Minding Your Mood

Memory seats are nice .
But how about mood minders ?
In-car sensors that assess your state of mind via eye movements , facial expressions , gestures – even your rising ( or falling ) heartbeat – and adjust the car accordingly ?
Some of this is already here .
A number of new cars come standard with “ drowsy driver ” monitoring systems .
Cameras embedded in the dash watch you as you drive ; if the system thinks you ’ re getting heavy-lidded or distracted , a chime will sound and a warning light ( it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on .
Soon , it ’ ll be much more than just a light and a chime .
At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas , the next Great Leap Forward was on display .
In addition to cameras watching you , infra-red sensors will soon register your metabolic rate as an indicator of agitation and if the car decides you ’ re too angry to drive , it pulls itself over .
Be sure to maintain a vapid smile of contentment at all times – like Winston in Orwell ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be enough if the car can tell how you ’ re feeling inside , something even Orwell thought impossible back in 1948 , when the novel was written .
1984 George Orwell Best Price : $ 3.95 Buy New $ 7.59 A number of new cars know it ’ s you – specifically – behind the wheel .
Not just Driver A. Facial recognition tech scans and identifies you – and then adjusts the seats and so on accordingly .
The car keeps track of your preferences – and probably also your opinions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because there may be more than just you and your passenger in the car – and in on the conversation .
Soon , everything that goes on in a new car will be open source .
And so much more .
The Best of Eric Peters

Memory seats are nice. But how about mood minders? In-car sensors that assess your state of mind via eye movements, facial expressions, gestures – even your rising (or falling) heartbeat – and adjust the car accordingly?
Some of this is already here.
A number of new cars come standard with “drowsy driver” monitoring systems. Cameras embedded in the dash watch you as you drive; if the system thinks you’re getting heavy-lidded or distracted, a chime will sound and a warning light (it’s often a coffee cup symbol) comes on.

Soon, it’ll be much more than just a light and a chime.
At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the next Great Leap Forward was on display. In addition to cameras watching you, infra-red sensors will soon register your metabolic rate as an indicator of agitation and if the car decides you’re too angry to drive, it pulls itself over.
For saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaafety!

Be sure to maintain a vapid smile of contentment at all times – like Winston in Orwell’s 1984 – though even that might not be enough if the car can tell how you’re feeling inside, something even Orwell thought impossible back in 1948, when the novel was written. 1984 George Orwell Best Price: $3.76 Buy New $7.53 (as of 10:53 UTC - Details)
This isn’t a dystopian vision. It’s actuality.
A number of new cars know it’s you – specifically – behind the wheel. Not just Driver A. Facial recognition tech scans and identifies you – and then adjusts the seats and so on accordingly.
The car keeps track of your preferences – and probably also your opinions. Think twice about what you say because there may be more than just you and your passenger in the car – and in on the conversation.
Soon, everything that goes on in a new car will be open source.
And so much more.
Read the Whole Article
The Best of Eric Peters


2020–the Fourth Turning

In Part One of this article I detailed my inability to predict the timing of events during this Fourth Turning , while maintaining the catalysts of debt , civic decay , and global disorder continue to drive the world towards a cliff .
The Trump team is now poised to go on the offensive as this Constitutional crisis intensifies and hurtles towards a violent conclusion .
Barr and Durham are busy building a case against the Obama administration and their illegal activities before and after the election .
As the election approaches and Durham concludes his investigation , indictments handed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or any of the other conspirators would lead to turmoil not seen since the Civil War .
No matter the result of the upcoming election , neither side will accept the outcome .
This country is irretrievably broken and there will be no compromise or negotiated agreements .
With Virginia Governor “ Blackface ” Northam attempting to overturn the 2nd Amendment and forcefully confiscate lawfully owned firearms from his citizens a modern-day Harper ’ s Ferry confrontation could be in the offing .
There are no viable political solutions to our current dilemmas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of when and where the conflict goes hot and blood is spilled .
The domestic turmoil and disintegration of societal norms is a big enough risk by itself , but the international conflicts swirling across the globe add a particularly dire dimension to the twelfth year of this Fourth Turning .
As we entered 2019 I thought the likely global recession would lead to further international tensions and possible military conflict .
The flooding of the entire world with central bank produced liquidity has continued to shroud the deteriorating economic conditions in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Fourth Turning : An ... William Strauss , Neil ... Best Price : $ 6.50 Buy New $ 13.09 If trillions of fiat had not been electronically pumped into the system during 2019 , as the ruling oligarchs panicked at the thought of reality setting in , the global economy would have crashed , along with stock markets around the world .
GDP only appears to be positive due to Fed money printing and the government running trillion-dollar deficits .
They have managed to delay the inevitable crash , but they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worst in history .
I ’ ve found it fascinating how the various factions have reacted to the assassination of Soleimani and the subsequent reactions and over-reactions of the competing narratives .
It provides a window into the thought processes of Republicans , Democrats , neo-cons , the left-wing media , Iranians , Iraqis , Israelis , Russians , and Chinese .
Soleimani has been described as a brutal terrorist responsible for the deaths of over 600 American soldiers .
He has also been given credit for defeating ISIS in Syria .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Iranian people .
We are now being told he is despised by the Iranian people .
We were told this act by Trump would lead to World War 3 .
Shortly thereafter , the initial Iranian response was tepid , except for their military incompetence in shooting down a civilian airliner .
Iraq ’ s response was to demand all American troops leave .
Trump ’ s response was no , revealing we are actually an occupying force and not an ally of Iraq .
Israel quietly foments discontent and turmoil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off itself .
Russia and China support Iran economically and militarily in order to offset Americans dominance of the region .
Confusion reigns .
The right is ecstatic over the developments since the assassination .
Trump is on the offensive .
The left-wing politicians and their media lackeys look like fans of terrorism and a teetering religious extremist regime .
The goal of the neo-cons is for regime change in Iran , just as it was in Iraq , Afghanistan , Libya and Syria .
Look how well that worked out .
Everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to shit .
We were told taking out Sadaam Hussein and Gaddafi would lead to the glorious democratization of these nations .
Instead it turned them into dangerous , terrorist infested , hell holes where the population despises America .
We were unsuccessful in creating ISIS to bring down Assad in Syria , with Russia and Iran doing the dirty work in destroying ISIS , and Trump taking credit .
No one knows what happens if Khamenei and his regime are overthrown .
But I ’ m sure the result won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be .
Blood will spill and society will disintegrate just like every country we have “ helped ” achieve freedom .
It almost seems like that ’ s the plan .
None of the guys running these Middle East countries are good guys .
Of course , the guys running Saudi Arabia , Turkey and Israel are bad guys too , but we aren ’ t bombing them or assassinating their leaders .
As has been clearly revealed during the ongoing coup attempt against Trump , the U.S. government/Deep State/Surveillance State is overflowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the globe .
Xi and Putin are brutal dictators who will resort to any tactic to retain power and enforce their will upon the world scene .
Essentially , the so-called leaders of this world are corrupt power-hungry arrogant oligarchs .
The average Iranian , Iraqi , Syrian , Russian , Chinese , and American are decent people trying to make a living and enjoy some semblance of happiness during their short stay on this planet .
It ’ s our “ beloved ” leaders who create turmoil , wage wars , steal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hubristic pomposity in their actions , and wield far more power than the people should allow them .
Anyone with an ounce of critical thinking skills knows none of this is about freedom , democracy or doing the right thing .
It ’ s about oil and it ’ s about the military industrial complex requiring enemies to keep the profits flowing .
The tripe about America being energy independent is easily sold to a dumbed down willfully ignorant populace who believe any propaganda emanating from the boob tube .
The shale “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upon easy money pumped out by the Fed .
No one can make profits on shale oil at $ 60 per barrel .
The powers that be know the truth .
That is why the Deep State promotes global disorder , particularly in the countries with the largest oil reserves – Venezuela , Iran and Iraq .
By installing puppets in these countries , the oligarchs are trying to ensure a continued flow of cheap oil to power their military and keep their debt saturated Ponzi scheme alive .
Keep rooting for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t exist .
The world is filled with good people , governed and manipulated by bad people .
The year we have entered has all the makings of other historically important years which have fallen during the eighty-year cycles ending in a period of crisis .
Eighty years ago we entered 1940 , with World War 2 underway , the U.S. still experiencing the effects of the Great Depression , and 65 million future deaths over a five year period , as destiny and the generational configuration of the world assured the destruction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years before World War 2 was the somewhat eventful year of 1860 .
The American experiment was about to go through the bloodiest most tumultuous five years in its history .
Over 700,000 men , 8 % of the fighting age males in the country , brutally killed in a no holds barred fight to the finish .
The country would never be the same , as the Federal government assumed ever increasing power and states lost power .
Eighty years prior was 1780 as George Washington and his ragtag army of farmers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his professionally trained army .
A new nation was about to be born .
2020 is destined to be an eventful year just by the fact it is a presidential election year .
The result of this election will not be accepted by the losers .
The months leading up to the election will be a circus .
Propaganda , misinformation , and outright lies will be spread like manure .
Of course , voting will not alleviate the issues which will continue to drive this Fourth Turning towards its climax – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We have entered the extreme greed phase of this debt-based Ponzi scheme .
The stock market is in the blow-off stage , where earnings , valuations , and rational thinking are meaningless .
Momentum and a delusional belief in the infallibility of the Fed are all that matter .
Who knows how far it will go , but fear will eventually rear its ugly head , and a cascading collapse will make a lot of useful investing idiots very angry for the third time in the last two decades .
As the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towards its tumultuous denouement , the masses are too distracted by their iGadgets , non-stop social media trivialities , games of sport , and ceaseless propaganda from corporate fake news media , to understand they are being used and will bear the brunt of the coming storms .
The system is rigged , but the riggers are arrogant , and their arrogance will be their undoing .
The continuation of the current lull in this greater depression is completely dependent upon an ever escalating level of unpayable debt and an ever increasing level @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial elite that there will be no negative consequences to their deceitful actions .
I expect this bubble to burst during 2020 , but I ’ ve been wrong for a long time , so my level of confidence in this prediction is low .
I am soberly convinced my assessment for the remainder of this Fourth Turning in last year ’ s 2019 preview still applies : Against the Left : A Ro ... Llewellyn H Rockwell Jr Best Price : $ 13.57 Buy New $ 8.00 Based upon history , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , civility , reason , or peaceful means .
The combustible combination of unpayable debt , civic anarchy , and global chaos are set to detonate , creating an era of maximum darkness , death , destruction , and decisions .
Making America Great Again will require personal sacrifice , dreadful choices , survival skills , intelligent decisions , and the courage to win at all costs .
I don ’ t know what events will dominate the coming year , but I do know the intensity of hate and vitriol will increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Middle East will expand .
I do know the political machinations in this country will surge as the election approaches .
I do know the Deep State will do everything in their immense power to undermine Trump .
I do know the Fed will QE and Trump will cheer every new stock market record .
I do know I will be lied to and propagandized by the mainstream corporate media .
Lastly , I do know the risk of catastrophe rises as we approach the climax of this crisis .
The outcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will surely test our strength and fortitude .
I hope enough patriots will do the right thing and lead the country to a new beginning .
Reprinted with permission from The Burning Platform .
The Best of Jim Quinn

