been running the largest financial center in the world since the 1600s, under the machinations of the British Empire.
Therefore the question is, if the City of London has kept its “ancient liberties” and has upheld its global financial power, is the British Empire truly gone?
Offshore Banking: Adam Smith’s Invisible Hand?
Contrary to popular naïve belief, the empire on which the sun never sets (some say “because God wouldn’t trust them in the dark”) never went away.
After WWII, colonisation was meant to be done away with, and many thought, so too with the British Empire. Countries were reclaiming their sovereignty, governments were being set up by the people, the system of looting and pillaging had come to an end.
It is a nice story, but could not be further from the truth.
In the 1950s, to “adapt” to the changing global financial climate, the City of London set up what are called “secrecy jurisdictions”. These were to operate within the last remnants of Britain’s small territories/colonies. Of Britain’s 14 oversea territories, 7 are bona fide tax havens or “secrecy jurisdictions”. A separate international financial market was also created to facilitate the flow of this offshore money, the Eurodollar market. Since this market has its banks outside of the UK and U.S., they are not under the jurisdiction of either country.
By 1997, nearly 90% of all international loans were made through this market.
What is often misunderstood is that the City of London’s offshore finances are not contained in a system of banking secrecy but rather of trusts. The difference being that a trust ultimately plays with the concept of ownership. The idea is that you hand over your assets to a trustee and at that point, legally those assets are no longer yours anymore and you are not responsible for accounting for them. Your connection to said assets is completely hidden.
In addition, within Britain’s offshore jurisdictions, there is no qualification required for who can become a trustee: anyone can set up a trust and anyone can become a trustee. There is also no registry of trusts in these territories. Thus, the only ones who know about this arrangement are the trustee and the settler.
John Christensen, an investigative economist, estimates that this capital that legally belongs to nobody could amount to as high as $50 trillion within these British territories. Not only is this not being taxed, but a significant portion of it has been stolen from sectors of the real economy.
So how does this affect “formerly” colonised countries?
There lies the rub for most developing nations. According to John Christensen, the combined external debts of Sub-Saharan African countries was $177 billion in 2008. However, the wealth that these countries’ elites moved offshore, between 1970-2008, is estimated at $944 billion, 5X their foreign debt. This is not only dirty money, this is also STOLEN money from the resources and productivity of these economies. Thus, as Christensen states, “Far from being a net debtor to the world, Sub-Saharan Africa is a net creditor” to offshore finance.
Put in this context, the so-called “backwardness” of Africa is not due to its incapability to produce, but rather that it has been experiencing uninterrupted looting since these regions were first colonised.
These African countries then need to borrow money, which is happily given to them at high interest rates, and accrues a level of debt that could never be repaid. These countries are thus looted twice over, leaving no money left to invest in their future, let alone to put food on the table.
Offshore havens are what make this sort of activity “legal” and rampant.
And it doesn’t stop there. Worldwide, it is estimated that developing countries lose $1 trillion every year in capital flight and tax evasion. Most of this wealth goes back into the UK and U.S. through these offshore havens, and allows their currencies to stay strong whilst developing nations’ currencies are kept weak.
However, developing nations are not the only ones to have suffered from this system of looting. The very economies of the UK and U.S. have also been gutted. In the 1960s and onward, the UK and U.S., to compensate for the increase in money flow out of their countries decided that it was a good idea to open their domestic markets to the trillions of dollars passing through its offshore havens.
However, such banks are not interested in putting their money into industry and manufacturing, they put their money into real estate speculation, financial speculation and foreign currency trade. And thus the financialization of British and American economies resulted, and the real jobs coming from the real economy decreased or disappeared.
Although many economists try to claim differently, the desperation has boiled over and movements like the yellow vests are reflections of the true consequences of these economic policies.
We have reached a point now where every western first world country is struggling with a much higher unemployment rate and a lower standard of living than 40 years ago. Along with increased poverty has followed increased drug use, increased suicide and increased crime.
A Stable Economy based on Freedom or Slavery?
According to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) report in 2017, the UK has by far the highest rate of drug overdose in all of Europe at 31% followed by Germany at 15%. That is, the UK consists of 1/3 drug overdoses that occur in all of Europe.
The average family income in the UK is presently £28, 400. The poverty rate within the UK is ~20%.
The average family income of what was once the epicentre of world industrialisation, Detroit, has an average family income of $26, 249. The poverty rate of Detroit is ~34.5%.
