Sunday, October 11, 2026

Odd Man Out

 Counting Heads,


  My working view of global political economy is that real-economy is 90% correlated  with usage of oil and petroleum products, and that net petroleum production peaked around Nobember 2018, with a dip until a second peak November 2025, and that a long decline in net production appears inevitable going forward.
  Shrinkage of the economic pie is underway, but arrangements for how to divide it are very much contested amongst players, not all of whom are nation-states.
  Additionally, there is broad agreement to not reveal that net oil production has rolled over into permanent decline, the end of 300 years of real economic growth for human economies upon our planet, fossil-fuel driven growth.
  The current control-narrative is that war is causing the economic changes we are experiencing, and that peace-arrangements might allow a return to normalcy.    This control-narrative is extremenly flexible. Specifics  can be modified at any time by any party without challenging the narrative. War is the all-purpose narrative that fosters societal cohesion when sweeping economic and financial changes are necessary. Wars, themselves are fluid as they progress. Alliances can adjust or change in the course of war, without it seeming too odd.
  What is inevitable is  financial reset and debt write-downs, since total debts and liabilities are something like 10X global GDP. Debts and liabilities could be much better sustained at 5% of that, half of global GDP. Who will be forced to accept losses is not decided officially, just as the progression of wars is not officially declared ahead of time, and sometimes surprises observers.

  Trump and Putin had a 90 minute talk Friday, following Putin's 74th birthday Thursday. Alot of details remain secret, presumably due to their being a lot of contingency based upon the level of Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries and other oil and gas infrastructure.
  The Ukrainian team was meeting in Florida to push the US to go much harder against the Russian economy, rather than accepting Trump's exhortations to stop hitting Russian refineries and tankers so diesel prices could come down ahead of US midterm elections. Zelensky appears to have been playing very hard against this leverage, but has been completelyundercut by the US removing most Russian trade sanctions for 3 months. 
  No agreement by Russia to stop striking Ukrainian electrical infrastructure, bridges, trucking, shipping, gas stations or other infrastructure has been voiced by any party. 
  Trump appears to have greatly increased the Russian advantage, going into a very hard, potentially impossible winter for the people of Ukraine. The natural question is whether this will be enough to force a capitulation of Ukraine to Russian terms of peace, which include Ukrainian neutrality, major demilitarization, normalization of rights for Russian speakers, and denazification, of some sort.
  I don't see this as a tactical move on Trump's part, but a strategic move to align Russian and US interests in the global resource wars against resource-poor Europe and European old-money interests that need a greater war on Russia, to avoid declaring investment losses, not a peace that will devastate their balance sheets and show them to be insolvent.
  There must have also been discussion of the Mideast wars, though it is sensitive and remains quite private. Putin could agree not to share targeting information with Iran, at no great expense to Iran, as China is also assumed to be sharing high quality information with Iran. Iran has its own satellite and other regional reconnoisance data.
  Zelensky is reported to have insulted Trump as "dishonest" and "weak", thogh there is room for those comments to be aimed at the policy decisions, not the man. 
  My expectation would be for Ukrainian attacks on Russian infrastructure and Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure to continue and possibly increase, as Russia should naturally seek to press the initiative and force Ukraine to finally surrender. 
  European cooperation in removing funding from Ukraine will be necessary. It will not come from the UK. 
  There are teasers floated about Nordstream reopening to Germany with a US profit-cut included. The fall of Merz is nigh and AfD would love to cut that deal. Marine LePen awaits in the French wings.
  Interestingly, these deals will have to be done outside of $US trade-channels, such as SWIFT, done on Russian trade-terms. It will be easy for India and China.

​  Gilbert Doctorow, Breaking news: Trump reaches deal with Putin for release of Russian diesel stock to global markets
Donald Trump has struck a deal with Vladimir Putin for Russia to release diesel to the world, sparking a backlash from Ukraine as Washington aims to quell fuel prices ahead of November’s midterm elections. The US president on Friday said Moscow had agreed to “immediately” release 300,000 tonnes of the fuel “to the American and Global Marketplace” followed by another 500,000 tonnes in November and a further 1mn tonnes “immediately thereafter”.​ ...
..Let us consider here other, rather different dimensions of this extraordinary deal: what it says about the two-way relationship of Putin and Trump, what it says about the likelihood of a U.S. deal on restoring the Nord Stream pipelines which is being rumored in the German press, and what it says about how and when the Russia-Ukraine war will end.
​  As we have heard in recent weeks, Donald Trump has sought to explain the soaring prices of diesel by the damage done to Russian refineries from Ukrainian drone attacks ...
​..Alt Media experts pooh poohed that reality when they directed all attention to Donald Trump and his repeatedly blaming high diesel prices on the Ukrainian destruction of Russian capacity rather than on the closure of the Strait of Hormuz resulting from his war of aggression on Iran.
​  With that background situation explained, let us move on to consider what the deal announced today suggests with respect to Russian-US relations. It is a thunderbolt! Vladimir Putin is now openly assisting the electoral prospects of Trump in the mid-term elections. This suggests a deal of far reaching proportions. Some kind of quid pro quo has been agreed. It is likely that the quid pro quo is in several directions. Almost certainly it suggests that there is a real U.S. plan for financing repairs to the Nord Stream pipeline and for the U.S. to be selling the Russian gas to Europe over the ferocious opposition of Chancellor Friedrich Merz. This in turn envisages a fierce battle with the European Parliament and European Commission who have put in place a total ban on Russian hydrocarbon imports as from 1 January 2027.
​  It is inconceivable that these plans for commercial cooperation are being laid down without some US-Russian understanding on how and when the Ukraine war will end. I will not speculate here and now on the content of such an understanding. However, I will be paying very close attention to all developments in the forthcoming meeting of Trump’s emissaries with the Kremlin...
​..By holding out for this deal till the last weeks before the midterms, Putin surely has been able to extract the greatest benefits for Russia. He has also waited till the Russian harvest is largely collected already. Remember that agricultural equipment is a major and time sensitive consumer of diesel fuel and that domain in the Russian economy has already been served.​   https://gilbertdoctorow.substack.com/p/breaking-news-trump-reaches-deal

​  Military Summary begins with blow-by-blow analysis of comments Friday by Zelensky-the-scorned and others: DEAL OF THE YEAR: US–Russia Diesel Deal Sends Zelensky Into Fury And He Fires Back -  MS 2026.10.10   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbxlhgkI_sQ

  Gilbert Doctorow, Trump’s turn against Ukraine and EU leadership
Yesterday’s lightning bolt announcement by Donald Trump of his deal with President Vladimir Putin for release of vast quantities of Russian diesel fuel onto global markets was only the first stunning development of the day as we now know from further mainstream coverage.
​  First the timing of Trump’s announcement was itself very important. It came amidst talks in Miami between the President’s emissaries and a negotiating team from Kiev who had hoped to agree with Washington further means of pressure on the Kremlin and support for Kiev. These Ukrainians were shocked by the betrayal implicit in Trump’s now approving and facilitating new multi billion dollar diesel exports by Russia. They and Kiev were quick to denounce the deal and plans for a second day of talks in Miami were cancelled.
  President Trump went on to call for Zelensky’s replacement by someone who is capable of negotiating a peace with Russia. And he sharply criticized Kiev’s continuing drone strikes on Russian refineries despite his call for them to desist, saying he is prepared to halt US intelligence sharing if his warning is not heeded. 
  Suspension of this infelligence. which was done only for 8 days early in Trump’s presidency, would hammer Ukraine’s war effort and bring the conflict to a speedy conclusion.   
​  Of course Trump’s latest actions and words set him on a direct course of open coflict with German and EU leadership, as ut was no doubt intended to do.
If anyone can bring down the neo-Nazi Merz and the tyrants running the European Commission it is Donald J Trump.​   
https://gilbertdoctorow.substack.com/p/trumps-turn-against-ukraine-and-eu

  Simplicius, Rift Turns to Fracture: Ukrainian Delegation Beats Town After Don’s Diesel Decree
Just as a delegation sent by Zelensky touched down in Miami for a private sit-down with Trump capos Kushner and Witkoff, the godfather himself made a stunning pronouncement: the ban on Russian diesel is to be lifted.​ And the reason left Zelensky grinding his gold-capped molars: The Ukrainian head’s refusal to obey the Don’s demands to halt strikes on Russian oil sites...
​..The justification exposes a putrid double-dealing game: Trump’s failures in Iran have led to economic woes in the US which now threaten midterm elections. In order to redeem one folly, Trump is forced to burn bridges in Kiev—no pun intended​...
​..Kushner and Witkoff put the shake-down on the Z-crew by threatening to cut all intelligence sharing, which would cripple Ukraine’s ability to put a hit on Russian oil sites.​.. It’s not because Ukrainian drones need the GPS coordinates for Russian refineries—that’s the easy part. It’s because they need real-time satellite tracking of Russian active radars in order to map a perfect flight route that bypasses radar coverage.​..
​..Zelensky immediately went on the offensive, for the first time openly calling out Trump with accusations of “weakness” against Russia​...
​..Tracking sites reportedly are already tailing the first Russian “shadow fleet” diesel shipments to mainland America:   Given that the ship has already crossed the entire Atlantic Ocean, it’s clear—if the above is accurate—that the deal had already been in the works for some time. However, some claim it is not diesel in this tanker but rather fertilizer, which had already been allowed.​..
..Now Trump has really put his foot on Zelensky’s neck by openly calling for Ukraine to get a new president in what appears to be a final severing of the erstwhile relationship with the Bankova honcho​   https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/rift-turns-to-fracture-ukrainian

​  John Helmer,​ OLIGARCHS OF THE WORLD UNITE AT ELECTION TIME — TRUMP’S OCTOBER SURPRISE PLUS PUTIN’S OCTOBER SURPRISE REVEAL A “SAFE BET”
​  The telephone call which President Donald Trump has been trying to make to President Vladimir Putin since the morning of October 7, and which the Kremlin spokesman refused to confirm each day since,  was such a surprise when it happened on Friday evening, the Kremlin kept it secret from the Russian press until Trump spoke first.​..
​..According to Moscow sources in a position to know, Putin is keeping secret what diesel terms have been agreed because they are conditional. The Russians are waiting for Trump to order the Ukrainians to cease attacking the hinterland refineries, port terminals, and tankers at sea.  The delivery schedule Trump has announced isn’t confirmed by the Russians because the shipments will not occur until and unless Trump proves that he can control the drone war.
​  “There is a Kremlin wager,” one source commented, “and it’s a safe bet for a good Russian profit. If the Trump announcement helps him improve his position in Congress on November 3, he will owe Putin a big favour, and he should press harder on Zelensky, NATO, the  Europeans. And if he doesn’t, or can’t because he loses as badly as predicted on November 3, the Russian diesel export releases proposed for November and December can be stopped immediately. And if there is sanctions relief, they will turn out to be a cheap price to pay, and Russian money to earn, if  the entire scheme stops on January 9, and we go back to war as usual.”
​  On Trump’s side, the wager has been made to appear in Kiev, and also Israel, as a Trump ultimatum.
​  An Israeli reporter in Washington was briefed by a US and a Ukrainian official to print: “During eight hours of talks in Miami on Friday, Witkoff and Kushner told a Ukrainian negotiating team that the president was expected to speak to Putin and lift sanctions on Russian diesel exports. They were told that Trump decided to move forward after Ukraine ignored multiple requests to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries, which were directly affecting U.S. consumers.”
​  “A Ukrainian official claimed that during the talks, Witkoff and Kushner threatened that Trump could cut off Ukraine from U.S. intelligence if it continued to ignore his requests. The U.S. official denied such a threat was made and said Witkoff and Kushner told the Ukrainians that the U.S. was a strong partner, providing munitions and intelligence. Ukraine therefore shouldn’t take actions that hurt American consumers​.   https://johnhelmer.net/oligarchs-of-the-world-unite-at-election-time-trumps-october-surprise-plus-putins-october-surprise-reveal-a-safe-bet/#more-95113

