activistpost--2020-12-19--Russia’s Hypersonic “Zircon” Missile Takes Flight

Russian state media reported a successful test flight of its new hypersonic missile , the Zircon .
Flying at Mach 8 ( 8 times the speed of sound or around 10,000 kph ) , the missile poses a new and credible threat to the air defense systems of potential aggressors .
Fired from vertical launch tubes on a Russian warship , the missile is capable of striking both targets at sea and on land .
This most recent test took place over a range of 350 kilometers , but claims the missile is capable of ranges of up to 1,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean that missiles fired from the Mediterranean Sea , for example , could hit virtually any target amid the ongoing Syrian conflict , both within Syria but also in neighboring nations backing militants fighting against the Syrian government and its Russian allies .
Is the West Downplaying ‘ Zircon ’ s ’ Capabilities to Hide Fears ?
The Western media has reported on Russia ’ s hypersonic missiles for a while .
And now that the first Zircon missiles have taken flight in reportedly successful tests – speculation among the West as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s technological achievement is in full motion .
Articles like Popular Science ’ s , “ Don ’ t believe the hype about Russia ’ s hypersonic missile , ” claim : The article continues by noting that speed alone is not necessarily an undefeatable trait of the Zircon missile and that an ability to maneuver – particularly end-game maneuverability right before hitting a target – would make it a truly credible and nearly unstoppable threat to the fleets of aggressor nations .
Then there is Military.com ’ s article , “ Why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t Be Seen on Radar , ” which notes ( emphasis added ) : Become an Activist Post Patron for just $ 1 per month at Patreon .
The only hope to stopping an incoming Zircon missile – or any hypersonic missile for that matter – would be to detect it early enough and be able to react fast enough to throw up defenses in its flight path .
Barring its ability to maneuver at the last moment to evade these defenses – there is the possibility of intercepting them .
But that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few missiles are launched .
Even a full-fledged US carrier strike group would be able to shoot down only so many of these missiles at one given time .
The footage made available of the Zircon ’ s recent test flight shows it deploying from one of several vertical launch tubes meaning that in the future – multiple missiles will be aboard any given Russian military vessel – meaning that several vessels can launch several missiles at any given time .
With the possibility of altering their flight paths accordingly – large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ target or targets simultaneously and from multiple angles , overwhelming even the best air defenses in a process known as saturation .
This means that should enough of these missiles make it into service with Russia ’ s naval forces and should the need arise to use them – large numbers can be used to overwhelm air defense systems even if they are tuned specifically to counter hypersonic weapons like the Zircon missile .
Not only does the development and deployment among Russia ’ s fleet of Zircon hypersonic missiles give Russia yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Western aggression , the prospect of these weapons being sold to allies would extend a credible deterrence well beyond Russia ’ s borders and shores as well .
In fact , US-based think-tank – RAND Corporation – detailed the threat proliferation poses to US military aggression around the globe in a lengthy policy paper titled , “ Hypersonic Missile Nonproliferation : Hindering the Spread of a New Class of Weapons.
” And this “ threat ” to the “ forward-projected forces ” of “ major powers ” – referring almost exclusively to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ongoing campaigns of military aggression , occupation , and intervention around the globe – is what the US fears the most .
It is a non-nuclear military deterrence capable of sinking a US fleet or demolishing a US military base built illegally in an occupied nation , and one the US has very few means to defend against .
There is also no real pretext to oppose a nation of developing or acquiring such weapons either , besides the ability of hypersonic missiles to thwart otherwise illegal military aggression carried out by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult case to make and produce policy very difficult to sell to the international community .
For the US itself – a nation surrounded by two vast oceans , the Atlantic and Pacific – the prospect of hypersonic missiles posing a threat to its actual territory is minimal .
It is its illegally deployed military forces engaged in likewise illegal military aggression around the globe that are most at risk .
The RAND Corporation ’ s paper advocating for moves to limit the proliferation of hypersonic missiles is already an uphill battle .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and advanced BrahMos cruise missile – jointly developed by Russia and India – is set to be further developed into a hypersonic missile in the near future .
This technology will undoubtedly be proliferated by nations like Russia and China specifically because of the check and balance it serves against US military aggression around the globe – a non-nuclear alternative that raises the stakes and price for US military aggression , thus leaving policymakers in Washington and their sponsors on Wall Street with more constructive competition and collaboration as as their only alternatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s hypersonic missile , the Zircon , is not just a technological achievement or a newly acquired and formidable military capability – it is also a useful component of a much wider diplomatic effort to shift the world from the Western-dominated unipolar “ rules-based international order , ” one underwritten by Western military aggression , and toward multipolarism where the cost of conflict is higher than the cost of fair competition and cooperation .
Brian Berletic is a Bangkok-based geopolitical researcher and writer , especially for the online magazine “ New Eastern Outlook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truth , peace , and freedom news .
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By Brian Berletic
Russian state media reported a successful test flight of its new hypersonic missile, the Zircon. Flying at Mach 8 (8 times the speed of sound or around 10,000 kph), the missile poses a new and credible threat to the air defense systems of potential aggressors.
Fired from vertical launch tubes on a Russian warship, the missile is capable of striking both targets at sea and on land. This most recent test took place over a range of 350 kilometers, but claims the missile is capable of ranges of up to 1,000 kilometers have been reported.
This would mean that missiles fired from the Mediterranean Sea, for example, could hit virtually any target amid the ongoing Syrian conflict, both within Syria but also in neighboring nations backing militants fighting against the Syrian government and its Russian allies.
Is the West Downplaying ‘Zircon’s’ Capabilities to Hide Fears?
The Western media has reported on Russia’s hypersonic missiles for a while. And now that the first Zircon missiles have taken flight in reportedly successful tests – speculation among the West as well as an attempt to downplay Russia’s technological achievement is in full motion.
Articles like Popular Science’s, “Don’t believe the hype about Russia’s hypersonic missile,” claim:
Despite headlines to the contrary, not enough about the missile is known yet to definitely claim that it poses an uncounterable threats to ships at sea.
The article continues by noting that speed alone is not necessarily an undefeatable trait of the Zircon missile and that an ability to maneuver – particularly end-game maneuverability right before hitting a target – would make it a truly credible and nearly unstoppable threat to the fleets of aggressor nations.
Then there is Military.com’s article, “Why Russia’s Hypersonic Missiles Can’t Be Seen on Radar,” which notes (emphasis added):
The missile flies with an advanced fuel that the Russians say gives it a range of up to 1,000 kilometers. And it’s so fast that the air pressure in front of the weapon forms a plasma cloud as it moves, absorbing radio waves and making it practically invisible to active radar systems. U.S. Aegis missile interceptor systems require 8-10 seconds of reaction time to intercept incoming attacks. In those 8-10 seconds, the Russian Zircon missiles will already have traveled 20 kilometers, and the interceptor missiles do not fly fast enough to catch up.
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The only hope to stopping an incoming Zircon missile – or any hypersonic missile for that matter – would be to detect it early enough and be able to react fast enough to throw up defenses in its flight path. Barring its ability to maneuver at the last moment to evade these defenses – there is the possibility of intercepting them.
But that’s if just one, or a few missiles are launched. Even a full-fledged US carrier strike group would be able to shoot down only so many of these missiles at one given time.
The footage made available of the Zircon’s recent test flight shows it deploying from one of several vertical launch tubes meaning that in the future – multiple missiles will be aboard any given Russian military vessel – meaning that several vessels can launch several missiles at any given time.
With the possibility of altering their flight paths accordingly – large numbers of missiles could reach a potential target or targets simultaneously and from multiple angles, overwhelming even the best air defenses in a process known as saturation.
This means that should enough of these missiles make it into service with Russia’s naval forces and should the need arise to use them – large numbers can be used to overwhelm air defense systems even if they are tuned specifically to counter hypersonic weapons like the Zircon missile.
Raising the Cost of Western Military Aggression
Not only does the development and deployment among Russia’s fleet of Zircon hypersonic missiles give Russia yet another conventional weapon serving as a deterrence against Western aggression, the prospect of these weapons being sold to allies would extend a credible deterrence well beyond Russia’s borders and shores as well.
In fact, US-based think-tank – RAND Corporation – detailed the threat proliferation poses to US military aggression around the globe in a lengthy policy paper titled, “Hypersonic Missile Nonproliferation: Hindering the Spread of a New Class of Weapons.”
The paper notes that:
…because of the difficulties of defending against hypersonic missiles, relatively small hypersonic forces can pose threats against major powers’ forward-projected forces, or even deterrent threats against the homelands of major powers.
And this “threat” to the “forward-projected forces” of “major powers” – referring almost exclusively to the United States and is multiple, ongoing campaigns of military aggression, occupation, and intervention around the globe – is what the US fears the most.
