lewrockwell--2020-01-13--2020 Clincial Guidelines on Testosterone Therapy: Bad Medicine

The American College of Physicians ( ACP ) just released ( January 7 , 2020 ) new guidelines on testosterone therapy that was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine ( 1 ) .
The authors stated , “ The ACP Clinical Guidelines Committee based these recommendations on a systematic review on the efficacy and safety of testosterone treatment in adult men with age-related low testosterone .
The target audience is all clinicians and adult men with age-related low testosterone.
” It sounds like the ACP studied the issue thoroughly which should lead to reasonable recommendations for physicians to follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s how it should be .
However , this a far from perfect world .
Recommendation 1a : ACP suggests that clinicians discuss whether to initiate testosterone treatment in men with age-related low testosterone with sexual dysfunction who want to improve sexual function ( conditional recommendation ; low-certainty evidence ) .
The discussion should include the potential benefits , harms , costs , and patient ’ s preferences .
The Miracle of Natural ... Best Price : $ 44.46 Buy New $ 48.99 I have no problem with Recommendation 1a .
Recommendation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reevaluate symptoms within 12 months and periodically thereafter .
I have a lot of problems with this recommendation .
Recommendation 1b is a perfect example of BAD MEDICINE .
Recommendation 2 : ACP suggests that clinicians not initiate testosterone treatment in men with age-related low testosterone to improve energy , vitality , physical function , or cognition ( conditional recommendation ; low-certainty evidence ) .
Folks , I have been using testosterone therapy for nearly 25 years .
Rebalancing testosterone levels in men and women can provide positive , life-changing benefits .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels , treat depression and mood disorders , improve vitality and muscle strength as well as improving cognition in many of my patients .
So , there goes Recommendation 2 .
I first wrote about testosterone therapy in 1998 in my book , The Miracle of Natural Hormones , where I wrote about my father ’ s story .
My father , Ellis , suffered with heart disease .
He had his first heart attack at age 40 and a second one at age 42 .
After two bypass surgeries and a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medications to treat persistent angina ( 20 years ) , diabetes and high cholesterol levels .
When I learned about holistic medicine , the first hormones I learned about were thyroid hormone and testosterone .
I found there was a wealth of research showing a correlation between low testosterone and/or thyroid hormone levels and the development and progression of heart disease .
The first natural hormones I prescribed were for my father—natural testosterone and thyroid hormone .
Within seven days of starting these hormones , his 20-year history of continual angina melted away—and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , his cholesterol level which was always over 300 mg/dl , fell to below 200 mg/dl without changing his bad habits .
And , most importantly , he looked and acted better .
He reported ( and I saw ) his mood and brain function improved .
Since that time , I have researched and utilized natural hormonal therapies with great success for my patients .
The Best of Dr. David Brownstein

The American College of Physicians (ACP) just released (January 7, 2020) new guidelines on testosterone therapy that was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (1). The authors stated, “The ACP Clinical Guidelines Committee based these recommendations on a systematic review on the efficacy and safety of testosterone treatment in adult men with age-related low testosterone. The target audience is all clinicians and adult men with age-related low testosterone.”
It sounds like the ACP studied the issue thoroughly which should lead to reasonable recommendations for physicians to follow.
In a perfect world, that’s how it should be. However, this a far from perfect world.
Recommendation 1a: ACP suggests that clinicians discuss whether to initiate testosterone treatment in men with age-related low testosterone with sexual dysfunction who want to improve sexual function (conditional recommendation; low-certainty evidence). The discussion should include the potential benefits, harms, costs, and patient’s preferences. The Miracle of Natural... Best Price: $39.84 Buy New $44.25 (as of 09:53 UTC - Details)
I have no problem with Recommendation 1a.
Recommendation 1b: ACP suggests that clinicians should reevaluate symptoms within 12 months and periodically thereafter.
I have a lot of problems with this recommendation. Recommendation 1b is a perfect example of BAD MEDICINE.
Recommendation 2: ACP suggests that clinicians not initiate testosterone treatment in men with age-related low testosterone to improve energy, vitality, physical function, or cognition (conditional recommendation; low-certainty evidence).
Oy vey! This is a BAD recommendation.
Folks, I have been using testosterone therapy for nearly 25 years. Rebalancing testosterone levels in men and women can provide positive, life-changing benefits. I have seen testosterone therapy lower elevated cholesterol levels, treat depression and mood disorders, improve vitality and muscle strength as well as improving cognition in many of my patients. So, there goes Recommendation 2.
I first wrote about testosterone therapy in 1998 in my book, The Miracle of Natural Hormones, where I wrote about my father’s story. My father, Ellis, suffered with heart disease. He had his first heart attack at age 40 and a second one at age 42. After two bypass surgeries and a few angioplasties, he was on 12 different medications to treat persistent angina (20 years), diabetes and high cholesterol levels. When I learned about holistic medicine, the first hormones I learned about were thyroid hormone and testosterone. I found there was a wealth of research showing a correlation between low testosterone and/or thyroid hormone levels and the development and progression of heart disease. The first natural hormones I prescribed were for my father—natural testosterone and thyroid hormone. Within seven days of starting these hormones, his 20-year history of continual angina melted away—and did not return. Thirty days later, his cholesterol level which was always over 300 mg/dl, fell to below 200 mg/dl without changing his bad habits. And, most importantly, he looked and acted better. He reported (and I saw) his mood and brain function improved. Since that time, I have researched and utilized natural hormonal therapies with great success for my patients.
Read the Whole Article
The Best of Dr. David Brownstein


lewrockwell--2020-01-14--US to Iraq: ‘Vote All You Want, We’re Not Leaving!’

President Trump ’ s decision earlier this month to assassinate Iran ’ s top military general on Iraqi soil – over the objection of the Iraqi government – has damaged the US relationship with its “ ally ” Iraq and set the region on the brink of war .
Iran ’ s measured response – a few missiles fired on an Iraqi base after advance warning was given – is the only reason the US is not mired in another Middle East war .
Trump said his decision to assassinate Gen. Qassim Soleimani was intended to prevent a war , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one in his right mind would think that killing another country ’ s top military leader would not leave that country annoyed , to say the least .
Senators Mike Lee ( R-UT ) and Rand Paul ( R-KY ) said the Trump Administration ’ s briefing to Congress on its evidence to back up claims that Soleimani was about to launch attacks against the US was among the worst briefings they ’ d ever attended .
After initially claiming that Soleimani had to be taken out immediately because of “ imminent ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump Administration officials including Secretary of State Pompeo and Defense Secretary Esper have been busy walking back those claims .
Esper claimed over the weekend that he had not seen the intelligence suggesting an attack on US embassies was in the works .
If the Secretary of Defense did not seen the intelligence , then who did ?
Swords Into Plowshares ... Ron Paul Best Price : $ 2.82 Buy New $ 15.98 No doubt the Iraqi leadership recognized these kinds of deceptions : the same kinds of lies were used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country in 2003 .
So it should not have come as a big surprise that the Iraqi government met last week and voted that all foreign military personnel should leave Iraqi soil .
Then a funny thing happened when the Iraqi prime minister attempted to communicate to the US government the will of the Iraqi people through their democratically-elected officials .
On Thursday Iraqi Prime Minister Mahdi phoned Pompeo to urgently request that Washington enact a US troop “ withdrawal mechanism ” in Iraq .
American troops are in Iraq by invitation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had just voted to revoke that invitation .
The State Department responded with a statement titled “ The US Continued Partnership with Iraq , ” in which it essentially said that the US would not abide by the request of its Iraqi partners because the US military is a “ force for good ” in the Middle East and that as such it is “ our right ” to maintain “ appropriate force posture ” in the region .
The US invaded Iraq based on Bush Administration lies and a million Iraqis died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama ramped up the drone program and also backed al-Qaeda affiliated terrorists to overthrow the secular Syrian government .
Obama also attacked Libya based on lies , leaving the country totally destroyed .
Trump is assassinating foreign officials and threatening destruction of Iran .
And the State Department calls that a “ force for good ” ?
The United States can be a true force for good , however .
End the military occupation of the Middle East , end foreign military aid , stop using the CIA to overthrow governments .
Allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any country they wish .
Lead by example and demonstrate how free markets and peace benefit all .
A “ force for good ” means not forcing others to bow to your will .
The Best of Ron Paul

President Trump’s decision earlier this month to assassinate Iran’s top military general on Iraqi soil – over the objection of the Iraqi government – has damaged the US relationship with its “ally” Iraq and set the region on the brink of war. Iran’s measured response – a few missiles fired on an Iraqi base after advance warning was given – is the only reason the US is not mired in another Middle East war.
Trump said his decision to assassinate Gen. Qassim Soleimani was intended to prevent a war, not start a war. But no one in his right mind would think that killing another country’s top military leader would not leave that country annoyed, to say the least. Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rand Paul (R-KY) said the Trump Administration’s briefing to Congress on its evidence to back up claims that Soleimani was about to launch attacks against the US was among the worst briefings they’d ever attended.
After initially claiming that Soleimani had to be taken out immediately because of “imminent” attacks he was launching against the US, Trump Administration officials including Secretary of State Pompeo and Defense Secretary Esper have been busy walking back those claims. Esper claimed over the weekend that he had not seen the intelligence suggesting an attack on US embassies was in the works. If the Secretary of Defense did not seen the intelligence, then who did? Swords Into Plowshares... Paul, Ron Best Price: $4.00 Buy New $15.99 (as of 11:36 UTC - Details)
No doubt the Iraqi leadership recognized these kinds of deceptions: the same kinds of lies were used to push the US into attacking their own country in 2003. So it should not have come as a big surprise that the Iraqi government met last week and voted that all foreign military personnel should leave Iraqi soil.
Then a funny thing happened when the Iraqi prime minister attempted to communicate to the US government the will of the Iraqi people through their democratically-elected officials. On Thursday Iraqi Prime Minister Mahdi phoned Pompeo to urgently request that Washington enact a US troop “withdrawal mechanism” in Iraq. American troops are in Iraq by invitation of the Iraqi government and the Iraqi government had just voted to revoke that invitation.
The State Department responded with a statement titled “The US Continued Partnership with Iraq,” in which it essentially said that the US would not abide by the request of its Iraqi partners because the US military is a “force for good” in the Middle East and that as such it is “our right” to maintain “appropriate force posture” in the region.
The US invaded Iraq based on Bush Administration lies and a million Iraqis died as a result. Later, President Obama ramped up the drone program and also backed al-Qaeda affiliated terrorists to overthrow the secular Syrian government. Obama also attacked Libya based on lies, leaving the country totally destroyed. Trump is assassinating foreign officials and threatening destruction of Iran.
And the State Department calls that a “force for good”?
The United States can be a true force for good, however. End the military occupation of the Middle East, end foreign military aid, stop using the CIA to overthrow governments. Allow Americans to travel and do business in any country they wish. Lead by example and demonstrate how free markets and peace benefit all. A “force for good” means not forcing others to bow to your will.
The Best of Ron Paul, MD


lewrockwell--2020-01-14--Should Christians Pray for the Troops?