Axios: US threatened to cut intelligence sharing with Ukraine over strikes on Russian oil refineries​   https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/10/10/8057319/​

  UK vows to maintain pressure on Russia over Trump-Putin diesel deal
'We will continue working closely with international partners to ensure Ukraine has the military and financial support'​   
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/uk-vows-to-maintain-pressure-on-russia-over-trump-putin-diesel-deal/4084424

​  Gold & Geopolitics, Daily digest: 2026-10-11
A Houthi missile hit Terminal 3 at Riyadh's King Khalid airport yesterday, killing 12 and injuring 309 according to Saudi aviation authority GACA, and Trump now says the US could join Saudi strikes on Yemen. 
​  The same afternoon he said it was "time for Ukraine to get a new president" because Kyiv keeps hitting Russian refineries, while the IRGC said a VLCC carrying ~2M barrels of Saudi crude hit a mine off the UAE and caught fire. 
​  Rates, AI credit and gold carry on with new data: Citi expects smaller long-bond auctions, Jefferies calls this "AI's 2008 moment", and everyone is watching $4,000 gold.​..
​..Iran: talks and strike plans at the same time. The Kremlin says Putin passed Tehran's end-war position to Trump, with Pezeshkian's backing (zerohedge, GeromanAT). NYT: the Pentagon has drawn up a ~3-day bombing plan, and a third carrier arrives in late October (DanielLDavis1).​...
​..Russia-Ukraine: Trump tells Kyiv to find "a new president"; first Russian diesel cargo nears the US; EU adds 1,600 names to its sanctions list on Monday​...
​..The first cargo left St Petersburg on Sept 22, weeks before the "deal" was announced. 
Arrival claims differ:​ - Oct 11 at Wilmington NC, per jurgen_nauditt.
​  48-72h from midday yesterday, per Windward data that Bockmann cites in the same tweet.
Already at the US East Coast, per Nostra.
​  Europe*​ - On Monday the EU adopts its largest sanctions package yet, listing 1,600 entities (SwedishPM). Kallas says easing diesel sanctions gives Moscow money for the war (OlgaBazova).
​  Estonia's PM wants Europe to help Ukraine blast Russian refineries "to smithereens" (TheApeOfGoldST).
Meanwhile, Europe paid €7.88B for Russian Yamal LNG in the first nine months of the year (colonelhomsi). 
​  Reuters: Kushner and Putin adviser Dmitriev have discussed bringing a US investor into Nord Stream (chigrl).​.. 
​..AI credit: Jefferies sees "AI's 2008 moment", with two labs owing half of a $2.3T backlog; off-balance-sheet SPVs are the last funding door still open
 (zerohedge/Jefferies, Bloomberg via BankerWeimar, Gundlach via DonDurrett, KobeissiLetter, The Market Ear)
​  Jefferies sees "massive capital destruction": two cash-burning labs owe half of a $2.3T backlog (zerohedge). Its chart puts OpenAI and Anthropic at ~25% of Azure and ~45% of Google Cloud on its 2Q26 measure.
​  Jefferies on the setup: "Circularity at its finest". Hyperscalers invest in the labs, which buy compute back from the same hyperscalers (zerohedge)​...​ ..
Vance balks at Hegseth's plan to livestream a firing-squad execution (zerohedge). ​ ​ https://no1sdailydigest.substack.com/p/daily-digest-2026-10-11

​  Gold & Geopolitics,​ Daily digest: 2026-10-10
Washington licensed Russian diesel through April 2027 while Ukraine's negotiators were in Miami. 
​  The IRGC declared that ships on "unauthorized" routes will be hunted anywhere in the region, then set an LPG tanker on fire to show it meant it. ​  The Houthis shut Riyadh's airport again (a Saudia captain is among the dead), Isaias came ashore with about 72% of US Gulf oil already offline, and Bessent hired gold-bond advocate Judy Shelton. The rest is continuation: the 10Y is stuck above 5.2%, AI credit is wobbling, and the S&P is at records on the back of ten stocks.
​  US licenses Russian diesel through 7 April 2027​ - OFAC issued a temporary general licence "at President Trump's direction" (USTreasury). It covers imports into the US as well (JavierBlas). shanaka86 names it General License 135 (shanaka86).
​  Zelensky called it "not fair and not honest" and "a happy birthday present for Putin" (Axios, via KobeissiLetter)​...
​..Kyiv answers by setting Rostov's export terminal ablaze​ - Kremlin readout: Trump "embraced Russia's role in Iran settlement"
(financialjuice). Putin says the call covered Ukraine, Iran and bilateral ties (mfa_russia). Trump: "I want to thank President Putin" (atrupar).​..
​..Kyiv's reaction​ - Zelensky: "our team is simply being used as a smokescreen... a weak decision by strong partners" (DD Geopolitics, quoted by GeromanAT).
​  His counter-offer: "Ukraine will not set Russian oil refineries on fire if Russia does not destroy our energy infrastructure" (ZelenskyyUa).
​  Javier Blas: further refinery strikes now put Kyiv directly in the way of a Washington-Moscow deal (JavierBlas). Zerohedge reports Trump made the deal after Zelensky ignored six requests to stop the strikes (zerohedge).
​  Hours later, the NZNP products export terminal in Rostov-on-Don (3.5M t/yr) was set ablaze (DD_Geopolitics, HormuzLetter). Lukoil's Ukhta plant was the fourth refinery hit this week (Bloomberg via Weimar Treasury).​..
​..Miami: the US, E3, European Commission, Ukraine and NATO discussed winter energy resilience, grain exports, security guarantees and EU accession "ahead of the United States' next engagement with Russia" (Witkoff, quoted by TheApeOfGoldStreet).​..
​..Trump says the US won't attack Iran before November's midterms (BBG via zerohedge).
Israeli media are floating a delay to Israel's Oct 27 election if war with Iran resumes (MairavZ).
​  Larry Johnson claims unusual activity at key US air bases (via Mark4XX).​..
​..The Pentagon's casualty database quietly added 2 deaths and 4 wounded: 21 US dead, 865 wounded in the Iran war so far (osinthexagone).​..
​..Saudi-Houthi: Riyadh airport shut again; fires at Shedgum and Hawiyah gas plants; rival Bab al-Mandab claims​ - Deaths and airlines
6 killed in attacks on Saudi airports this week, including Sudanese, Egyptian and Algerian nationals in earlier strikes on Riyadh and Abha.
​  The Houthis warned international airlines "for the last time", and Lufthansa has stopped flying to Riyadh until Oct 16 (shanaka86).
Riyadh airspace​ - Disrupted repeatedly on Oct 9, at 10:00, 10:50 and 15:45 UTC (MenchOsint), and again at 06:30 UTC today (MenchOsint).
​  Public early-warning alerts have been switched off, so aircraft in holding patterns are the only visible sign of an attack (MenchOsint).
Analyst David Murrin, in Riyadh: "Seven missile impacts around the airport. We've heard them every day of our visit." (GlobalForecastr).
​  The Houthis say humanitarian flights to Riyadh need clearance from a coordination centre in Sanaa (MenchOsint).​..
​..Riyadh's line​ - No ceasefire until the Saudi-backed government regains all lost territory (AFP, via MenchOsint).
The coalition announced a "broad operation" to dismantle the Houthi ballistic-missile network (Faytuks, via GeromanAT).​..
​..Bab al-Mandab: three claims that can't all be true
Al Hadath (Saudi-owned): the Houthis planted sea mines (zerohedge).
​  Al Arabiya: Saudi-backed government forces have "complete control" of Bab al-Mandeb (zerohedge).
Houthi agency SABA: the attack from Lahij province was repelled, with dozens killed or wounded (bonzerbarry).​..
​..Taiz​ - Ansarallah (the Houthi movement) took full control of the Jabal Habashi district (Suriyakmaps, A7_Mirza).
CKMapss counts a +41.2 sq mi gain, including the Yufrus subdistrict (CKMapss).​..
​..Oil and fuel: jet fuel near $5, record $80M VLCC freight; Aramco restores Europe's November barrels
Isaias​ - Shell evacuated and shut its Mars, Olympus, Ursa, Vito and Appomattox platforms (First Squawk via MaartenVerheyen).
​  Jefferies: "small disruption now has outsized price consequences" (zerohedge).
Fuel squeeze​ - Jet fuel is near $5/gal in New York and LA (zerohedge).
​  Delta slashed its profit outlook (zerohedge).
A run of trucking bankruptcies as diesel costs climb (FOX via unusual_whales)...​
..Physical prices​ - The 20-day average of Dated Brent is at an all-time high, and physical Brent is above $130, per KarelMercx.
Goldman estimates the war premium in Brent averaged $22/bbl in September, the second-highest on record (via zerohedge).
​  Relief​ - Aramco will supply European customers in full in November now that the East-West pipeline has restarted. 
October supplies to Europe had been cut to zero; Saudi Arabia normally sends Europe 700-800k b/d (MarioNawfal, zerohedge).
​  China resumes refined-fuel exports this month (same zerohedge overnight wrap).
The biggest supertanker fleet since the war began is heading to China (business).​..
​..Rates: 10Y above 5.2% for a 10th straight session; term premium at a 16-year high; $166B rushes into money funds​ ...
​..AI credit: SoftBank asks the Gulf for $100B; Oracle CDS implies 20% default odds; ten stocks carry the S&P​...
​..Gold: Treasury hires gold-bond advocate Judy Shelton; PBoC's 23t September is its biggest month since 2023​  - Treasury named Shelton a counselor to Bessent (zerohedge, DeItaone). Her brief includes China's financial system (Bloomberg via Weimar Treasury).
​  Shelton
Her idea: long-term Treasury bonds that can be converted into gold, introduced the way inflation-linked TIPS were in 1997 (Hedgeye).
She calls the version "Solidus": a bond convertible into dollars or a fixed weight of gold (via wmiddelkoop).​..
​..ICC: US sanctions the court hours after ex-ICC judge Navi Pillay wins the Nobel; EU gets a six-month fuse
​  Rubio: "Either the ICC will end its threats, or we will end the ICC." The measures could cut the court off from US banks and software providers (Mario Nawfal, quoted by TheApeOfGoldStreet; zerohedge).
​  Pillay chaired the UN commission that concluded Israel committed genocide in Gaza. Washington's moves against the court are tied to its arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant (DD_Geopolitics).
​  Netanyahu's office calls Pillay "a bigot" (via GeromanAT).
EU foreign-policy chief Kallas says the sanctions take effect after six months, "a window for dialogue", and that the EU "has options" (via ricwe123).
​   A joint statement from Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and the UK was dismissed as "extremely weak sauce" (MoonofA).
The other side of the bet: the move could cripple the ICC, or push Europe to decouple from Visa, Mastercard, Microsoft and Amazon (yarotrof).
​  Trump declared the Nobel Peace Prize "forever discredited" after it went to someone else (Polymarket via Nostra).​   
https://no1sdailydigest.substack.com/p/daily-digest-2026-10-10