It is a non-nuclear military deterrence capable of sinking a US fleet or demolishing a US military base built illegally in an occupied nation, and one the US has very few means to defend against. There is also no real pretext to oppose a nation of developing or acquiring such weapons either, besides the ability of hypersonic missiles to thwart otherwise illegal military aggression carried out by the US. It would be a very difficult case to make and produce policy very difficult to sell to the international community.
For the US itself – a nation surrounded by two vast oceans, the Atlantic and Pacific – the prospect of hypersonic missiles posing a threat to its actual territory is minimal. It is its illegally deployed military forces engaged in likewise illegal military aggression around the globe that are most at risk.
The RAND Corporation’s paper advocating for moves to limit the proliferation of hypersonic missiles is already an uphill battle. While not hypersonic, the incredibly fast and advanced BrahMos cruise missile – jointly developed by Russia and India – is set to be further developed into a hypersonic missile in the near future.
This technology will undoubtedly be proliferated by nations like Russia and China specifically because of the check and balance it serves against US military aggression around the globe – a non-nuclear alternative that raises the stakes and price for US military aggression, thus leaving policymakers in Washington and their sponsors on Wall Street with more constructive competition and collaboration as as their only alternatives.
In many ways, Russia’s hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is not just a technological achievement or a newly acquired and formidable military capability – it is also a useful component of a much wider diplomatic effort to shift the world from the Western-dominated unipolar “rules-based international order,” one underwritten by Western military aggression, and toward multipolarism where the cost of conflict is higher than the cost of fair competition and cooperation.
Brian Berletic is a Bangkok-based geopolitical researcher and writer, especially for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook”.
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activistpost--2020-12-19--Longest-Serving Inmate for Cannabis Finally Released — Son, Wife, Parents All Died While He Was In

The Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution reads as follows : Excessive bail shall not be required , nor excessive fines imposed , nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted .
Here at the Free Thought Project we feel that 90 years in prison without the possibility of parole for selling a plant is not only excessive but extremely cruel .
Sadly , however , it is not unusual .
Richard DeLisi , 71 , has been in prison for the last 31 years for selling cannabis .
In 1989 , he was caught smuggling the plant — which has never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judge mistakenly thought DeLisi was part of organized crime because he was an Italian from New York , so he sentenced him to 90 years in prison .
During his time in prison , DeLisi ’ s family reportedly spent more than $ 250,000 on attorneys ’ fees and over $ 80,000 on long-distance international collect calls .
Finally , this month , all that time and money paid off and DeLisi was freed .
DeLisi ’ s release was bitter sweet , however .
While locked in a cage for selling a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wife , and son all passed away .
His adult daughter was also in a horrific car accident and suffered a paralyzing stroke as a result .
Because the state kidnaps and cages people for possessing a plant , this poor man missed his own son ’ s funeral and did not get to say goodbye to his parents or wife .
Tragic indeed .
Instead of dwelling in a pit of negativity , however , DeLisi says he is moving on and is extremely thankful for his 11-year-old and 1-year-old granddaughters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ being , a survivor , ” DeLisi said in a phone interview with The Associated Press .
“ Prison changed me ” , he said .
“ I never really knew who God was and now I know and it changed the way I talk to people and treat people , ” said DeLisi , who became a mentor to younger inmates .
“ For me , being there so long , I was able to take gang members from gangs to gentlemen.
” Become an Activist Post Patron for just $ 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants “ to make the best of every bit of my time ” fighting for the release of other inmates through his organization FreeDeLisi.com .
“ The system needs to change and I ’ m going to try my best to be an activist , ” he said .
We agree .
The system is due for massive change and we hope that DeLisi is successful in his mission as it ’ s not just sentences like DeLisi ’ s that are excessive .
Any time anyone is deprived of their freedom or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this plant , it is cruel and excessive , yet sadly it remains a function of this entire system .
In the United States , cannabis is legal in some form in most of the country .
One would think that with this widespread legalization , which seems to be speeding up , that police officers would start concentrating their efforts elsewhere and arrest actual criminals who hurt people — not kidnap and cage innocent people for using a plant .
Sadly , however , the incentives for arresting cannabis users are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on , laying waste to all the lives it touches along the way .
According to the recently released Uniform Crime Report police arrested 545,602 people for cannabis related crimes in 2019 .
That arrest rate is 9 % higher than the 495,871 people arrested for violent crimes the same year .
As Forbes points out , cops aren ’ t arresting cannabis kingpins with thousands of pounds of pot , they like to prey on the little people , known to cops as the low hanging fruit .
What ’ s more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the non-profit who helped free DeLisi , at least 40,000 prisoners are currently serving sentences for cannabis infractions that are now legal .
“ Police across America make a marijuana-related arrest every 58 seconds , ” explains Erik Altieri , the Executive Director for cannabis advocacy group NORML .
“ At a time when the overwhelming majority of Americans want cannabis to be legal and regulated , it is an outrage that many police departments across the country continue to waste tax dollars and limited law enforcement resources on arresting otherwise law-abiding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA .
This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state .
Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world .
Agorist is also the Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project .
Follow @ MattAgorist on Twitter , Steemit , and now on Minds .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
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By Matt Agorist
The Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution reads as follows: Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. Here at the Free Thought Project we feel that 90 years in prison without the possibility of parole for selling a plant is not only excessive but extremely cruel. Sadly, however, it is not unusual.
Richard DeLisi, 71, has been in prison for the last 31 years for selling cannabis. In 1989, he was caught smuggling the plant — which has never killed anyone — into Florida. The judge mistakenly thought DeLisi was part of organized crime because he was an Italian from New York, so he sentenced him to 90 years in prison.
During his time in prison, DeLisi’s family reportedly spent more than $250,000 on attorneys’ fees and over $80,000 on long-distance international collect calls. Finally, this month, all that time and money paid off and DeLisi was freed.
DeLisi’s release was bitter sweet, however. While locked in a cage for selling a plant, DeLisi’s parents, wife, and son all passed away. His adult daughter was also in a horrific car accident and suffered a paralyzing stroke as a result.
Because the state kidnaps and cages people for possessing a plant, this poor man missed his own son’s funeral and did not get to say goodbye to his parents or wife. Tragic indeed.
Instead of dwelling in a pit of negativity, however, DeLisi says he is moving on and is extremely thankful for his 11-year-old and 1-year-old granddaughters.
“I’m a blessed human being, a survivor,” DeLisi said in a phone interview with The Associated Press.
“Prison changed me”, he said. “I never really knew who God was and now I know and it changed the way I talk to people and treat people,” said DeLisi, who became a mentor to younger inmates. “For me, being there so long, I was able to take gang members from gangs to gentlemen.”
Become an Activist Post Patron for just $1 per month at Patreon.
He now wants “to make the best of every bit of my time” fighting for the release of other inmates through his organization FreeDeLisi.com.
“The system needs to change and I’m going to try my best to be an activist,” he said. We agree. The system is due for massive change and we hope that DeLisi is successful in his mission as it’s not just sentences like DeLisi’s that are excessive. Any time anyone is deprived of their freedom or extorted by government for possessing or partaking in this plant, it is cruel and excessive, yet sadly it remains a function of this entire system.
In the United States, cannabis is legal in some form in most of the country. One would think that with this widespread legalization, which seems to be speeding up, that police officers would start concentrating their efforts elsewhere and arrest actual criminals who hurt people — not kidnap and cage innocent people for using a plant. Sadly, however, the incentives for arresting cannabis users are too addictive and the police state marches on, laying waste to all the lives it touches along the way.
According to the recently released Uniform Crime Report police arrested 545,602 people for cannabis related crimes in 2019. That arrest rate is 9% higher than the 495,871 people arrested for violent crimes the same year.
As Forbes points out, cops aren’t arresting cannabis kingpins with thousands of pounds of pot, they like to prey on the little people, known to cops as the low hanging fruit.
The vast majority of these arrests (92%) were for simple possession of the drug. 500,395 of those arrested for cannabis were simply found in possession of cannabis. Even if we take out all the arrests for being involved in unregulated cannabis commerce and just focus on arrests for cannabis possession, the numbers still outpace arrests for violent crimes.
What’s more, according to the Last Prisoner Project, the non-profit who helped free DeLisi, at least 40,000 prisoners are currently serving sentences for cannabis infractions that are now legal.
“Police across America make a marijuana-related arrest every 58 seconds,” explains Erik Altieri, the Executive Director for cannabis advocacy group NORML. “At a time when the overwhelming majority of Americans want cannabis to be legal and regulated, it is an outrage that many police departments across the country continue to waste tax dollars and limited law enforcement resources on arresting otherwise law-abiding citizens for simple marijuana possession.”
Source: The Free Thought Project
Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA. This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state. Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world. Agorist is also the Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project. Follow @MattAgorist on Twitter, Steemit, and now on Minds.
