Just an honest, heartfelt greeting to ease us into 2023. When I was young, I wondered if I’d see the millennium change. I did and so did everyone here, obviously. Now I am working to hang on to my “dust” as long as I can without creating havoc for my family. The last few years have been interesting… in many ways. Glad to be here and hope to stick around.

No matter the verbal combat, we are all so fortunate for the luxury of being able to joust. Most in the world are not nearly as well off, in fact often suffering terribly. I try to keep that in mind when I sweat the small stuff. Take care and see you next year I hope.

Gott Nytt År (Swedish, my native tongue and homeland before I became a U.S. citizen.)

Eleven minutes of video cannot capture anything close to comprehensive truths but can — as in this case — remind us to be skeptical of stories we hear.

“On the whole, members of Russia’s economic elite “understand this isn’t going to end well,” the Russian billionaire said. Prokopenko, the former Central Bank official, said the Russian elite, including many under sanctions, are watching the situation in horror: “Everything they built collapsed for no reason.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/putin-unaccustomed-to-losing-is-increasingly-isolated-as-war-falters/ar-AA15NItw

https://www.newser.com/story/329715/he-trolled-greta-thunberg-days-later-an-arrest.html?utm_source=8at8&utm_medium=email&utm_content=1638080016508607709&utm_campaign=20221230

Never pick a fight with a teenager on social media. You aren’t going to win.

If you haven’t seen this story on other sites, it’s worth a read.

Andrew Tate is a former kick boxer whose misogynistic comments got him banned from Twitter. Unfortunately for him, Elon Musk reinstated his account and one of the first things he did was to pick a fight with Greta Thunberg. When she cut him to ribbons, he replied with a video that included the image of a pizza box. That pizza box tipped off authorities as to where he was and they arrested his smart ass for a string of crimes. To which Greta replied: “This is what happens when you don’t recycle your pizza boxes,”

Ania K is a Polish-born writer and YouTube vlogger. She seems to me to be just a normal person who pursues a curiosity and shares the experience. But of course, Ania K may be a Kremlin operative, a Tokyo Rose, a Mata Hari.

In that case, God save the American empire from Ania K’s evil!

For my part, Ania K seems genuine and her videos are interesting. This one was made relevant by a recent post in the Forum which claimed that the Russian banking system is collapsing.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/12/russian-tycoon-pavel-antov-dies-putin-ukraine/672601/

This is what happens in Russia if Putin does not care for your opinions. Now tell us how Zelensky is a fascist and just as bad as Putin.

While prophecies and predictions are fun to discuss, a look back at 2022 is also fun and interesting.

https://open.substack.com/pub/morningshots/p/2022-a-consequential-year-in-review?r=7hgxp&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

Charlie Sykes does a nice review of 2022. Factual and sourced (links throughout).

I know some of the posters here take issue with The Bulwark. Mostly because they are more accurate than the “sources” used and opinions shared by those who don’t like The Bulwark. Which I find a bit humorous because it is a group of old school conservatives who don’t pull punches on calling out what is considered “conservative” today.

The End (of the Petrodollar) is Nigh…

One of the underappreciated consequences of the war in Ukraine is the economic boost given to China. Specifically, China is well positioned to offer its currency as an international medium of exchange, displacing the U.S. dollar.

The effects will be horrible within the U.S., as our currency will lose purchasing power. Worse, there is almost nothing we can do to prevent the replacement of the petrodollar, as all the key decisions are in the hands of other countries who no longer need nor (because of Ukraine) have reason to trust us.

https://tinyurl.com/y37dnfnm

While Trump’s most loyal supporters were incited to criminal behavior that would cost them years of their lives, the fiancé of Donald Trump, Jr. demanded and was paid $60,000 for a three minute speech at the “Stop the Steal” rally on January 6th. If you wanted to make something up to smear the Trump family as greedy, banal leeches sucking the blood from their supporters it would be hard to top this. But hey, $60,000 is chicken feed compared to the $250 million raised off the Big Lie.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jun/15/capitol-attack-panel-trump-election-defense-fund

Always on the grift!

https://theweek.com/house-of-representatives/1019645/gop-rep-elect-santos-defends-bogus-resume-explanation-would-go-way

Even Tulsi Gabbards takes issue with Rep. (Elect) Santos and his “embellishments”. Not too mention he thinks any explanation concerning his (lack of) employment at Goldman-Sachs “would go way above the American peoples’ heads”. Potential translation of that statement: “The voters are too stupid”.

Continue reading “GOP 2023” →