​  Gold & Geopolitics, Daily digest: 2026-10-09
Houthi missiles destroyed an aircraft at Riyadh's King Khalid airport and foreign airlines pulled out of the Saudi capital. 
​  On the same day Washington promised no Iran strike before Nov 3, and the NYT reported a three-day campaign plan, a State Dept security alert for the whole region and a US long weekend. 
​  OpenAI's run-rate came in $20B short of what investors had been told, which hit Oracle and the AI credit stack, and Hurricane Isaias shut 63% of US Gulf oil output just as Hormuz transits hit a two-month low. The bond rout, central-bank gold buying and the Dobropillia grind are continuation.

  ​Thanks for this, Eleni. "Ansar Allah" mean's Helpers of God. Alastair Crooke, Ansar Allah's unperceived advantages against Saudi Arabia
Geography, Yemen's revolutionary inheritance, Saudi internal factionalism and its contested Islamic credentials are Yemen's trump cards
​  Ansar Allah [Houthis] enjoys many perhaps unperceived advantages in its conflict against the 'wealthy', westernised Saudi Kingdom. This is a war recently rekindled by Saudi's September rupture of the 2022 Truce, when it bombed Sanaa's international airport in July 2026 to prevent an Iranian civilian aircraft from landing.
​  Saudi Arabia says that Trump explicitly approved the airport strike -- thereby opening the way for Ansar Allah to put aside the truce, and for war to flare up.
​  Ansar Allah responded to the breach of Truce with an 18 hour 'blitz' strike that seized the west coast of Yemen (some 5,400 sq. km taken in 11 days), the key ports and the main strategic islands in the Red Sea.Their actions and strategy were well planned and grounded in a deep understanding and experience of the Peninsula's unique geography and societal make-up.​..

​..This geographic reality suggests that Saudi air power will not dislodge agile mountain tribesmen from their mountain redoubt. Ansar Allah, in any case, fight asymmetrically. Having been relentlessly bombed for over a decade, they fight as "free men"; they 'flit' from place to place, and their military infra-structure is buried (in a practice similar to that of Iran). They now control the Bab al-Mandab Strait with artillery, thus saving their more sophisticated drones and missiles for other purposes.​..
..The initial Saudi offensive against Ansar Allah was a débacle; with no central command, no plan and unprepared logistics, the assault collapsed. Fighting now seems to be spreading to Jizan and Najran Provinces — currently part of Saudi Arabia. These are two of three rich, fertile Yemeni provinces seized by Saudi Arabia in the 1930s. Undoubtedly Yemen wants them back.​..
​..Notably, Trump and other 'allies' have declined to come to the rescue of MbS [Mohammed bin Salman] — ostracism and denial that will not pass unnoticed by the Saudi clans and tribes who still resent King Salman's gerrymandering of the royal succession in 2017, contrary to tradition, to name MbS, his favoured son, as Crown Prince (rather than the next brother in the line of succession). Nor will MbS' November 2017 shake-down of near 400 princes, oligarchs and ministers at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh be forgotten; nor will the hogging of oil resources and, as Professor Madawi Al-Rasheed outlines, the subjugation of Saudi tribes for the instalment of one family rule, be forgiven.
​  The second factor — apart from geography — that should to be taken into account are Ansar Allah's roots in an historic revolutionary creed and the Peninsula's long contentious history.
​  José Alberto Nino explains that​ "behind Ansar Allah's surprising geopolitical gains stands an ancient religious tradition. Zaydism is one of the 3 surviving major branches of Shia Islam alongside Twelverism and Ismailism"...
​.."Zaydism takes its name from Zayd ibn Ali, a great-great-grandson of the Prophet Muhammad ... Whereas Twelvers believe the Imam must be divinely appointed and Ismailis follow a hereditary living Imam, Zaydis hold that any learned descendant of Ali can lead by rising in arms against tyranny".
​  "The Houthis remain a Zaydi-rooted movement but have built a broader coalition across sectarian lines...[recuiting] Shafi'i Sunnis and installed southern Sunni politicians in visible civilian posts, while appealing to Sunni communities through sovereignty, anti-corruption, anti-intervention, and pro-Palestinian solidarity messaging."​...
​..Its sustained defiance to Israel, he says, comes not merely from Hizbullah nor Iran, but is anchored in its first Imam's 'own raising of arms against tyranny' when he rebelled against the Umayyad Caliphate in 740 CE and was martyred.
​  Antipathy towards Jews amongst the Houthis primordially arose, Nino writes, "after the Sabbatean movement of 1666, a mass messianic excitement" [of vast numbers of Jews around the world and centred on Sabbatai Zevi as the Messiah leading Jews to imminent Redemption] stormed Yemen.
​  Sabbatean mysticism was highly controversial everywhere, from Europe to Asia, with thousands of Jews being ex-communicated by their Rabbinical authorities for their Sabbatean practice. Sabbatai Zevi, and the practices embraced by his movement, so outraged the Ottoman Caliph, Mehmed IV, that he ordered Zevi to convert to Islam or accept to be put to death. Zevi chose to convert to Islam in 1666. 
​  Most of his huge following ostensibly converted to Islam too, following Zevi's lead, but secretly remained 'Sabbatean'. Hence the Dönmeh movement of dissimulation of secret allegiance inside Turkey and beyond.​..
​..No doubt the Ottoman Caliph imagined the Sabbatean episode had been wrapped-up in 1666 — but there was a twist in the tail that ultimately contributed to the dismantlement of the Caliphate. The manner in which the Caliphate was dismantled cast shadows on Ibn Saud's embrace of Abd-al Wahhab and his zealotry — an alliance seen as deeply antithetical to Sunni Islam as whole.
​  For centuries, the Dönmeh had lived a double life — practicing an 'open secret' identity where true religious allegiances were dissimulated. When the Young Turks began advocating for a Western-style secular state, the Dönmeh eagerly championed the cause. A secular, nationalist Turkey meant they would no longer be defined by the strict religious legal codes (the Millet system) of the Ottoman Empire. They could finally step out of the shadows as equal, secular Turkish citizens.
​  Mainstream historians acknowledge that the Dönmeh community played a foundational role in the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) and the subsequent collapse of the Ottoman Empire.
​  Viewed from the perspective of Ottoman loyalists, the Empire had been brought down by two unorthodox, disruptive forces — internal secularising reformers in the West (often Dönmeh), and secondly, by radical religious zealots in the East (the Wahhabis). In the remote desert of central Arabia (the Najd), the alliance between Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab and the House of Saud was perceived as a direct war on Ottoman religious credentials and on its territorial hegemony.​..  
..A highly publicized 2002 Iraqi Intelligence Report discovered after the fall of Baghdad (and earlier works by Ottoman writers like Ayyub Sabri Pasha) claimed that Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (the founder of Wahhabism) and Muhammad bin Saud were descendants of the Dönmeh...
​..Whilst Turkey — as the primary successor state of the Ottoman Empire — retains a deep cultural memory of the Ottoman-Wahhabi Wars, many Turkish religious authorities view Wahhabism as a highly destructive, un-Islamic movement threatening the spiritual integrity of Islam. So too do the Shia, whether Iranian or Yemeni, regard the sack of Karbala, led by Saud bin Abd-al Azziz (the son of the King), to have been an existential attack on their spiritual identity. Between 2,000-5,000 Shia were killed and the shrine of Ibn Hussein was plundered.
​  The event horrified both Shia and Sunni Muslims across the region. In revenge, a Shia assassin travelled from Iraq to the Saudi capital of Diriyah in late 1803 and stabbed the Saudi ruler, Abd-al Aziz, to death. Eventually, an Ottoman-Egyptian force laid siege to the Saudi capital of Diriyah. After a brutal several-month siege, the city surrendered.
​  This history exemplifies the structural vulnerability of the al-Saud's Islamic credentials in their war with Ansar Allah — an understanding completely at odds with the Western perception of Saudi Arabia as a 'reformist' state and a pole of Islamic credibility.​   
https://www.sott.net/article/508797-Ansar-Allahs-unperceived-advantages-against-Saudi-Arabia

Iran Says More Tankers Struck By Mines, After Trump Declared He Won't Bomb Before Midterms​   https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/iran-expands-tanker-assault-beyond-narrow-confines-hormuz-rare-escalation

Airlines Suspend Flights To Saudi Capital After Devastating Houthi Strikes On Airport​   https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/explosions-rock-riyadhs-international-airport-amid-houthi-attack-travelers-evacuate

​  'Too Many Lies': Netanyahu's Ex-Military Secretary Challenges Prime Minister's October 7 Account
The former aide alleges a 'pattern of criminal behavior' in Netanyahu's office and urges investigators to demand full recordings, warning that wartime transcripts may have been altered. Likud dismissed the interview as political propaganda​   
https://archive.is/uPClX#selection-739.0-743.239

​  NAZA filmmakers refute IOF claims with 100+ Gaza sources​ -  NAZA filmmakers push back against IOF threats, citing more than 100 sources behind their investigation into Gaza targeting and civilian killings.​   https://english.almayadeen.net/news/Arts&Culture/naza-filmmakers-refute-iof-claims-with-100--gaza-sources

​  Over 20,000 students killed in Gaza, West Bank in 3 years of Israeli genocide: Palestinian ministry
Education Ministry says 20,748 students, 1,058 education staff killed, with thousands more injured or detained​   
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/over-20-000-students-killed-in-gaza-west-bank-in-3-years-of-israeli-genocide-palestinian-ministry/4080524