What is the solution?
Reverse Margaret Thatcher’s 1986 Big Bang deregulation of the banking system that destroyed the separation of commercial banking, investment banking, trusts and insurance for starters. A similar restoration of Glass-Steagall in the USA should follow suit, not only to break up the “Too Big to Fail” banking system but to restore the authority of nation states over private finance once more. IF these emergency measures were done before the markets collapse (and they will collapse), then the industrial-infrastructure revival throughout trans-Atlantic nations can still occur.
Let us end here by hearkening to the words of Clement Attlee, UK Prime Minister from 1945-1951:
“Over and over again we have seen that there is another power than that which has its seat at Westminster. The City of London, a convenient term for a collection of financial interests, is able to assert itself against the government of the country. Those who control money can pursue a policy at home and abroad contrary to that which is being decided by the people.”
Originally published at Strategic Culture


offguardian--2020-03-13--Coronavirus: Brand new problem, same old reaction

While the media hysteria over the pandemic is unprecedented , behind the facade is a very familiar agenda There was a cartoon on TV when I was little called Pinky and The Brain , watched by small children and ironically appreciated by culty ( perhaps stoned ) teenagers alike .
It followed the wacky adventures of two white mice living in a science lab .
There was a running gag in the show , at some point Pinky ( the dumb mouse ) would ask The Brain ( the smart mouse ) what they were going to do tonight , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quote goes through my head a lot when I ’ m reading the news or following Twitter or the like .
The novel coronavirus is still all anyone in the media is talking about .
While many bemoan the UK government ’ s inaction , other governments are being far from inactive .
The “ states of emergency ” continue to spread , and the lockdowns are getting broader and stronger .
Eventually , Boris Johnson will likely be told he must “ do something ” enough that he ’ ll cave and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public gatherings and put army checkpoints up on all the roads .
Totally against his will , you understand .
That absolutely wasn ’ t the plan all along .
That seems to be the thing about this particular pandemic , it seems to be terribly terrifying and yet only ever spurns people to do stuff they would have been happy to do in the first place .
It ’ s been pretty convenient .
Look at Bolivia , for example , where a mighty three people have reportedly tested positive .
Their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military coup against a democratically elected President – has just declared a state of national emergency .
Schools are closed .
Public gatherings banned .
They may even have to cancel the elections , scheduled for May this year .
Won ’ t that be sad ?
I guess the unelected Junta will just have to keep running the country until the crisis is over .
Darn .
Oh , while we ’ re in the area , let ’ s look in on Venezuela .
Though currently home to not one single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statistics ) , Foreign Policy nevertheless reports that Venezuela is a nightmare waiting to happen : In another article , Foreign Policy also suggests the pandemic should be a reason to suspend the presidential election campaigning in the US .
Opening the article with the foreboding line : Which means no big crowds chanting Bernie ’ s name , no televised debates where Biden forgets where he is , and no lines of voters being turned away from the democrat primaries over “ misunderstandings ” .
The article even dances around the idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ during a time of plague ” can have an impact on the turnout and result , Laurie Garrett argues .
She stops short of that , but only because “ Orange Man Bad ” .
If it was Hillary in the White House , not Trump , the media would already have vociferously called for a postponement of the election altogether .
As it is , they make do with this : Given the reported irregularities surrounding Britain ’ s postal ballots in last year ’ s general election , and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an interesting suggestion .
( There will come the idea , someday soon , that all future voting be done digitally from home , at which point any even slight democracy left in the US system will be entirely stamped out ) .
Elsewhere , the war on cash is being spurred on by the World Health Organization , which is suggesting people stop using money because it carries disease .
Just as important as what we ’ re being told we must do , is what we ’ re being told we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s decision to suspend travel from 26 EU nations was met with derision ( even though these same publications were praising “ going medieval ” on pandemic prevention previously ) .
Is this just because it ’ s Trump ?
Or is it because the idea of a nation isolating itself for protection plays into tropes of nationalism and sovereignty that clash with the open-border , globalist agenda ?
It ’ s hard to say , since so many journalists would criticise World Peace or a cure for cancer if Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is found in France , where Macron has banned public gatherings ( say goodnight , Gilets Jaunes ) but left his borders open , claiming “ viruses don ’ t carry passports ” and warning against “ nationalism ” .