In Part One of this article I detailed my inability to predict the timing of events during this Fourth Turning, while maintaining the catalysts of debt, civic decay, and global disorder continue to drive the world towards a cliff.
“Every schoolchild will know what happened next, from the Oh-Ohs to the 2020s, as the Fourth Turning unfolded—but academics will surely debate how and why it came to pass. In his history, this great-great-grandson of today’s baby girl will reflect on what the Fourth Turning came to mean for his own time and generation. His history is not yet written. What will it be?” – Strauss & Howe
The Trump team is now poised to go on the offensive as this Constitutional crisis intensifies and hurtles towards a violent conclusion. Barr and Durham are busy building a case against the Obama administration and their illegal activities before and after the election. As the election approaches and Durham concludes his investigation, indictments handed down on Clapper, Brennan, Comey or any of the other conspirators would lead to turmoil not seen since the Civil War. No matter the result of the upcoming election, neither side will accept the outcome.
This country is irretrievably broken and there will be no compromise or negotiated agreements. With Virginia Governor “Blackface” Northam attempting to overturn the 2nd Amendment and forcefully confiscate lawfully owned firearms from his citizens a modern-day Harper’s Ferry confrontation could be in the offing. There are no viable political solutions to our current dilemmas. It’s just a matter of when and where the conflict goes hot and blood is spilled.
The domestic turmoil and disintegration of societal norms is a big enough risk by itself, but the international conflicts swirling across the globe add a particularly dire dimension to the twelfth year of this Fourth Turning. As we entered 2019 I thought the likely global recession would lead to further international tensions and possible military conflict. The flooding of the entire world with central bank produced liquidity has continued to shroud the deteriorating economic conditions in the U.S, EU, China and Japan. The Fourth Turning: An... Howe, Neil Best Price: $7.92 Buy New $12.04 (as of 08:30 UTC - Details)
If trillions of fiat had not been electronically pumped into the system during 2019, as the ruling oligarchs panicked at the thought of reality setting in, the global economy would have crashed, along with stock markets around the world. GDP only appears to be positive due to Fed money printing and the government running trillion-dollar deficits. They have managed to delay the inevitable crash, but they have only ensured it will be the worst in history.
I’ve found it fascinating how the various factions have reacted to the assassination of Soleimani and the subsequent reactions and over-reactions of the competing narratives. It provides a window into the thought processes of Republicans, Democrats, neo-cons, the left-wing media, Iranians, Iraqis, Israelis, Russians, and Chinese. Soleimani has been described as a brutal terrorist responsible for the deaths of over 600 American soldiers. He has also been given credit for defeating ISIS in Syria. We’ve been told he was beloved by the Iranian people. We are now being told he is despised by the Iranian people.
We were told this act by Trump would lead to World War 3. Shortly thereafter, the initial Iranian response was tepid, except for their military incompetence in shooting down a civilian airliner. Iraq’s response was to demand all American troops leave. Trump’s response was no, revealing we are actually an occupying force and not an ally of Iraq. Israel quietly foments discontent and turmoil across the region to keep the focus off itself. Russia and China support Iran economically and militarily in order to offset Americans dominance of the region. Confusion reigns.
The right is ecstatic over the developments since the assassination. Trump is on the offensive. The left-wing politicians and their media lackeys look like fans of terrorism and a teetering religious extremist regime. The goal of the neo-cons is for regime change in Iran, just as it was in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria. Look how well that worked out. Everything we touch in the Middle East turns to shit. We were told taking out Sadaam Hussein and Gaddafi would lead to the glorious democratization of these nations.
Instead it turned them into dangerous, terrorist infested, hell holes where the population despises America. We were unsuccessful in creating ISIS to bring down Assad in Syria, with Russia and Iran doing the dirty work in destroying ISIS, and Trump taking credit. No one knows what happens if Khamenei and his regime are overthrown. But I’m sure the result won’t be what we were told it would be. Blood will spill and society will disintegrate just like every country we have “helped” achieve freedom.
It almost seems like that’s the plan. None of the guys running these Middle East countries are good guys. Of course, the guys running Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Israel are bad guys too, but we aren’t bombing them or assassinating their leaders. As has been clearly revealed during the ongoing coup attempt against Trump, the U.S. government/Deep State/Surveillance State is overflowing with bad guys doing bad things around the globe. Xi and Putin are brutal dictators who will resort to any tactic to retain power and enforce their will upon the world scene.
Essentially, the so-called leaders of this world are corrupt power-hungry arrogant oligarchs. The average Iranian, Iraqi, Syrian, Russian, Chinese, and American are decent people trying to make a living and enjoy some semblance of happiness during their short stay on this planet. It’s our “beloved” leaders who create turmoil, wage wars, steal the money of their citizens, exhibit hubristic pomposity in their actions, and wield far more power than the people should allow them.
Anyone with an ounce of critical thinking skills knows none of this is about freedom, democracy or doing the right thing. It’s about oil and it’s about the military industrial complex requiring enemies to keep the profits flowing. The tripe about America being energy independent is easily sold to a dumbed down willfully ignorant populace who believe any propaganda emanating from the boob tube. The shale “miracle” is just another delusion built upon easy money pumped out by the Fed. No one can make profits on shale oil at $60 per barrel.
The powers that be know the truth. That is why the Deep State promotes global disorder, particularly in the countries with the largest oil reserves – Venezuela, Iran and Iraq. By installing puppets in these countries, the oligarchs are trying to ensure a continued flow of cheap oil to power their military and keep their debt saturated Ponzi scheme alive. Keep rooting for the good guys, except they don’t exist. The world is filled with good people, governed and manipulated by bad people.
The year we have entered has all the makings of other historically important years which have fallen during the eighty-year cycles ending in a period of crisis. Eighty years ago we entered 1940, with World War 2 underway, the U.S. still experiencing the effects of the Great Depression, and 65 million future deaths over a five year period, as destiny and the generational configuration of the world assured the destruction of the existing social order.
Eighty years before World War 2 was the somewhat eventful year of 1860. The American experiment was about to go through the bloodiest most tumultuous five years in its history. Over 700,000 men, 8% of the fighting age males in the country, brutally killed in a no holds barred fight to the finish. The country would never be the same, as the Federal government assumed ever increasing power and states lost power. Eighty years prior was 1780 as George Washington and his ragtag army of farmers were on the verge of defeating Cornwallis and his professionally trained army. A new nation was about to be born.
2020 is destined to be an eventful year just by the fact it is a presidential election year. The result of this election will not be accepted by the losers. The months leading up to the election will be a circus. Propaganda, misinformation, and outright lies will be spread like manure. Of course, voting will not alleviate the issues which will continue to drive this Fourth Turning towards its climax – debt, civic decay, global disorder.
We have entered the extreme greed phase of this debt-based Ponzi scheme. The stock market is in the blow-off stage, where earnings, valuations, and rational thinking are meaningless. Momentum and a delusional belief in the infallibility of the Fed are all that matter. Who knows how far it will go, but fear will eventually rear its ugly head, and a cascading collapse will make a lot of useful investing idiots very angry for the third time in the last two decades.
“Modern fanaticism thrives in proportion to the quantity of contradictions and nonsense it pours down the throats of the gaping multitude, and the jargon and mysticism it offers to their wonder and credulity.” – William Hazlitt
As the daily chaos of our modern existence hastens towards its tumultuous denouement, the masses are too distracted by their iGadgets, non-stop social media trivialities, games of sport, and ceaseless propaganda from corporate fake news media, to understand they are being used and will bear the brunt of the coming storms. The system is rigged, but the riggers are arrogant, and their arrogance will be their undoing.
The continuation of the current lull in this greater depression is completely dependent upon an ever escalating level of unpayable debt and an ever increasing level of delusional belief by the willfully ignorant financial elite that there will be no negative consequences to their deceitful actions. I expect this bubble to burst during 2020, but I’ve been wrong for a long time, so my level of confidence in this prediction is low. I am soberly convinced my assessment for the remainder of this Fourth Turning in last year’s 2019 preview still applies: Against the Left: A Ro... Rockwell Jr, Llewellyn H Best Price: $2.85 Buy New $8.00 (as of 07:59 UTC - Details)
Based upon history, the resolution will not be based on compromise, civility, reason, or peaceful means. The combustible combination of unpayable debt, civic anarchy, and global chaos are set to detonate, creating an era of maximum darkness, death, destruction, and decisions. Making America Great Again will require personal sacrifice, dreadful choices, survival skills, intelligent decisions, and the courage to win at all costs.
I don’t know what events will dominate the coming year, but I do know the intensity of hate and vitriol will increase. I do know military conflict in the Middle East will expand. I do know the political machinations in this country will surge as the election approaches. I do know the Deep State will do everything in their immense power to undermine Trump. I do know the Fed will QE and Trump will cheer every new stock market record. I do know I will be lied to and propagandized by the mainstream corporate media.
Lastly, I do know the risk of catastrophe rises as we approach the climax of this crisis. The outcome is uncertain, but the trials awaiting will surely test our strength and fortitude. I hope enough patriots will do the right thing and lead the country to a new beginning.
“The risk of catastrophe will be very high. The nation could erupt into insurrection or civil violence, crack up geographically, or succumb to authoritarian rule. Thus might the next Fourth Turning end in apocalypse – or glory. The nation could be ruined, its democracy destroyed, and millions of people scattered or killed. Or America could enter a new golden age, triumphantly applying shared values to improve the human condition. The rhythms of history do not reveal the outcome of the coming Crisis; all they suggest is the timing and dimension.” – Strauss & Howe
Reprinted with permission from The Burning Platform.
The Best of Jim Quinn