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activistpost--2020-12-19--The US Money Supply Was Up 37 Percent In November

In November , money supply growth rate was essentially unchanged from October and remains near September ’ s all-time high .
The stabilization we find in money-supply growth in recent months comes after eight months of record-breaking growth in the US which came in the wake of unprecedented quantitative easing , central bank asset purchases , and various stimulus packages .
Historically , the growth rate has never been higher than what we ’ ve seen this year , with the 1970s being the only period that comes close .
It was expected that money supply growth would surge in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wake of the early months of a recession or financial crisis .
But it appears that now the United States is several months into an extended economic crisis , with around 1 million new jobless claims each week from March until mid-September .
More than 5 million unemployed workers are currently collecting standard unemployment benefits , with 8 million more collecting “ Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation ” as of late November .
The central bank continues to engage in a wide variety of unprecedented efforts to “ stimulate ” the economy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide liquidity to financial institutions .
Moreover , as government revenues have fallen considerably , Congress has turned to unprecedented amounts of borrowing .
But in order to keep interest rates low , the Fed has been buying up trillions of dollars in assets—including government debt .
This has fueled new money creation .
During November 2020 , year-over-year ( YOY ) growth in the money supply was at 37.08 percent .
That ’ s unchanged from October ’ s rate , and up from November 2019 ’ s rate of 5.9 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surge in growth , year over year .
It is also quite a reversal from the trend that only just ended in August of last year , when growth rates were nearly bottoming out around 2 percent .
In August 2019 , the growth rate hit a 120-month low , falling to the lowest growth rates we ’ d seen since 2007 .
The money supply metric used here—the “ true ” or Rothbard-Salerno money supply measure ( TMS ) —is the metric developed by Murray Rothbard and Joseph Salerno , and is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money supply fluctuations than M2 .
The Mises Institute now offers regular updates on this metric and its growth .
This measure of the money supply differs from M2 in that it includes Treasury deposits at the Fed ( and excludes short-time deposits , traveler ’ s checks , and retail money funds ) .
The M2 growth rate reached new historic highs in November , growing 25.07 percent compared to October ’ s growth rate of 24.17 percent .
M2 grew 7.06 percent during November of last year .
The M2 growth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to late 2018 but has been growing again in recent months .
As of March , it is following a trend similar to that of TMS , but to a lesser degree .
Become an Activist Post Patron for $ 1 per month at Patreon .
Money supply growth can often be a helpful measure of economic activity .
During periods of economic boom , money supply tends to grow quickly as banks make more loans .
Recessions , on the other hand , tend to be preceded by periods of slowdown in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , money supply growth tends to grow out of its low-growth trough well before the onset of recession .
As recession nears , the TMS growth rate climbs and becomes larger than the M2 growth rate .
This occurred in the early months of the 2002 and the 2009 crises .
February 2020 was the first month since late 2008 that the TMS growth rate climbed higher than the M2 growth rate .
The TMS growth rate has exceeded M2 in most of this year .
As the year progresses , it does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growth has again preceded a recession , and a severe one at that .
Both the second and third quarters showed negative growth in real GDP this year .
The second quarter this year fell 9 percent , year over year , and the third quarter was down 2.9 percent , year over year .
Although some observers will likely claim that the current economic crisis is a result solely of the covid-19 panic and resulting government-forced shutdowns , several indicators do suggest that the economy was primed for a recession .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these indicators , as is the late 2019 liquidity crisis in the repo markets .
The Fed ’ s moves to drop interest rates and to once again grow its balance sheet speak to the weakness of the economy leading up to April 2020 .
Moreover , global trade contracted in 2019 for the first time since the Great Recession , suggesting the world economy was heading toward some form of contraction .
After initial balance sheet growth in late 2019 , total Fed assets surged to nearly $ 7.2 trillion in June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7 trillion mark since then .
As of late November , total assets are again pushing above $ 7.2 trillion .
These new asset purchases have set a new all-time high and are propelling the Fed balance sheet far beyond anything seen during the Great Recession ’ s stimulus packages .
The Fed ’ s assets are now up more than 600 percent from the period immediately preceding the 2008 financial crisis .
While Fed asset purchases are not solely responsible for the surge in new money creation , they are certainly a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loan activity has surged as well , also driving new money creation .
Below is the dollar volume for M2 and TMS : In terms of total dollar amounts now extant , the overall M2 total money supply in November was $ 19.0 trillion and the TMS total was $ 19.3 trillion .
Since January , this is an increase of $ 3.6 trillion in M2 and $ 5.0 trillion in the TMS .
Moreover , for the past five months , the TMS total has done something new : it has grown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This is largely being fueled by the immense growth in US Treasury deposits at the Fed , which are factored into TMS , but not M2 .
Treasury deposits ballooned from $ 375 billion in March to an unprecedented $ 1.7 trillion in July .
By November , Treasury deposits had fallen slightly to $ 1.5 trillion , but remained near record-breaking levels .
Ryan McMaken ( @ ryanmcmaken ) is a senior editor at the Mises Institute .
Send him your article submissions for the Mises Wire and The Austrian , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has degrees in economics and political science from the University of Colorado and was a housing economist for the State of Colorado .
He is the author of Commie Cowboys : The Bourgeoisie and the Nation-State in the Western Genre .
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Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
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Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Markets today .

By Ryan McMaken
In November, money supply growth rate was essentially unchanged from October and remains near September’s all-time high. The stabilization we find in money-supply growth in recent months comes after eight months of record-breaking growth in the US which came in the wake of unprecedented quantitative easing, central bank asset purchases, and various stimulus packages.
Historically, the growth rate has never been higher than what we’ve seen this year, with the 1970s being the only period that comes close. It was expected that money supply growth would surge in recent months. This usually happens in the wake of the early months of a recession or financial crisis. But it appears that now the United States is several months into an extended economic crisis, with around 1 million new jobless claims each week from March until mid-September. More than 5 million unemployed workers are currently collecting standard unemployment benefits, with 8 million more collecting “Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation” as of late November.
The central bank continues to engage in a wide variety of unprecedented efforts to “stimulate” the economy and provide income to unemployed workers and to provide liquidity to financial institutions. Moreover, as government revenues have fallen considerably, Congress has turned to unprecedented amounts of borrowing. But in order to keep interest rates low, the Fed has been buying up trillions of dollars in assets—including government debt. This has fueled new money creation.
During November 2020, year-over-year (YOY) growth in the money supply was at 37.08 percent. That’s unchanged from October’s rate, and up from November 2019’s rate of 5.9 percent. Historically this is a very large surge in growth, year over year. It is also quite a reversal from the trend that only just ended in August of last year, when growth rates were nearly bottoming out around 2 percent. In August 2019, the growth rate hit a 120-month low, falling to the lowest growth rates we’d seen since 2007.
The money supply metric used here—the “true” or Rothbard-Salerno money supply measure (TMS)—is the metric developed by Murray Rothbard and Joseph Salerno, and is designed to provide a better measure of money supply fluctuations than M2. The Mises Institute now offers regular updates on this metric and its growth. This measure of the money supply differs from M2 in that it includes Treasury deposits at the Fed (and excludes short-time deposits, traveler’s checks, and retail money funds).
The M2 growth rate reached new historic highs in November, growing 25.07 percent compared to October’s growth rate of 24.17 percent. M2 grew 7.06 percent during November of last year. The M2 growth rate had fallen considerably from late 2016 to late 2018 but has been growing again in recent months. As of March, it is following a trend similar to that of TMS, but to a lesser degree.
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Money supply growth can often be a helpful measure of economic activity. During periods of economic boom, money supply tends to grow quickly as banks make more loans. Recessions, on the other hand, tend to be preceded by periods of slowdown in rates of money supply growth. However, money supply growth tends to grow out of its low-growth trough well before the onset of recession. As recession nears, the TMS growth rate climbs and becomes larger than the M2 growth rate. This occurred in the early months of the 2002 and the 2009 crises. February 2020 was the first month since late 2008 that the TMS growth rate climbed higher than the M2 growth rate. The TMS growth rate has exceeded M2 in most of this year. As the year progresses, it does appear that the decline in money supply growth has again preceded a recession, and a severe one at that. Both the second and third quarters showed negative growth in real GDP this year. The second quarter this year fell 9 percent, year over year, and the third quarter was down 2.9 percent, year over year.
Although some observers will likely claim that the current economic crisis is a result solely of the covid-19 panic and resulting government-forced shutdowns, several indicators do suggest that the economy was primed for a recession. The preceding decline in TMS is one of these indicators, as is the late 2019 liquidity crisis in the repo markets. The Fed’s moves to drop interest rates and to once again grow its balance sheet speak to the weakness of the economy leading up to April 2020. Moreover, global trade contracted in 2019 for the first time since the Great Recession, suggesting the world economy was heading toward some form of contraction.