This is hard to reconcile with the alleged danger of the virus , given the fact he shares a soft border with Italy .
The CBC ran an article headlined Why travel bans won ’ t work to stop spread of COVID-19 , quoting Steven Hoffman , Professor of Health Law : Interestingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , word for word : “ viruses don ’ t carry passports ” .
I don ’ t know what that means , if anything .
I don ’ t believe anyone ever suggested viruses do carry passports , but they don ’ t buy football tickets or attend the theatre either .
How much sense does that make ?
Does quarantine work domestically , but not internationally ?
Apparently it ’ s not safe to watch a movie with a hundred strangers , but sitting on a plane with them for 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recycled air is perfectly fine .
That seems entirely irrational to me , but hey I ’ m no professor of health law .
What else are you not supposed to do ?
Well , read misinformation of course .
Sharing it can be dangerous .
Make sure you read only officially sanctioned government information .
Report all perpetrators of click crime and disinformation propagation .
Don ’ t worry .
Facebook , Apple , Microsoft , Twitter and Google are all working with the state to make sure you only get the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They ’ ll also be scrubbing “ misinformation ” and “ hoaxes ” from their platforms .
To protect you .
You ’ re welcome .
It ’ s funny , when you think about it .
It turns out in order to best deal with the coronavirus we need to ban large public protests , introduce martial law , prevent socialists being elected in Bolivia , effect regime change in Venezuela , stop using cash , vote digitally or by post , leave our borders wide open , censor the major social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Which is very fortunate , because they wanted to do all of that anyway .

While the media hysteria over the pandemic is unprecedented, behind the facade is a very familiar agenda
Kit Knightly
There was a cartoon on TV when I was little called Pinky and The Brain, watched by small children and ironically appreciated by culty (perhaps stoned) teenagers alike. It followed the wacky adventures of two white mice living in a science lab.
There was a running gag in the show, at some point Pinky (the dumb mouse) would ask The Brain (the smart mouse) what they were going to do tonight, and The Brain would answer:
The same thing we do every night Pinky…try to take over the world!
This quote goes through my head a lot when I’m reading the news or following Twitter or the like.
The novel coronavirus is still all anyone in the media is talking about. While many bemoan the UK government’s inaction, other governments are being far from inactive. The “states of emergency” continue to spread, and the lockdowns are getting broader and stronger.
Eventually, Boris Johnson will likely be told he must “do something” enough that he’ll cave and shut down all the schools, ban public gatherings and put army checkpoints up on all the roads. Totally against his will, you understand. That absolutely wasn’t the plan all along.
That seems to be the thing about this particular pandemic, it seems to be terribly terrifying and yet only ever spurns people to do stuff they would have been happy to do in the first place. It’s been pretty convenient.
How are we going to respond to this crisis Brain?”
“The same way we respond to every crisis, Pinky…try to take over the world!”
Look at Bolivia, for example, where a mighty three people have reportedly tested positive.
Their interim government – the result of a military coup against a democratically elected President – has just declared a state of national emergency. Schools are closed. Public gatherings banned. They may even have to cancel the elections, scheduled for May this year. Won’t that be sad? I guess the unelected Junta will just have to keep running the country until the crisis is over. Darn.
Oh, while we’re in the area, let’s look in on Venezuela.
Though currently home to not one single case of Covid19 (according to the statistics), Foreign Policy nevertheless reports that Venezuela is a nightmare waiting to happen:
The collapsing medical system can’t handle a coronavirus outbreak on its own.
And even, potentially, a global threat:
Government actions that have contributed to Venezuela’s collapsing health care system not only violate Venezuelans’ right to health, but they are now a threat to global health.
The solution? Well…take a guess:
The international community must step in […] sustained international pressure on the Maduro government, including targeted sanctions such as asset freezes and the cancellation of visas for top Venezuelan officials. There should also be a push for international accountability for crimes including torture, given the absolute lack of judicial independence in the country.
In another article, Foreign Policy also suggests the pandemic should be a reason to suspend the presidential election campaigning in the US. Opening the article with the foreboding line:
It’s time to ask, during a time of plague, whether — and if so, in what form — democracy can continue as usual.
Which means no big crowds chanting Bernie’s name, no televised debates where Biden forgets where he is, and no lines of voters being turned away from the democrat primaries over “misunderstandings”.