Should Christians Pray for the Troops?

Some years ago I gave my expression to my own feeling – anti-patriotic feeling , it will doubtless be called – in a somewhat startling way .
It was at the time of the second Afghan war , when , in pursuance of what were thought to be “ our interests , ” we were invading Afghanistan .
News had come that some of our troops were in danger .
At the Athenæum Club a well-known military man – then a captain but now a general – drew my attention to a telegram containing this news , and read it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ belief that I should share his anxiety .
I astounded him by replying – ‘ When men hire themselves out to shoot other men to order , asking nothing about the justice of their cause , I don ’ t care if they are shot themselves.
’ ” ~ Herbert Spencer ( 1820-1903 ) If you skipped over the quotation from Herbert Spencer , then go back and read it .
If you just skimmed the quotation , then go back and read it carefully .
If you read it all the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it again .
“ When men hire themselves out to shoot other men to order , asking nothing about the justice of their cause , I don ’ t care if they are shot themselves.
” These are harsh words .
Most—probably a great majority of—Americans think that this is a despicable attitude to have about U.S. soldiers .
You know , the ones who “ serve ” us , keep us safe , preserve our freedoms , “ support and defend ” the Constitution , keep us from having to speak a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ” so we don ’ t have to fight “ over here.
” There are almost 50,000 U.S. military personnel in the Persian Gulf region and tens of thousands more military contractors .
There are 35 U.S. military bases that surround Iran .
The Free Society Laurence M. Vance Best Price : $ 12.20 Buy New $ 18.00 More U.S. troops are now being deployed to the Middle East after President Trump ’ s foolish act of state terrorism in ordering the political assassination of Iran ’ s Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days since the Jan. 3 drone strike that took out Soleimani , “ roughly 9,000 conventional troops have been deployed to the Middle East , ranging from Marines on amphibious ships to Army Rangers and paratroopers.
” “ We ’ re going to war , bro , ” cheered a young soldier of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg , North Carolina , while he held up two thumbs and grinned .
I have already heard , and heard reports of , conservative Christians expressing the opinion that we should pray for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ East .
We should pray for their safety , pray that they be kept out of harm ’ s way , pray that they avenge the attacks on the American embassy in Iraq , pray that they neutralize the threats to the United States , and pray that they get the terrorists before they get us .
A more shameful prayer has never been uttered .
U.S. soldiers are invaders , occupiers , destroyers , aggressors , and killers .
As a conservative Christian , I can not in good conscience pray for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mission .
And I fail to see how any Christian can .
The fact that U.S. troops are young and dumb , just obeying orders , are ignorant of U.S. military interventions for the past 200 years , don ’ t draft the rules of engagement , don ’ t make U.S. foreign policy , can ’ t just quit their job , don ’ t get to vote on whether the United States should intervene militarily , or just joined the military because they couldn ’ t find a job is immaterial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety or the mission of the troops when they fight unnecessary , immoral , offensive , unjust , foreign wars .
Christians should not pray for the safety or the mission of the troops when they intervene militarily based on lies .
Christians should not pray for the safety or the mission of the troops when they fight “ in a region and in a string of backwater countries that have virtually no bearing on homeland security , safety and liberty ?
” Christians should not pray for the safety or the mission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a reckless , belligerent , and meddling U.S. foreign policy .
Christians should not pray for the safety or the mission of the troops when they fight against a country that is “ zero threat to the American homeland.
” Doing these things is like praying for a member of a criminal gang or the Mafia while they “ shake down ” a store owner , “ send a message ” to a rival , or commit acts of violence .
A military uniform does not magically transform evil into good .
Gun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vance Buy New $ 5.95 But does not the Bible say that “ supplications , prayers , intercessions , and giving of thanks , be made for all men ; ( 1 Timothy 2:1 ) ?
Okay then , if you want to pray for the troops , then here are some things you can pray for : • Pray that they stop fighting immoral and unjust wars .
• Pray that they don ’ t make widows and orphans .
• Pray that they stop being a pawn of the Pentagon .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and not offense .
• Pray that they stop intervening in other countries .
• Pray that they stop serving as the president ’ s personnel attack force .
• Pray that they cease being a global force for evil .
• Pray that they stop policing the world .
• Pray that they come home , permanently .
And especially for now , pray that they will have the moral courage to say enough is enough , I refuse to deploy to another country and fight for Uncle Sam .
The Best @ @ @ @

Some years ago I gave my expression to my own feeling – anti-patriotic feeling, it will doubtless be called – in a somewhat startling way. It was at the time of the second Afghan war, when, in pursuance of what were thought to be “our interests,” we were invading Afghanistan. News had come that some of our troops were in danger. At the Athenæum Club a well-known military man – then a captain but now a general – drew my attention to a telegram containing this news, and read it to me in a manner implying the belief that I should share his anxiety. I astounded him by replying – ‘When men hire themselves out to shoot other men to order, asking nothing about the justice of their cause, I don’t care if they are shot themselves.’” ~ Herbert Spencer (1820-1903)
If you skipped over the quotation from Herbert Spencer, then go back and read it. If you just skimmed the quotation, then go back and read it carefully. If you read it all the way through, then go back and read it again.
“When men hire themselves out to shoot other men to order, asking nothing about the justice of their cause, I don’t care if they are shot themselves.” These are harsh words. Most—probably a great majority of—Americans think that this is a despicable attitude to have about U.S. soldiers. You know, the ones who “serve” us, keep us safe, preserve our freedoms, “support and defend” the Constitution, keep us from having to speak a foreign language, and fight “over there” so we don’t have to fight “over here.”
There are almost 50,000 U.S. military personnel in the Persian Gulf region and tens of thousands more military contractors. There are 35 U.S. military bases that surround Iran. The Free Society Laurence M. Vance Best Price: $13.55 Buy New $17.54 (as of 04:55 UTC - Details)
More U.S. troops are now being deployed to the Middle East after President Trump’s foolish act of state terrorism in ordering the political assassination of Iran’s Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani. According to military.com, in the days since the Jan. 3 drone strike that took out Soleimani, “roughly 9,000 conventional troops have been deployed to the Middle East, ranging from Marines on amphibious ships to Army Rangers and paratroopers.” “We’re going to war, bro,” cheered a young soldier of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, while he held up two thumbs and grinned.
I have already heard, and heard reports of, conservative Christians expressing the opinion that we should pray for the troops being deployed to the Middle East. We should pray for their safety, pray that they be kept out of harm’s way, pray that they avenge the attacks on the American embassy in Iraq, pray that they neutralize the threats to the United States, and pray that they get the terrorists before they get us.
A more shameful prayer has never been uttered.
U.S. soldiers are invaders, occupiers, destroyers, aggressors, and killers. As a conservative Christian, I cannot in good conscience pray for their safety or the success of their mission. And I fail to see how any Christian can.
The fact that U.S. troops are young and dumb, just obeying orders, are ignorant of U.S. military interventions for the past 200 years, don’t draft the rules of engagement, don’t make U.S. foreign policy, can’t just quit their job, don’t get to vote on whether the United States should intervene militarily, or just joined the military because they couldn’t find a job is immaterial.
Christians should not pray for the safety or the mission of the troops when they fight unnecessary, immoral, offensive, unjust, foreign wars.
Christians should not pray for the safety or the mission of the troops when they intervene militarily based on lies.
Christians should not pray for the safety or the mission of the troops when they fight “in a region and in a string of backwater countries that have virtually no bearing on homeland security, safety and liberty?”
Christians should not pray for the safety or the mission of the troops when help carry out a reckless, belligerent, and meddling U.S. foreign policy.
Christians should not pray for the safety or the mission of the troops when they fight against a country that is “zero threat to the American homeland.”
Doing these things is like praying for a member of a criminal gang or the Mafia while they “shake down” a store owner, “send a message” to a rival, or commit acts of violence.
A military uniform does not magically transform evil into good. Gun Control and the Se... Laurence M. Vance Buy New $5.95 (as of 11:36 UTC - Details)
But does not the Bible say that “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men” (1 Timothy 2:1)?
Okay then, if you want to pray for the troops, then here are some things you can pray for:
Pray that they stop fighting immoral and unjust wars.
Pray that they don’t make widows and orphans.
Pray that they stop killing civilians.
Pray that they stop being a pawn of the Pentagon.
Pray that they engage in defense and not offense.
Pray that they stop intervening in other countries.
Pray that they stop serving as the president’s personal attack force.
Pray that they cease being a global force for evil.
Pray that they stop policing the world.
Pray that they don’t reenlist.
Pray that they come home, permanently.
And especially for now, pray that they will have the moral courage to say enough is enough, I refuse to deploy to another country and fight for Uncle Sam.
The Best of Laurence M. Vance


lewrockwell--2020-01-14--The Iranian Protests Are a Washington Orchestration

It is difficult to know who is the most stupid , the protesting Iranian students or the Iranian government .
The Iranian government , like the governments of Russia and China , permits NGOs financed by their Washington and British enemies , to operate in Iran .
Insouciant , indeed stupid , Iranian students receive money , encouragement , organization , and protest power from the foreign-financed NGOs .
To show how stupid the students are , according to reports they are chanting that the enemy is not America , the country threatening to bomb them , but the Iranian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Syria , one wonders why the Iranian students want their country in a similar state of chaos and destruction .
One wonders why the government funds a university that produces such stupid students .
Amazon.com Gift Card i ... Buy New $ 25.00 I have never seen an explanation of why countries on Washington ’ s regime change list permit Washington to finance fifth colulmns within their country .
Are Iran , Russia , and China trying to demonstrate how democratic they are by accepting treason ?
As far as I know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or Russian financed NGOs fomenting regime change in the US , Britain , Germany , France , or any other Washington vassal state .
In the US the president can not even meet with the president of Russia without being accused of selling out America .
The prospect that Washington would tolerate Russian-financed NGOs organizing protests and fomenting regime change is unimaginable .
That Iran , Russia , and China permit it raises questions about the competence of those governments .
According to Russian Experts : The US Bears “ Partial Responsibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Which Caused the Ukrainian plane crash .
The Best of Paul Craig Roberts