After initial balance sheet growth in late 2019, total Fed assets surged to nearly $7.2 trillion in June and have rarely dipped below the $7 trillion mark since then. As of late November, total assets are again pushing above $7.2 trillion. These new asset purchases have set a new all-time high and are propelling the Fed balance sheet far beyond anything seen during the Great Recession’s stimulus packages. The Fed’s assets are now up more than 600 percent from the period immediately preceding the 2008 financial crisis.
While Fed asset purchases are not solely responsible for the surge in new money creation, they are certainly a sizable factor. As expected, bank loan activity has surged as well, also driving new money creation.
Below is the dollar volume for M2 and TMS:
In terms of total dollar amounts now extant, the overall M2 total money supply in November was $19.0 trillion and the TMS total was $19.3 trillion. Since January, this is an increase of $3.6 trillion in M2 and $5.0 trillion in the TMS. Moreover, for the past five months, the TMS total has done something new: it has grown to become larger than the M2 total. This is largely being fueled by the immense growth in US Treasury deposits at the Fed, which are factored into TMS, but not M2. Treasury deposits ballooned from $375 billion in March to an unprecedented $1.7 trillion in July. By November, Treasury deposits had fallen slightly to $1.5 trillion, but remained near record-breaking levels.
Source: Mises.org
Ryan McMaken (@ryanmcmaken) is a senior editor at the Mises Institute. Send him your article submissions for the Mises Wire and The Austrian, but read article guidelines first. Ryan has degrees in economics and political science from the University of Colorado and was a housing economist for the State of Colorado. He is the author of Commie Cowboys: The Bourgeoisie and the Nation-State in the Western Genre.
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activistpost--2020-12-19--“It’s A Constant Struggle”: Cost Of Living Increases Are Decimating The Middle And Lower Class

While the government continues to peddle the CPI fairy tale and the true cost of living ( as measured by real-world inflationary indicators like the Chapwood Index ) appears to be closer to 10 % , instead of 2 % , the middle and lower class are bearing the brunt of the pain .
This was the topic of a new NPR piece that took a look at exactly why Americans were having trouble paying their expenses .
What they found shouldn ’ t surprise anyone : incomes were being vastly outpaced by the cost of living .
“ An @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions of Americans from financial disaster , ” the piece says .
While some of this can be attributed to poor financial planning , some of it can also be attributed to an increasingly skewed playing field that ’ s being created as a result of monetary policy .
As of today , 33 % of U.S. adults said they are having trouble paying for everyday costs .
“ Even some households making above $ 200,000 are straining to pay basic expenses , ” the report notes .
For many families , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has put them in dire straits .
More than 33 % of Americans said they couldn ’ t cover an unexpected $ 400 expense a year ago .
And in identifying the culprit , we ’ re going to say something we rarely ever say : NPR nails it .
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In other words , the true cost of inflation is vastly outpacing wages , as we have been saying for years .
For example , last year , we posted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That Explains Everything ” .
In that article , we noted : Over the past 20 years , US prices of goods and services has gone up by 56 % while wages have gone up by 95 % , which sounds quite good .
However , when we look beneath the headline , we find that hospital services and college tuition have gone by a whopping 208 % and 186 % , respectively .
This is much higher than wage growth , and shows that key services that enable people to move up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their reach .
On the flipside , the price of TVs , cellphone services and toys have collapsed , so people can at least distract themselves away from their social woes .
We showed a similar chart , visually explaining just how burdensome these key expenses had become : As we also noted , the NPR article continues : “ A home mortgage and utilities can bite off half of a monthly income , especially in big cities.
” But we were told by Jerome Powell that the rising cost of houses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market was creating prosperity , not ending it .
Rhonda Alvarez , a dental assistant , told NPR : “ I don ’ t feel like , even if I ’ m saving , I ’ m saving … I ’ m ever going to get ahead of anything .
I feel like it ’ s a constant struggle , you know what I ’ m saying ?
” And it isn ’ t just through inflation that the government is ruining the average American .
Job losses as a result of Covid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. citizens .
As part of their report , NPR took a look into the finances of several families to show just how unsustainable their budgets were .
Alverez ’ s budget shows her spending , even while cut , vastly outpacing her income as a result of the Covid pandemic taking her job .
Alverez ’ s situation is being echoed across the country on a daily basis – even while Fed chair Jerome Powell insists that the country needs more inflation .
Of course , Americans have trouble getting ahead not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs and income , but also due to rudimentary misunderstandings of finance to begin with .
On top of it all , the government – who the average Joe trusts to do right by them – is telling them inflation has basically been a myth .
Again , the Chapwood Index paints a different story , showing cost of living rising about 10 % in major U.S. cities , annually .
It says on its site : “ The myth that the CPI represents the increase in our cost of living is why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ differentiates it from the CPI is simple , but critically important.
” • Reports the actual price increase of the 500 items on which most Americans spend their after-tax money .
No gimmicks , no alterations , no seasonal adjustments ; just real prices .
• Shines a spotlight on the inaccuracy of the CPI , which is destroying the economic and emotional fiber of our country .
• Shows how our dependence on the CPI is killing our middle class and why citizens increasingly are depending upon government entitlement programs to bail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans to become better-educated consumers and to take control of their spending habits and personal finances .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
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By Tyler Durden
While the government continues to peddle the CPI fairy tale and the true cost of living (as measured by real-world inflationary indicators like the Chapwood Index) appears to be closer to 10%, instead of 2%, the middle and lower class are bearing the brunt of the pain.
This was the topic of a new NPR piece that took a look at exactly why Americans were having trouble paying their expenses. What they found shouldn’t surprise anyone: incomes were being vastly outpaced by the cost of living. “An unexpected bill like that is what separates millions of Americans from financial disaster,” the piece says.
While some of this can be attributed to poor financial planning, some of it can also be attributed to an increasingly skewed playing field that’s being created as a result of monetary policy.
As of today, 33% of U.S. adults said they are having trouble paying for everyday costs. “Even some households making above $200,000 are straining to pay basic expenses,” the report notes. For many families, it isn’t just the pandemic that has put them in dire straits. More than 33% of Americans said they couldn’t cover an unexpected $400 expense a year ago.
And in identifying the culprit, we’re going to say something we rarely ever say: NPR nails it.
For decades, U.S. wages have failed to keep pace with the rising costs of what many perceive as essential ingredients for a successful American life: good education and health care, a home and a family.
Become an Activist Post Patron for $1 per month at Patreon.
In other words, the true cost of inflation is vastly outpacing wages, as we have been saying for years. For example, last year, we posted what we called “The Inflation Chart That Explains Everything”. In that article, we noted:
Over the past 20 years, US prices of goods and services has gone up by 56% while wages have gone up by 95%, which sounds quite good. However, when we look beneath the headline, we find that hospital services and college tuition have gone by a whopping 208% and 186%, respectively. This is much higher than wage growth, and shows that key services that enable people to move up the social ladder are being priced out of their reach. On the flipside, the price of TVs, cellphone services and toys have collapsed, so people can at least distract themselves away from their social woes.
We showed a similar chart, visually explaining just how burdensome these key expenses had become:
As we also noted, the NPR article continues: “A home mortgage and utilities can bite off half of a monthly income, especially in big cities.”
But we were told by Jerome Powell that the rising cost of houses and the never-ending spike in the housing market was creating prosperity, not ending it.
Rhonda Alvarez, a dental assistant, told NPR: “I don’t feel like, even if I’m saving, I’m saving … I’m ever going to get ahead of anything. I feel like it’s a constant struggle, you know what I’m saying?”
And it isn’t just through inflation that the government is ruining the average American. Job losses as a result of Covid have been decimating the finances of many U.S. citizens.
As part of their report, NPR took a look into the finances of several families to show just how unsustainable their budgets were. Alverez’s budget shows her spending, even while cut, vastly outpacing her income as a result of the Covid pandemic taking her job.
Alverez’s situation is being echoed across the country on a daily basis – even while Fed chair Jerome Powell insists that the country needs more inflation. Of course, Americans have trouble getting ahead not only due to lack of access to jobs and income, but also due to rudimentary misunderstandings of finance to begin with.
On top of it all, the government – who the average Joe trusts to do right by them – is telling them inflation has basically been a myth. Again, the Chapwood Index paints a different story, showing cost of living rising about 10% in major U.S. cities, annually.
It says on its site: “The myth that the CPI represents the increase in our cost of living is why the Chapwood Index was created. What differentiates it from the CPI is simple, but critically important.”
The Chapwood Index:
Reports the actual price increase of the 500 items on which most Americans spend their after-tax money. No gimmicks, no alterations, no seasonal adjustments; just real prices.
Shines a spotlight on the inaccuracy of the CPI, which is destroying the economic and emotional fiber of our country.
Shows how our dependence on the CPI is killing our middle class and why citizens increasingly are depending upon government entitlement programs to bail them out.