lewrockwell--2020-01-16--Instability Rising: Why 2020 Will Be Different

In 2020 , increasing monetary and fiscal stimulus will be the equivalent of spraying gasoline on a fire to extinguish it .
Economically , the 11 years since the Global Financial Crisis of 2008-09 have been one relatively coherent era of modest growth , rising wealth/income inequality and coordinated central bank stimulus every time a crisis threatened to disrupt the domestic or global economy .
This era will draw to a close in 2020 and a new era of destabilization and uncertainty begins .
Why will all the policies that have worked so well for 11 years stop working in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past decade were simply extreme versions of tried-and-true policies that central banks and governments have used for the past 75 years to restore growth in a recession or financial crisis : lower interest rates , increase credit/liquidity , and ramp up government spending ( i.e .
deficit spending ) to compensate for declining private-sector spending .
Will You Be Richer or ... Charles Hugh Smith Best Price : $ 12.82 Buy New $ 11.84 These policies were designed to be short-term stimulus programs to jump-start the economy out of a slowdown ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 9 and 18 months .
These policies are now permanent , as the system is now dependent on these policies .
Any reduction in central bank stimulus causes a market crash ( witness the 20 % drop in 2018 as the Fed slowly raised interest rates from near-zero ) and any reduction in deficit spending threatens to trigger a recession .
The problem is that these policies create distortions that can not be fixed with more of what caused the distortions in the first place : more extreme monetary and fiscal stimulus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ generate the “ wealth effect ” that encourages spending by the top 5 % who own two-thirds of the assets bubbling higher .
C. Dependence on asset bubbles to generate capital gains and property tax revenues for state/local governments .
D. Loss of cost discipline : the solution across the entire spectrum–government , corporate and household–is now to borrow more , not trim costs via innovation or increases in productivity and efficiency .
E. Reliance on debt to fund spending leads to rising defaults which will collapse the system .
( Soaring auto-loan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mine . )
Pathfinding our Destin ... Charles Hugh Smith Check Amazon for Pricing .
F. Zero interest rates have generated over-capacity/over-production as everyone seeks a return on capital by expanding market share .
Now there are global gluts in everything from autos to natural gas to electronics .
G. With the yield on savings now less than zero due to inflation , investors must gamble in the asset-bubble casino as this is only available way to earn a return .
H. Buffers are thinning .
I ’ ve discussed this in depth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lowers systemic resilience , rendering the entire system increasingly vulnerable to a phase-shift that fatally destabilizes the system .
I .
Prior to the 2008-2019 era , the “ real economy ” of sales , wages and profits led the stock market .
Now the stock market dominates the real economy , as the central banks have turned the stock market into the ‘ signaling device ’ that all is well and the source of bringing demand forward ( i.e .
the wealth effect ) .
In Mohammed El-Erian ’ s words : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back because it ’ s worried it will disrupt markets that can be a spillover on the economy .
The Fed ’ s in a lose , lose , lose situation , they can ’ t stay where they are , they can ’ t do more , they can ’ t do less.
” The Best of Charles Hugh Smith

In 2020, increasing monetary and fiscal stimulus will be the equivalent of spraying gasoline on a fire to extinguish it.
Economically, the 11 years since the Global Financial Crisis of 2008-09 have been one relatively coherent era of modest growth, rising wealth/income inequality and coordinated central bank stimulus every time a crisis threatened to disrupt the domestic or global economy.
This era will draw to a close in 2020 and a new era of destabilization and uncertainty begins.
Why will all the policies that have worked so well for 11 years stop working in 2020?
All the monetary/fiscal policies of the past decade were simply extreme versions of tried-and-true policies that central banks and governments have used for the past 75 years to restore growth in a recession or financial crisis: lower interest rates, increase credit/liquidity, and ramp up government spending (i.e. deficit spending) to compensate for declining private-sector spending. Will You Be Richer or ... Smith, Charles Hugh Best Price: $10.99 Buy New $11.55 (as of 05:55 UTC - Details)
These policies were designed to be short-term stimulus programs to jump-start the economy out of a slowdown (recession), which typically lasted between 9 and 18 months.
These policies are now permanent, as the system is now dependent on these policies. Any reduction in central bank stimulus causes a market crash (witness the 20% drop in 2018 as the Fed slowly raised interest rates from near-zero) and any reduction in deficit spending threatens to trigger a recession.
The problem is that these policies create distortions that cannot be fixed with more of what caused the distortions in the first place: more extreme monetary and fiscal stimulus.
Systemic distortions include:
A. Soaring wealth-income inequality across the entire global economy.
B. Dependence on asset bubbles to generate the “wealth effect” that encourages spending by the top 5% who own two-thirds of the assets bubbling higher.
C. Dependence on asset bubbles to generate capital gains and property tax revenues for state/local governments.
D. Loss of cost discipline: the solution across the entire spectrum–government, corporate and household–is now to borrow more, not trim costs via innovation or increases in productivity and efficiency.
E. Reliance on debt to fund spending leads to rising defaults which will collapse the system. (Soaring auto-loan defaults are the canary in the coal mine.) Pathfinding our Destin... Smith, Charles Hugh Buy New $6.95 (as of 11:36 UTC - Details)
F. Zero interest rates have generated over-capacity/over-production as everyone seeks a return on capital by expanding market share. Now there are global gluts in everything from autos to natural gas to electronics.
G. With the yield on savings now less than zero due to inflation, investors must gamble in the asset-bubble casino as this is only available way to earn a return.
H. Buffers are thinning. I’ve discussed this in depth over the years; dependence on stimulus lowers systemic resilience, rendering the entire system increasingly vulnerable to a phase-shift that fatally destabilizes the system.
I. Prior to the 2008-2019 era, the “real economy” of sales, wages and profits led the stock market. Now the stock market dominates the real economy, as the central banks have turned the stock market into the ‘signaling device’ that all is well and the source of bringing demand forward (i.e. the wealth effect).
In Mohammed El-Erian’s words: “The Fed can’t pull back because it’s worried it will disrupt markets that can be a spillover on the economy. The Fed’s in a lose, lose, lose situation, they can’t stay where they are, they can’t do more, they can’t do less.”
Read the Whole Article
The Best of Charles Hugh Smith


lewrockwell--2020-01-16--Trump’s EU Poodles – Germany, Britain And France – Obey His Order To Kill the Nuclear Deal With Iran