It is difficult to know who is the most stupid, the protesting Iranian students or the Iranian government.
The Iranian government, like the governments of Russia and China, permits NGOs financed by their Washington and British enemies, to operate in Iran. Insouciant, indeed stupid, Iranian students receive money, encouragement, organization, and protest power from the foreign-financed NGOs.
To show how stupid the students are, according to reports they are chanting that the enemy is not America, the country threatening to bomb them, but the Iranian government. After Iraq, Libya, and Syria, one wonders why the Iranian students want their country in a similar state of chaos and destruction. One wonders why the government funds a university that produces such stupid students. Amazon.com Gift Card i... Buy New $25.00 (as of 06:10 UTC - Details)
I have never seen an explanation of why countries on Washington’s regime change list permit Washington to finance fifth colulmns within their country. Are Iran, Russia, and China trying to demonstrate how democratic they are by accepting treason?
As far as I know, there are no Iranian, Chinese, or Russian financed NGOs fomenting regime change in the US, Britain, Germany, France, or any other Washington vassal state. In the US the president cannot even meet with the president of Russia without being accused of selling out America. The prospect that Washington would tolerate Russian-financed NGOs organizing protests and fomenting regime change is unimaginable.
That Iran, Russia, and China permit it raises questions about the competence of those governments.
According to Russian Experts: The US Bears “Partial Responsibility” for the “Human Error” Which Caused the Ukrainian plane crash.
The Best of Paul Craig Roberts


lewrockwell--2020-01-14--John Mcafee Just Withdrew His Famous 2020 Prediction About Bitcoin, Now Says the Cryptocurrency Is E

John Mcafee Just Withdrew His Famous 2020 Prediction About Bitcoin, Now Says the Cryptocurrency Is Essentially Obsolete

There was a time when John McAfee of antivirus fame predicted that Bitcoin would reach $ 1 million by 2020 .
But he ’ s since changed his mind and decided that Bitcoin will eventually reach $ 0 because the cryptocurrency is based on “ ancient ” technology .
Part of McAfee ’ s former $ 1 million claim included a personal promise ; if it didn ’ t “ shoot the moon , ” then McAfee was going to remove his genitalia .
But now McAfee claims that this was all just a ploy for attention , and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Though McAfee founded one of the largest cybersecurity firms back in 1987 , he ’ s now on the run from authorities .
And during a rare interview he gave from an anonymous location recently , McAfee told all about his “ adventures , ” as well as his newfound opinions on Bitcoin .
Amazon.com Gift Card i ... Buy New $ 10.00 “ Bitcoin was first , ” McAfee wrote in a recent tweet disavowing the cryptocurrency that he once hailed .
“ It ’ s an ancient technology .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , smart contracts , distributed apps and more .
Bitcoin is our future ?
Was the Model T the future of the automobile ?
” Back in May , McAfee endorsed Dogecoin , a newer cryptocurrency that he likes because of its name , apparently .
Just a few months later in August , McAfee warned his Twitter followers not to bail on Bitcoin because , “ You know in your heart Bitcoin can not lose.
” So , McAfee really is kind of all over the place when it comes to Bitcoin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one day and another the next .
Reports indicate that he also has a history of accepting cash to pump altcoins , which one source indicates has given him an incentive to bash Bitcoin .

There was a time when John McAfee of antivirus fame predicted that Bitcoin would reach $1 million by 2020. But he’s since changed his mind and decided that Bitcoin will eventually reach $0 because the cryptocurrency is based on “ancient” technology.
Part of McAfee’s former $1 million claim included a personal promise; if it didn’t “shoot the moon,” then McAfee was going to remove his genitalia. But now McAfee claims that this was all just a ploy for attention, and that he never actually intended to do this.
Though McAfee founded one of the largest cybersecurity firms back in 1987, he’s now on the run from authorities. And during a rare interview he gave from an anonymous location recently, McAfee told all about his “adventures,” as well as his newfound opinions on Bitcoin. Amazon.com Gift Card i... Buy New $10.00 (as of 08:25 UTC - Details)
“Bitcoin was first,” McAfee wrote in a recent tweet disavowing the cryptocurrency that he once hailed. “It’s an ancient technology. All know it. Newer blockchains have privacy, smart contracts, distributed apps and more. Bitcoin is our future? Was the Model T the future of the automobile?”
Back in May, McAfee endorsed Dogecoin, a newer cryptocurrency that he likes because of its name, apparently. Just a few months later in August, McAfee warned his Twitter followers not to bail on Bitcoin because, “You know in your heart Bitcoin cannot lose.”
So, McAfee really is kind of all over the place when it comes to Bitcoin and the cryptosphere, endorsing one crypto one day and another the next. Reports indicate that he also has a history of accepting cash to pump altcoins, which one source indicates has given him an incentive to bash Bitcoin.
Read the Whole Article