Claims to persuade Americans to become better-educated consumers and to take control of their spending habits and personal finances.
Source: Zero Hedge
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Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE! Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Parler, Flote, Minds, MeWe and Twitter.
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activistpost--2020-12-19--Collectible Weapons: How to Protect Your Wealth – And Your Family – With Valuable Guns

It ’ s an unusual means of investment , but one that we think will appeal to our readers on a deep level : collectible weapons .
There are a number of advantages to investing in collectible weapons that will appeal both to those who love weapons and those who keep an eye on their money .
Indeed , this is a popular investment category for people who like something a little more durable than stocks , bonds and cryptocurrency .
They can also provide protection during uncertain times .
Antique weapons in particular can be an attractive means of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they ’ re not making any more .
Like any antique investment , it helps to have an eye for the material at hand .
You ’ ll have to be able to appraise both the current condition of the weapon and have some idea of how its value might appreciate in the future .
The good news is that firearms made before 1899 are not covered by federal firearms laws , though they might be regulated by your state .
This also means that , even in the event that Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate goes Democratic , that barring a sweeping change in firearms law – certainly not out of the question , but also not very likely – no background check will be required to buy or sell your antique firearms made before 1899 , which are covered by a special carveout under federal firearms law .
What ’ s more , there are a number of weapons on a special ATF list that are not subject to the same background check laws as other firearms .
This includes guns like the World War I-era @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These are historically significant firearms that are at least 50 years old – but note that “ 50 years old ” now goes up to the end of the 1960s .
With sweeping firearms bans potentially coming down the pike , firearms not subject even to the old rules might well skyrocket in value as other avenues of self defense are closed off .
The price point for entry in the antique firearms market is about $ 1,500 , though more common and desired weapons go for about $ 2,500 as of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purchased by people looking to invest in collectible weapons and , as far as we know , there are no plans to make sweeping restrictions on the purchase of these .
When you buy an antique firearm , it ’ s extremely unlikely that the value is going to go down .
While it ’ s true that the broader trends of the weapons market change , there are some models , like the Winchester Model 1873 , that never go out of style and are always sought after by people who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Condition of the weapon and its rarity always play a role in the purchase price .
From the perspective of someone who is actually planning to use the weapon as well as purchase it , you can ’ t really do better than the classic weapons that are so sought after by collectors .
You can purchase antique , collectible firearms at auctions or gun shows , as well as in private transactions .
However , as with any private firearms transaction , you need to be cautious when making such a purchase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the buyer must always beware , but this is doubly true when dealing with private sellers .
There are two types of investors in collectible weapons , broadly speaking , known as “ treasure hunters ” and “ connoisseurs.
” Determining which you are will be helpful in terms of figuring out how to begin investing in firearms .
Each fits in with a particular personality type .
• Treasure hunters are the yard sale aficionados of the gun investment .
Indeed , you will spend a lot of time at yard sales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little gun shops way out of the way if you ’ re a treasure hunter .
This is because a treasure hunter is constantly on the hunt for the deals to be had .
You might buy a classic Winchester for $ 350 and immediately flip it for $ 100,000 , but chances are a lot better that you ’ re going to end up buying a lot of weapons with moderate appreciation .
• Connoisseurs are the niche collectors of the gun investment world .
They know a lot about a specific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gun manufacturer .
For example , a connoisseur might know everything there is to know about one particular Colt revolver , and so they do nothing but purchase that particular weapon .
Become an Activist Post Patron for $ 1 per month at Patreon .
Which of these should you be ?
Honestly , the better question is “ which of these are you already ?
” If you like going antiquing or yard saling or picking through people ’ s junk , you ’ re already a treasure hunter .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of antique weapon , you ’ re already a connoisseur .
The issue is just figuring out how you ’ re going to incorporate investing in collectible weapons into your pre-existing personality type .
Much like stocks , there are a number of weapons that are simply always a good purchase because they gain value consistently , if not quickly and wildly .
At the very least , they are not going to lose value – meaning that if you ever want to cash out your investment , you will get back what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but are by no means limited to : And then , on the opposite end of the spectrum , we have weapons that are virtually always bad investments .
This isn ’ t because the weapons are bad guns .
On the contrary , you will likely look at this list and think at least once : “ Hey , I own one of those and it ’ s a great gun !
” Sure , it ’ s a great gun , but it ’ s a lousy investment because it probably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you completed the purchase and walked it out to your car .
The two worst investments ?
Any kind of AR or AK build .
Again , this isn ’ t because there ’ s anything wrong with either of these .
It ’ s just that there ’ s so many of them that there ’ s little chance they will become collectible at any point during your lifetime .
There are occasionally spikes in prices due to fears of a ban , but they ’ re not solid investments .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ some point you will have to familiarize yourself with and get a working knowledge of the Blue Book of Gun Values .
As the name would imply , this is what people use to evaluate their knowledge of weaponry in the investors market .
Online gun marketplaces can also give you an idea of which weapons are likely to increase in value over the long and short term .
Some of the factors to look at when purchasing weapons include : • Branding : There are certain brands that are always going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their iconic status .
Think Colt , Smith & Wesson and the like .
These have a cachet that is impossible to deny , a status similar to Coca-Cola or Levi ’ s 501s or the Chevrolet Corvette in terms of recognizability and general interest .
• Nostalgia : Similar , but not identical , to this is the concept of nostalgia as it pertains to weapons .
Dirty Harry ’ s Smith & Wesson Model 29 or the 1911 from Magnum , PI are two examples of weapons that are almost certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in value over time because of their cultural recognition and the nostalgia that comes along with it .
• Perception : Quality is great , but the perception of quality is even better .
Glock and Benelli are two examples of brands that are largely perceived as being of exceptionally high quality .
Whether or not the individual weapons live up to that reputation is less important than the fact that they are perceived as such .
• Rarity : Limited edition weapons are always going to be worth more than weapons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There will always be a market for weapons that were made in extremely limited supply , regardless of how “ good ” the gun actually is .
One tip ?
Buy guns that you like .
In some cases it can take decades for a weapon ’ s value to increase .
So if you ’ re not enjoying the weapon while you wait for its value to appreciate , you ’ re simply collecting paperweights .
Finally , for those who want to invest in weapons but aren ’ t interested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stock market .
Gun sales were booming in the spring of 2020 and the stock market reflected this boom in prices .
This is a particularly attractive option for people who like guns , and like the idea of guns , but aren ’ t looking to get themselves a safe full of them .
Either way you decide to invest , one thing is for certain : the future is a bright place for people who put their money behind weapons .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
Follow us on SoMee , HIVE , Parler , Flote , Minds , MeWe and Twitter .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By Sam Jacobs
It’s an unusual means of investment, but one that we think will appeal to our readers on a deep level: collectible weapons.
There are a number of advantages to investing in collectible weapons that will appeal both to those who love weapons and those who keep an eye on their money. Indeed, this is a popular investment category for people who like something a little more durable than stocks, bonds and cryptocurrency. They can also provide protection during uncertain times.
Antique weapons in particular can be an attractive means of investing – after all, like land, they’re not making any more. Like any antique investment, it helps to have an eye for the material at hand. You’ll have to be able to appraise both the current condition of the weapon and have some idea of how its value might appreciate in the future.
Old Guns Aren’t Subject to ATF Snooping
The good news is that firearms made before 1899 are not covered by federal firearms laws, though they might be regulated by your state. This also means that, even in the event that Joe Biden is installed as President and the Senate goes Democratic, that barring a sweeping change in firearms law – certainly not out of the question, but also not very likely – no background check will be required to buy or sell your antique firearms made before 1899, which are covered by a special carveout under federal firearms law.
What’s more, there are a number of weapons on a special ATF list that are not subject to the same background check laws as other firearms. This includes guns like the World War I-era US Military Colt 1911 Pistol .45. These are historically significant firearms that are at least 50 years old – but note that “50 years old” now goes up to the end of the 1960s. With sweeping firearms bans potentially coming down the pike, firearms not subject even to the old rules might well skyrocket in value as other avenues of self defense are closed off.
The price point for entry in the antique firearms market is about $1,500, though more common and desired weapons go for about $2,500 as of this writing. Knives and swords are also purchased by people looking to invest in collectible weapons and, as far as we know, there are no plans to make sweeping restrictions on the purchase of these.
When you buy an antique firearm, it’s extremely unlikely that the value is going to go down. While it’s true that the broader trends of the weapons market change, there are some models, like the Winchester Model 1873, that never go out of style and are always sought after by people who are trying to get into the market. Condition of the weapon and its rarity always play a role in the purchase price.
From the perspective of someone who is actually planning to use the weapon as well as purchase it, you can’t really do better than the classic weapons that are so sought after by collectors.