The European poodles who co-signed the nuclear deal with Iran – Britain , France and Germany ( the EU3 ) – have been told by the Trump administration to kill the agreement .
Today they started the process to do so .
The other co-signers , Russia , China and Iran , continue to support the deal .
Despite claiming to support the nuclear deal the EU-3 always searched for ways to put more restrictions on Iran , especially on its ballistic missile program .
In May 2018 the U.S. left the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action , or JCPOA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reintroduced sanctions against Iran .
While the Europeans had said that they would continue to support the deal they have succumbed to the threat of secondary sanctions the U.S. said it would impose against them if they trade with Iran .
As all payments between Iran and its trade partners are impeded by the sanctions , trade between Europe and Iran has come essentially to a halt .
The Europeans have attempted to set up an alternative trade facilitating instrument known as INSTEX .
But the mechanism , which also imposes additional conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Europeans could have implemented several other measures to counter the U.S. sanction threat .
They failed to do so .
Against the Left : A Ro ... Llewellyn H Rockwell Jr Best Price : $ 13.57 Buy New $ 8.00 In June 2018 Iran triggered the Dispute Resolution Mechanism of the deal ( explained below ) by sending an official letter to the coordinator of JCPOA Joint Commission .
A Joint Commission meeting was held in which the EU3 again promised that they would hold up their side of the deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trade between Europa and Iran failed to revive as the European countries failed to stand up against U.S. sanctions .
By succumbing to Trump ’ s secondary sanction threat the Europeans effectively reintroduced their own sanctions against Iran .
A year later and in consequence of the failure by the Europeans to provide effective sanction relief , as was promised under the JCPOA , Iran started to exceed certain limits the deal had set on its civil nuclear program .
It justified the move by pointing to Article 26 of the JCPOA ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will refrain from re-introducing or re-imposing the sanctions that it has terminated implementing under this JCPOA , without prejudice to the dispute resolution process provided for under this JCPOA .
There will be no new nuclear- related UN Security Council sanctions and no new EU nuclear-related sanctions or restrictive measures .
The United States will make best efforts in good faith to sustain this JCPOA and to prevent interference with the realisation of the full benefit by Iran of the sanctions lifting specified in Annex II .
… Iran has stated that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the sanctions specified in Annex II , or such an imposition of new nuclear-related sanctions , as grounds to cease performing its commitments under this JCPOA in whole or in part .
In five steps taken since , each two month apart , Iran began to use more modern types of Uranium enrichment centrifuges , increased the number of active centrifuges , lifted the level of enrichment and exceeded other limits the deal had set .
All these steps were done under the watchful eyes of the International Atomic Energy Agency ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report all details of Iran ’ s program .
All these steps can easily be reversed should the other signers fulfill their commitments under the deal .
Today Britain , France and Germany themselves triggered the Dispute Resolution Mechanism of the deal with a common letter : The E3 have fully upheld our JCPoA commitments , including sanctions-lifting as foreseen under the terms of the agreement .
In addition to the lifting of all sanctions , required by our commitments under the agreement , we have worked tirelessly to support legitimate trade with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purpose vehicle .
… However , in the meantime Iran has continued to break key restrictions set out in the JCPoA .
Iran ’ s actions are inconsistent with the provisions of the nuclear agreement and have increasingly severe and non-reversible proliferation implications.We do not accept the argument that Iran is entitled to reduce compliance with the JCPoA .
Contrary to its statements , Iran has never triggered the JCPoA Dispute Resolution Mechanism and has no legal grounds to cease implementing the provisions of the agreement .
… We have therefore been left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s actions , but to register today our concerns that Iran is not meeting its commitments under the JCPoA and to refer this matter to the Joint Commission under the Dispute Resolution Mechanism , as set out in paragraph 36 of the JCPoA .
The approach is based on lies , extremely legalistic and unfair .
Yes , technically the Europeans have lifted their sanctions .
But at the same time they are imposing the U.S. sanctions against Iran .
They do not buy Iranian oil or other products .
They do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran are blocked .
The outcome for Iran is no different than under the sanctions that were imposed before the deal was made .
To point to the creation of INSTEX is laughable as no deals have been made under that mechanism beacause it only facilitates impractical barter deals and is restricted to certain products .
That Iran has “ never triggered the JCPoA Dispute Resolution Mechanism ” is an outright lie .
The Joint Commission met on July 6 2018 at a ministerial level because Iran had trigger the mechanism .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so : The Dispute Resolution Mechanism , laid out in article 36 and 37 of the JCPOA , foresees a short time discussion period about the grievances that triggered it .
Should those discussions fail to find a solution the issue is escalated to the UN Security Council .
If the UNSC fails to vote on a resolution in favor of Iran all UN sanctions that were imposed on Iran before the JCPOA deal was signed will be automatically reactivated .
Amazon.com Gift Card i ... Buy New $ 10.00 The timeline for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joint Commission of JCPOA signer countries has fifteen days to find a solution .
Then the foreign ministers of those countries have another fifteen days .
Five days later any JCPOA signer can escalate the issue to the UNSC .
If the UNSC does not vote against the reintroduction of sanctions within 30 days , which the U.S. would surely prevent by using its veto right , UN sanctions against Iran will automatically snap-back .
As the EU3 now triggered the process 65 days from now Iran is likely to be again under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of course mealymouthed explain that they want Iran to pull back its program so that it does not exceed any limit of deal .
But why should Iran do that as long as the EU3 follow US sanctions against Iran and implement them against it ?
The EU3 have no reasonable answer to that questions .
Iran has no real incentive to stick to the JCPOA limits as long as sanctions are held up against it .
When the UN sanctions snap back it is likely to leave the JCPOA even if China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The outcome here is 100 % predictable .
UN sanctions will snap back .
Then the Trump administration will relaunch the ‘ nuclear Iran ’ propaganda campaign and will threaten Iran with war .
The EU countries who failed to hold up the deal will now globally be perceived as the poodles they are .
The will , like the U.S. , be seen as ‘ agreement incapable ’ countries who fail to stick to the deals they make .
Their utterly servile behavior towards the U.S. is disastrous for their reputation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alabama .

The European poodles who co-signed the nuclear deal with Iran – Britain, France and Germany (the EU3) – have been told by the Trump administration to kill the agreement. Today they started the process to do so. The other co-signers, Russia, China and Iran, continue to support the deal.
Despite claiming to support the nuclear deal the EU-3 always searched for ways to put more restrictions on Iran, especially on its ballistic missile program.
In May 2018 the U.S. left the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA as the agreement is known, and reintroduced sanctions against Iran.
While the Europeans had said that they would continue to support the deal they have succumbed to the threat of secondary sanctions the U.S. said it would impose against them if they trade with Iran. As all payments between Iran and its trade partners are impeded by the sanctions, trade between Europe and Iran has come essentially to a halt. The Europeans have attempted to set up an alternative trade facilitating instrument known as INSTEX. But the mechanism, which also imposes additional conditions on Iran, has failed to function.
The Europeans could have implemented several other measures to counter the U.S. sanction threat. They failed to do so. Against the Left: A Ro... Rockwell Jr, Llewellyn H Best Price: $2.85 Buy New $8.00 (as of 07:59 UTC - Details)
In June 2018 Iran triggered the Dispute Resolution Mechanism of the deal (explained below) by sending an official letter to the coordinator of JCPOA Joint Commission. A Joint Commission meeting was held in which the EU3 again promised that they would hold up their side of the deal:
6.The participants recognised that, in return for the implementation by Iran of its nuclear-related commitments, the lifting of sanctions, including the economic dividends arising from it, constitutes an essential part of the JCPOA.
…
8.The participants affirmed their commitment regarding the following objectives in good faith and in a constructive atmosphere: the maintenance and promotion of wider economic and sectoral relations with Iran;
the preservation and maintenance of effective financial channels with Iran;
the continuation of Iran’s export of oil and gas condensate, petroleum products and petrochemicals;
But those promises were empty. Trade between Europa and Iran failed to revive as the European countries failed to stand up against U.S. sanctions. By succumbing to Trump’s secondary sanction threat the Europeans effectively reintroduced their own sanctions against Iran.
A year later and in consequence of the failure by the Europeans to provide effective sanction relief, as was promised under the JCPOA, Iran started to exceed certain limits the deal had set on its civil nuclear program. It justified the move by pointing to Article 26 of the JCPOA (pdf):
26. The EU will refrain from re-introducing or re-imposing the sanctions that it has terminated implementing under this JCPOA, without prejudice to the dispute resolution process provided for under this JCPOA. There will be no new nuclear- related UN Security Council sanctions and no new EU nuclear-related sanctions or restrictive measures. The United States will make best efforts in good faith to sustain this JCPOA and to prevent interference with the realisation of the full benefit by Iran of the sanctions lifting specified in Annex II.
…
Iran has stated that it will treat such a re-introduction or re-imposition of the sanctions specified in Annex II, or such an imposition of new nuclear-related sanctions, as grounds to cease performing its commitments under this JCPOA in whole or in part.
In five steps taken since, each two month apart, Iran began to use more modern types of Uranium enrichment centrifuges, increased the number of active centrifuges, lifted the level of enrichment and exceeded other limits the deal had set. All these steps were done under the watchful eyes of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which continues to observe and report all details of Iran’s program. All these steps can easily be reversed should the other signers fulfill their commitments under the deal.
Today Britain, France and Germany themselves triggered the Dispute Resolution Mechanism of the deal with a common letter:
The E3 have fully upheld our JCPoA commitments, including sanctions-lifting as foreseen under the terms of the agreement. In addition to the lifting of all sanctions, required by our commitments under the agreement, we have worked tirelessly to support legitimate trade with Iran, including through the INSTEX special purpose vehicle.
…
However, in the meantime Iran has continued to break key restrictions set out in the JCPoA. Iran’s actions are inconsistent with the provisions of the nuclear agreement and have increasingly severe and non-reversible proliferation implications.We do not accept the argument that Iran is entitled to reduce compliance with the JCPoA. Contrary to its statements, Iran has never triggered the JCPoA Dispute Resolution Mechanism and has no legal grounds to cease implementing the provisions of the agreement.
…
We have therefore been left with no choice, given Iran’s actions, but to register today our concerns that Iran is not meeting its commitments under the JCPoA and to refer this matter to the Joint Commission under the Dispute Resolution Mechanism, as set out in paragraph 36 of the JCPoA.
The approach is based on lies, extremely legalistic and unfair. Yes, technically the Europeans have lifted their sanctions. But at the same time they are imposing the U.S. sanctions against Iran. They do not buy Iranian oil or other products. They do not sell anything to Iran as payments from Iran are blocked. The outcome for Iran is no different than under the sanctions that were imposed before the deal was made. To point to the creation of INSTEX is laughable as no deals have been made under that mechanism beacause it only facilitates impractical barter deals and is restricted to certain products.
That Iran has “never triggered the JCPoA Dispute Resolution Mechanism” is an outright lie. The Joint Commission met on July 6 2018 at a ministerial level because Iran had trigger the mechanism. The Joint Statement issued after that meeting says so:
1. Upon the request of the Islamic Republic of Iran, a meeting of the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was held on 6 July in Vienna at ministerial level. The Joint Commission met to discuss the way forward to ensure the continued implementation of the nuclear deal in all its aspects …
The Dispute Resolution Mechanism, laid out in article 36 and 37 of the JCPOA, foresees a short time discussion period about the grievances that triggered it. Should those discussions fail to find a solution the issue is escalated to the UN Security Council. If the UNSC fails to vote on a resolution in favor of Iran all UN sanctions that were imposed on Iran before the JCPOA deal was signed will be automatically reactivated. Amazon.com Gift Card i... Buy New $10.00 (as of 08:25 UTC - Details)
The timeline for the process is tight. First the Joint Commission of JCPOA signer countries has fifteen days to find a solution. Then the foreign ministers of those countries have another fifteen days. Five days later any JCPOA signer can escalate the issue to the UNSC. If the UNSC does not vote against the reintroduction of sanctions within 30 days, which the U.S. would surely prevent by using its veto right, UN sanctions against Iran will automatically snap-back.
As the EU3 now triggered the process 65 days from now Iran is likely to be again under full UN sanctions.
The EU3 will of course mealymouthed explain that they want Iran to pull back its program so that it does not exceed any limit of deal. But why should Iran do that as long as the EU3 follow US sanctions against Iran and implement them against it? The EU3 have no reasonable answer to that questions.
Iran has no real incentive to stick to the JCPOA limits as long as sanctions are held up against it. When the UN sanctions snap back it is likely to leave the JCPOA even if China and Russia continue to trade with it.
The outcome here is 100% predictable. UN sanctions will snap back. Then the Trump administration will relaunch the ‘nuclear Iran’ propaganda campaign and will threaten Iran with war.
The EU countries who failed to hold up the deal will now globally be perceived as the poodles they are. The will, like the U.S., be seen as ‘agreement incapable’ countries who fail to stick to the deals they make. Their utterly servile behavior towards the U.S. is disastrous for their reputation.
Reprinted with permission from Moon of Alabama.


