Contrarians,
With the war in Ukraine in its terminal, conflict resolution phase, and with the economy, the trade war and reshoring critical industries not going as planned, US elites now seem desperate to have a timeout from the geopolitical competition. Contrary to the mainstream media consensus, the new National Security Strategy is not about abandoning European NATO allies, nor making peace with Russia—let alone deescalating tensions with China or in the Middle East. It’s but a proposal to take a three-year breather, during which the burden of maintaining a world spanning western hegemony can be shared more evenly, and after which hostilities could resume at a much larger scale than ever before. But is it even possible to halt the disintegration of the Western world order, load-shedding or not? ...
..All throughout history nobles have sent their [second and third] sons to battles, leading legions of peasants who had little say in the matter, to settle scores against each other, fight for domination over territories, people and resources. Besides enriching its financiers, wars also culled the ranks of the elites themselves, preventing what historian Peter Turchin called elite overproduction. You see, even in a classical kingdom, there were always more aspirants to power and more heirs than cushy positions, titles and castles. What’s worse, the overproduction of elites, could also quickly become a drain on the economy. Left untreated, it resulted in soaring inequality, economic instability and eventually in state collapse, as all resources ended up in the hands of the few, while leaving the masses immiserated. Over the course of our history, wars were the “natural” solution to this problem, maintaining a delicate balance not only between, but within states as well.....Universities, corporations and the growing administrative state, just kept producing people who wanted to belong to the top tier of society. Unlike in previous times, though, when only the offspring of the nobility got a chance trying their hand at governance, a torrent of fresh minds with high ambitions flooded the market... Viewed from this perspective, the proliferation of western led international organizations including, but not limited to, the UN, NATO, the EU, World Bank, IMF, international corporations, the countless NGOs, together with all those media outlets, innumerable think tanks, universities etc., were all buffers established to absorb those elite wannabees and the offspring of the upper class.
..With citizens rebelling against sending their sons to pointless wars to die (as in the Vietnam war), international organizations had to grow exponentially to absorb all the newcomers from the baby boomer, X and millennial generations. Expansion of the administrative state, regulatory bodies, international agencies—and of course that of the EU and NATO—became the primary tool to preserve the status quo... Being the prime economic and military force on the planet, together with a historically unprecedented boom in energy production, the West could allow this luxury—at least for the time being.....However, all good things must come to an end. By the dawn of this century Europe has begun to run out of countries to absorb into this model built on ‘infinite growth on a finite continent.’ This has put the West on a collision course with Russia which, on the other hand, has started to reassert itself on the international stage, and pushed back harder and harder on the extension of NATO and EU into their sphere of influence... Taken together with the material and energy hungry nature, and export dependence of their economies, the Western way of life, peace and stability was at stake here. Battered by the 2008 financial crisis, followed by a decade of stagnation with its austerity measures, the EU was not doing well. The yellow vest movement in France and the growing discontent with climate policies have shown: the risk of a violent upending of the status quo was a very real possibility.
The desire to maintain the status quo has started to mean two mutually exclusive ideas: ‘expansion’ for the transatlantic, and ‘preserving security’ for the Russian side.Russia, on the flip side, could not allow an aggressive military alliance to encroach on its longest boarder with the rest of Europe. (Especially not, after having been invaded from the West innumerable times over history.) ...
..Fast forward eight years and the civil war, fought over which camp Ukraine belongs to, has grown into a full blown proxy war with NATO—funded, supplied and directed by an alliance of Western states, with US generals at the helm.
After eleven years of bloodshed and four years of brutal war leaving over a million and a half people dead, we now see a frantic search for an exit. The plan to weaken, regime change and carve up Russia seems to be failing. Badly...
..The West has completely underestimated its adversary, together with Russia’s military, manufacturing and diplomatic capacities to navigate the crisis. This is not to say that Russia is not hurting—losing men and machines, struggling with a lack of growth and high interest rates—but their economy and society is far better equipped to endure the pain than that of Europe. Having all the mineral resources and energy they need, combined with a state controlled military-industrial complex geared up for a long war (not to mention the manufacturing support of China).....The West, on the other hand, is being deindustrialized, struggles with high government and private debt levels, and teeters on the edge of a recession for years now... The West desperately needs a breather.
Yet, despite these facts, and the proclamations of the new National Security Strategy, NATO led by the United States is still in the process of building up a military, industry, and logistics capability needed to fight Russia by 2029… Even if it would come with a complete destruction of the old continent and even if Russia has no such intentions. Remember, the true root cause of this crisis lies in western military-economic expansion—rooted in the overproduction of European elites and an American desire to contain Russia and China as part of it’s global domination agenda... If they have to regime change the current crop of European leaders to do that—by replacing them with a properly co-opted “nationalist” elite—then so be it...