Sterling Meets Kafka

Former CIA operations officer Jeffrey Sterling will receive the Sam Adams Award for Integrity in Intelligence this Wednesday , joining 17 earlier winners who , like Sterling , demonstrated extraordinary devotion to the truth and the rule of law by having the courage to blow the whistle on government wrongdoing .
Tuesday will mark the fifth anniversary of the eerie beginning of Sterling ’ s trial for espionage — the kind of trial that might have left even Franz Kafka , author of the classic novel The Trial , stunned in disbelief .
There can be a heavy price exacted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially ones that have neutered the press to the point where they are immune to exposure when they take serious liberties with the law .
Making this reality plainly obvious , of course , is one of the U.S. government ’ s primary aims in putting whistleblowers like Sterling in prison — lest others get the idea they can blow the whistle and get away with it .
With his Sam Adams award , Sterling brings to five the number of award recipients imprisoned for exposing government abuse ( not counting 2013 Sam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was made stateless and has been marooned in Russia for over six years ) .
Worst still , Julian Assange ( 2010 ) and Chelsea Manning ( 2014 ) remain in prison , where UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer says they are being tortured .
The Trial : A New Trans ... Franz Kafka Best Price : $ 3.61 Buy New $ 7.00 The Sam Adams Award recipient in 2016 , John Kiriakou , having served his own two-year prison term for speaking out against U.S. torture , will be among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ award ceremony .
Both were subjected to the tender mercies of Judge Leonie Brinkema— widely known as the “ hanging judge ” of the gallows-friendly Eastern District of Virginia , where Assange has also been indicted under the same World War I Espionage Act used to convict Sterling .
Sterling ’ s trial has been wrongly called a “ miscarriage ” of justice .
It was not a miscarriage , it was an abortion .
I am an eyewitness to it .
Five years ago , with Kafka casting a long shadow , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a handful of colleagues painfully aware of the Queen-of-Hearts kind of “ justice ” Brinkema was likely to apply .
Sadly , she exceeded our expectations — gloomy as they were .
As for Sterling , he knew he was innocent .
He had followed the rules by going to congressional oversight authorities cleared for classified information in order to expose a covert operation what was not only feckless but also dangerous .
Thus , he was confident he would be vindicated — despite the “ hanging judge , ” the all-white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He knew he was innocent , but these days knowing you are innocent can create a false sense of security as well as self-confidence .
Sterling assumed — correctly , it turned out — that the government could come up with no persuasive evidence against him .
In these circumstances it would make little sense for him to accept the kind of plea bargain customarily offered in such cases .
Clearly , his ultimate trust in our judicial system was misplaced .
How could he have known that he could be tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with no more evidence than “ metadata ” ; that is , content-less , circumstantial evidence .
The good news is that Sterling ’ s prison time is now behind him .
He and his intrepid wife Holly will be back this week in Washington , however briefly , with friends and admirers who are eager to celebrate the integrity that he and Holly have shown over these past five painful years .
‘ Unwanted Spy : The Persecution of an American Whistleblower ’ That is the title Sterling gave to the excellent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David Swanson , who also attended the trial , wrote the first review for Amazon ; he titled it “ Join the CIA : Travel the World Passing Out Nuclear Blueprints.
” ( Warning : Before you read Swanson ’ s typically perceptive comments , you may wish to “ have your credit card ready ” as you may find it difficult to resist the impulse to order the book . )
Further background on Sterling ’ s version of The Trial can be found in the blanket , contemporaneous coverage Consortium News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Later , ( on March 2 , 2018 ) Consortium published what is by far the most trenchant and instructive analysis of the entire codenamed Operation Merlin caper to trap Iran — an article by award winning investigative reporter Gareth Porter entitled “ How ‘ Operation Merlin ’ poisoned U.S. Intelligence on Iran.
” Porter ’ s piece is far more than just an “ inside baseball ’ account of some of the personal and structural disasters befalling U.S. intelligence over the past two decades .
Rather , it is a well documented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CIA in those times and their pandering to powerful interests like the Israel Lobby in trying to manufacture the image of an Iranian “ mushroom-cloud ” — counterpart to the one conjured up to “ justify ” war on Iraq .
Indeed , it is fairly well known that Israel wanted President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney to “ do Iran ” first , before attacking Iraq .
Bush ’ s neocon advisers were beating their chests , shouting , “ Real men go to Tehran.
” In my view @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kowtowed to that braggadocio and tailored “ intelligence ” to help , are the ones that should have been put in prison — not patriots like Sterling , who tried to expose the foolishness .
Porter ’ s findings with regard to the “ poisoning of U.S. intelligence on Iran ” have huge implications today .
Can we afford to take at face value the “ intelligence ” served up to justify U.S. hostility to Iran ?
Porter ’ s piece is a must read in these days of dramatic confrontation with Teheran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of farce as well as drama .
In an example of both , the CIA released original cables carefully selected to prove that Sterling was guilty of leaking the gory details to Risen of the Iran-targeted Operation Merlin , a CIA plot to use a Russian cutout to pass a flawed design for a nuclear weapon , intended to sabotage Iran ’ s nuclear program .
The cables were heavily redacted , of course .
But , alas , not enough to hide what seems to be an important aspect of the Merlin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as Iran , was in the crosshairs of the Merlin covert action .
Unsurprisingly , the media missed this , but Swanson , who attended some of the trial , closely scrutinized one of the cables introduced as evidence and found it to be amateurishly redacted .
Inspector Clouseau , himself , could have figured out some of the key words beneath the redaction .
Swanson published his findings under the title : “ In Convicting Jeff Sterling , CIA Revealed More Than It Accused Him of Revealing.
” Swanson ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ War : The Secr ... James Risen Best Price : $ 3.39 Buy New $ 12.06 Only those seeking the truth about Operation Merlin took notice .
All it required for Swanson was ( 1 ) to care about whether justice , or an abortion of justice , was about to occur , and ( 2 ) to apply some rudimentary tradecraft common to detective work and intelligence analysis .
Those with strong stomachs who have not yet read the Operation Merlin chapter in Risen ’ s State of War , are strongly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s chapter will provide readers with a strong flavor for why the pro-active ringleaders of CIA ’ s well funded covert operations were so upset with the revelations and so obsessed with the notion that additional leaks were likely unless someone — anyone — could be framed , blamed , and imprisoned .
With the play-by-play regarding the charges against Sterling , the reasons behind them , and how the government could imprison him on metadata-sans-content and other background readily available to those interested in more detail , let me add some color @ @ @ @ @ @ @ itself —the trial ’ s metadata , if you will .
The scene was surreal .
The trial began on Jan. 14 , 2015 with witnesses speaking from behind a 12-foot-tall screen , a kind of metaphor for the smoke and mirrors to which we were about to be exposed .
It was not possible to get The Trial by Kafka out of my mind .
In Kafka ’ s unnerving novel the protagonist , “ Joseph K. ” , has a profound sense of being trapped — of being a helpless pawn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court.
” ( Kafka had been a government employee in Hapsburg Austria with ample opportunity to observe bureaucracy in action , an aspect that looms large in the novel . )
The Trial depicts the legal , bureaucratic , and social forces controlling individual freedom .
“ Joseph K. ” is innocent of any wrongdoing ; despite this , he is arrested and executed .
Worse still , all the characters in the novel — including eventually Mr. K. — bow their heads in resignation , assuming this to be the normal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How would one interpret The Trial for high school or college students , I thought to myself .
A Google search found a teaching guide to the book from Random House .
How can teachers overcome some of the general difficulties presented in The Trial ?
First , try to “ see in Josef K. ’ s predicament a basic human problem that anyone can identify with : how to defend oneself against an authority with overwhelming power.
” Good .
But in The Trial not only do the good guys not win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — no positive characters in this totally depressing story .
And — worse still — there is no love interest .
Here ’ s where Sterling ’ s trial diverges from Kafka .
There ’ s much to admire in Sterling ’ s case .
Positive characters abound , first and foremost , Sterling and his intrepid wife Holly .
This is not Hapsburg Austria , but the United States of America ; this trial is not normal ; they do not acquiesce ; there is no bowing of heads .
And neither @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack for empirical data on the proclivities of a stifling , cowardly bureaucracy .
And as for love interest — seldom have I observed such an edifying example of day-to-day love and mutual support .
Holly is always there .
Far from facing lonely execution like Kafka ’ s “ Joseph K. , ” Sterling stands affirmed in his steadfastness — and will be suitably honored this week by his peers .
It is Kafka no more .
The super-grade sleuths who set out to demoralize and depress the Sterlings have achieved the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and circumstance , the CIA bureaucracy ’ s behavior at its worst has been exposed .
It was interesting , if not depressing , to watch in court ( or when blocked by the high screen , simply to listen ) to CIA bureaucrats from the covert action side of the agency ply their trade to what seemed to be largely naive , unsuspecting targets — whether prosecutors , judge , or jury .
These functionaries are , after all , “ case officers ” ; their stock in trade is conning people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hill , or with an already tamed domestic media .
Overseas , of course , they use their well developed wiles to suborn foreigners into treason against their own country .
During the Sterling trial , their art was on full display domestically .
The only thing left unclear was whether the courtroom targets of their cultivation and recruitment were aware they were being conned .
Aware or not , CIA ’ s case officers built an effective united front before judge and jury .
On the last day of the trial , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to impress the jury and close their scapegoat case .
This time the media were very much in attendance , as duchess-of-the-mushroom-cloud , former secretary of state and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice stiletto-heeled into the courtroom to testify against Sterling .
From the hushed reaction it was clear she was still clothed in highly effective — if metaphorical — Teflon .
It was , one might say , “ shock and awe ” of a different sort .
No one in the awe-struck audience seemed focused on the consequential lies Rice told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the catastrophic war on Iraq , or of the White House orientation sessions she orchestrated to brief Bush ’ s most senior national security officials on CIA torture techniques to apparently obtain their buy-in and ensure they could not feign innocence .
( Referring to those macabre briefings , then-Attorney General John Ashcroft commented , “ History will not be kind to us.
” Sadly , those involved are still getting away with it .
I was sitting on the end of the aisle as Rice pranced by , and she turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reaction , I could not resist whispering a one-syllable word for “ prevaricator.
” Undaunted , she smiled all the more .
Also testifying on that final day was William Harlow , CIA prevaricator-in-chief under “ slam-dunk ” director George Tenet , under whose “ leadership ” Operation Merlin was conceived and implemented .
Besides ghostwriting books by Tenet and the like , Harlow ’ s claim to fame rests in having successfully steered the media away from the well-documented reality that Iraq had no WMD before it was attacked on March 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2003 , Newsweek published an exclusive report by John Barry based on the official UN inspectors ’ transcript of the debriefing of Hussein Kamel , a son-in-law of Saddam Hussein .
Kamel had been in charge of Iraq ’ s nuclear , chemical , and biological weapons programs and the missiles to deliver such weapons .
Kamel assured his interrogators that all had been destroyed .
( In a classic understatement , Newsweek ’ s Barry commented , “ The defector ’ s tale raises questions about whether the WMD stockpiles attributed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Kamel had been interrogated in separate sessions by the CIA , British intelligence , and a trio from the UN inspection team ; that Newsweek had been able to verify that the UN document was authentic , and that Kamel had “ told the same story to the CIA and the British.
” In short , Barry ’ s scoop had already been confirmed .
And the CIA knew with certainty that what Kamel said in 1995 was still the truth in 2003 .
Documentary evidence — a potential bombshell .
How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a month later ?
Harlow rose to the occasion .
When the media asked him about Barry ’ s report , he called it “ incorrect , bogus , wrong , untrue.
” And the mainstream media said , in effect , “ Oh , Gosh .
Thanks for letting us know .
We might have run a story on that.
” I am not one to hold grudges .
I make an exception for Harlow .
After he testified he noticed that the only empty seat in the courtroom was the one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ray , ” he said , as he eased into the chair .
I did not want to create a scene , so I wrote and passed him this note : Harlow read my note , gave me the Condoleezza Rice happy smile , and said , “ Good to see you , Ray.
” A reminder from Lord Acton , 19th century politician and historian : “ Everything secret degenerates , even the administration of justice.
” Below is the text of the citation accompanying the award to Jeffrey Sterling : The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ author and may or may not reflect those of Consortium News .