lewrockwell--2020-01-16--Iron Overload Destroys Mitochondria and Sabotages Health

Iron is necessary for life as it essential to transfer oxygen into your tissues .
Hemoglobin , the protein in your red blood cells that contains iron at its core , reversibly binds to oxygen and supplies your tissues with it .
Without proper oxygenation , your cells quickly start dying .
Iron is also a key component of various proteins and enzymes , and is involved in energy production , immune function , metabolism and endocrine function .
For these reasons , low iron ( anemia ) can cause significant health problems .
However , what many don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually more common than too little , and iron overload can be even more problematic , as detailed in “ Why Managing Your Iron Level Is Crucial to Your Health , ” which features my interview with Gerry Koenig , former chairman of the Iron Disorders Institute and the Hemochromatosis Foundation .
Because your body has a limited capacity to excrete iron , it can easily build up in organs like your liver , heart and pancreas .
This is dangerous because iron is a potent oxidizer that can damage your tissues and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including but not limited to : Iron causes significant harm primarily by catalyzing a reaction within the inner mitochondrial membrane .
When iron reacts with hydrogen peroxide , hydroxyl free radicals are formed .
These are among the most damaging free radicals known , causing severe mitochondrial dysfunction , which in turn is at the heart of most chronic degenerative diseases .
The hydroxyl free radicals are an oxidative stress that will also damage your cell membranes , stem cells , protein and DNA .
EMF*D : 5G , Wi-Fi & Cel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22.49 In addition to all this damage , recent research18 shows excessive iron also promotes apoptosis and ferroptosis in cardiomyocytes .
Apoptosis is the programmed cell death of diseased and worn-out cells , and as the name implies , ferroptosis refers to cell death that is dependent on and regulated by iron specifically.19 Cardiomyocytes are muscle cells in your heart that generate and control the rhythmic contractions in your heart , thus allowing it to maintain a healthy rhythm.20 In short , this tells us that excess iron has the ability to impair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the death of muscle cells in your heart .
How Iron Overload Affects Your Risk of Alzheimer ’ s Disease Aside from raising your risk of heart-related problems , iron overload is also of particular concern in Alzheimer ’ s disease,21,22,23 the prevalence of which has dramatically risen in recent decades .
According to research24,25 published in 2018 , buildup of iron — which increases oxidative stress and has a type of “ rusting effect ” in your brain — is common in most Alzheimer ’ s patients .
As noted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cerebrospinal fluid iron levels are strongly correlated with the presence of the Alzheimer ’ s risk allele APOE-e4 , and that elevated levels of iron in your brain may actually be the mechanism that makes APOE-e4 a major genetic risk factor for the disease .
A primary focus of conventional treatment so far has been to clear amyloid proteins , but while that approach seems logical , such attempts have met with limited success .
Researchers now suggest clearing out excess iron may be a more effective way to reduce damage and slow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process .
You can learn more about this in “ How Excess Iron Raises Your Risk for Alzheimer ’ s. ” It ’ s easy to get too much iron as it ’ s commonly added to most multivitamins .
Many processed foods are also fortified with iron .
Two servings of fortified breakfast cereal may provide as much as 44 milligrams ( mg ) of iron in some cases,28 bringing you dangerously close to the upper tolerance limit of 45 mg for adults , and well over the recommended daily allowance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men and 18 mg for premenopausal women ( i.e.
, women who still get their monthly period ) .29 Unfortunately , many doctors don ’ t understand or appreciate the importance of checking for iron overload .
One of the greatest risk factors for iron overload is having a condition called hemochromatosis30 — one of the most prevalent genetic diseases in the U.S. — which impairs your body ’ s iron regulation , causing you to absorb higher than normal amounts .
The C282Y gene mutation is thought to be responsible for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two inherited copies of the mutation ( one from your mother and one from your father ) to cause the disease ( and even then , only some people will actually get sick ) .
More than 30 % of Americans are thought to have two copies of this defective gene31 and , according to one study,32 an estimated 40 % to 70 % of those with two defective C282Y genes will develop clinical evidence of iron overload .
If you have just one copy , you won ’ t become ill but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than the rest of the population,33,34 thus placing you at increased risk for overload and the complications associated with it .
Common Factors That Increase Your Risk of Iron Overload Virtually all adult men and postmenopausal women are also at risk for iron overload since they do not lose blood on a regular basis .
Blood loss is the primary way to lower excess iron , as the body has no active excretion mechanisms .
Other potential contributors to high iron levels include : • Cooking in iron pots or pans — Cooking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or pans will elevate iron absorption .
• Eating processed food products like cereals and white breads fortified with iron — The iron used in these products is inorganic iron , not much different from rust , and it is far more dangerous than the iron in meat .
• Drinking well water that is high in iron — The key here is to make sure you have some type of iron precipitator and/or a reverse osmosis water filter .
• Taking multiple vitamins and mineral supplements , as both of these frequently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consuming alcohol , as this will increase the absorption of iron in your diet .
How to Check for and Address Iron Overload Checking your iron levels is easy and can be done with a simple blood test called a serum ferritin test .
I believe this is one of the most important tests that everyone should have done on a regular basis as part of a preventive , proactive health screen .
The test measures the carrier molecule of iron , a protein found inside cells called ferritin , which stores the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ low , it means your iron levels are also low .
The healthy range of serum ferritin lies between 20 and 80 nanograms per milliliter ( ng/ml ) .
Below 20 ng/ml is a strong indicator that you are iron deficient , and above 80 ng/ml suggests you have an iron surplus .
An ideal range is between 40 and 60 ng/ml .
Please note that many health sites will tell you that “ normal ” can be much higher than that , but as I discuss with Koenig in the earlier referenced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly toxic and will eventually cause serious damage .
If you have hemochromatosis , or if a serum ferritin blood test reveals elevated iron levels , donating your blood two or three times a year is the safest , most effective and inexpensive remedy .
If you have severe overload you may need to do more regular phlebotomies .
If , for some reason , a blood donor center is unable to accept your blood for donation , you can obtain a prescription for therapeutic phlebotomy .
At the same time , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excess iron in the form of supplements , in your drinking water ( well water ) , from iron cookware or fortified processed foods .
You can also limit iron absorption by not eating iron-rich foods in combination with vitamin C-rich foods or beverages , as the vitamin C boosts iron absorption .
If needed , you could also take a curcumin supplement .
Curcumin acts as a potent chelator of iron and can be a useful supplement if your iron is elevated .
GGT Test Is Also Advisable to Rule Out Iron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase ( GGT ) test can also be used as a screening marker for excess free iron and is a great indicator of your risk for sudden cardiac death , insulin resistance , cardiometabolic disease35 and chronic kidney disease36 as well .
KetoFast : Rejuvenate Y ... Dr. Joseph Mercola Best Price : $ 7.44 Buy New $ 9.64 In recent years , scientists have discovered GGT is highly interactive with iron .
Low GGT tends to be protective against higher ferritin , so if your GGT is low , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your ferritin is a bit higher than ideal .
When both your serum ferritin and GGT are high , you are at significantly increased risk of chronic health problems and early death,37,38 because then you have a combination of free iron ( which is highly toxic ) , and the iron storage to keep that toxicity going.39 That said , even if your ferritin is low , having elevated GGT levels is cause for concern and needs to be addressed .
For this reason , getting a GGT test in addition to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out iron toxicity .
The ideal level of GGT is below 16 units per liter ( U/L ) for men and below 9 U/L for women .
Above 25 U/L for men and 18 U/L for women , your risk of chronic disease increases significantly .
To lower your GGT level you ’ ll need to implement strategies that boost glutathione , a potent antioxidant produced in your body , as GGT is inversely related to glutathione .
As your GGT level rises , your glutathione goes down .
This is in fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GGT harms your health .
By elevating your glutathione level , you will lower your GGT .
The amino acid cysteine , found in whey protein , poultry and eggs , plays an important role in your body ’ s production of glutathione .
Red meat , which does not contain cysteine , will tend to raise GGT , as will alcohol , so both should be avoided.40 Certain medications can also raise your GGT .
If this is the case , please confer with your doctor to determine whether you might be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to something else .
General detoxification is another important component if your GGT is high , as your liver ’ s job is to remove toxins from your body .
The fact that your GGT is elevated means your liver is under stress .
For adults , I strongly recommend getting an annual serum ferritin test to confirm you ’ re neither too high nor too low .
When it comes to iron overload , I believe it can be every bit as dangerous to your health as vitamin D deficiency , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important than your cholesterol .
While a full iron panel that checks serum iron , iron-binding capacity and ferritin can be helpful , you really only need the serum ferritin test , plus the GGT test .
Your doctor can write you a prescription for these tests , or you can order them from HealtheIron.com .
Again , if your ferritin is high , the easiest way to lower it is to donate blood two or three times a year .
U.S. legislation allows all blood banks to perform therapeutic phlebotomy for hemochromatosis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a doctor ’ s order .
Also , unless you have a lab-documented iron deficiency , avoid iron-containing multivitamins , iron supplements and mineral supplements that contain iron if your levels are already high .
The Best of Joseph Mercola