The article even dances around the idea of postponing the vote itself. Voting “during a time of plague” can have an impact on the turnout and result, Laurie Garrett argues. She stops short of that, but only because “Orange Man Bad”. If it was Hillary in the White House, not Trump, the media would already have vociferously called for a postponement of the election altogether.
As it is, they make do with this:
Actual voting can, and should, proceed with heavy emphasis on mailed ballots.
Given the reported irregularities surrounding Britain’s postal ballots in last year’s general election, and their historic ease of fraud, this is an interesting suggestion. (There will come the idea, someday soon, that all future voting be done digitally from home, at which point any even slight democracy left in the US system will be entirely stamped out).
Elsewhere, the war on cash is being spurred on by the World Health Organization, which is suggesting people stop using money because it carries disease.
Just as important as what we’re being told we must do, is what we’re being told we must not do.
For example, Trump’s decision to suspend travel from 26 EU nations was met with derision (even though these same publications were praising “going medieval” on pandemic prevention previously). Is this just because it’s Trump? Or is it because the idea of a nation isolating itself for protection plays into tropes of nationalism and sovereignty that clash with the open-border, globalist agenda?
It’s hard to say, since so many journalists would criticise World Peace or a cure for cancer if Trump brought it about.
Perhaps one clue is found in France, where Macron has banned public gatherings (say goodnight, Gilets Jaunes) but left his borders open, claiming “viruses don’t carry passports” and warning against “nationalism”. This is hard to reconcile with the alleged danger of the virus, given the fact he shares a soft border with Italy.
The CBC ran an article headlined Why travel bans won’t work to stop spread of COVID-19, quoting Steven Hoffman, Professor of Health Law:
[Travel bans] don’t work…They undermine the public health response. They undermine trust in governments and violate international law in the process.”
Interestingly, Hoffman uses the same exact phrase, word for word: “viruses don’t carry passports”. I don’t know what that means, if anything. I don’t believe anyone ever suggested viruses do carry passports, but they don’t buy football tickets or attend the theatre either.
How much sense does that make? Does quarantine work domestically, but not internationally?
Apparently it’s not safe to watch a movie with a hundred strangers, but sitting on a plane with them for 10 hours, breathing (famously unhygienic) recycled air is perfectly fine. That seems entirely irrational to me, but hey I’m no professor of health law.
(My favourite quote from that article: “if people want to travel, they’ll find ways to do so. Instead it’s best if people travel through official channels”, mostly because I’m not sure how you travel without using “official channels”. He seems to be suggesting that if Virgin Atlantic turned me away from my flight to JFK, I’d just grab a kayak, head to the beach and start paddling.)
What else are you not supposed to do? Well, read misinformation of course. Sharing it can be dangerous. Make sure you read only officially sanctioned government information. Report all perpetrators of click crime and disinformation propagation.
Don’t worry. Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, Twitter and Google are all working with the state to make sure you only get the information the government decides you need. They’ll also be scrubbing “misinformation” and “hoaxes” from their platforms. To protect you. You’re welcome.
It’s funny, when you think about it.
It turns out in order to best deal with the coronavirus we need to ban large public protests, introduce martial law, prevent socialists being elected in Bolivia, effect regime change in Venezuela, stop using cash, vote digitally or by post, leave our borders wide open, censor the major social media networks and start enforcing compulsory vaccination.
Which is very fortunate, because they wanted to do all of that anyway.


offguardian--2020-03-12--WATCH: Is This THE Big Event?

WATCH: Is This THE Big Event?

As I ’ ve noted in my recent work , many globalist agenda items are up for grabs as the @ @ @ @ @ about the novel coronavirus and Covid-19 .
So is this the main event ?
Is @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s being portrayed ?
Are reinfections after “ recovery ” common ?
And @ @ @ @ @ prepare .
James tackles these questions in depth in this edition of Questions For Corbett @

As I’ve noted in my recent work, many globalist agenda items are up for grabs as the world continues to freak out about the novel coronavirus and Covid-19. So is this the main event? Is the disease much worse than it’s being portrayed? Are reinfections after “recovery” common? And what should we do to prepare. James tackles these questions in depth in this edition of Questions For Corbett.


offguardian--2020-03-12--The MH17 Show Trial Isn’t About Justice Or Closure, But Information Warfare

The MH17 tragedy is back in the news after the start of this case ’ s show trial in the Netherlands , which isn ’ t about bringing the alleged perpetrators to justice or helping the victims ’ families find closure , but waging information warfare against Russia in an attempt to “ conclusively ” pin the blame for this crime on its supposed proxies in Eastern Ukraine so as to ruin President Putin ’ s international reputation once and for all .