Former CIA operations officer Jeffrey Sterling will receive the Sam Adams Award for Integrity in Intelligence this Wednesday, joining 17 earlier winners who, like Sterling, demonstrated extraordinary devotion to the truth and the rule of law by having the courage to blow the whistle on government wrongdoing.
Tuesday will mark the fifth anniversary of the eerie beginning of Sterling’s trial for espionage — the kind of trial that might have left even Franz Kafka, author of the classic novel The Trial, stunned in disbelief.
There can be a heavy price exacted for exposing abuse by secretive governments — especially ones that have neutered the press to the point where they are immune to exposure when they take serious liberties with the law. Making this reality plainly obvious, of course, is one of the U.S. government’s primary aims in putting whistleblowers like Sterling in prison — lest others get the idea they can blow the whistle and get away with it.
With his Sam Adams award, Sterling brings to five the number of award recipients imprisoned for exposing government abuse (not counting 2013 Sam Adams laureate, Ed Snowden, who was made stateless and has been marooned in Russia for over six years). Worst still, Julian Assange (2010) and Chelsea Manning (2014) remain in prison, where UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer says they are being tortured. The Trial: A New Trans... Franz Kafka Best Price: $3.72 Buy New $7.00 (as of 09:53 UTC - Details)
The Sam Adams Award recipient in 2016, John Kiriakou, having served his own two-year prison term for speaking out against U.S. torture, will be among those welcoming Sterling at Wednesday’s award ceremony. Both were subjected to the tender mercies of Judge Leonie Brinkema— widely known as the “hanging judge” of the gallows-friendly Eastern District of Virginia, where Assange has also been indicted under the same World War I Espionage Act used to convict Sterling.
Not a Miscarriage; an Abortion
Sterling’s trial has been wrongly called a “miscarriage” of justice. It was not a miscarriage, it was an abortion. I am an eyewitness to it.
Five years ago, with Kafka casting a long shadow, I sat through Sterling’s trial with a handful of colleagues painfully aware of the Queen-of-Hearts kind of “justice” Brinkema was likely to apply. Sadly, she exceeded our expectations — gloomy as they were. As for Sterling, he knew he was innocent. He had followed the rules by going to congressional oversight authorities cleared for classified information in order to expose a covert operation what was not only feckless but also dangerous. Thus, he was confident he would be vindicated — despite the “hanging judge,” the all-white jury, and the draconian Espionage Act.
He knew he was innocent, but these days knowing you are innocent can create a false sense of security as well as self-confidence. Sterling assumed — correctly, it turned out — that the government could come up with no persuasive evidence against him. In these circumstances it would make little sense for him to accept the kind of plea bargain customarily offered in such cases. Clearly, his ultimate trust in our judicial system was misplaced. How could he have known that he could be tried, convicted, and sent to prison with no more evidence than “metadata”; that is, content-less, circumstantial evidence.
The good news is that Sterling’s prison time is now behind him. He and his intrepid wife Holly will be back this week in Washington, however briefly, with friends and admirers who are eager to celebrate the integrity that he and Holly have shown over these past five painful years.
‘Unwanted Spy: The Persecution
of an American Whistleblower’
That is the title Sterling gave to the excellent memoir he published last fall. Activist/author David Swanson, who also attended the trial, wrote the first review for Amazon; he titled it “Join the CIA: Travel the World Passing Out Nuclear Blueprints.” (Warning: Before you read Swanson’s typically perceptive comments, you may wish to “have your credit card ready” as you may find it difficult to resist the impulse to order the book.)
Further background on Sterling’s version of The Trial can be found in the blanket, contemporaneous coverage Consortium News gave to it five years ago. Later, (on March 2, 2018) Consortium published what is by far the most trenchant and instructive analysis of the entire codenamed Operation Merlin caper to trap Iran — an article by award winning investigative reporter Gareth Porter entitled “How ‘Operation Merlin’ poisoned U.S. Intelligence on Iran.”
Porter’s piece is far more than just an “inside baseball’ account of some of the personal and structural disasters befalling U.S. intelligence over the past two decades. Rather, it is a well documented indictment of the ambitious clowns running the CIA in those times and their pandering to powerful interests like the Israel Lobby in trying to manufacture the image of an Iranian “mushroom-cloud” — counterpart to the one conjured up to “justify” war on Iraq.
Indeed, it is fairly well known that Israel wanted President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney to “do Iran” first, before attacking Iraq. Bush’s neocon advisers were beating their chests, shouting, “Real men go to Tehran.”
In my view, the miscreant intelligence chiefs, who kowtowed to that braggadocio and tailored “intelligence” to help, are the ones that should have been put in prison — not patriots like Sterling, who tried to expose the foolishness. Porter’s findings with regard to the “poisoning of U.S. intelligence on Iran” have huge implications today. Can we afford to take at face value the “intelligence” served up to justify U.S. hostility to Iran? Porter’s piece is a must read in these days of dramatic confrontation with Teheran.
Sterling’s trial included elements of farce as well as drama. In an example of both, the CIA released original cables carefully selected to prove that Sterling was guilty of leaking the gory details to Risen of the Iran-targeted Operation Merlin, a CIA plot to use a Russian cutout to pass a flawed design for a nuclear weapon, intended to sabotage Iran’s nuclear program.
The cables were heavily redacted, of course. But, alas, not enough to hide what seems to be an important aspect of the Merlin story — namely, that Iraq, as well as Iran, was in the crosshairs of the Merlin covert action. Unsurprisingly, the media missed this, but Swanson, who attended some of the trial, closely scrutinized one of the cables introduced as evidence and found it to be amateurishly redacted. Inspector Clouseau, himself, could have figured out some of the key words beneath the redaction.
Swanson published his findings under the title: “In Convicting Jeff Sterling, CIA Revealed More Than It Accused Him of Revealing.” Swanson’s piece is revealing.
State of War: The Secr... Risen, James Best Price: $1.49 Buy New $9.95 (as of 05:40 UTC - Details) Only those seeking the truth about Operation Merlin took notice. All it required for Swanson was (1) to care about whether justice, or an abortion of justice, was about to occur, and (2) to apply some rudimentary tradecraft common to detective work and intelligence analysis.
Those with strong stomachs who have not yet read the Operation Merlin chapter in Risen’s State of War, are strongly encouraged to do so. Risen’s chapter will provide readers with a strong flavor for why the pro-active ringleaders of CIA’s well funded covert operations were so upset with the revelations and so obsessed with the notion that additional leaks were likely unless someone — anyone — could be framed, blamed, and imprisoned.
Kafka Shadows ‘The Trial’ of Sterling
With the play-by-play regarding the charges against Sterling, the reasons behind them, and how the government could imprison him on metadata-sans-content and other background readily available to those interested in more detail, let me add some color regarding the grotesque ambiance of the trial itself —the trial’s metadata, if you will.
The scene was surreal. The trial began on Jan. 14, 2015 with witnesses speaking from behind a 12-foot-tall screen, a kind of metaphor for the smoke and mirrors to which we were about to be exposed. It was not possible to get The Trial by Kafka out of my mind. In Kafka’s unnerving novel the protagonist, “Joseph K.”, has a profound sense of being trapped — of being a helpless pawn in the hands of a mysterious “Court.” (Kafka had been a government employee in Hapsburg Austria with ample opportunity to observe bureaucracy in action, an aspect that looms large in the novel.)
The Trial depicts the legal, bureaucratic, and social forces controlling individual freedom. “ Joseph K.” is innocent of any wrongdoing; despite this, he is arrested and executed. Worse still, all the characters in the novel — including eventually Mr. K. — bow their heads in resignation, assuming this to be the normal, if unfortunate, state of affairs.
How would one interpret The Trial for high school or college students, I thought to myself. A Google search found a teaching guide to the book from Random House.
How can teachers overcome some of the general difficulties presented in The Trial? First, try to “see in Josef K.’s predicament a basic human problem that anyone can identify with: how to defend oneself against an authority with overwhelming power.” Good. But in The Trial not only do the good guys not win, but there are no good guys — no positive characters in this totally depressing story. And — worse still — there is no love interest.
Here’s where Sterling’s trial diverges from Kafka. There’s much to admire in Sterling’s case. Positive characters abound, first and foremost, Sterling and his intrepid wife Holly. This is not Hapsburg Austria, but the United States of America; this trial is not normal; they do not acquiesce; there is no bowing of heads.
And neither do their friends. We do not lack for empirical data on the proclivities of a stifling, cowardly bureaucracy. And as for love interest — seldom have I observed such an edifying example of day-to-day love and mutual support. Holly is always there. Far from facing lonely execution like Kafka’s “Joseph K.,” Sterling stands affirmed in his steadfastness — and will be suitably honored this week by his peers. It is Kafka no more.
The super-grade sleuths who set out to demoralize and depress the Sterlings have achieved the exact opposite. Underneath all the pomp and circumstance, the CIA bureaucracy’s behavior at its worst has been exposed.
Conmen & Condoleezza
It was interesting, if not depressing, to watch in court (or when blocked by the high screen, simply to listen) to CIA bureaucrats from the covert action side of the agency ply their trade to what seemed to be largely naive, unsuspecting targets — whether prosecutors, judge, or jury. These functionaries are, after all, “case officers”; their stock in trade is conning people — whether in court, on the Hill, or with an already tamed domestic media.
Overseas, of course, they use their well developed wiles to suborn foreigners into treason against their own country. During the Sterling trial, their art was on full display domestically. The only thing left unclear was whether the courtroom targets of their cultivation and recruitment were aware they were being conned. Aware or not, CIA’s case officers built an effective united front before judge and jury.
On the last day of the trial, the government brought in some big-gun liars-in-chief to impress the jury and close their scapegoat case. This time the media were very much in attendance, as duchess-of-the-mushroom-cloud, former secretary of state and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice stiletto-heeled into the courtroom to testify against Sterling. From the hushed reaction it was clear she was still clothed in highly effective — if metaphorical — Teflon.
It was, one might say, “shock and awe” of a different sort. No one in the awe-struck audience seemed focused on the consequential lies Rice told a dozen years before to “justify” the catastrophic war on Iraq, or of the White House orientation sessions she orchestrated to brief Bush’s most senior national security officials on CIA torture techniques to apparently obtain their buy-in and ensure they could not feign innocence. (Referring to those macabre briefings, then-Attorney General John Ashcroft commented, “History will not be kind to us.” Sadly, those involved are still getting away with it.
I was sitting on the end of the aisle as Rice pranced by, and she turned a happy-face smile toward me. In reaction, I could not resist whispering a one-syllable word for “prevaricator.” Undaunted, she smiled all the more.
Also testifying on that final day was William Harlow, CIA prevaricator-in-chief under “slam-dunk” director George Tenet, under whose “leadership” Operation Merlin was conceived and implemented. Besides ghostwriting books by Tenet and the like, Harlow’s claim to fame rests in having successfully steered the media away from the well-documented reality that Iraq had no WMD before it was attacked on March 20, 2003.
On Feb. 24, 2003, Newsweek published an exclusive report by John Barry based on the official UN inspectors’ transcript of the debriefing of Hussein Kamel, a son-in-law of Saddam Hussein. Kamel had been in charge of Iraq’s nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons programs and the missiles to deliver such weapons. Kamel assured his interrogators that all had been destroyed. (In a classic understatement, Newsweek’s Barry commented, “The defector’s tale raises questions about whether the WMD stockpiles attributed to Iraq still exist.”)
Barry added that Kamel had been interrogated in separate sessions by the CIA, British intelligence, and a trio from the UN inspection team; that Newsweek had been able to verify that the UN document was authentic, and that Kamel had “told the same story to the CIA and the British.” In short, Barry’s scoop had already been confirmed. And the CIA knew with certainty that what Kamel said in 1995 was still the truth in 2003. Documentary evidence — a potential bombshell. How would that impact plans to attack Iraq a month later?
Harlow rose to the occasion. When the media asked him about Barry’s report, he called it “incorrect, bogus, wrong, untrue.” And the mainstream media said, in effect, “Oh, Gosh. Thanks for letting us know. We might have run a story on that.”
I am not one to hold grudges. I make an exception for Harlow. After he testified he noticed that the only empty seat in the courtroom was the one next to me. “Hi, Ray,” he said, as he eased into the chair. I did not want to create a scene, so I wrote and passed him this note:
“Newsweek, Feb 24, 2003, Hussein Kamel debrief report after his defection in 1995: “I ordered the destruction of all WMD.” Harlow says Newsweek story “incorrect, bogus, wrong, untrue.” 4,500 U.S. troops dead. Liar.”
Harlow read my note, gave me the Condoleezza Rice happy smile, and said, “Good to see you, Ray.”
——————————-
A reminder from Lord Acton, 19th century politician and historian: “Everything secret degenerates, even the administration of justice.”
Below is the text of the citation accompanying the award to Jeffrey Sterling:
The views expressed are solely those of the author and may or may not reflect those of Consortium News.
Reprinted with the author’s permission.