Caitlin Johnstone, They're Setting Up AI Surveillance To "De-Radicalize" Classrooms In Gaza   https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/theyre-setting-up-ai-surveillance

Israeli Shelling Kills Mother, Wounds Husband and Two Children in Gaza Tent​   https://www.palestinechronicle.com/israeli-shelling-kills-mother-wounds-husband-and-two-children-in-gaza-tent/

Civil Defense Worker Killed as Israeli Forces Fire on Displaced Palestinians’ Tents​   https://www.palestinechronicle.com/civil-defense-worker-killed-as-israeli-forces-fire-on-displaced-palestinians-tents/

Over 2,000 Gazans have died awaiting medical evacuation amid Israel’s continued siege​   https://israelpalestinenews.org/over-2000-gazans-have-died-awaiting-medical-evacuation-amid-israels-continued-siege/

​  How Gaza’s children are enduring loss and trauma on the war’s third anniversary
War strips away childhood long before it claims young lives. In Gaza, the small, quiet rhythms of growing up have been replaced by the relentless mechanics of survival — hungry bellies, grief for lost parents and bodies missing limbs struggling to endure.
​  Three years after Oct. 7, 2023, and the beginning of Israel’s military assault on Gaza, some 1.9 million people have been displaced, many repeatedly, and more than 1.2 million have been left homeless, according to a 2026 UN, EU and World Bank assessment.​   
https://www.arabnews.com/middle-east/how-gazas-children-are-enduring-loss-and-trauma-on-the-wars-third-anniversary-3004847

9,350 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons amid systematic escalation of torture and medical neglect​   https://english.palinfo.com/news/2026/10/08/371639/

Gaza Records 71,846 Orphans and 64,413 Widows after Three Years of Genocide​   https://www.palestinechronicle.com/gaza-records-71846-orphans-and-64413-widows-after-three-years-of-genocide/

Israeli fire kills Palestinian in West Bank settler clash​ - NABLUS: A Palestinian man was killed and nine people were injured during an Israeli settler attack followed by army intervention in an occupied West Bank village on Wednesday, according to the mayor and the Palestinian health ministry.​   https://www.arabnews.com/middle-east/israeli-fire-kills-palestinian-in-west-bank-settler-clash-3005083

​  Mamdani Faces Bipartisan Backlash Over Criticism Of Israel On Oct. 7
On the third anniversary of the Hamas-led attacks on Israel that killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in one day, Mamdani said on social media that he grieved the loss, but that the suffering "did not begin nor end that day."
"It instead continued through the Israeli government's devastating, ongoing genocide in Gaza,"
he said.
​  People across the political spectrum suggested the timing of his remarks was inappropriate.​   
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/mamdani-faces-bipartisan-backlash-over-criticism-israel-oct-7

Israel Invaded Syria 453 Times, Killed 69 People since 2024 – Report​   
https://www.palestinechronicle.com/israel-invaded-syria-453-times-killed-69-people-since-2024-report/

Southwest Syrian Villages Report Israel Is Encroaching on Their Land With New Fortifications​ - Quneitra farmers increasingly cut off from their fields​   https://news.antiwar.com/2026/10/08/southwest-syrian-villages-report-israel-is-encroaching-on-their-land-with-new-fortifications/

​Mike Shedlock makes half a case here, EU politics is about to regime-change: Le Pen’s Fiscal Plan for France Cannot Possibly Work, Will Voter’s Care?   https://mishtalk.com/economics/le-pens-fiscal-plan-for-france-cannot-possibly-work-will-voters-care/

​  Trump Admits He Wants to Privatize Social Security​ - “I wanted to do it so badly,” Trump said of his desire to privatize Social Security in his first year in office.​   https://truthout.org/articles/trump-admits-he-wants-to-privatize-social-security/

​  Emails show how ICE trimmed training for deputized officers​ - Police officers helping ICE arrest unauthorized immigrants were given a shortened training course that scaled back instruction on the nation’s immigration laws.​   https://archive.is/pAyvn#selection-229.0-233.160

​  ICE agent fires 7 rounds, shoots man in neck in NYC's Marble Hill, NYPD says
Tisch said NYPD surveillance footage showed a plainclothes federal officer approaching the driver's-side window of Belgal's gray Honda CR-V with his gun drawn. Another plainclothes officer approached the front of the SUV. The vehicle then moved forward and out of the camera's view.
​  The surveillance footage did not capture the shooting, Tisch said. Police recovered at least seven shell casings at the scene, she said.
​  A 5-year-old boy believed to be Belgal's son was inside the vehicle during the encounter, Tisch said. Police later located the child safe and in the care of a family member.​..
​..NYPD officers responding from an unrelated call nearby encountered several men wearing different types of clothing, including construction-style vests and face masks. At least one was carrying a long gun, Tisch said.​ 
​  The officers found Belgal handcuffed and seated on the ground. They placed him in an NYPD vehicle, rendered aid and transported him to the hospital, according to Tisch.​ DHS separately said ICE officers rendered aid after the shooting.
​  Tisch said the NYPD had no involvement in the federal operation before the shooting and no city officers were at the scene when shots were fired.​   
https://gothamist.com/news/person-shot-during-encounter-with-federal-agents-in-nycs-marble-hill-nypd-says

​  Will a lot of people lose financial assets in the AI-bubble crash? Planning For Pitchforks: AI Labs Are War-Gaming A Catastrophe, Public Revolt, And The Crackdown That Follows   https://www.zerohedge.com/political/planning-pitchforks-ai-labs-are-war-gaming-catastrophe-public-revolt-and-crackdown

Former Texas Agriculture Commissioner, Jim Hightower, Two-Legged Hogs Trying to Rule Ag Policy   https://jimhightower.substack.com/p/two-legged-hogs-trying-to-rule-ag

"I Know The Truth": Mother Breaks Silence On Daughter's Mysterious Death At Russian Plague Lab​   https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/i-know-truth-mother-breaks-silence-daughters-mysterious-death-russian-plague-lab

​  Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev Lifts Plague Quarantine Restrictions
5000 thousand tests among hundreds of contacts are negative 6 days after death of laboratory worker; many questions remain​   
https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/irkutsk-governor-igor-kobzev-lifts

​  Sayer Ji, Secretary Kennedy Asked for the Evidence on EMF. Here Are 1,009 Studies
HHS has opened the first federal health inquiry into wireless radiation in a decade. Your opportunity to comment and make a difference is now​   https://www.themahareport.com/p/secretary-kennedy-asked-for-the-evidence

​Meryl Nass MD, Here are some more details regarding the HHS-wide effort to strengthen the study, reporting and treatment of vaccine injuries​   https://merylnass.substack.com/p/here-are-some-more-details-regarding

​  Meryl Nass MD, I was asked to provide an update to my 2023 article, “The WHO’s Proposed Treaty Will Increase Man-Made Pandemics”
So here is how I see things 3 years later​   https://merylnass.substack.com/p/i-was-asked-to-provide-an-update

​  Meryl Nass MD, The Hidden V-Safe Cries for Help: Buried Until Now - 3.5 million Americans volunteered to provide CDC reports of their reactions after getting a COVID shot. When CDC started to read them, the program was quickly entombed; only now unearthed by FOIA   https://merylnass.substack.com/p/the-hidden-v-safe-cries-for-help

  Paul Marik MD, Cancer in the United States and Around the World - Rising risk, marginal survival gains, the limited contribution of chemotherapy, and a widening global divide
​  The overall risk of cancer is increasing. Annual new diagnoses in the United States rose by about 20% between 2013 and 2024, passed two million for the first time, and are projected to reach 2.11 million in 2026. Incidence is rising in women, in younger adults and for most of the common cancers, including breast, prostate, uterine, pancreatic and early-onset colorectal cancer. The number of Americans who die of cancer each year is also still rising.
​  Survival has improved only marginally. Five-year survival rose by roughly 4 to 5 percentage points over the past two decades, to about 70%, and part of that gain reflects earlier diagnosis and overdiagnosis rather than longer lives. The fall in the age-adjusted death rate since 1991 is real, but it owes most to reduced smoking and earlier detection.
​  Chemotherapy has had a minimal effect on overall survival. Cytotoxic chemotherapy accounts for only about 2% of five-year survival in adults with cancer, with meaningful benefit confined largely to a few uncommon cancers. Newer drugs approved for solid tumors have added a median of about two months of life, and many reach the market without evidence of any survival or quality-of-life benefit.
​  Globally, the same forces are playing out with even less favorable outcomes. Diagnoses are projected to rise by more than 75% by 2050, lower-income countries face both infection-related and “Western” cancers, and survival for curable cancers such as breast cancer is less than half that of high-income countries.
​  The lesson is clear: we will not treat our way out of the cancer epidemic. The priority must be prevention (tobacco control, metabolic health, physical activity, healthy diet, limited alcohol and vaccination against cancer-causing infections) together with early detection and honest evaluation of what cancer treatments actually deliver.​   
https://paulmarik.substack.com/p/cancer-in-the-united-states-and-around

​  Paul Marik MD says Avoid Severe Sunburns early in life: Melanoma​ - Epidemiology, Biology, Prognosis, Standard Treatment, and an Integrative Five-Axis Perspective   https://paulmarik.substack.com/p/melanoma

​  The Dark Side of Unmindfulness​, By Anam Thubten Rinpoche
Mindfulness is not some kind of new vaccine, the effects of which remain unknown even after passing serious trials. It is a very ancient practice that can change our consciousness for the better. As is well known, the Buddha taught mindfulness more than 2,500 years ago, and it became an essential practice in almost all Buddhist traditions. It is called sati in Pali, smriti in Sanskrit, and dranpa nyerzhak in Tibetan. Countless people have practiced mindfulness, resulting in inner peace and even profound experiences such as enlightenment. Many people in Asia still practice it with great reverence as a means of inner liberation.
​  Within recent decades, mindfulness has become quite popular in the West, almost a fashionable trend. There are now countless workshops, retreats, and apps devoted to mindfulness. Personal testimonies and scientific research supporting its positive effects have catapulted mindfulness into the cultural limelight. Many people in the West have found that they can use mindfulness to train their minds, develop a more positive outlook, and learn to work with their thoughts and emotions. This is not merely an assumption; there is concrete evidence of its benefits. One of the greatest strengths of mindfulness is that it can be universal. It can be practiced by people from different backgrounds because it is not built on a rigid theistic religious doctrine.​..
​..The concept of the “dark side” of mindfulness can therefore be misleading. It may lead people to believe that there is something intrinsically wrong with mindfulness, when many problems associated with the practice may have more to do with how it is taught and practiced.
​  Perhaps it is time for everyone to revisit the way meditation has traditionally been taught in Asia and to draw upon essential ancient wisdom as a source of guidance for the practice of mindfulness.
​  Beyond its benefits at the individual level, mindfulness has the potential to help society become happier and kinder. The more people embrace mindfulness, the greater its potential benefit may be. It is one of the few ancient spiritual practices that can be practiced by people across cultures and traditions. Its potential to contribute to social transformation is enormous.
​  Overall, the widespread adoption of this ancient practice in the modern world is not something to be feared, but something to be welcomed. We should be grateful to the Dharma teachers who have been true pioneers in making these practices accessible to the general population.​   
https://www.buddhistdoor.net/features/the-dark-side-of-unmindfulness/