The world is once again talking about the MH17 tragedy after the start of this case ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where four of the alleged perpetrators are being accused of murder .
It ’ s unlikely that they ’ ll appear before the court , so the entire process is more about show than substance .
In case the reader doesn ’ t remember exactly what happened on that fateful summer day on 17 July , 2014 , the author recommends that they review his most recent analysis on the issue from earlier this year titled “ Latest MH17 Documentary By SBU Whistleblower Shares Some Shocking Truths ” , which covers what he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of events that transpired immediately before , during , and after the passenger jet was shot down over Eastern Ukraine .
In short , the conventional narrative that the Russian-aligned rebels there were responsible is debunked as a convenient cover-up for masking Kiev ’ s culpability , which in turn also makes that government ’ s Western backers — and not Russia — indirectly responsible .
It ’ s therefore understandable that a lot of powerful forces are invested in making their manufactured version of the “ truth ” the “ official ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is nothing more than an attempt to “ conclusively ” pin the blame for this crime on Russia and its supposed proxies in Eastern Ukraine .
Before going any further , it needs to be said that victims ’ families have every right to be upset about what happened , and that everyone should respect their right to draw their own conclusions about what took place even if one doesn ’ t ultimately agree with them .
The author doesn ’ t believe that Russia or the Eastern Ukrainian rebels were responsible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victims ’ families think differently , especially after some of them staged a silent protest outside of the Russian Embassy in The Hague over the weekend .
Nobody should criticize the victims ’ families and thus make this all the more harder for them to deal with , but there ’ s also nothing wrong with talking about how their reaction to this tragedy is being exploited by those who are relying upon it to convince others that their interpretation of events is the only correct one .
Politicizing the suffering of innocent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it or why , which is why it ’ s morally reprehensible that others are taking advantage of them under the guise of “ giving them a voice ” in order to push their narrative onto the broader public .
The ongoing trial isn ’ t about bringing the alleged perpetrators to justice or helping the victim ’ s families find closure , but waging information warfare against Russia , the purpose of which is to ruin its international reputation and that of its leader once and for all .
President Putin is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the non-West because of his domestic and foreign policy successes over the past 20 years , which greatly contributed to bringing the emerging Multipolar World Order about .
Even his detractors recognize that he ’ s an epochal figure whose legacy will certainly be studied for generations to come by people all across the world , they just regard Russia ’ s return to international prominence as being detrimental to their countries ’ zero-sum interests .
Nevertheless , they also wisely understand that soft power is more important than ever before in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , especially after the information-communication technology revolution of the early 2000s , so they have a driving motivation to defame the Russian leader any chance they get .
Regrettably , the MH17 tragedy is cynically seen as the “ perfect opportunity ” to ruin his legacy by forever associating him with what happened even though he played no role in those events whatsoever , nor did his countrymen .
All that ’ s important to the “ perception managers ” who manufactured this weaponized narrative is that the lingering suspicion of President Putin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exists , which explains the infowar importance of the ongoing show trial for supposedly “ confirming ” that .
Back to the show trial itself , it ’ s predictable that the accused will probably be found “ guilty ” for the aforementioned political reasons of pinning the blame for that tragedy entirely on Russia and the Eastern Ukrainian rebels so as to defect from the “ inconvenient ” facts that have since come to light implicating Kiev and its Western backers , which was explained in the author ’ s analysis that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this article .
The overall soft power impact of this seemingly inevitable conclusion will likely be minimal , however , seeing as how most people have already made up their minds about who was really responsible .
Those who are convinced that Russia played a role will feel “ vindicated ” by the anticipated verdict , while those who have remained skeptical this entire time could use the newfound attention to this case to share the “ inconvenient ” evidence that was just touched upon with others .
The takeaway from all this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will almost always be politicized for information warfare purposes , especially if the case can remotely be made that Russia or any of the West ’ s other geopolitical rivals might have had even an indirect role in whatever it is that transpired , so these countries should brace themselves to expect more such show trials in the future and take steps to ensure that their side of the story is heard by as many people as possible .