lewrockwell--2020-01-14--Sedition in Real Time

Sedition in Real Time

It is a wonder of these incendiary times that even as impeachment of a president moves to its ripest phase , trial in the Senate , the acts of sedition that prompted it still go on behind the scenes with no intervention — an epic failure of authority , if there ever was one .
And further irony , if ever there was a trial that cried for witnesses , the impeachment case being brought by Mrs. Pelosi is such a hash of fraud , incompetence , and chicanery , that it begs for summary dismissal — so that these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the nation .
I speak of the “ whistleblower ” scheme cooked up by a network of officials who have actively plotted to overthrow the president for three years , as laid out at The Last Refuge website Sunday night : Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson in league with former colleagues from the Department of Justice National Security Division and the Lawfare org — a group dedicated to weaponizing law , in service to the political Left .
As I have averred in this blog as far back as October , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being appointed ICIG was counsel ( lawyer ) to the Department of Justice ’ s Chief of National Security .
During the first half of the election year 2016 , that was John Carlin .
Mr. Carlin ’ s job was not just to sign-off on FISA warrants , but to actually write them .
It also happens that Mr. Carlin had previously served as chief of staff to Robert Mueller , when Mr. Mueller was FBI Director .
Living in the Long Eme ... James Howard Kunstler Buy New $ 24.95 Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Carter Page , under suspicion of being a Russian Spy , when in fact Carter Page was a CIA informant who had been operating in Russia for years to uncover Russian adventures against the USA .
CIA Director John Brennan inserted Mr .
Page into the Trump campaign to open up Mr. Trump ’ s campaign to FBI surveillance , since the CIA has no law enforcement powers .
The FISA Court ’ s Two-hop Rule allows a second hop to anyone who communicated with the initial subject of a warrant , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Trump campaign , including the candidate himself .
It also would have allowed access to all communications going back for years .
This part of the scheme was probably green-lighted by White House National Security Advisor Susan Rice for Mr. Brennan , with President Obama ’ s approval , for the purpose of helping Hillary Clinton win the election .
John Carlin resigned in September of 2016 when faced with the prospect of having to sign a second fraudulent FISA warrant .
He was replaced by DOJ attorney Mary McCord .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ involved in engineering the case against General Michael Flynn , as well as the continuing surveillance of the Trump campaign .
She resigned in April of 2017 .
A month later , Robert Mueller was appointed Special Counsel by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein ( acting for recused AG Jeff Sessions ) .
Mary McCord then moved to a job at the elephant ’ s graveyard of federal officials under suspicion of malfeasance : the Georgetown University Law School .
Meanwhile Michael Atkinson , who had continued as counsel under Ms. McCord , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ICIG .
Since then , somehow , Mary McCord landed a gig as an outside lawyer for Adam Schiff ’ s House intelligence Committee , to which she remains attached to this day .
She is also associated with the Lawfare org that has supplied several other lawyers to Mr. Schiff ’ s committee and Jerrold Nadler ’ s House Judiciary Committee .
Did Ms. McCord organize the “ whistleblower ” complaint and coordinate its transmission through Mr. Atkinson ’ s IG office , with CIA agent Eric Ciaramella acting as the spearpoint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have direct contact with Ms. McCord in the process ?
Did Ms. McCord have any part in actually writing the “ whistleblower ’ s ” highly legalistic complaint ?
Did Ms. McCord play any part in the backdating of official forms submitted for the “ whistleblower ’ s ” complaint — especially the crucial matter of changing the provision that disallowed second-hand “ hearsay ” evidence from such a complaint ?
Isn ’ t it a pity that the Senate phase of this impeachment may conclude with no testimony from these people ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ howard kunstler Best Price : $ 8.73 Buy New $ 7.50 An additional insult to the public interest went down on Friday when FISA court presiding judge James Boasberg picked one Davids Kris , former DOJ National Security Division chief ( preceding John Carlin under President Obama ) , to “ assist ” in reforming FISA court procedures lately discredited by multiple acts of fraud and seditious abuse .
Mr. Kris ’ s conflicts of interest in this endeavor are so rich and dark that they would embarrass a Gestapo Gruppenführer .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump has to go.
” He was a loud critic of the report issued by Rep Devin Nunes , former chair , now ranking minority member , of the House Intel Committee — a report subsequently proven factually correct about the deceit surrounding RussiaGate — and a fervent supporter of Adam ’ s Schiff ’ s dishonest and factually erroneous minority report .
He is one of the most active contributors to the Lawfare blog .
The appointment of Mr. Kris has provoked vehement objections for these obvious reasons , yet who and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Apparently in Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts , who is the only person with any supervisory role over the FISA court .
Maybe someone should ask Justice Roberts how this appointment can possibly stand .
The Best of James Howard Kunstler

It is a wonder of these incendiary times that even as impeachment of a president moves to its ripest phase, trial in the Senate, the acts of sedition that prompted it still go on behind the scenes with no intervention — an epic failure of authority, if there ever was one. And further irony, if ever there was a trial that cried for witnesses, the impeachment case being brought by Mrs. Pelosi is such a hash of fraud, incompetence, and chicanery, that it begs for summary dismissal — so that these seditious caitiffs will not have to answer to the nation.
I speak of the “whistleblower” scheme cooked up by a network of officials who have actively plotted to overthrow the president for three years, as laid out at The Last Refuge website Sunday night: Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson in league with former colleagues from the Department of Justice National Security Division and the Lawfare org — a group dedicated to weaponizing law, in service to the political Left.
As I have averred in this blog as far back as October, Mr. Atkinson’s previous job before being appointed ICIG was counsel (lawyer) to the Department of Justice’s Chief of National Security. During the first half of the election year 2016, that was John Carlin. Mr. Carlin’s job was not just to sign-off on FISA warrants, but to actually write them. It also happens that Mr. Carlin had previously served as chief of staff to Robert Mueller, when Mr. Mueller was FBI Director. Living in the Long Eme... James Howard Kunstler Buy New $24.95 (as of 10:56 UTC - Details)
Mr. Carlin signed-off on a March 2016 warrant against Carter Page, under suspicion of being a Russian Spy, when in fact Carter Page was a CIA informant who had been operating in Russia for years to uncover Russian adventures against the USA. CIA Director John Brennan inserted Mr. Page into the Trump campaign to open up Mr. Trump’s campaign to FBI surveillance, since the CIA has no law enforcement powers. The FISA Court’s Two-hop Rule allows a second hop to anyone who communicated with the initial subject of a warrant, which might have achieved surveillance of everyone in the Trump campaign, including the candidate himself. It also would have allowed access to all communications going back for years. This part of the scheme was probably green-lighted by White House National Security Advisor Susan Rice for Mr. Brennan, with President Obama’s approval, for the purpose of helping Hillary Clinton win the election.
John Carlin resigned in September of 2016 when faced with the prospect of having to sign a second fraudulent FISA warrant. He was replaced by DOJ attorney Mary McCord. Among other things, Ms. McCord was involved in engineering the case against General Michael Flynn, as well as the continuing surveillance of the Trump campaign. She resigned in April of 2017. A month later, Robert Mueller was appointed Special Counsel by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein (acting for recused AG Jeff Sessions). Mary McCord then moved to a job at the elephant’s graveyard of federal officials under suspicion of malfeasance: the Georgetown University Law School. Meanwhile Michael Atkinson, who had continued as counsel under Ms. McCord, was shifted to his new job as ICIG.
Since then, somehow, Mary McCord landed a gig as an outside lawyer for Adam Schiff’s House intelligence Committee, to which she remains attached to this day. She is also associated with the Lawfare org that has supplied several other lawyers to Mr. Schiff’s committee and Jerrold Nadler’s House Judiciary Committee. Did Ms. McCord organize the “whistleblower” complaint and coordinate its transmission through Mr. Atkinson’s IG office, with CIA agent Eric Ciaramella acting as the spearpoint for the operation? Did Mr. Ciaramella have direct contact with Ms. McCord in the process? Did Ms. McCord have any part in actually writing the “whistleblower’s” highly legalistic complaint? Did Ms. McCord play any part in the backdating of official forms submitted for the “whistleblower’s” complaint — especially the crucial matter of changing the provision that disallowed second-hand “hearsay” evidence from such a complaint? Isn’t it a pity that the Senate phase of this impeachment may conclude with no testimony from these people? A Christmas Orphan: a ... james howard kunstler Best Price: $8.73 Buy New $7.50 (as of 10:56 UTC - Details)
An additional insult to the public interest went down on Friday when FISA court presiding judge James Boasberg picked one Davids Kris, former DOJ National Security Division chief (preceding John Carlin under President Obama), to “assist” in reforming FISA court procedures lately discredited by multiple acts of fraud and seditious abuse. Mr. Kris’s conflicts of interest in this endeavor are so rich and dark that they would embarrass a Gestapo Gruppenführer. In October, 2019, he tweeted “Trump has to go.” He was a loud critic of the report issued by Rep Devin Nunes, former chair, now ranking minority member, of the House Intel Committee — a report subsequently proven factually correct about the deceit surrounding RussiaGate — and a fervent supporter of Adam’s Schiff’s dishonest and factually erroneous minority report. He is one of the most active contributors to the Lawfare blog.
The appointment of Mr. Kris has provoked vehement objections for these obvious reasons, yet who and where is the authority to adjudicate it? Apparently in Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who is the only person with any supervisory role over the FISA court. Maybe someone should ask Justice Roberts how this appointment can possibly stand.
Reprinted with permission from Kunstler.com.
The Best of James Howard Kunstler


lewrockwell--2020-01-14--YouTube Blocks Links to Texts of Virginia Anti-Gun Bills