​Meditating With Lawnmower


Thursday, October 8, 2026

The New Improved Dollar

 Value Investors,



  $US debt-backed stablecoins would be global street currency .Ellen Brown, Dollar Reset 2.0: Stablecoins, Treasury Bills and the Case for Public Banks
Washington’s stablecoin strategy could shore up the dollar by making U.S. Treasury bills the backing for a new digital currency. But who gets the interest, and who will make the loans?
  For several years, “the death of the dollar” has been a persistent headline, with compelling data to back it up. The dollar’s share of global foreign exchange reserves has slipped from over 70% in 1999 to about 57% today. Last spring, gold overtook U.S. Treasuries as the largest asset in foreign central bank reserves for the first time since the mid-1990s. The BRICS nations are settling more of their trade in their own currencies, and the U.S. has used the dollar as a sanctions weapon so often that friendly nations as well as rivals are looking for a way out. A topic once confined to gold bugs and doomsday newsletters has gone mainstream.
  At the Federal Reserve’s Jackson Hole symposium in August, however, a paper by Eswar Prasad and colleagues highlighted a different set of data. Yes, the dollar’s share of central bank reserves has fallen, and foreign central banks’ Treasury holdings have stayed flat at around $4 trillion. But foreign private holdings have risen from $1 trillion in 2010 to more than $5 trillion today. The world isn’t dumping the dollar so much as changing who holds it. And the authors expect stablecoins to accelerate that shift, by driving global demand for dollars into the U.S. Treasury bills needed to back them. The dollar may not be dying so much as being re-engineered.
  According to financial strategist Matt Dines, who attended the recent G20 meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors in Asheville, a “dollar reset” is underway. His thesis is that Washington isn’t trying to prop up the old dollar so much as to build a new one on a different foundation – a foundation that is the very debt everyone is so worried about. In August the national debt passed $40 trillion, with annual interest of over $1 trillion.
  The notion that government debt can be an asset isn’t new. A Treasury bond is a debt of the government, but it is an asset to whoever owns it... 
..Treasury bills, a portion of the national debt, would become the assets backing the world’s digital trade currency...
..Dines notes that the dollar traded globally has long been “liability-based.” The vast offshore “eurodollar” market runs on dollar IOUs created by banks in London and elsewhere, banks that lack reserve accounts with the U.S. central bank and are beyond the reach of U.S. regulators. When that market froze in 2008, the Fed had to open emergency swap lines to foreign central banks to keep it from collapsing. According to Dines, it is that “liability-based” system that is being left behind.
  The GENIUS Act, signed in July 2025, set up an alternative to liability-based dollars backed with bank IOUs. Regulated dollar stablecoins are backed one-for-one with cash and short-term Treasury bills. In a June podcast, Dines said the Act pulls the dollar toward “an asset-based definition,” a dollar that “anchors back and is reserved one to one with U.S. Treasury debt.” The old offshore dollar is “being left out to dry.”...
..Technically, a stablecoin is also a liability: it is the issuer’s promise to redeem your token for a dollar. When you hand Circle, the issuer of USDC stablecoins, $100 for 100 USDC tokens, Circle owns the Treasury bills it buys with your money. You just own a claim on Circle for that sum. The shift then isn’t really from a liability to an asset. It’s from a liability backed by private loans to a liability backed by public debt.
  But that is still a meaningful difference. Under the GENIUS Act, stablecoins must be backed one-for-one by cash, bank deposits, overnight repos or Treasury bills maturing in 93 days or less. The issuer can’t lend the money out or buy ten-year bonds that lose value when rates rise...
..Bessent promised a payment rail “free of middlemen,” but this isn’t actually true. The stablecoin issuer is the middleman, and it is enormously well-paid.
  When you give the issuer a dollar, it gives you a token worth a dollar and puts your dollar into Treasury bills paying 3% to 4%. But you get no interest. In fact, the GENIUS Act prohibits issuers from paying interest to holders. In effect, the issuer has borrowed from you at zero interest and lent to the government at the market rate...
..There’s a second problem with the stablecoin plan, which works counter to the “growth through credit” part of the dollar reset proposal. Dollars moved into stablecoins typically come out of bank deposits, which banks need to back their loans. The stablecoin issuer can’t lend that dollar back out. By law, it can only park it in safe, short-term assets, mostly Treasury bills. Money that was supporting loans to local businesses ends up financing the federal government instead... Hardest hit would be community banks, which depend on ordinary deposits. According to the FDIC, community banks hold 36% of small business loans and 70% of agricultural loans, though they hold only 15% of all bank loans...
..A full-reserve stablecoin can only recycle existing dollars into government debt. So the two halves of the dollar reset pull against each other: one wants credit steered to Main Street, while the other drains the deposits Main Street’s banks need in order to lend. Werner has long argued that the most productive credit comes from small, local banks lending to local businesses...
..For keeping deposits in the local lending system, however, a different tool is needed – and there is one, the “tokenized deposit,” an ordinary bank deposit recorded on a blockchain. It moves as quickly as a stablecoin, but it remains a deposit the bank can lend against, and it is insured by the FDIC up to the usual limit. JPMorgan has launched one for its institutional clients, and five regional banks have formed a network to exchange tokenized deposits that “do not leave the insured banking perimeter.”...
..If the current Administration is rebuilding the dollar on a foundation of Treasury debt, as Dines suggests, the result could be sturdier money than the eurodollar IOUs it replaces. But growth takes a credit engine, and that means local banks with deposits to lend.
  If a few private issuers keep the interest and share it with exchanges as customer “rewards,” the reset will have produced a new generation of princes of the dollar. But if more states join the ranks of issuers, working through public banks in partnership with Main Street banks, the reset could echo Hamilton’s reforms. A growing share of the national debt would be absorbed as backing for the world’s digital dollars, while public and local banks supplied the credit to grow our way out of the debt.   
https://scheerpost.com/2026/10/06/dollar-reset-2-0-stablecoins-treasury-bills-and-the-case-for-public-banks/

  Alex Krainer says it "could be easy", but the "money" package is difficult. Retire debts. Hold cash. Secure your needs.  We are trapped in Cyclop’s cave, but escape could be easy...
  A Michigan nurse, one Tawanda Hall missed $900 on her property taxes. The county took her $308,000 home, sold it and confiscated the entire $286,000 in profit. The government took everything she owed, then everything she had: “They took my whole house, my whole family’s livelihood.” Journalist John Stossel pointed out to another case where a county seized a retiree’s home over an $8 debt. People shouldn’t have to fight in court to stop the government from taking their home over eight dollars. And they shouldn’t have to pay property taxes in the first place: it’s almost like you have to pay the government for the privilege of having property.
  A few months ago, American political commentator Nick Fuentes posted a video message about the U.S. government seizing his funds. Here’s what happened: one day he discovered that he had zero dollars in his checking account. He called his bank and learned that, “your account is under review and we can give you no other information.” Some two weeks later the bank gave him three telephone numbers to call, all belonging to U.S. attorneys working for the the U.S. Department of Justice.

  They can take your money. They don’t need a reason
Fuentes learned that he was under investigation and the government simply seized $483,592.78 from his bank account.                                               His statement is worth pondering:
 I called my lawyer and asked him, can I get my money back, is there anything I can do, do they have to release it? ... And the response is, basically, they can take your money, they don’t need a reason, and they can keep it as long as they want and they don’t have to give it back. ... If you find yourself the subject of an FBI investigation, if you find yourself a target of the federal government, there is really nothing more that you can do. ...
..Of course, Fuentes isn’t the only victim of such government overreach. The number of cases probably count in thousands across Western jurisdictions. Another political activist in the U.S., Donald Trump’s friend Roger Stone also had his accounts frozen and balances seized. So did his attorney Rudy Giuliani. In the UK, journalist Graham Phillips also had his property confiscated because the government wasn’t happy about his reporting from the war in Ukraine.
  For similarly arbitrary reasons, last December the Council of European Union (CEU) sanctioned a group of individuals including the former Swiss intelligence officer Colonel Jacques Baud, French journalist Xavier Moreau and political activist Nathalie Yamb. They were only the most famous ones of over 2,000 individuals sanctioned by the CEU since 2022. The immediate effect of being sanctioned is that such individuals’ bank accounts become frozen and from one day to the next they can no longer receive money, make purchases or pay their bills.
  It would seem that in some way, our social contracts have been amended and the rule of law has been replaced with an arbitrary rule by a bureaucratic blob. If the blob can punish people like Nick Fuentes, Colonel Jacques Baud, or Xavier Moreau, none of whom have been accused of breaking any laws, they can do the same to anyone else...
..It is important to recognize one obvious element to all these cases: the sanctioned persons had their bank accounts frozen. Our bank balances are the source of our vulnerability and risk. Cash or other liquid assets held outside the banks can’t be seized so easily.
  Being an obedient, compliant citizen may seem safe in the short term. However, this is exactly the gift that the blob demands of us, which enables it to devour the disobedient and the non-compliant one by one. Obedience only wins us the privilege of being devoured later. This is reminiscent of Homer’s Odyssey where Odysseus and his men find themselves trapped in Polyphemus’ (Cyclop’s) cave...
..Like Odysseus and his men, we are also trapped in one-eyed monster’s cave. But we are trapped there by our own consent and escaping that cave could be as easy as withdrawing our consent. For an individual or a household, the first step should be to withdraw as much money as possible from the banking system and convert it into assets that we can control ourselves.   https://alexkrainer.substack.com/p/we-are-trapped-in-cyclops-cave-but

  Simplicius says the sides agree to disagree by both declaring victory and looking the other way. US Claims Iran Has “Lost” as Pre-War Oil Flows Reportedly Return
  The conflict over the Strait of Hormuz continues to decouple from reality, as we had warned about last time. Now, it seems, no one can agree as to what is really happening with the oil, or who is “winning”.
  Many outlets report that the flow of oil has returned to “pre-war” levels, which has naturally led to triumphant conclusions from commentators that Iran has now lost, or is in the process of losing, the war...
..Iran appears to have the ability to stop, or at least greatly curtail, these transits at any time. When the transits are successful, they appear to be so only on account of Iran’s implicit, but perhaps secret, permission. Why would Iran give such allowances? Rumors persist that Iran has cut special deals with certain countries that pay money “under the table” to be allowed transits, even through the Omani route...
..The reason for such games is because it ultimately helps both sides: Trump gets to tout “victory” to his domestic audience, while Iran gets economic help and can still likewise claim control of Hormuz, given that US’s “secret” night-time transfers are essentially unfalsifiable. 
  When a conflict reaches a period of strategic deadlock, it is only logical for both sides to make secret deals for the sake of continuity. They essentially say: “Look, neither one of us has the power to knock the other out of the game entirely, and neither can be seen to publicly retreat or give up. Thus, our only option is to make some deals that work to each other’s favor.”   https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/us-claims-iran-has-lost-as-pre-war