Andrew Korybko
The MH17 tragedy is back in the news after the start of this case’s show trial in the Netherlands, which isn’t about bringing the alleged perpetrators to justice or helping the victims’ families find closure, but waging information warfare against Russia in an attempt to “conclusively” pin the blame for this crime on its supposed proxies in Eastern Ukraine so as to ruin President Putin’s international reputation once and for all.
The world is once again talking about the MH17 tragedy after the start of this case’s show trial in the Netherlands, where four of the alleged perpetrators are being accused of murder. It’s unlikely that they’ll appear before the court, so the entire process is more about show than substance.
In case the reader doesn’t remember exactly what happened on that fateful summer day on 17 July, 2014, the author recommends that they review his most recent analysis on the issue from earlier this year titled “Latest MH17 Documentary By SBU Whistleblower Shares Some Shocking Truths”, which covers what he believes to be the most convincing version of events that transpired immediately before, during, and after the passenger jet was shot down over Eastern Ukraine.
In short, the conventional narrative that the Russian-aligned rebels there were responsible is debunked as a convenient cover-up for masking Kiev’s culpability, which in turn also makes that government’s Western backers — and not Russia — indirectly responsible. It’s therefore understandable that a lot of powerful forces are invested in making their manufactured version of the “truth” the “official” one, hence the show trial, which is nothing more than an attempt to “conclusively” pin the blame for this crime on Russia and its supposed proxies in Eastern Ukraine.
Before going any further, it needs to be said that victims’ families have every right to be upset about what happened, and that everyone should respect their right to draw their own conclusions about what took place even if one doesn’t ultimately agree with them. The author doesn’t believe that Russia or the Eastern Ukrainian rebels were responsible, but acknowledges that some of the victims’ families think differently, especially after some of them staged a silent protest outside of the Russian Embassy in The Hague over the weekend.
Nobody should criticize the victims’ families and thus make this all the more harder for them to deal with, but there’s also nothing wrong with talking about how their reaction to this tragedy is being exploited by those who are relying upon it to convince others that their interpretation of events is the only correct one.
Politicizing the suffering of innocent people is wrong no matter who does it or why, which is why it’s morally reprehensible that others are taking advantage of them under the guise of “giving them a voice” in order to push their narrative onto the broader public. The ongoing trial isn’t about bringing the alleged perpetrators to justice or helping the victim’s families find closure, but waging information warfare against Russia, the purpose of which is to ruin its international reputation and that of its leader once and for all.
President Putin is generally despised by the West but loved by the non-West because of his domestic and foreign policy successes over the past 20 years, which greatly contributed to bringing the emerging Multipolar World Order about. Even his detractors recognize that he’s an epochal figure whose legacy will certainly be studied for generations to come by people all across the world, they just regard Russia’s return to international prominence as being detrimental to their countries’ zero-sum interests.
Nevertheless, they also wisely understand that soft power is more important than ever before in today’s interconnected, globalized world, especially after the information-communication technology revolution of the early 2000s, so they have a driving motivation to defame the Russian leader any chance they get.
Regrettably, the MH17 tragedy is cynically seen as the “perfect opportunity” to ruin his legacy by forever associating him with what happened even though he played no role in those events whatsoever, nor did his countrymen. All that’s important to the “perception managers” who manufactured this weaponized narrative is that the lingering suspicion of President Putin’s possible involvement “credibly” exists, which explains the infowar importance of the ongoing show trial for supposedly “confirming” that.
Back to the show trial itself, it’s predictable that the accused will probably be found “guilty” for the aforementioned political reasons of pinning the blame for that tragedy entirely on Russia and the Eastern Ukrainian rebels so as to defect from the “inconvenient” facts that have since come to light implicating Kiev and its Western backers, which was explained in the author’s analysis that he cited in the opening paragraph of this article.
The overall soft power impact of this seemingly inevitable conclusion will likely be minimal, however, seeing as how most people have already made up their minds about who was really responsible. Those who are convinced that Russia played a role will feel “vindicated” by the anticipated verdict, while those who have remained skeptical this entire time could use the newfound attention to this case to share the “inconvenient” evidence that was just touched upon with others.
The takeaway from all this “legal” drama is that tragedies will almost always be politicized for information warfare purposes, especially if the case can remotely be made that Russia or any of the West’s other geopolitical rivals might have had even an indirect role in whatever it is that transpired, so these countries should brace themselves to expect more such show trials in the future and take steps to ensure that their side of the story is heard by as many people as possible.
Originally published by One World Press