YouTube is now blocking links to the State of Virginia Legislative Information System ( LIS ) .
On Saturday , the YouTube channel Guns & Gadgets posted a video titled “ Virginia Anti-Gun Bills To Be Heard Jan 13 , ” wherein the proprietor discussed the 10 bills that will come before the Virginia legislature beginning January 13 .
In the video ’ s description , he listed LIS links to the text for each bill .
As of 1 a.m. Sunday morning , YouTube was blocking the links with the following warning : Does the State of Virginia know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ malware , phishing attempts , or disturbing content ?
” The anti-gun bills are certainly disturbing , but probably not in the way that YouTube intended to convey .
Amazon.com Gift Card i ... Buy New $ 10.00 What we are witnessing is an attack by the media on the citizens of Virginia .
Media oligarchs don ’ t want you to see the laws that politicians are about to pass .
We can ask , “ Why bother having sunshine laws , when the oligarchy will attempt to block the sunshine ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a strategy .
As Nancy Pelosi said , “ …we have to pass the bill so that you can , ah , find out what is in it… ” On Friday , the Virginia legislature voted to ban firearms in the Capitol building and in the legislative offices of the Pocahontas building .
In a case of guns for us but not for thee , Sen. Amanda Chase ( R-11th ) has worn a gun on the Senate floor , but suddenly the majority of Democrat lawmakers are worried about their safety if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the building with holstered firearms , as they have been allowed in the past .
The gun ban was designed and passed as a preemptive strike on lawful citizens to disarm them before Lobby Day on Jan. 20 , when at least 100 bus loads of citizens will arrive at the Capitol to confront Democrat lawmakers over their anti-gun agenda .
The gun ban is a perfect expression of why we have the second amendment .

YouTube is now blocking links to the State of Virginia Legislative Information System (LIS). On Saturday, the YouTube channel Guns & Gadgets posted a video titled “Virginia Anti-Gun Bills To Be Heard Jan 13,” wherein the proprietor discussed the 10 bills that will come before the Virginia legislature beginning January 13. In the video’s description, he listed LIS links to the text for each bill. As of 1 a.m. Sunday morning, YouTube was blocking the links with the following warning:
Does the State of Virginia know that YouTube suspects their site of “malware, phishing attempts, or disturbing content?” The anti-gun bills are certainly disturbing, but probably not in the way that YouTube intended to convey. Amazon.com Gift Card i... Buy New $10.00 (as of 08:25 UTC - Details)
What we are witnessing is an attack by the media on the citizens of Virginia. Media oligarchs don’t want you to see the laws that politicians are about to pass. We can ask, “Why bother having sunshine laws, when the oligarchy will attempt to block the sunshine?” Remember, the virulent left has a strategy. As Nancy Pelosi said, “…we have to pass the bill so that you can, ah, find out what is in it…”
On Friday, the Virginia legislature voted to ban firearms in the Capitol building and in the legislative offices of the Pocahontas building. In a case of guns for us but not for thee, Sen. Amanda Chase (R-11th) has worn a gun on the Senate floor, but suddenly the majority of Democrat lawmakers are worried about their safety if law abiding Virginia citizens are allowed into the building with holstered firearms, as they have been allowed in the past.
The gun ban was designed and passed as a preemptive strike on lawful citizens to disarm them before Lobby Day on Jan. 20, when at least 100 bus loads of citizens will arrive at the Capitol to confront Democrat lawmakers over their anti-gun agenda. The gun ban is a perfect expression of why we have the second amendment.
Read the Whole Article


lewrockwell--2020-01-14--To Know You Don’t Know

To Know You Don’t Know

We ’ re all ignorant ; few recognize it .
Aubrey ’ s deployment order came a week later .
A conflict had waxed and waned in Syria and Iraq for the better part of three years .
It was the typical Middle Eastern fracas : hapless governments and their armies ; not-so-hapless sectarian brigades with colorful names waging guerrilla war , detonating bombs , promoting mayhem ; shifting alliances ; endless intrigue ; diabolical duplicity ; rampant disinformation ; appearances masking antipodal realities ; and machinations by outside string pullers , money honeys , and intelligence agencies who never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never acknowledged—that they were the puppets , not the puppeteers .
Despite the seeming complexity , the war boiled down to the usual two issues : oil and the centuries-old question of Muhammad ’ s rightful heir .
Governments couldn ’ t resist throwing matches on the gasoline .
Sunni nations—Turkey , Saudi Arabia , and the rich little monarchies scattered around the Persian Gulf—as well as a variety of sectarian brigades with colorful names , launched massive and coordinated maneuvers to “ restore order ” ( Middle Eastern–speak for replacing a government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Shiite Syria and Iraq .
The Shiite governments were not without friends .
Russia , Iran , and various sectarian brigades with colorful names would not let them go down without a fight .
So in a very short time , the corner of the world with the highest per capita concentrations of troops , terrorism , weapons , and warfare saw exponential increases in all four .
Prime Deceit : What if ... Robert A. Gore Best Price : $ 10.93 Buy New $ 10.83 The US government urged all parties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No parties came to the negotiating table .
The US government consulted with its European allies .
A resolution was submitted at the United Nations .
The war intensified .
The war lobby screamed : this was World War III , and the United States was not there !
It was like missing your senior prom !
The Europeans screamed .
Refugees were streaming to Europe .
Despite welcoming gestures , the only assimilating they seemed to be doing was slurping up government benefits .
It was getting expensive .
Some Europeans didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some of their new guests didn ’ t like the Europeans , but they did like blowing people up .
Voters were getting mad .
Something had to be done !
The US government ultimately did what the US government does best : came up with a catchy name ( Operation Restoration of Peace , Freedom , Hope , Democracy , and Dignity in the Middle East ) , parked aircraft carriers in the Mediterranean and Persian Gulf , dropped bombs , and deployed thousands of troops to “ advise and assist ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be advising and assisting .
It implored the Europeans to join its efforts , to staunch the refugee flow by making war , blowing things up , and creating more refugees .
Back in the States , the groups that reflexively cheered every war distributed more Support Our Troops bumper stickers .

We’re all ignorant; few recognize it.
Aubrey’s deployment order came a week later. A conflict had waxed and waned in Syria and Iraq for the better part of three years. It was the typical Middle Eastern fracas: hapless governments and their armies; not-so-hapless sectarian brigades with colorful names waging guerrilla war, detonating bombs, promoting mayhem; shifting alliances; endless intrigue; diabolical duplicity; rampant disinformation; appearances masking antipodal realities; and machinations by outside string pullers, money honeys, and intelligence agencies who never seemed to realize—or if they did, never acknowledged—that they were the puppets, not the puppeteers. Despite the seeming complexity, the war boiled down to the usual two issues: oil and the centuries-old question of Muhammad’s rightful heir.
Governments couldn’t resist throwing matches on the gasoline. Sunni nations—Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and the rich little monarchies scattered around the Persian Gulf—as well as a variety of sectarian brigades with colorful names, launched massive and coordinated maneuvers to “restore order” (Middle Eastern–speak for replacing a government with one more to your liking) to Shiite Syria and Iraq. The Shiite governments were not without friends. Russia, Iran, and various sectarian brigades with colorful names would not let them go down without a fight. So in a very short time, the corner of the world with the highest per capita concentrations of troops, terrorism, weapons, and warfare saw exponential increases in all four. Prime Deceit: What if ... Gore, Robert A. Best Price: $10.98 Buy New $10.81 (as of 11:05 UTC - Details)
The US government urged all parties to come to the negotiating table. No parties came to the negotiating table. The US government consulted with its European allies. A resolution was submitted at the United Nations. The war intensified. The war lobby screamed: this was World War III, and the United States was not there! It was like missing your senior prom! The Europeans screamed. Refugees were streaming to Europe. Despite welcoming gestures, the only assimilating they seemed to be doing was slurping up government benefits. It was getting expensive. Some Europeans didn’t like their new guests. Some of their new guests didn’t like the Europeans, but they did like blowing people up. Voters were getting mad. Something had to be done!
The US government ultimately did what the US government does best: came up with a catchy name (Operation Restoration of Peace, Freedom, Hope, Democracy, and Dignity in the Middle East), parked aircraft carriers in the Mediterranean and Persian Gulf, dropped bombs, and deployed thousands of troops to “advise and assist” without a clear idea of whom they would be advising and assisting. It implored the Europeans to join its efforts, to staunch the refugee flow by making war, blowing things up, and creating more refugees. Back in the States, the groups that reflexively cheered every war distributed more Support Our Troops bumper stickers.
Prime Deceit, Robert Gore, 2016