..For the current crop of EU leaders, however, maintaining the status quo means maintaining the flow of weapons and money to Ukraine. It’s better to have a permanent war, than being ousted. This is why the imminent danger of a Russian invasion of Europe must be kept at the center of everyone’s attention: thereby ensuring compliance with the 5% spending target and the complete subordination of Europe to American interests...Yet, despite these facts, and the proclamations of the new National Security Strategy, NATO led by the United States is still in the process of building up a military, industry, and logistics capability needed to fight Russia by 2029… Even if it would come with a complete destruction of the old continent and even if Russia has no such intentions. Remember, the true root cause of this crisis lies in western military-economic expansion—rooted in the overproduction of European elites and an American desire to contain Russia and China as part of it’s global domination agenda... If they have to regime change the current crop of European leaders to do that—by replacing them with a properly co-opted “nationalist” elite—then so be it...
..Western leaders face a stark choice here: seek genuine peace and stop expanding the EU and NATO for real (thereby taking on the immense risk that elite overproduction in combination with growing civic discontent over economic decline will eventually lead to a revolution both in Europe and America), or continue on a path for war, risking total annihilation... Russians, on the other hand, might decide to cut this short by launching a decapitation strike with hyper-sonic long range weapons—putting an abrupt end to hostilities and leaving Western capitals in ruins...
..And this is where material reality interjects. With the world de-dollarizing, the west deindustrializing, and as trade limitations on rare earth elements beginning to bite with peak oil and peak copper looming on the horizon, there is little to no chance for Western military hegemony to be restored. Neither in Europe, nor elsewhere.....The resulting violence—either from conventional or civil war—could then be used as an excuse to curb civil rights, ration energy, ban opposition parties, silence critics and to normalize soldiers and military drones patrolling the streets of London, Paris or Berlin—providing a narrow pathway for western elites to hold on to their power...
..With pressure from elite overproduction slowly building up behind the scenes, and with a financial crash clearly on the horizon, the West is more likely to see a rapid, uncontrolled collapse than a slow transition to a multi-polar world. https://thehonestsorcerer.substack.com/p/a-frantic-search-for-the-pause-button Ugo Bardi, Three Years Ago I Predicted Europe's Collapse. I Was Right. - How the energy crisis and bad policy decisions destroyed European industrial competitiveness. https://senecaeffect.substack.com/p/three-years-ago-i-predicted-europes
Michael Snyder, Why Is Europe Feverishly Preparing For World War III?
Gilbert Doctorow (this morning), Required Reading
The greater meaning of the meeting in Berlin yesterday as reflected in the Statement now on the Commission website is that it seeks to perpetuate all of the preconditions that Moscow has called the root causes of the conflict and what prompted them to launch their Special Military Operation. By its terms, NATO-Russian relations will be those of enemies who are armed and ready for the next round of battle at any time. Ukraine will be armed to NATO standards, with NATO military personnel present on the ground as a trip-wire to set off World War III at any time. And the neo-Nazi regime in Kiev will remain in power, with hundreds of billions of euros in Russian ‘reparations’ to sustain the criminal feeding frenzy of its civilian and military leaders. Chancellor Merz and Ursula von der Leyen have gotten what they wanted from this meeting. They are well on their way to ensuring their continued rule for years to come while turning the EU from the Peace Project which it was in the 20th century to the War Project that it is today. https://gilbertdoctorow.com/2025/12/16/required-reading/
Andrew Korybko, Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Investigation Appears To Be On The Brink Of Implicating Zelensky
Their report is significant since it strongly suggests that there’s now tacit consensus between the NYT’s liberal-globalist backers, the conservative-nationalist Trump Administration, and the US’ permanent bureaucracy (“deep state”) about the need to expose Zelensky’s corruption. https://korybko.substack.com/p/ukraines-anti-corruption-investigation-d04
The European Union is trying to eliminate sources of information that do not confirm with its official interpretation of real world events.
One of the latest persons hit with official EU restrictions is the former Swiss intelligence official and author Jacques Baud:
Jacques Baud is a former colonel of the General Staff, ex-member of the Swiss strategic intelligence, specialist on Eastern countries. He was trained in the American and British intelligence services. He has served as Policy Chief for United Nations Peace Operations. As a UN expert on rule of law and security institutions, he designed and led the first multidimensional UN intelligence unit in the Sudan. He has worked for the African Union and was for 5 years responsible for the fight, at NATO, against the proliferation of small arms. He was involved in discussions with the highest Russian military and intelligence officials just after the fall of the USSR. Within NATO, he followed the 2014 Ukrainian crisis and later participated in programs to assist the Ukraine. He is the author of several books on intelligence, war and terrorism...