How to Begin Purchasing Collectible Firearms
You can purchase antique, collectible firearms at auctions or gun shows, as well as in private transactions. However, as with any private firearms transaction, you need to be cautious when making such a purchase for both legal and economic reasons – the buyer must always beware, but this is doubly true when dealing with private sellers.
There are two types of investors in collectible weapons, broadly speaking, known as “treasure hunters” and “connoisseurs.” Determining which you are will be helpful in terms of figuring out how to begin investing in firearms. Each fits in with a particular personality type.
Treasure hunters are the yard sale aficionados of the gun investment. Indeed, you will spend a lot of time at yard sales, estate sales, pawn shops and little gun shops way out of the way if you’re a treasure hunter. This is because a treasure hunter is constantly on the hunt for the deals to be had. You might buy a classic Winchester for $350 and immediately flip it for $100,000, but chances are a lot better that you’re going to end up buying a lot of weapons with moderate appreciation.
are the yard sale aficionados of the gun investment. Indeed, you will spend a lot of time at yard sales, estate sales, pawn shops and little gun shops way out of the way if you’re a treasure hunter. This is because a treasure hunter is constantly on the hunt for the deals to be had. You might buy a classic Winchester for $350 and immediately flip it for $100,000, but chances are a lot better that you’re going to end up buying a lot of weapons with moderate appreciation. Connoisseurs are the niche collectors of the gun investment world. They know a lot about a specific gun, type of gun, or gun manufacturer. For example, a connoisseur might know everything there is to know about one particular Colt revolver, and so they do nothing but purchase that particular weapon.
Become an Activist Post Patron for $1 per month at Patreon.
Which of these should you be? Honestly, the better question is “which of these are you already?” If you like going antiquing or yard saling or picking through people’s junk, you’re already a treasure hunter. If you have an affinity for a particular kind of antique weapon, you’re already a connoisseur. The issue is just figuring out how you’re going to incorporate investing in collectible weapons into your pre-existing personality type.
Much like stocks, there are a number of weapons that are simply always a good purchase because they gain value consistently, if not quickly and wildly. At the very least, they are not going to lose value – meaning that if you ever want to cash out your investment, you will get back what you paid. These weapons include, but are by no means limited to:
And then, on the opposite end of the spectrum, we have weapons that are virtually always bad investments. This isn’t because the weapons are bad guns. On the contrary, you will likely look at this list and think at least once: “Hey, I own one of those and it’s a great gun!” Sure, it’s a great gun, but it’s a lousy investment because it probably lost a lot of value the second that you completed the purchase and walked it out to your car.
The two worst investments? Any kind of AR or AK build. Again, this isn’t because there’s anything wrong with either of these. It’s just that there’s so many of them that there’s little chance they will become collectible at any point during your lifetime. There are occasionally spikes in prices due to fears of a ban, but they’re not solid investments.
Evaluating the Value of Collectible Weapons
At some point you will have to familiarize yourself with and get a working knowledge of the Blue Book of Gun Values. As the name would imply, this is what people use to evaluate their knowledge of weaponry in the investors market. Online gun marketplaces can also give you an idea of which weapons are likely to increase in value over the long and short term.
Some of the factors to look at when purchasing weapons include:
Branding: There are certain brands that are always going to be worth more than others because of their iconic status. Think Colt, Smith & Wesson and the like. These have a cachet that is impossible to deny, a status similar to Coca-Cola or Levi’s 501s or the Chevrolet Corvette in terms of recognizability and general interest.
There are certain brands that are always going to be worth more than others because of their iconic status. Think Colt, Smith & Wesson and the like. These have a cachet that is impossible to deny, a status similar to Coca-Cola or Levi’s 501s or the Chevrolet Corvette in terms of recognizability and general interest. Nostalgia: Similar, but not identical, to this is the concept of nostalgia as it pertains to weapons. Dirty Harry’s Smith & Wesson Model 29 or the 1911 from Magnum, PI are two examples of weapons that are almost certainly going to hold, if not increase, in value over time because of their cultural recognition and the nostalgia that comes along with it.
Similar, but not identical, to this is the concept of nostalgia as it pertains to weapons. Dirty Harry’s Smith & Wesson Model 29 or the 1911 from Magnum, PI are two examples of weapons that are almost certainly going to hold, if not increase, in value over time because of their cultural recognition and the nostalgia that comes along with it. Perception: Quality is great, but the perception of quality is even better. Glock and Benelli are two examples of brands that are largely perceived as being of exceptionally high quality. Whether or not the individual weapons live up to that reputation is less important than the fact that they are perceived as such.
Quality is great, but the perception of quality is even better. Glock and Benelli are two examples of brands that are largely perceived as being of exceptionally high quality. Whether or not the individual weapons live up to that reputation is less important than the fact that they are perceived as such. Rarity: Limited edition weapons are always going to be worth more than weapons made in a totally unlimited quantity. There will always be a market for weapons that were made in extremely limited supply, regardless of how “good” the gun actually is.
One tip? Buy guns that you like. In some cases it can take decades for a weapon’s value to increase. So if you’re not enjoying the weapon while you wait for its value to appreciate, you’re simply collecting paperweights.
Finally, for those who want to invest in weapons but aren’t interested in the weapons themselves, there’s the stock market. Gun sales were booming in the spring of 2020 and the stock market reflected this boom in prices. This is a particularly attractive option for people who like guns, and like the idea of guns, but aren’t looking to get themselves a safe full of them.
Either way you decide to invest, one thing is for certain: the future is a bright place for people who put their money behind weapons.
Source: Ammo.com
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Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-12-21--World-Renowned Scientist Explains Why the “Race to 5G” is an Albatross and a Mirage

5G is so controversial that it has become the subject of several “ Dilbert ” cartoons .
Cities AND entire countries have taken action to ban , delay , halt , and limit installation AS WELL AS issue moratoriums on deployment due to biological , environmental , and safety risks .
Since 2017 , doctors and scientists have asked for 5G moratoriums on Earth and in space ( see 1 , 2 ) .
Yet proponents continue to talk about the need to “ win ” the “ Race to 5G ” .
It doesn ’ t have to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of money riding on it .
Thanks to Dr. Devra Davis for explaining why the world would be a safer place if everyone just walked away from this despicable and disastrous business venture .
The Race to 5G is Mirage : International Business Times by Dr. Davis Why The Race To 5G Is A Mirage • Former national finance minister , Lou Jiwei warned last month that existing 5G technology in China is immature and quite expensive .
• The next stimulus package should contain billions of dollars to produce , distribute , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monitor municipal fiber-optic broadband cable around the nation .
• Until and unless a much safer , more cost-effective and less-energy intensive system can be produced , we should revise plans for continued expansion of the 5G albatross .
Why The Race To 5G Is A Mirage You may have heard that we are locked in a technology battle with China over commercializing 5G .
That conflict turns out to be more hype than happening , designed to whet American appetites for competition and pave the way for more subsidies to the global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finance minister , Lou Jiwei warned last month that existing 5G technology in China is immature and quite expensive .
Increased electricity costs to fuel 5G in 2019 , he recently warned look to be 10 times the profit of China Telecom — one of three state telecom companies of China .
Not missing a beat or a chance for tapping heavy government subsidies , a China Telecom official , speaking at a Groupe Speciale Mobile Association seminar in Beijing last month , called for the government to directly underwrite telecom electricity costs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fear that without this support 5G could prove a colossal failure .
“ The existing 5G technology is very immature .
Hundreds of billions of investment have been deployed , and the operating cost is extremely high .
No application scenarios can be found , and it is difficult to digest the cost in the future , ” Jiwei warned last month in a speech that has been independently confirmed .
The majority of scientists worldwide are opposed 5G deployment until studies determine that it ’ s safe .
Of course there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s NOT safe and exposure health risks ARE NOT isolated to 5G .
Last year , the World Health Organization warned that high levels of Electromagnetic Fields ( aka “ Electrosmog ” ) could cause health issues in a significant percentage of the population .
High speed internet is achievable , safer and more secure with a wired internet connection ( see 1 , 2 ) .
This has never not been true .
5G simply isn ’ t worth the risks or the price tag .
Activist Post reports regularly about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more information visit our archives and the following websites .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
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Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
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By B.N. Frank
5G is so controversial that it has become the subject of several “Dilbert” cartoons. Cities AND entire countries have taken action to ban, delay, halt, and limit installation AS WELL AS issue moratoriums on deployment due to biological, environmental, and safety risks.
Since 2017, doctors and scientists have asked for 5G moratoriums on Earth and in space (see 1, 2). Yet proponents continue to talk about the need to “win” the “Race to 5G”. It doesn’t have to make sense. There’s A LOT of money riding on it.
Thanks to Dr. Devra Davis for explaining why the world would be a safer place if everyone just walked away from this despicable and disastrous business venture.