The Tractor Backlash

John Deere , like Ford and GM and all the rest , is forced by the government to build tractors as complicated as new cars – and just as impossible for the average owner to service .
But people still have the choice not to buy them .
Many are beginning to exercise this choice .
The Minnesota Star Tribune reports that a growing number of farmers have had it with government-mandated tractors that get uppity when their owner try to fix them rather than pay a Deere dealer to fix them .
Or they just brick themselves .
Amazon.com @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25.00 John Deere made the astounding claim about two years ago that the people who buy its new tractors are really just licensees .
You possess the tractor and are allowed to use it , but Deere owns the software that runs the tractor .
.
.
without which it doesn ’ t run .
Deere controls and can “ update ” the software at its whim , if you abide by its rules – which include you not attempting to service the thing in other than Deere-approved ways .
.
.
the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorized ” Deere dealer .
If you try to fix it yourself , the tractor knows – and soon ( via Internet connectedness ) so does Deere .
Which sends the “ update ” to brick the tractor .
The StarTribune article reports that farmers are giving up on these new , non-serviceable ( by them ) tractors in favor of the old – which can be serviced by them – almost indefinitely .
Amazon.com $ 25 Gift Ca ... Buy New $ 25.00 Much less expensively – far more easily .
Without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vintage tractors – some made more than 40 years ago – which can be fixed in the field with crescent wrenches , sockets and ball peen hammers rather than scan tools and WiFi .
And which only “ brick ” if you run out of diesel .
That ’ s the beauty of the pre-computer stuff .
It never needs an “ update ” and you “ diagnose ” it by checking for spark , ignition and fuel .
There are no codes to read .
Just the occasional leak to fix or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t require a trip to the dealer because the manufacturer doesn ’ t claim it owns the codes and hasn ’ t got a proprietary lock on the tools – and won ’ t allow you to service the thing yourself , even if you had them .
You own the thing .
Or at least , you have full control over the thing ( no one really owns anything these days as we ’ re all forced to pay rent-in-perpetuity – property taxes – on just about everything ) .
The @ @ @ @

John Deere, like Ford and GM and all the rest, is forced by the government to build tractors as complicated as new cars – and just as impossible for the average owner to service.
But people still have the choice not to buy them.
Many are beginning to exercise this choice.
The Minnesota Star Tribune reports that a growing number of farmers have had it with government-mandated tractors that get uppity when their owner try to fix them rather than pay a Deere dealer to fix them. Or they just brick themselves. Amazon.com Gift Card i... Buy New $25.00 (as of 06:10 UTC - Details)
Yes, really.
John Deere made the astounding claim about two years ago that the people who buy its new tractors are really just licensees. You possess the tractor and are allowed to use it, but Deere owns the software that runs the tractor . . . without which it doesn’t run.
Deere controls and can “update” the software at its whim, if you abide by its rules – which include you not attempting to service the thing in other than Deere-approved ways . . . the only Deere-approved way being via an “authorized” Deere dealer.
Yes, really.
If you try to fix it yourself, the tractor knows – and soon (via Internet connectedness) so does Deere. Which sends the “update” to brick the tractor.
The StarTribune article reports that farmers are giving up on these new, non-serviceable (by them) tractors in favor of the old – which can be serviced by them – almost indefinitely. Amazon.com $25 Gift Ca... Buy New $25.00 (as of 05:10 UTC - Details)
Much less expensively – far more easily. Without any “connectedness.”
They are buying vintage tractors – some made more than 40 years ago – which can be fixed in the field with crescent wrenches, sockets and ball peen hammers rather than scan tools and WiFi.
And which only “brick” if you run out of diesel.
That’s the beauty of the pre-computer stuff. It never needs an “update” and you “diagnose” it by checking for spark, ignition and fuel. There are no codes to read. Just the occasional leak to fix or worn component to replace. Which doesn’t require a trip to the dealer because the manufacturer doesn’t claim it owns the codes and hasn’t got a proprietary lock on the tools – and won’t allow you to service the thing yourself, even if you had them.
You own the thing. Or at least, you have full control over the thing (no one really owns anything these days as we’re all forced to pay rent-in-perpetuity – property taxes – on just about everything).
Read the Whole Article
The Best of Eric Peters


lewrockwell--2020-01-14--Roger Scruton and the Burden of Non-Conformism

The death of Roger Scruton is a devastating loss for his family , and also for the intellectual life of Europe .
He was without doubt the continent ’ s leading conservative thinker .
Unlike most philosophers , he was an active public figure who bravely fought for unfashionable but vitally important causes .
He was a traditional Tory who served as an adviser to Margaret Thatcher and other party leaders .
Yet in my conversations with him , I was never in any doubt that I was talking to a genuine Renaissance man .
He could effortlessly shift the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Judgment to Burke ’ s idea of the sublime and then offer reflections on current trends in art , music and culture .
He was a prolific writer , whose interests ranged from wine to sexual desire through to beauty and aesthetics .
His writings on the meaning of conservatism stand out as some of the most accessible contributions to that political tradition .
Against the Left : A Ro ... Llewellyn H Rockwell Jr Best Price : $ 13.57 Buy New $ 8.00 His writings inspired many to understand that our traditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the benefit of future generations .
He taught that art and education must be appreciated in their own right .
In contrast to the current relativistic climate , he upheld the primacy of moral judgment .
His views were dismissed by his utilitarian and technocratic critics as old-fashioned and irrelevant .
However , his writings showed that humanity ’ s legacy , its past moral and aesthetic achievements , endured and continued to inspire those who cared to open their eyes .
Though many saw Scruton as an archetypal English patriot and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world .
He inspired conservatives throughout Europe , the United States and Australia .
He was particularly loved by Eastern Europeans : they remembered his solidarity and support for dissidents in the Cold War era .
He became a point of reference for people who took pride in their national traditions and way of life .
In my travels throughout Europe , I frequently get the impression that Scruton is more widely read and appreciated outside the UK than within it .

The death of Roger Scruton is a devastating loss for his family, and also for the intellectual life of Europe.
He was without doubt the continent’s leading conservative thinker. Unlike most philosophers, he was an active public figure who bravely fought for unfashionable but vitally important causes. He was a traditional Tory who served as an adviser to Margaret Thatcher and other party leaders. Yet in my conversations with him, I was never in any doubt that I was talking to a genuine Renaissance man.
He could effortlessly shift the discussion from Kant’s Critique of Judgment to Burke’s idea of the sublime and then offer reflections on current trends in art, music and culture.
He was a prolific writer, whose interests ranged from wine to sexual desire through to beauty and aesthetics. His writings on the meaning of conservatism stand out as some of the most accessible contributions to that political tradition. Against the Left: A Ro... Rockwell Jr, Llewellyn H Best Price: $2.85 Buy New $8.00 (as of 07:59 UTC - Details)
His writings inspired many to understand that our traditions are precious assets that must be preserved for the benefit of future generations. He taught that art and education must be appreciated in their own right. In contrast to the current relativistic climate, he upheld the primacy of moral judgment. His views were dismissed by his utilitarian and technocratic critics as old-fashioned and irrelevant. However, his writings showed that humanity’s legacy, its past moral and aesthetic achievements, endured and continued to inspire those who cared to open their eyes.
Though many saw Scruton as an archetypal English patriot and intellectual, his influence extended throughout the world. He inspired conservatives throughout Europe, the United States and Australia. He was particularly loved by Eastern Europeans: they remembered his solidarity and support for dissidents in the Cold War era.
He became a point of reference for people who took pride in their national traditions and way of life. In my travels throughout Europe, I frequently get the impression that Scruton is more widely read and appreciated outside the UK than within it.
Read the Whole Article


lewrockwell--2020-01-14--Just a Friendly Heads-Up, Bulls: The Fed Just Slashed its Balance Sheet

Perhaps even PhD economists notice that manic-mania bubbles always burst–always .
Just a friendly heads-up to all the Bulls bowing and murmuring prayers to the Golden Idol of the Federal Reserve : the Fed just slashed its balance sheet–yes , reduced its assets .
After panic-printing $ 410 billion in a few months , a $ 24 billion decline isn ’ t much , but it does suggest the Fed might finally be worrying about the reckless , insane bubble it inflated : Just to review the numbers , which you can ponder on this chart from the St. Louis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 28 , 2019 : $ 3.760 trillion Will You Be Richer or ... Charles Hugh Smith Best Price : $ 12.82 Buy New $ 11.84 There are two noteworthy items here .
One is of course the panic-printing of $ 410 billion between September 1 , 2019 and January 1 , 2020 as the Fed ’ s assets zoomed from $ 3.760 trillion to $ 4.173 trillion in a mere 17 weeks .
But also note that the Fed only added a paltry $ 8 billion in the final week of 2019 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ being promised , this works out to a monthly run-rate of around $ 30 billion–not quite the $ 60 billion promised as a baseline , or the $ 100 billion per month panic-printed in Q4 2019 .
The Best of Charles Hugh Smith

Perhaps even PhD economists notice that manic-mania bubbles always burst–always.
Just a friendly heads-up to all the Bulls bowing and murmuring prayers to the Golden Idol of the Federal Reserve: the Fed just slashed its balance sheet–yes, reduced its assets. After panic-printing $410 billion in a few months, a $24 billion decline isn’t much, but it does suggest the Fed might finally be worrying about the reckless, insane bubble it inflated:
Just to review the numbers, which you can ponder on this chart from the St. Louis Federal Reserve (FRED).
August 28, 2019: $3.760 trillion Will You Be Richer or ... Smith, Charles Hugh Best Price: $10.99 Buy New $11.55 (as of 05:55 UTC - Details)
December 25, 2019: $4.165 trillion
January 1, 2020: $4.173 trillion
January 9, 2020: $4.149 trillion
There are two noteworthy items here. One is of course the panic-printing of $410 billion between September 1, 2019 and January 1, 2020 as the Fed’s assets zoomed from $3.760 trillion to $4.173 trillion in a mere 17 weeks.
But also note that the Fed only added a paltry $8 billion in the final week of 2019. Given the hundreds of billions of expansion being promised, this works out to a monthly run-rate of around $30 billion–not quite the $60 billion promised as a baseline, or the $100 billion per month panic-printed in Q4 2019.
Read the Whole Article
The Best of Charles Hugh Smith