​  Qatar Masses Tanker Fleet With 2% Of Global LNG Shipping Capacity
Iran reiterated earlier this week that the Hormuz chokepoint won't reopen until US negotiators meet its conditions for a peace deal. The problem with that is that Goldman's most recent report on Hormuz crude flows shows they are back to prewar levels as Tehran's leverage erodes.
​  A new indication that Hormuz energy flows could ramp up comes from a Wednesday morning Bloomberg News report that Qatar has parked 12 empty liquefied natural gas carriers near its coast, signaling preparations to load them and soon transit the critical waterway.​   
https://www.zerohedge.com/energy/qatar-masses-tanker-armada-2-global-global-lng-shipping-capacity

  Why does the House of Saud still control the Ghawar oilfield? Could another entity manage it less expensively? Houthis Unleash Large Missile, Drone Barrage On Saudi Arabia, Target Riyadh Airport & Aramco Facility  
  Saudi-backed forces launch major counteroffensive with roughly 100 Saudi fighter jets supporting attacks along the Red Sea coast.
Mocha's status remains disputed: Government forces claim to have retaken the strategic port, while Houthis deny the loss.
  Houthis announce major missile & drone attack on Saudi territory, including against international airport in Riyadh.   
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/houthis-seize-yemen-parliament-speakers-home-cut-taiz-aden-lifeline-all-out-war-erupts

  Pakistan, Turkey & Saudi Arabia Trigger Mecca Defense Pact  [I get historical echoes of French forces at Dien Bin Phu. Yemen plays Generl Giap.]
In a historic first, the Mecca Defense Pact between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey is now in force, according to the allies at an emergency meeting in Riyadh.
  It was only signed in August, but soon after it was formalized an all-out war between the Houthis and Saudi coalition in Yemen erupted, with the Ansar Allah movement now increasingly targeting Saudi civilian infrastructure, including airports and energy infrastructure.
  The Monday emergency meeting of foreign and defense ministers resulted in the top committee agreeing to deploy Pakistani and Turkish forces to Saudi territory...
..Apparently the Mecca pact took on more urgency after claims that the Houthis targeted the Islamic holy site of Mecca last month - something which the Houthis vehemently denied. Pakistan has said when pressed by reporters for details: "The operational details of the actualization of the collective deterrence are a matter of operational confidentiality and may not be made subject of media speculation."
  It should be noted that Pakistan has already long had a large and long-running contingent of troops inside the kingdom, and working with the Saudi armed forces. Pakistan's air force has also had fighter jets and support aircraft in the kingdom.
  Turkey's role will be much less clear, and Turkish parliament must ultimately authorize sending troops abroad for any kind of large-scale deployment. Unlike Pakistan, the Turks do not have any level of an existent official military footprint in Saudi Arabia.   
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/pakistan-turkey-saudi-arabia-trigger-mecca-defense-pact-houthi-missiles-inbound

​  Vanessa Beeley, Western-Supported Saudi Coalition Supports ISIS and Al Qaeda in Yemen
According to Yemeni military sources and various media reports, Ansar Allah (the Houthi movement) has discovered a large number of passports belonging to foreign combatants in liberated areas, confirming a direct link between the Saudi-led coalition and terrorist organizations such as ISIS.
​  Passports of Foreign Terrorists Found in Liberated Yemeni Areas: Saudi Coalition’s “International Legion” Exposed
Ansar Allah (the Houthi movement) has discovered dozens of passports belonging to ISIS members and other foreign terrorists in Yemeni areas liberated from the Saudi-led coalition. Originating from countries such as Kuwait, Qatar, Turkey, and Syria, these passports serve as irrefutable evidence that Saudi Arabia has recruited, armed, and commanded foreign terrorists to fight against the people of Yemen.​   
https://www.globalresearch.ca/western-supported-saudi-coalition-supports-isis-al-qaeda-yemen/5942935

Syria's Jolani May Send Troops To Yemen To Fight Houthis​   https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/syrias-jolani-may-send-troops-yemen-fight-houthis

Wounded guys with hands in air can't get away: Saudi-backed forces run over surrendering Houthis with trucks  https://www.aol.co.uk/articles/saudis-deploys-100-fighter-jets-125138000.html 

  Gold & Geopolitics, Daily digest: 2026-10-08  [Note that Israeli elections are October 27. Israel commands the US military these days]
Two things are new. The Pentagon told CENTCOM to finish preparing for resumed major strikes on Iran, and US and Israeli officials are pointing at a window before the Nov 3 midterms. 
​  Iran's tanker strikes moved out of the Strait of Hormuz to waters off Qatar and Fujairah. Separately, the US 10Y auction cleared at the highest yield since 2000, a few hours before the Fed minutes showed all 19 officials backed September's hike. The rest continues from earlier days, only sharper: the Houthis are closing in on Taiz and hitting Riyadh, diesel is getting tighter, and gold keeps sliding despite record central-bank and ETF buying.​..
​..Iran-Hormuz: strikes reach Qatari waters and Fujairah; Tehran vows to shut the Omani-coast lane​ - MoloWarMonitor says the IRGC now hits vessels repeatedly "specifically to kill crew members". The aim is to deter captains, who reportedly earn up to $100k/month for running the strait (MoloWarMonitor).​...
​..Flow claims depend on who is counting:​ CENTCOM: traffic is flowing, including 20M barrels of crude; "the United States and regional partners clearly control the strait" (imetatronink).
​  HormuzReport: traffic fell from ~125 ships/day pre-war to roughly 10 (HormuzReport).​..
​..Yemen-Saudi: Jabal Habashi falls and Taiz is encircled; Riyadh confirms its airports were hit; Syria weighs 10-20k troops
​  Human cost:​ The UN counts 2.2M Yemeni children under five as acutely malnourished, more than half a million of them severely (MenchOsint).
​  Ansarallah claims 156 Saudi air and rocket strikes in 24h on Sanaa, Taiz, Saada, Jawf, Marib and Amran, and 1,798 since the escalation began. These are Houthi figures (MenchOsint).
​  Taiz:​ Ansarallah took the Jabal Habashi summit, leaving Jabal Sabr as the last mountain stronghold before the city (Suriyakmaps, bonzerbarry).
The second pocket south of Taiz is gone; the Al-Mawasit and Silw districts were taken, a gain of +99 sq mi (CKMapss).
​  Maps show Taiz city under siege (MenchOsint).
Inside the city, government (PLC) garrisons asked for safe passage to Aden in exchange for handing it over. Talks broke down when Ansarallah refused to let them leave with weapons and prisoners (tonytohcy).
​..Bab el-Mandeb:​ Accounts of Dhubab airport conflict:​ held by the Amaliqa (tonytohcy)​ - held by neither side (A7_Mirza)​ - entered by Aden forces, who then withdrew from the exposed strip (Suriyakmaps)
​  A National Shield push into Al Wazi'iyah failed for a second day (bonzerbarry).
Strikes into Saudi Arabia:​ Houthi military spokesman Saree claims drones and a ballistic missile on King Khalid airport, plus attacks on Abha airport, Khamis Mushait air base and camps in Jizan and Asir (VocalPolitics1).
​  Ansarallah also claims it shot down a ~$20M Bayraktar Akinci drone (MenchOsint).
Coalition widening:​ Axios, relayed by GeromanAT: Syria is weighing 10,000-20,000 troops from its 90th and 84th Divisions; the 84th includes foreign Islamist fighters. Washington is "not opposed in principle" (GeromanAT, zerohedge).
​  Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey have activated their Mecca defence pact (zerohedge).
Reuters: Turkey is supplying mostly defensive equipment and intelligence, with no other deployment yet (s_m_marandi).
​  Megatron, relayed by 21WIRE, reports Pakistani military planes landing in Aden and ~200 US instructors helping Saudi jets find targets (21WIRE).​   
https://no1sdailydigest.substack.com/p/daily-digest-2026-10-08