From Environmental Health Trust:
The Race to 5G is Mirage: International Business Times by Dr. Davis
Why The Race To 5G Is A Mirage
By Dr. Devra Davis
KEY POINTS
Former national finance minister, Lou Jiwei warned last month that existing 5G technology in China is immature and quite expensive.
The next stimulus package should contain billions of dollars to produce, distribute, install, build out, maintain and monitor municipal fiber-optic broadband cable around the nation.
Until and unless a much safer, more cost-effective and less-energy intensive system can be produced, we should revise plans for continued expansion of the 5G albatross.
Why The Race To 5G Is A Mirage
You may have heard that we are locked in a technology battle with China over commercializing 5G. That conflict turns out to be more hype than happening, designed to whet American appetites for competition and pave the way for more subsidies to the global multi-trillion dollar telecom industry.
Former national finance minister, Lou Jiwei warned last month that existing 5G technology in China is immature and quite expensive. Increased electricity costs to fuel 5G in 2019, he recently warned look to be 10 times the profit of China Telecom — one of three state telecom companies of China.
Not missing a beat or a chance for tapping heavy government subsidies, a China Telecom official, speaking at a Groupe Speciale Mobile Association seminar in Beijing last month, called for the government to directly underwrite telecom electricity costs. He minced no words voicing his fear that without this support 5G could prove a colossal failure.
“The existing 5G technology is very immature. Hundreds of billions of investment have been deployed, and the operating cost is extremely high. No application scenarios can be found, and it is difficult to digest the cost in the future,” Jiwei warned last month in a speech that has been independently confirmed.
Read the full article at https://www.ibtimes.com/why-race-5g-mirage-3101033
The majority of scientists worldwide are opposed 5G deployment until studies determine that it’s safe. Of course there is already research that has determined that it’s NOT safe and exposure health risks ARE NOT isolated to 5G. Last year, the World Health Organization warned that high levels of Electromagnetic Fields (aka “Electrosmog”) could cause health issues in a significant percentage of the population.
High speed internet is achievable, safer and more secure with a wired internet connection (see 1, 2). This has never not been true. 5G simply isn’t worth the risks or the price tag.
Activist Post reports regularly about 5G and other unsafe technology. For more information visit our archives and the following websites.
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Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE! Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Parler, Flote, Minds, MeWe and Twitter.
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activistpost--2020-12-21--E-Waste Recycler Who Built Electric Car from Recycled Trash Expands Business (Full Measure)

Ingredients needed to make digital , electronic , and wireless devices and infrastructure are often referred to as “ Conflict Minerals ” because of their devastating environmental and humanitarian costs which include massive amounts of toxic Electronic Waste being added to landfills .
Earlier this year the U.N. warned that 82 % of E-Waste is NOT being recycled ( see 1 , 2 , 3 ) .
Fortunately , one American innovator is changing that .
Our cover story today is an amazing update on one of the most interesting people we have profiled here on Full Measure , Eric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electronic waste made him famous .
But when Lundgren crossed wires with powerful interests , he became the first e-waste recycler to be sent to prison .
Wait until what you hear about the innovative company he started while behind bars and what he ’ s done since .
Eric Lundgren : Funny enough there is cable news in prison , and there is a TV room , right ?
.
And I was in the TV room , and you popped up and it happened to be the interview that we did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remember my mission especially in a time when you just feel like , the lowest you can possibly feel .
Lundgren ( 2018 interview ) : No case like mine has ever been handled criminally ever in the United States .
This is the interview Lundgren saw on Full Measure Sharyl ( 2018 interview ) : You ’ re going to prison in just a couple of days ?
The one he gave me right before he reported to prison in 2018 .
We spoke through a computer link because we were on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview ) : I ’ m going to prison in five days for a crime that I don ’ t think is truly a crime .
By 2017 , Eric Lundgren and his recycling company were well known in the e-waste world .
His company famously built an electric car from recycled trash — and set the record for traveling farthest and fastest on a single charge , even beating out a Tesla .
But he landed in legal trouble after planning to distribute thousands of Windows disks to restore old Microsoft computers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but accused Lundgren of violating copyright laws .
Federal agents burst into his home , guns drawn , and he was charged with 21 federal crimes .
Become an Activist Post Patron for just $ 1 per month at Patreon .
Sharyl ( 2018 interview ) : What did the prosecutors say you had done wrong ?
Lundgren ( 2018 interview ) : The prosecutors said that I had inherently , potentially , taken a sale from Microsoft of a new operating system with a new license by helping consumers to repair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were , “ Microsoft wants your head on a platter , and I ’ m going to give it to them.
” Lundgren pleaded guilty to violating copyright laws usually a civil violation .
But he was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison .
Lungren : Why did I go to prison ?
I got in the way of the 20th largest company in the world .
They have a business model .
It ’ s built around you using , consuming and throwing away .
And I believe in reuse .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ amp up his e-waste recycling efforts .
Now , after a year in prison , he ’ s out and showing off what he built behind bars .
His company , BigBattery.com , is being watched by industry analysts who see it as an innovative pioneer .
Lundgren : I wanted to create the largest hybrid recycling company for electric vehicle batteries in the country .
And today we have the largest stockpile of electric vehicle batteries , lithium ion , and LFP [ lithium iron phosphate ] in the United States .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ what it is and what makes it in your view such a terrible problem ?
Lungren : Well , e-waste is responsible for 70 % of the heavy metals in our landfills .
We think that when we throw it into a trash can , somebody else deals with it because we ’ re paying for that service , but nobody is .
Like Neanderthals , it ’ s going into a landfill , literally being dumped in the dirt and buried , and it ’ s leaching harmful chemicals like lead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into our water table , into the food that we eat , the water that we drink and in some countries where they burn it , the air we breathe .
It ’ s estimated Americans throw away $ 55 billion of e-waste a year .
Only a fifth of that is recycled .
And Asia has become a dumping ground for trashed electronics .
Workers there , sometimes children , get exposed to toxic materials during crude handling to reclaim copper and gold .
Lundgren aims to short circuit the hazardous flow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is good for the environment and good for people .
Lundgren ’ s giant warehouse is in Chatsworth , California just outside of Los Angeles .
It ’ s energized by technicians turning used batteries into new modules that can power most anything .
Sharyl : So you recycle these when they ’ re done with the Tesla or how do you ?
Lundgren : Tesla basically doesn ’ t have a re-use program .
They sent all their batteries to recycler , who sent them overseas .
We bought them all up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cars .
I got a video of it and we processed 100 container loads of these batteries .
This is trash to society , but inside the batteries are still good .
The batteries are good for another 15 years .
But in a car , they ’ re not good at all but they ’ re great for powering a home or solar power or battery backup in case the power goes out or stabilizing our grid .
Over here , these are what we extract from these giant modules here .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ what we ’ re extracting out of them are these guys right here , you can hold one .
They ’ re safe .
Lundgren : Heavy .
Yeah .
That is a Nissan Gen2 Module , 250 watt hour .
And two of these can power a motor on a boat .
Six of these can power your golf cart farther than six lead-acid batteries .
And we put 48 of those in our power units that power the lights here .
Another common source of battery trash is electric scooters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ perfectly new but the batteries inside them last close to a decade .
Lundgren : We did 40,000 E-scooters .
That ’ s what all these are and all these right here .
Sharyl : You mean taking used ones ?
Lundgren : I mean taking new ones that were never used and were destined for a landfill and then buying them all up .
Sharyl : They ’ re just going to get rid of it ?
Why are they getting rid of brand new ones ?
Lundgren : It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For whatever reason they were getting rid of them and we saw an opportunity to buy them all , refurbish them and provide scooters to the public at half the price of manufacturing .
They were liquidated very quickly .
We had 40,000 plus , and I think we have probably 4,000 or 3000 left .
That plugs directly into your breaker and that ’ s it .
Plug it in your breaker and you ’ re done .
This unit of last two and a half hours for a three bedroom home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AC and if you ’ re doing AC , it ’ s going to be a lot shorter obviously .
Sharyl : Is it like a generator ?
Lundgren : It ’ s like a generator .
It ’ s like a battery generator and instead of costing $ 4,700 , this costs $ 900 .
It ’ s affordable for anyone .
When Coronavirus hit , it threatened to kill Lundgren ’ s growing company .
But he kept his 50 employees at work by pivoting into an essential business instead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead was we started importing all of these face masks , 13 million .
We imported 14 million of these 75 % alcohol wipes .
People were charging crazy amounts .
They were selling these masks for $ 7 and we were selling them for 50 cents .
And when people said , “ What ’ s wrong with your masks ?
” I said , “ No , they ’ re the exact same thing FDA approved .
CE approved .
The difference is we ’ re not cutting a profit .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of disposing of e-waste , making replacements also has environmental costs .
To build computer and monitor , it takes 1.5 tons of water , 48 pounds of chemicals , and 530 pounds of fossil fuels .
For every 1 million laptops recycled , it saves enough energy to power 3,500 homes for a year .