Iron is necessary for life as it essential to transfer oxygen into your tissues. Hemoglobin, the protein in your red blood cells that contains iron at its core, reversibly binds to oxygen and supplies your tissues with it. Without proper oxygenation, your cells quickly start dying.
Iron is also a key component of various proteins and enzymes, and is involved in energy production, immune function, metabolism and endocrine function. For these reasons, low iron (anemia) can cause significant health problems.
However, what many don’t realize is that excess iron is actually more common than too little, and iron overload can be even more problematic, as detailed in “Why Managing Your Iron Level Is Crucial to Your Health,” which features my interview with Gerry Koenig, former chairman of the Iron Disorders Institute and the Hemochromatosis Foundation.
Because your body has a limited capacity to excrete iron, it can easily build up in organs like your liver, heart and pancreas. This is dangerous because iron is a potent oxidizer that can damage your tissues and contribute to a variety of health problems, including but not limited to:
Iron Overload Impairs Mitochondrial Function
Iron causes significant harm primarily by catalyzing a reaction within the inner mitochondrial membrane. When iron reacts with hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl free radicals are formed.
These are among the most damaging free radicals known, causing severe mitochondrial dysfunction, which in turn is at the heart of most chronic degenerative diseases. The hydroxyl free radicals are an oxidative stress that will also damage your cell membranes, stem cells, protein and DNA. EMF*D: 5G, Wi-Fi & Cel... Dr. Joseph Mercola Buy New $22.49 (as of 09:53 UTC - Details)
In addition to all this damage, recent research18 shows excessive iron also promotes apoptosis and ferroptosis in cardiomyocytes. Apoptosis is the programmed cell death of diseased and worn-out cells, and as the name implies, ferroptosis refers to cell death that is dependent on and regulated by iron specifically.19
Cardiomyocytes are muscle cells in your heart that generate and control the rhythmic contractions in your heart, thus allowing it to maintain a healthy rhythm.20 In short, this tells us that excess iron has the ability to impair your heart function by inducing mitochondrial abnormalities and the death of muscle cells in your heart.
How Iron Overload Affects Your Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
Aside from raising your risk of heart-related problems, iron overload is also of particular concern in Alzheimer’s disease,21,22,23 the prevalence of which has dramatically risen in recent decades.
According to research24,25 published in 2018, buildup of iron — which increases oxidative stress and has a type of “rusting effect” in your brain — is common in most Alzheimer’s patients. As noted by the authors:26
“In the presence of the pathological hallmarks of [Alzheimer’s disease], iron is accumulated within and around the amyloid-beta plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, mostly as ferrihydrite inside ferritin, hemosiderin and magnetite.
The co-localization of iron with amyloid-beta has been proposed to constitute a major source of toxicity. Indeed, in vitro, amyloid-beta has been shown to convert ferric iron to ferrous iron, which can act as a catalyst for the Fenton reaction to generate toxic free radicals, which in turn result in oxidative stress.”
Other research 27 suggests elevated cerebrospinal fluid iron levels are strongly correlated with the presence of the Alzheimer’s risk allele APOE-e4, and that elevated levels of iron in your brain may actually be the mechanism that makes APOE-e4 a major genetic risk factor for the disease.
A primary focus of conventional treatment so far has been to clear amyloid proteins, but while that approach seems logical, such attempts have met with limited success.
Researchers now suggest clearing out excess iron may be a more effective way to reduce damage and slow or prevent the Alzheimer’s disease process. You can learn more about this in “How Excess Iron Raises Your Risk for Alzheimer’s.”
Iron Dysregulation Is Surprisingly Common
It’s easy to get too much iron as it’s commonly added to most multivitamins. Many processed foods are also fortified with iron. Two servings of fortified breakfast cereal may provide as much as 44 milligrams (mg) of iron in some cases,28 bringing you dangerously close to the upper tolerance limit of 45 mg for adults, and well over the recommended daily allowance, which is a mere 8 mg for men and 18 mg for premenopausal women (i.e., women who still get their monthly period).29
Unfortunately, many doctors don’t understand or appreciate the importance of checking for iron overload. One of the greatest risk factors for iron overload is having a condition called hemochromatosis30 — one of the most prevalent genetic diseases in the U.S. — which impairs your body’s iron regulation, causing you to absorb higher than normal amounts.
The C282Y gene mutation is thought to be responsible for the majority of hemochromatosis cases. It takes two inherited copies of the mutation (one from your mother and one from your father) to cause the disease (and even then, only some people will actually get sick).
More than 30% of Americans are thought to have two copies of this defective gene31 and, according to one study,32 an estimated 40% to 70% of those with two defective C282Y genes will develop clinical evidence of iron overload.
If you have just one copy, you won’t become ill but you will still absorb slightly more iron than the rest of the population,33,34 thus placing you at increased risk for overload and the complications associated with it.
Common Factors That Increase Your Risk of Iron Overload
Virtually all adult men and postmenopausal women are also at risk for iron overload since they do not lose blood on a regular basis. Blood loss is the primary way to lower excess iron, as the body has no active excretion mechanisms. Other potential contributors to high iron levels include:
Cooking in iron pots or pans — Cooking acidic foods in these types of pots or pans will elevate iron absorption.
Eating processed food products like cereals and white breads fortified with iron — The iron used in these products is inorganic iron, not much different from rust, and it is far more dangerous than the iron in meat.
Drinking well water that is high in iron — The key here is to make sure you have some type of iron precipitator and/or a reverse osmosis water filter.
Taking multiple vitamins and mineral supplements, as both of these frequently have iron in them.
Regularly consuming alcohol, as this will increase the absorption of iron in your diet.
How to Check for and Address Iron Overload
Checking your iron levels is easy and can be done with a simple blood test called a serum ferritin test. I believe this is one of the most important tests that everyone should have done on a regular basis as part of a preventive, proactive health screen. The test measures the carrier molecule of iron, a protein found inside cells called ferritin, which stores the iron. If your ferritin levels are low, it means your iron levels are also low.
The healthy range of serum ferritin lies between 20 and 80 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml). Below 20 ng/ml is a strong indicator that you are iron deficient, and above 80 ng/ml suggests you have an iron surplus. An ideal range is between 40 and 60 ng/ml.
Please note that many health sites will tell you that “normal” can be much higher than that, but as I discuss with Koenig in the earlier referenced article, levels over 300 ng/ml are particularly toxic and will eventually cause serious damage.
If you have hemochromatosis, or if a serum ferritin blood test reveals elevated iron levels, donating your blood two or three times a year is the safest, most effective and inexpensive remedy. If you have severe overload you may need to do more regular phlebotomies.
If, for some reason, a blood donor center is unable to accept your blood for donation, you can obtain a prescription for therapeutic phlebotomy. At the same time, you’ll also want to avoid consuming excess iron in the form of supplements, in your drinking water (well water), from iron cookware or fortified processed foods.
You can also limit iron absorption by not eating iron-rich foods in combination with vitamin C-rich foods or beverages, as the vitamin C boosts iron absorption. If needed, you could also take a curcumin supplement. Curcumin acts as a potent chelator of iron and can be a useful supplement if your iron is elevated.
GGT Test Is Also Advisable to Rule Out Iron Toxicity
Aside from a serum ferritin test, a gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) test can also be used as a screening marker for excess free iron and is a great indicator of your risk for sudden cardiac death, insulin resistance, cardiometabolic disease35 and chronic kidney disease36 as well. KetoFast: Rejuvenate Y... Mercola, Dr. Joseph Check Amazon for Pricing.
In recent years, scientists have discovered GGT is highly interactive with iron. Low GGT tends to be protective against higher ferritin, so if your GGT is low, you’re largely protected even if your ferritin is a bit higher than ideal.
When both your serum ferritin and GGT are high, you are at significantly increased risk of chronic health problems and early death,37,38 because then you have a combination of free iron (which is highly toxic), and the iron storage to keep that toxicity going.39 That said, even if your ferritin is low, having elevated GGT levels is cause for concern and needs to be addressed.
For this reason, getting a GGT test in addition to a serum ferritin test is advisable to rule out iron toxicity. The ideal level of GGT is below 16 units per liter (U/L) for men and below 9 U/L for women. Above 25 U/L for men and 18 U/L for women, your risk of chronic disease increases significantly.
To lower your GGT level you’ll need to implement strategies that boost glutathione, a potent antioxidant produced in your body, as GGT is inversely related to glutathione. As your GGT level rises, your glutathione goes down. This is in fact part of the equation explaining how elevated GGT harms your health. By elevating your glutathione level, you will lower your GGT.
The amino acid cysteine, found in whey protein, poultry and eggs, plays an important role in your body’s production of glutathione. Red meat, which does not contain cysteine, will tend to raise GGT, as will alcohol, so both should be avoided.40
Certain medications can also raise your GGT. If this is the case, please confer with your doctor to determine whether you might be able to stop the medication or switch to something else. General detoxification is another important component if your GGT is high, as your liver’s job is to remove toxins from your body. The fact that your GGT is elevated means your liver is under stress.
Annual Ferritin Test Is an Important Health Screen
For adults, I strongly recommend getting an annual serum ferritin test to confirm you’re neither too high nor too low. When it comes to iron overload, I believe it can be every bit as dangerous to your health as vitamin D deficiency, and checking your iron status is far more important than your cholesterol.
While a full iron panel that checks serum iron, iron-binding capacity and ferritin can be helpful, you really only need the serum ferritin test, plus the GGT test. Your doctor can write you a prescription for these tests, or you can order them from HealtheIron.com.
Again, if your ferritin is high, the easiest way to lower it is to donate blood two or three times a year. U.S. legislation allows all blood banks to perform therapeutic phlebotomy for hemochromatosis or iron overload. All you need is a doctor’s order.
Also, unless you have a lab-documented iron deficiency, avoid iron-containing multivitamins, iron supplements and mineral supplements that contain iron if your levels are already high.
Sources and References
The Best of Dr. Joseph Mercola