  Gold & Geopolitics, Daily digest: 2026-10-07
The Yemen war has moved into Saudi airspace. The "Dawn of Yemen" push stalled near Dhubab, and the Houthis then shut Abha airport, halted Jeddah for about 90 minutes and overnight hit a Saudi-Pakistani camp inside Aden airport. 
  Drones sank a ship in Bulgaria's EEZ, the Black Sea shipping war's first strike inside a NATO member's economic zone, and Russia fired one of its largest missile salvos of the year. 
Hormuz attrition, record physical oil premiums and US credit stress are continuation; the PBoC's 23-tonne September is the precious-metals delta.
  Houthis close Saudi airports by missile - Abha closed and flights diverted after a claimed ballistic-missile hit (MenchOsint). Ansarallah warned "all global airlines" out of Saudi airspace, with the airspace over Mecca and Medina excepted (maxosintintel).
  Jeddah stopped functioning for ~1.5 hours late Tuesday amid heavy GPS jamming, with most flights diverted to Medina (MenchOsint).
Saudi civil aviation conceded that Najran and Jazan airports were hit, with 3 injured (MenchOsint, dana916).
  Riyadh still denies being hit. Sentinel-2 imagery shows a damaged AESSCO defence-firm building at the airport (MenchOsint), and US Senator Chris Murphy reports urgent missile alerts on both nights he spent in the city (MenchOsint).
  A Saudi-Pakistani force is hit inside Aden airport -  Overnight missiles targeted Badr Camp, inside the Aden airport perimeter. It houses the Saudi-backed "Force 22" and a joint Saudi-Pakistani force (GeromanAT, MoloWarMonitor).
  Pro-Houthi accounts claim Saudi and Pakistani officers and soldiers were killed after a weapons-laden cargo plane landed. There is no confirmation (RealPepeEscobar).
  At least 4 Saudi C-130s and an AEW&C aircraft were tracked flying back north to Prince Sultan Air Base (MenchOsint).
Turkey and Pakistan reportedly activated their defence commitments to Riyadh (HHungduc). Pakistani troops are now inside the Houthi target set.
  Yemen-Saudi: "Dawn of Yemen" stalls at Dhubab; Houthis hold 95% of Taiz governorate and push into Lahij toward Aden
The Giants Brigades charged ~20 km down the Bab el-Mandeb coastal plain under cover of 100 Saudi jets, then stopped near Dhubab airport under fire from the mountains (DropSiteNews). MenchOsint's summary: "all the Saudi-backed forces did was taking Dhubab airfield" (MenchOsint).
  Sources disagree on Mocha: - The government told Reuters its forces reached the city (zerohedge).
Mappers put the push at about a fifth of the way there (bonzerbarry), and Suriyak says Mocha was never captured (Suriyakmaps).
  Taiz: Sana'a forces hold >95% of the governorate (Suriyakmaps) and have fully encircled the city (CKMapss).
["Houthis"]
Lahij: Houthi units broke through the Aden forces' lines in Al-Maqatirah district and took mountain positions. The aim is fire control over Aden rather than capturing it (Suriyakmaps, A7_Mirza).
  Human cost: The Houthi military statement counts 66 Saudi air and rocket strikes in 24h, with civilian casualties "mostly women and children", and 1,642 strikes since the escalation began (MenchOsint).
  Saudi strikes on Sana'a, Amran, Al-Jawf and Saada followed late Tuesday (MenchOsint).
Houthi adviser al-Thawr: "Operations outside Yemeni territory toward Saudi Arabia are now a reality" (dana916).
  Outside help: RAF and Saudi refuelling tankers are heading toward Yemen, and the Saudi tankers now fly from Prince Sultan Air Base instead of Jeddah (MenchOsint).
  Syria's interim president met the Saudi crown prince (spagov). JHArnous reads the visit as a sales pitch for fighters (JHArnous).
The US says reports of a downed Navy helicopter in the Red Sea are untrue (zerohedge)...
..Hormuz: at least 14 tankers hit in 7 days - UKMTO logged another tanker struck on Oct 5 in the southern corridor. The counts differ: 14 in 7 days per MenchOsint, 13 in 8 days per BrettErickson28.
  10 of the 14 have been named. They are Kuwaiti-, UAE- and Greek-owned hulls, two Sinokor-managed ships and the Singapore-registered GAS VELA (MenchOsint).
  India's foreign ministry says the UAE-owned ON PEACE was struck off Oman, injuring 12 crew. Its AIS has been off for two months, which fits US-escorted cargo (MenchOsint)...
..Oil: Dated Brent's physical premium hits a record $19/bbl while futures sit under $100; Venezuela's Cardon refinery is down...
  Black Sea: drones sink a ship in a NATO member's waters - Bulgarian PM Radev says sea and aerial drones hit two merchant ships in Bulgaria's EEZ. A Togo-flagged ship sank with its crew still missing; a Palau-flagged ship burned and its 18 crew were rescued (shanaka86, zerohedge).
  Both ships (Alfa Watan and Able) are Turkish-owned and had called at Ukrainian Danube ports, as had the grain ship sunk off Romania the day before. A Turkish account blames a collision instead (DD_Geopolitics).
  Two of Able's crew were flown to Varna with severe injuries (MyLordBebo).
Hours later a tanker burned off Sochi. HormuzLetter attributes it to a Ukrainian strike, and zerohedge reports oil spilling..
  Russia's overnight salvo: most Kh-101s got through - The tallies diverge:
A strike map relayed by GeromanAT counts ~75 missiles, including 36 Kh-101.
  AMK's count, relayed by MilitarySummary, has ~48 Kh-101 with only ~10 intercepted. It also has 9 of 12 Kalibrs downed and ~4 of 10 Iskanders stopped by Patriots.
  Most impacts were in Kremenchuk, including its hydroelectric plant, plus Pryluky and Oleksandriya. Both Zircons hit the Trypillya thermal power plant (same source).
  The pro-Ukrainian Hudson War Mapping: "Ukrainian air defence is faltering catastrophically right now" (hudsonwarmap).
Moscow says it hit Flamingo cruise-missile production, including Pivdenmash in Dnipro, AvtoKraz in Kremenchuk and a tobacco plant it says now makes ammunition (MilitarySummary).
  Civilians absorb it first: - Ukrenergo had already brought in rolling outage schedules (GeromanAT).
The Kyivska 750kV substation, which links Kyiv to the western nuclear plants, has been hit for the 5th time in a week, leaving part of Kyiv dark. In clement_molin's words, "winter is in 75 days"...
..["Dollar is resetting"] Gold: PBoC buys 23 tonnes in September, its most since 2023, as Russia's fivefold buying window opens today...
Where the metal is going: CNBC says Russian gold is "flooding" Hong Kong (Silver Santa). Nikkei says Asian producers are hoarding their own output (zerohedge)...
..Europe: Le Pen's shadow budget narrows the French spread by 12bp; ex-BND chief Hanning is arrested for treason
France, bonds: Le Pen's shadow budget pairs sharp deficit cuts with a call for the ECB to cap borrowing costs. The 10Y fell 16bp and the spread over Germany narrowed 12bp (zerohedge)...
..Germany: Merz: He says Russia is at war with Germany (AXChristoforou).
His satisfaction rating is 11% (Wahlen_DE).
  The AfD won its first Landtag presidency, in Saxony-Anhalt, with 9 more votes than its own caucus holds (MyLordBebo)...
..What if Trump just needed cover to talk to Putin? Russia: one suspected plague death in Irkutsk brings a US health alert and a Trump-Putin call; Moscow tells WHO there is no case   https://no1sdailydigest.substack.com/p/daily-digest-2026-10-07

  Gold & Geopolitics, Daily digest: 2026-10-06
The Saudi-Yemen war became a two-way air war. Riyadh launched "Dawn of Yemen" with 100 jets, reportedly with US tanker and targeting help. The Houthis answered with strikes on Riyadh's airport, the Rabigh refinery and two southern Saudi airports, while closing the ring around Taiz. 
  US 10Y and 30Y yields hit their highest since 2002 on the same day the Nasdaq 100 set a record, and Aramco's CEO said the world's oil cushion is basically gone. 
  Hormuz, French bonds and Ukraine are continuing stories, each with new numbers.  https://no1sdailydigest.substack.com/p/daily-digest-2026-10-06

But Israelis would Never Kill Fellow Jews ;-o  Israel Was Ready To Shoot Down Flydubai Jet if It Kept Course for Tel Aviv: Report   https://openthemagazine.com/world/israel-was-ready-to-shoot-down-flydubai-jet-if-it-kept-course-for-tel-aviv-report

  Israeli Forces Kill at Least 10 Palestinians in Gaza Over Three Days as Relentless Attacks Continue
Among those killed were a Christian mother and her daughter, who were mourned during a funeral at St. Porphyrius Orthodox Church in Gaza City   
https://news.antiwar.com/2026/10/04/israeli-forces-kill-at-least-10-palestinians-in-gaza-over-three-days-as-relentless-attacks-continue/

  Israeli occupation forces near completion of 'massive trench' to partition Gaza: Report
Israeli forces are occupying around 70 percent of Gaza while intensifying the siege and continuing the genocide that is entering its third year   
https://thecradle.co/articles/israeli-occupation-forces-near-completion-of-massive-trench-to-partition-gaza-report#google_vignette

More Than 800 Teachers Killed: Palestinian Educators Face ‘Battle for Survival’   https://www.palestinechronicle.com/more-than-800-teachers-killed-palestinian-educators-face-battle-for-survival/

Israel Kills Nine in Gaza as Reports Point to Failed Hamas Assassination Attempt   https://www.palestinechronicle.com/israel-kills-nine-in-gaza-as-reports-point-to-failed-hamas-assassination-attempt/

  Israel assassinates director of Turkish aid group in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah
At least nine Palestinians have been killed and 18 injured by Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours
, according to Gaza's Ministry of Health   
https://thecradle.co/articles/israel-assassinates-director-of-turkish-aid-organization-in-central-gazas-deir-al-balah

Israeli colonists assault olive farmers and steal harvest in Tulkarm   https://english-wafa-ps.translate.goog/Pages/Details/175437?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Israel Detains Journalists as Settlers Burn Olive Trees, Attack Palestinian Farmers   https://www.palestinechronicle.com/israel-detains-journalists-as-settlers-burn-olive-trees-attack-palestinian-farmers/

IOA forces Jerusalemite family to raze home in Silwan   https://english.palinfo.com/news/2026/10/04/371376/

Israeli forces blow up school, burn homes in southern Lebanon, Lebanese media says   https://www.arabnews.com/middle-east/israeli-forces-blow-up-school-burn-homes-in-southern-lebanon-lebanese-media-says-3004605

  Pelosi-backed US candidate calls for ‘full arms embargo’ on Israel
Connie Chan
, endorsed by Nancy Pelosi to succeed her in California, says she will vote to ‘end a genocide in Gaza’.   
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/3/pelosi-backed-us-candidate-calls-for-full-arms-embargo-on-israel

92 Palestinian prisoners killed in Israeli prisons in three years, nearly half held without charge or trial​   https://english.palinfo.com/news/2026/10/06/371497/

​  Mossad-linked ex-German spy chief arrested for treason
August Hanning, previously tied to a high-profile kidnapping case, is accused of buying state secrets from his former aide​   
https://www.rt.com/news/646794-german-spy-chief-arrested/

  Moon of Alabama, English Outsider: Attrition War With NATO – Attacks On Bridges In Ukraine
A couple of years ago Helmer had a theory about the earlier attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.  He reckoned those earlier attacks were not designed to wreck but to probe.  To map the critical connections, assess speed of repair, and with this information prepare plans for a more incapacitating attack should that be decided on in the future.
  Just wonder if the current bridge attacks are on the same lines.  The Russians don’t want to wreck the bridges.  They just want to know they can stop Ukrainian logistics dead if they want to.   The timing of that would be critical.  Not too early because that would allow time for workarounds.  Not too late because it’d be difficult to do it all at once.
  The attacks would be incapacitating but not destructive.   The Russians will want the bridges intact later.   That assumes the Ukrainians themselves won’t destroy the bridges during the end phase...
..Failing successful negotiations, the Russians knew from day one of their SMO that they had to destroy all NATO could throw at them.  Proxies and equipment.  Most convenient place for that was the Donbass so let the proxies and the materiel get across the Dnieper to be destroyed.
  A simplistic argument, always was, but in practice that’s what’s happened.  Not only is NATO now running out of men and materiel,  one can look at the SMO as a systematic bleeding dry of  the NATO financial resources for both.  The proxies have to be funded: without Western money they’d long since have negotiated a surrender. It’s getting increasingly difficult to fund them.  As for materiel, NATO’s running out of it and it’s very costly to send in more...
..Recently I linked to a video in which Havrysho details (vid) the sheer amount of destruction resulting from NATO using Ukraine as a means of attacking Russia.  The destruction’s so horrendous and the death toll so great it’s quite possible Ukraine will cease to exist as a viable country.
  Since ’22 the question’s been, how much longer will it last before NATO finally lets our proxies off the hook?  We now have the answer.  Doesn’t look as if NATO’s giving up unless it has to.  US and European politicians have been encouraging Kiev to feed more proxies into the killing fields.   Telling Kiev to lower the recruitment age or use women as soldiers.  We are generous indeed with the lives of our proxies, as long as we need not risk our own. That’s how it’ll go as long as NATO can keep it up and as long as our proxy lasts...
..The wholesale destruction of crucial infrastructure is not what the Russians needed or wanted to do until it became clear that NATO’s determination to use Ukraine as an attack dog, no matter the cost to the Ukrainians, had no limits.   https://www.moonofalabama.org/2026/10/english-outsider-attrition-war-with-nato-attacks-on-bridges-in-ukraine.html