Lundgren ’ s work is so groundbreaking , it ’ s hard to accurately track how much of the e-waste recycling industry he ’ s capturing or even how big that industry is .
But with amount @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also expanding .
He ’ s opened facilities now in Singapore , Hong Kong and Mexico .
Lundgren : Where I ’ m going with this and where we ’ re at today , it ’ s not enough .
We ’ re great at consuming .
We ’ re great at marketing .
We ’ re great at using , and we ’ re great at throwing things away .
But , that reverse logistics , that last little piece to have a closed loop so that we have a sustainable society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work on .
That ’ s what ’ s going to allow us to evolve .
So until that ’ s handled , I am not done .
Sharyl ( on-camera ) : By the way , Lundgren says his company would have been eligible for $ 276,000 in assistance under the Covid business rescue package to help his business and employees , but because he ’ s a convicted felon , he is excluded .
Activist Post reports regularly about unsafe technology .
For more information visit our archives .
Subscribe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and freedom news .
Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
Follow us on SoMee , HIVE , Parler , Flote , Minds , MeWe and Twitter .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By B.N. Frank
Ingredients needed to make digital, electronic, and wireless devices and infrastructure are often referred to as “Conflict Minerals” because of their devastating environmental and humanitarian costs which include massive amounts of toxic Electronic Waste being added to landfills.
Earlier this year the U.N. warned that 82% of E-Waste is NOT being recycled (see 1, 2, 3). Fortunately, one American innovator is changing that.
From Full Measure:
E-Waste
Our cover story today is an amazing update on one of the most interesting people we have profiled here on Full Measure, Eric Lundgren, whose work recycling of toxic electronic waste made him famous. But when Lundgren crossed wires with powerful interests, he became the first e-waste recycler to be sent to prison. Wait until what you hear about the innovative company he started while behind bars and what he’s done since.
Eric Lundgren: Funny enough there is cable news in prison, and there is a TV room, right?. And I was in the TV room, and you popped up and it happened to be the interview that we did. It was inspirational for me to remember my mission especially in a time when you just feel like, the lowest you can possibly feel.
Lundgren (2018 interview): No case like mine has ever been handled criminally ever in the United States.
This is the interview Lundgren saw on Full Measure
Sharyl(2018 interview): You’re going to prison in just a couple of days?
The one he gave me right before he reported to prison in 2018. We spoke through a computer link because we were on opposite coasts.
Eric Lundgren (2018 interview): I’m going to prison in five days for a crime that I don’t think is truly a crime.
By 2017, Eric Lundgren and his recycling company were well known in the e-waste world. His company famously built an electric car from recycled trash — and set the record for traveling farthest and fastest on a single charge, even beating out a Tesla. But he landed in legal trouble after planning to distribute thousands of Windows disks to restore old Microsoft computers. Microsoft provides the disks for free, but accused Lundgren of violating copyright laws. Federal agents burst into his home, guns drawn, and he was charged with 21 federal crimes.
Become an Activist Post Patron for just $1 per month at Patreon.
Sharyl (2018 interview): What did the prosecutors say you had done wrong?
Lundgren (2018 interview): The prosecutors said that I had inherently, potentially, taken a sale from Microsoft of a new operating system with a new license by helping consumers to repair their existing technology. His exact words were, “Microsoft wants your head on a platter, and I’m going to give it to them.”
Lundgren pleaded guilty to violating copyright laws usually a civil violation. But he was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison.
Lungren: Why did I go to prison? I got in the way of the 20th largest company in the world. They have a business model. It’s built around you using, consuming and throwing away. And I believe in reuse.
At the time, Lundgren promised to amp up his e-waste recycling efforts. Now, after a year in prison, he’s out and showing off what he built behind bars. His company, BigBattery.com, is being watched by industry analysts who see it as an innovative pioneer.
Lundgren: I wanted to create the largest hybrid recycling company for electric vehicle batteries in the country. And today we have the largest stockpile of electric vehicle batteries, lithium ion, and LFP [lithium iron phosphate] in the United States.
Sharyl: Can you characterize e-waste, what it is and what makes it in your view such a terrible problem?
Lungren: Well, e-waste is responsible for 70% of the heavy metals in our landfills. We think that when we throw it into a trash can, somebody else deals with it because we’re paying for that service, but nobody is. Like Neanderthals, it’s going into a landfill, literally being dumped in the dirt and buried, and it’s leaching harmful chemicals like lead, cadmium, mercury, bromine arsenic, into our water table, into the food that we eat, the water that we drink and in some countries where they burn it, the air we breathe.
It’s estimated Americans throw away $55 billion of e-waste a year. Only a fifth of that is recycled. And Asia has become a dumping ground for trashed electronics. Workers there, sometimes children, get exposed to toxic materials during crude handling to reclaim copper and gold. Lundgren aims to short circuit the hazardous flow.
Lundgren: Recycling and hybrid recycling is good for the environment and good for people.
Lundgren’s giant warehouse is in Chatsworth, California just outside of Los Angeles. It’s energized by technicians turning used batteries into new modules that can power most anything.
Sharyl: So you recycle these when they’re done with the Tesla or how do you?
Lundgren: Tesla basically doesn’t have a re-use program. They sent all their batteries to recycler, who sent them overseas. We bought them all up and we took them out of the cars. I got a video of it and we processed 100 container loads of these batteries.
(Touring warehouse facility)
This is trash to society, but inside the batteries are still good. The batteries are good for another 15 years. But in a car, they’re not good at all but they’re great for powering a home or solar power or battery backup in case the power goes out or stabilizing our grid. Over here, these are what we extract from these giant modules here. You have 3000 Nissan Modules here and what we’re extracting out of them are these guys right here, you can hold one. They’re safe.
Sharyl: Wow. Heavy.
Lundgren: Heavy. Yeah. That is a Nissan Gen2 Module, 250 watt hour. And two of these can power a motor on a boat. Six of these can power your golf cart farther than six lead-acid batteries. And we put 48 of those in our power units that power the lights here.
Another common source of battery trash is electric scooters. They may break down or be recalled perfectly new but the batteries inside them last close to a decade.
Lundgren: We did 40,000 E-scooters. That’s what all these are and all these right here.
Sharyl: You mean taking used ones?
Lundgren: I mean taking new ones that were never used and were destined for a landfill and then buying them all up.
Sharyl: They’re just going to get rid of it? Why are they getting rid of brand new ones?
Lundgren: It’s America. We love to consume. For whatever reason they were getting rid of them and we saw an opportunity to buy them all, refurbish them and provide scooters to the public at half the price of manufacturing. They were liquidated very quickly. We had 40,000 plus, and I think we have probably 4,000 or 3000 left.
(Showing products built in factory)
That plugs directly into your breaker and that’s it. Plug it in your breaker and you’re done. This unit of last two and a half hours for a three bedroom home, if you’re not doing AC and if you’re doing AC, it’s going to be a lot shorter obviously.
Sharyl: Is it like a generator?
Lundgren: It’s like a generator. It’s like a battery generator and instead of costing $4,700, this costs $900. It’s affordable for anyone.
When Coronavirus hit, it threatened to kill Lundgren’s growing company. But he kept his 50 employees at work by pivoting into an essential business instead of closing.
Lundgren: What we did instead was we started importing all of these face masks, 13 million. We imported 14 million of these 75% alcohol wipes. People were charging crazy amounts. They were selling these masks for $7 and we were selling them for 50 cents. And when people said, “What’s wrong with your masks?” I said, “No, they’re the exact same thing FDA approved. CE approved. The difference is we’re not cutting a profit. Here you go.”
Besides the hazards of disposing of e-waste, making replacements also has environmental costs.
To build computer and monitor, it takes 1.5 tons of water, 48 pounds of chemicals, and 530 pounds of fossil fuels. For every 1 million laptops recycled, it saves enough energy to power 3,500 homes for a year. Lundgren’s work is so groundbreaking, it’s hard to accurately track how much of the e-waste recycling industry he’s capturing or even how big that industry is. But with amount of global e-waste growing, Lundgren is also expanding. He’s opened facilities now in Singapore, Hong Kong and Mexico.
Lundgren: Where I’m going with this and where we’re at today, it’s not enough. We’re great at consuming. We’re great at marketing. We’re great at using, and we’re great at throwing things away. But, that reverse logistics, that last little piece to have a closed loop so that we have a sustainable society. That’s where we need to work on. That’s what’s going to allow us to evolve. So until that’s handled, I am not done.
Sharyl (on-camera): By the way, Lundgren says his company would have been eligible for $276,000 in assistance under the Covid business rescue package to help his business and employees, but because he’s a convicted felon, he is excluded.
Activist Post reports regularly about unsafe technology. For more information visit our archives.
Become a Patron!
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE! Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Parler, Flote, Minds, MeWe and Twitter.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.