lewrockwell--2020-01-17--An Introduction to Q

An Introduction to Q

Who is Q ?
What is Q ?
And , perhaps most importantly , why is Q ?
Q and the ever-growing worldwide movement it ’ s inspired have been the objects of fascination , mockery and hatred , but of surprisingly little serious analysis .
Q first appeared in October 2017 on an anonymous online forum called 4Chan , posting messages that implied top-clearance knowledge of upcoming events .
More than 3,000 messages later , Q has created a disturbing , multi-faceted portrait of a global crime syndicate that operates with impunity .
Q ’ s followers in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Q ’ s drops , which are compiled here and here .
The mainstream media has published hundreds of articles attacking Q as an insane rightwing conspiracy , particularly after President Trump seemed to publicly confirm his connection to it .
At a North Carolina rally in 2019 , Trump made a point of drawing attention to a baby wearing a onesie with a big Q .
In recent weeks , the tempo of Trump ’ s spotlighting of Q has accelerated , with the President retweeting Q followers twenty times in one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his ads and deployed one of Q ’ s signature phrases ( “ These people are sick ” ) at his rallies .
The President ’ s lawyer , Rudy Giuliani , has also retweeted Q followers .
Q has noted that the media never asks Trump the obvious question : What do you think of Q ?
To Q followers , the reason they don ’ t ask is obvious .
They ’ re afraid of the answer .
Against the Left : A Ro ... Llewellyn H Rockwell Jr Best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8.00 In the meantime , Q ’ s influence continues to spread .
Protestors in Hong Kong , Iran , and France have held up Q signs and chanted Q quotes .
Q ’ s revelations are uniting people all over the world who want freedom .
If you ’ re unfamiliar with Q or only know it through the media ’ s attacks , I ’ d like to provide a brief introduction to this extraordinary phenomenon .
I ’ ve followed Q since the first drop , and I ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breadth and depth of Q ’ s messages .
Q followers were prepared long in advance for the easing of hostilities with North Korea , the deflation of the mullahs of Iran , and the discovery of Ukraine as a hotbed of corruption for American politicians .
They knew a great deal about Jeffrey Epstein ’ s activities before the public did and anticipate even more shocking revelations to come .
As Q likes to say , “ Future proves past.
” As Q ’ s predictions come true , they lend retroactive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s followers believe that Q is a military intelligence operation , the first of its kind , whose goal is to provide the public with secret information .
Many Q followers think the Q team was founded by Admiral Michael Rogers , the former Director of the National Security Agency and former Commander of US Cyber Command .
Some suspect that Dan Scavino , White House Director of Social Media , is part of the team , because the high quality of Q ’ s writing has the luster of a communications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the game of information warfare , bypassing a hostile media and corrupt government to communicate directly with the public .
Think of Q as a companion to Trump ’ s twitter .
Whereas Trump communicates bluntly and directly , Q is cryptic , sly and subtle , offering only clues that beg for context and connection .
Here ’ s the way it works : Q posts messages ( also known as “ drops ” or “ crumbs ” ) on an anonymous online forum , which are discussed , analyzed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inhabitants .
( The forum has changed a few times after massive online attacks . )
Hundreds of social media accounts then spread Q ’ s latest posting to worldwide followers who share their research , analysis , and interpretations of Q ’ s latest information .
I ’ ve compiled a list of Q ’ s most famous catch phrases and tried to put them into context .

Who is Q? What is Q? And, perhaps most importantly, why is Q? Q and the ever-growing worldwide movement it’s inspired have been the objects of fascination, mockery and hatred, but of surprisingly little serious analysis.
Q first appeared in October 2017 on an anonymous online forum called 4Chan, posting messages that implied top-clearance knowledge of upcoming events. More than 3,000 messages later, Q has created a disturbing, multi-faceted portrait of a global crime syndicate that operates with impunity. Q’s followers in the QAnon community faithfully analyze every detail of Q’s drops, which are compiled here and here.
The mainstream media has published hundreds of articles attacking Q as an insane rightwing conspiracy, particularly after President Trump seemed to publicly confirm his connection to it. At a North Carolina rally in 2019, Trump made a point of drawing attention to a baby wearing a onesie with a big Q.
In recent weeks, the tempo of Trump’s spotlighting of Q has accelerated, with the President retweeting Q followers twenty times in one day. Trump has featured Q fans in his ads and deployed one of Q’s signature phrases (“These people are sick”) at his rallies. The President’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, has also retweeted Q followers.
Q has noted that the media never asks Trump the obvious question: What do you think of Q? To Q followers, the reason they don’t ask is obvious. They’re afraid of the answer. Against the Left: A Ro... Rockwell Jr, Llewellyn H Best Price: $2.85 Buy New $8.00 (as of 07:59 UTC - Details)
In the meantime, Q’s influence continues to spread. Protestors in Hong Kong, Iran, and France have held up Q signs and chanted Q quotes. Q’s revelations are uniting people all over the world who want freedom.
If you’re unfamiliar with Q or only know it through the media’s attacks, I’d like to provide a brief introduction to this extraordinary phenomenon. I’ve followed Q since the first drop, and I’ve grown increasingly impressed by the accuracy, breadth and depth of Q’s messages. Q followers were prepared long in advance for the easing of hostilities with North Korea, the deflation of the mullahs of Iran, and the discovery of Ukraine as a hotbed of corruption for American politicians. They knew a great deal about Jeffrey Epstein’s activities before the public did and anticipate even more shocking revelations to come. As Q likes to say, “Future proves past.” As Q’s predictions come true, they lend retroactive credibility to the entire enterprise.
Q’s followers believe that Q is a military intelligence operation, the first of its kind, whose goal is to provide the public with secret information. Many Q followers think the Q team was founded by Admiral Michael Rogers, the former Director of the National Security Agency and former Commander of US Cyber Command. Some suspect that Dan Scavino, White House Director of Social Media, is part of the team, because the high quality of Q’s writing has the luster of a communications expert.
Q is a new weapon in the game of information warfare, bypassing a hostile media and corrupt government to communicate directly with the public. Think of Q as a companion to Trump’s twitter. Whereas Trump communicates bluntly and directly, Q is cryptic, sly and subtle, offering only clues that beg for context and connection.
Here’s the way it works: Q posts messages (also known as “drops” or “crumbs”) on an anonymous online forum, which are discussed, analyzed, and critiqued by the board’s inhabitants. (The forum has changed a few times after massive online attacks.) Hundreds of social media accounts then spread Q’s latest posting to worldwide followers who share their research, analysis, and interpretations of Q’s latest information.
I’ve compiled a list of Q’s most famous catch phrases and tried to put them into context.
Read the Whole Article


lewrockwell--2020-01-17--Who Targeted Ukraine Airlines Flight 752? Iran Shot It Down, But There May be More to the Story