  John Helmer says the Russian General staff is acting Putin to clearly define "Strategic  victory", as denazification and capitulation are not looking likely on the current trajectory, despite Russian ground advances and destruction of electrical, road & rail infrastructure, data centers and gasstations. 
  Putin has decided not to explicitly name the enemy driving this war, but it City of London financial interest, like the BoE, Blackstoe, BlackRock and European affiliates in Paris, Frankfurt, Brussels and Amsterdam, which have all invested heavily in Ukraine, Ukrainian assets, and the plan to politically break Russia  and return to the happy looting of the 1990s.
  It can be understood why Putin does not name "Western European old-money" as the enemy, but he has lately been attacking a lot of assets of those entities. They have lost the Donbas mines they "own", but need not declare that while war persists. There is nothing for them to declare while war persists, but they will be ruined if they declare those losses.
  Can Russia ruin the City of London and associated interests so that they have nothing to defend? He can hit factories they partly own preferentially. He can ruin Ukrainian shipping, in which they have interests. He may eventually remove Ukrainian Black Sea access by taking Odessa and leaving a western Ukrainian rump-state of Galicia, which is the core of Russia-hatred. Putin can physically destroy or capture all Ukrainian "property" of western financial groups and banks. He can do this without hurry, as City of London interests wither for other reasons, like US stablecoin plans to eliminate their "Eurodollar" banking arrangement, explained above by Ellen Brown. WORLD WAR III – THIS IS THE PHONEY WAR STAGE  
  Quietly, behind the Kremlin Wall, the General Staff has asked: What will be our strategic victory?
The General Staff is saying to the Commander in Chief: Look, we are achieving our tactical battlefield objectives on the front of the Ukrainian battlefield, and also our operational objectives in the west and south of the Ukraine – from Kiev to Lvov and the Polish border, as well as Odessa and the Black Sea ports.  However, our intelligence reports indicate we are still quite far from achieving our strategic end-of-war objectives – demilitarizing Ukraine so that Russia will be secure from drone and missile attack in the future; and denazifying the Ukrainian regime in Kiev so that it will not remain the fascist gun platform against Russia which it has been for more than a hundred years.
  Between asking the question inside the Kremlin and answering it in fire orders to the command-and-control line, there is a pause for reflection, debate, decision, change of mind, more pause (aka temporizing, vacillation, equivocation, indecision, dithering, shilly-shallying).  
  “How can we counter an aggressor?” Putin said aloud on October 1.   “We are not threatening anyone. We are simply stating that we do not have all that many means of defending ourselves. And, incidentally, neither that letter nor the Foreign Ministry’s statement mentions the use of nuclear weapons. They speak, as I have just put it, of employing all the forces and means available to our country. As for how that would actually happen, we will decide that ourselves…We are not threatening anyone.   
https://johnhelmer.net/world-war-iii-this-is-the-phoney-war-stage/

  Massive Smoke Plume As Tanker Erupts In Flames, Spills Oil Off Russia's Sochi Coast
Some open source media accounts have described that the Liberian-flagged oil tanker was "loaded almost to the brim" transporting crude oil from Russia to India. Speculation is growing that it was hit by uncrewed surface vessels while carrying its crude cargo.   https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/massive-smoke-plume-tanker-erupts-flames-spills-oil-russias-sochi-coast

​They will have to ship it all to the gulf-coast, right? Explosion Rocks Venezuela's Second-Largest Refinery   https://www.zerohedge.com/energy/explosion-rocks-venezuelas-second-largest-refinery

  Art Berman is the iconic oil-economy consultant engineer to financial executives. Art explains everything exhaustively: A World-Changing Event: We're Not Going Back to January 2026, Nate Hagens, The Great Simplification #237 with Art Berman   https://natehagens.substack.com/p/a-world-changing-event-were-not-going

​  Assange created the ‘fifth estate’ – ex-CIA analyst (VIDEO)
The WikiLeaks co-founder has played a key role in creating an alternative to mainstream media
, which has been controlled by intelligence services for decades, Ray McGovern has said​   
https://web.archive.org/web/20261006040328/https://www.rt.com/news/646766-assange-wikileaks-fifth-estate/

New Report Confirms Biden's DOJ Did Target Parents Who Spoke Out At School Board Meetings​   https://www.zerohedge.com/political/new-report-confirms-bidens-doj-did-target-parents-who-spoke-out-school-board-meetings

I think it is Irael which is the threat to LA, DC &  NYC.Trump Outrages Dems & Republicans Alike With Garbled 'Take Out Los Angeles' Line​   https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-outrages-dems-republicans-garbled-take-out-los-angeles-line

FBI Tracked Trump Aide's Phone, Monitored Melania Trump Before Mar-a-Lago Raid: Declassified Memos​   https://www.zerohedge.com/political/fbi-tracked-trump-aides-phone-monitored-melania-trump-mar-lago-raid-declassified-memos

​  Barack Obama allegedly diverted $400 million from the $1.7 billion sent to Iran—with help from the CIA and Italy—to fund election interference in 2020 (switching Trump votes to Biden) and to sabotage Trump’s presidency and family. All roads lead to Obama.​   https://x.com/storm1news/status/2107398520332526041

​  Celia Farber on a certain ruling-class archetype: Tate Brothers Published Extradition Package Charges That They Were Found To Have Videos Including Bestiality (Sex With Horses And EELS,) Sex With Children, And Even Boasted Of Killing A Child - Conservative Influencers Who Defended Them Silent   https://celiafarber.substack.com/p/tate-brothers-published-extradition

​  Colorado woman wrongfully cited for theft files class action against Flock
Columbine Valley Police pursued theft charges against a Colorado woman based on footage captured on Flock cameras around her hometown.​   
https://courthousenews.com/colorado-woman-wrongfully-cited-for-theft-files-class-action-against-flock/

  Peter McCullough MD, BREAKING--Anti-Plague Laboratory Worker Dies with Pneumonia Suspicious for Pneumonic Plague
Treatable if diagnosed early, rapidly fatal if untreated or if bacteria has been manipulated to be resistant to antibiotics​   https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/breaking-anti-plague-laboratory-worker

​  Got doxycycline? More Than 21 Plague Vaccines Are Already in Development: mRNA, saRNA, DNA, Viral Vector, Bacterial Vector, Subunit, and Live-Attenuated - Why were governments and military biodefense programs already investing so heavily in plague vaccines before the current plague hysteria erupted?   https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/more-than-21-plague-vaccines-are

Sasha Latypova, Most vaccines are violating Biologics labeling law - Merck’s MMRII is statutorily misbranded.   https://sashalatypova.substack.com/p/most-vaccines-are-violating-statutory

​  Nurse: Stillbirths Exploded After COVID Shots Hit Maternity Wards
A California labor-and-delivery nurse says her Fresno hospital went from a handful of stillbirths a year to more than 20 in a single month once COVID shots were pushed on pregnant women, then answered the pile-up with an email on how to handle the dead.
​  Michelle Spencer has worked the antepartum, postpartum and labor-and-delivery floor at Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno since 2017. In interviews that Children's Health Defense aired, she described the unit before the pregnancy rollout as a place that saw about four stillbirths a year. After the shots started going into pregnant women, she said, it became four a week, and it did not stop.​   https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/nurse-stillbirths-exploded-after-covid-shots-hit-maternity-wards

​  John Leake, Should HHS Secretary Kennedy Resign to Protest Ongoing Use of C-19 Vaccines? A review of notable public figures in history who resigned from office.   https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/should-hhs-secretary-kennedy-resign

​  Meryl Nass MD, NIH to study and treat vaccine injuries
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a new research initiative at the National Institutes of Health to study vaccine injuries on Monday, according to people familiar with the matter.
​  Kennedy visited the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland, to unveil the initiative, said the people, who weren’t authorized to discuss the event publicly.
​  Kennedy attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new NIH clinic to study and care for patients with vaccine injuries, some of the people said. Other elements of the plan include a proposal to reimburse doctors for reporting suspected vaccine injuries, a modernization of the agency’s system for tracking adverse events from vaccines and new requirements around electronic health records, the people said.​   
https://merylnass.substack.com/p/nih-to-study-and-treat-vaccine-injuries

​  BREAKING STUDY: COVID-19 “Vaccination” of Children Linked to AUTISM, ADHD, ANXIETY, and SPECIAL-ED USE
We analyzed nationally representative U.S. government data (NHIS) from 21,990 children in the first-ever study examining childhood COVID vaccination and autism outcomes.​   
https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/breaking-study-covid-19-vaccination-9fd

  Steve Kirsch, Parent poll shows nearly 80% of kids who became suddenly autistic had their last normal day on the day they got vaccinated
That statistic is inconsistent with “vaccines don’t cause autism.”​   https://kirschsubstack.com/p/parent-poll-shows-nearly-80-of-kids

  Peter McCullough MD, Sacrifice: How the Deadliest Vaccine in History Targeted the Most Vulnerable
Dr McCullough interviews Dr James Thorp, author, physician, father, and tireless defender of mothers with infants
​  Sacrifice documents the true story of Dr. James Thorp, a respected doctor of maternal fetal medicine, who in 2020, finds his entire profession has lost its mind, as well as its soul. Stunned to find his colleagues take the bribe money, drink the Kool-Aid, and push the COVID-19 shots with no regard for patient safety. Thorp is one of the few Ob-Gyns to bear witness and broadcast the multitude of pregnancy complications including miscarriages, stillbirths, and many other tragic outcomes resulting from the shots.
​  One of the few doctors from the maternal-fetal medicine realm who publicly protested the Covid shots as directly deadly to his patients—unborn babies—Thorp witnessed the carnage on a daily basis firsthand, documented it, published papers, and spoke up on countless media platforms, and in Senate hearings in Washington, DC. He was terminated, without any cause, and went on to campaign around the country to get the truth out.​   https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/sacrifice-how-the-deadliest-vaccine

​  Compelling and counter-narrative evidence: Heart Attacks Were Virtually Unknown in the U.S. Before 1921. Here’s Why...
Rethinking CVD (Part 1): Unpacking the Historical Explosion of Coronary Disease, the Introduction of Industrial Seed Iils, and the Truth About Animal Fats.​ https://rethinkingmedicine.substack.com/p/rethinking-cardiovascular-disease  

Heart Healthy (pictured in very late summer garden, awaiting fall rains to replant)