The claim that Major General Qassem Soleimani was a “ terrorist ” on a mission to carry out an “ imminent ” attack that would kill hundreds of Americans turned out to be a lie , so why should one believe anything else relating to recent developments in Iran and Iraq ?
To be sure , Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 departing from Tehran ’ s Imam Khomeini International Airport on the morning of January 8th with 176 passengers and crew on board was shot down by Iranian air defenses , something which the government of the Islamic Republic has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considerably more to the story involving cyberwarfare carried out by the U.S. and possibly Israeli governments .
To be sure , the Iranian air defenses were on high alert fearing an American attack in the wake of the U.S. government ’ s assassination of Soleimani on January 3rdfollowed by a missile strike from Iran directed against two U.S. bases in Iraq .
In spite of the tension and the escalation , the Iranian government did not shut down the country ’ s airspace .
Civilian passenger flights were still departing and arriving in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judgment on the part of the airport authorities .
Inexplicably , civilian aircraft continued to take off and land even after Flight 752 was shot down .
Fifty-seven of the passengers on the flight were Canadians of Iranian descent , leading Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to point the finger both at the Iranian government for its carelessness and also at Washington , observing angrily that the Trump Administration had deliberately and recklessly sought to “ escalate tensions ” with Iran through an attack near Baghdad Airport , heedless of the impact on travelers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A Peace to End All Pea ... David Fromkin Best Price : $ 4.61 Buy New $ 14.19 What seems to have been a case of bad judgments and human error does , however , include some elements that have yet to be explained .
The Iranian missile operator reportedly experienced considerable “ jamming ” and the planes transponder switched off and stopped transmitting several minutes before the missiles were launched .
There were also problems with the communication network of the air defense command , which may have been related .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meant that the air defense system was placed on manual operation , relying on human intervention to launch .
The human role meant that an operator had to make a quick judgment in a pressure situation in which he had only moments to react .
The shutdown of the transponder , which would have automatically signaled to the operator and Tor electronics that the plane was civilian , instead automatically indicated that it was hostile .
The operator , having been particularly briefed on the possibility of incoming American cruise missiles , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the plane down came from a Russian-made system designated SA-15 by NATO and called Tor by the Russians .
Its eight missiles are normally mounted on a tracked vehicle .
The system includes both radar to detect and track targets as well as an independent launch system , which includes an Identification Friend or Foe ( IFF ) system functionality capable of reading call signs and transponder signals to prevent accidents .
Given what happened on that morning in Tehran , it is plausible to assume that something or someone deliberately interfered with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the transponder on the airplane , possibly as part of an attempt to create an aviation accident that would be attributed to the Iranian government .
The SA-15 Tor defense system used by Iran has one major vulnerability .
It can be hacked or “ spoofed , ” permitting an intruder to impersonate a legitimate user and take control .
The United States Navy and Air Force reportedly have developed technologies “ that can fool enemy radar systems with false and deceptively moving targets.
” Fooling the system also means fooling the operator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how the United States military has long been developing systems that can from a distance alter the electronics and targeting of Iran ’ s available missiles .
Amazon.com Gift Card i ... Buy New $ 10.00 The same technology can , of course , be used to alter or even mask the transponder on a civilian airliner in such a fashion as to send false information about identity and location .
The United States has the cyber and electronic warfare capability to both jam and alter signals relating to both airliner transponders and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presumably has the same ability .
Joe Quinn at Sott.net also notes an interested back story to those photos and video footage that have appeared in the New York Times and elsewhere showing the Iranian missile launch , the impact with the plane and the remains after the crash , to include the missile remains .
They appeared on January 9th , in an Instagram account called ‘ Rich Kids of Tehran ‘ .
Quinn asks how the Rich Kids happened to be in “ a low-income housing estate on the city ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 6 a.m. on the morning of January 8th with cameras pointed at the right part of the sky in time to capture a missile hitting a Ukrainian passenger plane… ?
” Put together the Rich Kids and the possibility of electronic warfare and it all suggests a premeditated and carefully planned event of which the Soleimani assassinationwas only a part .
There have been riots in Iran subsequent to the shooting down of the plane , blaming the government for its ineptitude .
Some of the people in the street are clearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States and Israel , i.e .
“ regime change.
” If nothing else , Iran , which was widely seen as the victim in the killing of Soleimani , is being depicted in much of the international media as little more than another unprincipled actor with blood on its hands .
There is much still to explain about the downing of Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 .
Reprinted with permission from The Unz Review .
The Best of Philip Giraldi

The claim that Major General Qassem Soleimani was a “terrorist” on a mission to carry out an “imminent” attack that would kill hundreds of Americans turned out to be a lie, so why should one believe anything else relating to recent developments in Iran and Iraq? To be sure, Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 departing from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport on the morning of January 8th with 176 passengers and crew on board was shot down by Iranian air defenses, something which the government of the Islamic Republic has admitted, but there just might be considerably more to the story involving cyberwarfare carried out by the U.S. and possibly Israeli governments.
To be sure, the Iranian air defenses were on high alert fearing an American attack in the wake of the U.S. government’s assassination of Soleimani on January 3rdfollowed by a missile strike from Iran directed against two U.S. bases in Iraq. In spite of the tension and the escalation, the Iranian government did not shut down the country’s airspace. Civilian passenger flights were still departing and arriving in Tehran, almost certainly an error in judgment on the part of the airport authorities. Inexplicably, civilian aircraft continued to take off and land even after Flight 752 was shot down.
Fifty-seven of the passengers on the flight were Canadians of Iranian descent, leading Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to point the finger both at the Iranian government for its carelessness and also at Washington, observing angrily that the Trump Administration had deliberately and recklessly sought to “escalate tensions” with Iran through an attack near Baghdad Airport, heedless of the impact on travelers and other civilians in the region. A Peace to End All Pea... Fromkin, David Best Price: $4.51 Buy New $14.19 (as of 11:15 UTC - Details)
What seems to have been a case of bad judgments and human error does, however, include some elements that have yet to be explained. The Iranian missile operator reportedly experienced considerable “jamming” and the planes transponder switched off and stopped transmitting several minutes before the missiles were launched. There were also problems with the communication network of the air defense command, which may have been related.
The electronic jamming coming from an unknown source meant that the air defense system was placed on manual operation, relying on human intervention to launch. The human role meant that an operator had to make a quick judgment in a pressure situation in which he had only moments to react. The shutdown of the transponder, which would have automatically signaled to the operator and Tor electronics that the plane was civilian, instead automatically indicated that it was hostile. The operator, having been particularly briefed on the possibility of incoming American cruise missiles, then fired.
The two missiles that brought the plane down came from a Russian-made system designated SA-15 by NATO and called Tor by the Russians. Its eight missiles are normally mounted on a tracked vehicle. The system includes both radar to detect and track targets as well as an independent launch system, which includes an Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system functionality capable of reading call signs and transponder signals to prevent accidents. Given what happened on that morning in Tehran, it is plausible to assume that something or someone deliberately interfered with both the Iranian air defenses and with the transponder on the airplane, possibly as part of an attempt to create an aviation accident that would be attributed to the Iranian government.
The SA-15 Tor defense system used by Iran has one major vulnerability. It can be hacked or “spoofed,” permitting an intruder to impersonate a legitimate user and take control. The United States Navy and Air Force reportedly have developed technologies “that can fool enemy radar systems with false and deceptively moving targets.” Fooling the system also means fooling the operator. The Guardian has also reported independently how the United States military has long been developing systems that can from a distance alter the electronics and targeting of Iran’s available missiles.
Amazon.com Gift Card i... Buy New $10.00 (as of 08:25 UTC - Details) The same technology can, of course, be used to alter or even mask the transponder on a civilian airliner in such a fashion as to send false information about identity and location. The United States has the cyber and electronic warfare capability to both jam and alter signals relating to both airliner transponders and to the Iranian air defenses. Israel presumably has the same ability. Joe Quinn at Sott.net also notes an interested back story to those photos and video footage that have appeared in the New York Times and elsewhere showing the Iranian missile launch, the impact with the plane and the remains after the crash, to include the missile remains. They appeared on January 9th, in an Instagram account called ‘Rich Kids of Tehran‘. Quinn asks how the Rich Kids happened to be in “a low-income housing estate on the city’s outskirts [near the airport] at 6 a.m. on the morning of January 8th with cameras pointed at the right part of the sky in time to capture a missile hitting a Ukrainian passenger plane…?”
Put together the Rich Kids and the possibility of electronic warfare and it all suggests a premeditated and carefully planned event of which the Soleimani assassinationwas only a part. There have been riots in Iran subsequent to the shooting down of the plane, blaming the government for its ineptitude. Some of the people in the street are clearly calling for the goal long sought by the United States and Israel, i.e. “regime change.” If nothing else, Iran, which was widely seen as the victim in the killing of Soleimani, is being depicted in much of the international media as little more than another unprincipled actor with blood on its hands. There is much still to explain about the downing of Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752.
Reprinted with permission from The Unz Review.
The Best of Philip Giraldi