..Baud is not writing fantasies. There are footnotes on nearly every page of his books with links to the sources. His analyses are objective and well founded.
That of course does not sit well with a EU officialdom that is living in a fantasy world where Russia is so weak that its economy will crash the next month and so strong that it will conquer Europe by next summer. Such Russophrenia is used for a power grab by technocrats and the dismantling of the last traces of democracy in Europe...
That of course does not sit well with a EU officialdom that is living in a fantasy world where Russia is so weak that its economy will crash the next month and so strong that it will conquer Europe by next summer. Such Russophrenia is used for a power grab by technocrats and the dismantling of the last traces of democracy in Europe...
..The EU Council, in which the ambassadors of all EU countries voted on these sanctions, has made a very stupid mistake.
Sanctioning Baud guarantees that the Streisand effect will set in:
The Streisand effect describes a situation where an attempt to hide, remove, or censor information results in the unintended consequence of the effort instead increasing public awareness of the information.
Please let everyone know that Jacques Baud got sanctioned. Make people aware of his writing and thoughts. https://www.moonofalabama.org/2025/12/eu-sanctions-swiss-intelligence-expert-jacques-baud.html
Sanctioning Baud guarantees that the Streisand effect will set in:
The Streisand effect describes a situation where an attempt to hide, remove, or censor information results in the unintended consequence of the effort instead increasing public awareness of the information.
Please let everyone know that Jacques Baud got sanctioned. Make people aware of his writing and thoughts. https://www.moonofalabama.org/2025/12/eu-sanctions-swiss-intelligence-expert-jacques-baud.html
June 2017, Deep History of America’s Deep State, By Jada Thacker
Andrew Korybko on ditching Europe, The Russia-US “New Détente” Could Revolutionize the Global Economic Architecture https://www.globalresearch.ca/russian-us-new-detente/5908902
Supertankers Bound For Venezuela Make U-Turns, Fearing US Interdiction, As PDVSA Hit By Cyberattack https://www.zerohedge.com/energy/supertankers-bound-venezuela-make-u-turns-fearing-us-interdiction-pdvsa-hit-cyberattack
US takeover of Iraq’s West Qurna field sidelines Russia, reasserts energy dominance
US sanctions and Iraqi compliance cleared the way for ExxonMobil to replace Russia’s last major oil foothold in Iraq, redrawing the lines of control without firing a shot https://thecradle.co/articles/us-takeover-of-iraqs-west-qurna-field-sidelines-russia-reasserts-energy-dominance
Fico took 5 bullets: Slovak PM Fico Blast Brussels Warmongers, Wants No Part Of Western Europe If Russian & Ukrainian Lives Are "Worth Shit" https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/slovak-pm-fico-blast-brussels-warmongers-wants-no-part-western-europe-if-russian
Aussie PM Invokes 'Right-Wing Extremism' After Islamic Terrorist Attack, Vows Crackdown On Guns https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/aussie-pm-invokes-right-wing-extremism-after-islamic-terrorist-attack-vows-crackdown-guns
‘A genuine hero’: Unarmed Muslim bystander filmed disarming Sydney terrorist
Ahmed al Ahmed, 43, a local fruit vendor and father of 2, hailed as ‘hero’ by Netanyahu and Albanese after wrestling rifle from gunman during shooting https://www.timesofisrael.com/a-genuine-hero-unarmed-muslim-bystander-filmed-disarming-sydney-terrorist/
Israeli Narrative Debunked- Bondi Terrorists Were Tied To ISIS. - Israel Tried To Blame Iran and Palestine For The Attack https://the307.substack.com/p/israeli-narrative-debunked-bondi
Euro-Med: Israeli bulldozer crushes wounded child to death
Trump's Israeli-Born Pick for U.S. Anti-Semitism Czar Plans to Work With Social Media to Suppress 'Hatred' https://www.informationliberation.com/?id=65077
Drop Site: 12 dead and 27,000 tents destroyed in Gaza storms; Report finds $1 billion in revenue from Gaza aid extortion https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/twelve-dead-gaza-storms-gaza-aid-extortion-trump-executive-orders-artificial-intelligence-drop-site-daily
Rising maternal malnutrition in Gaza drives up newborn mortality https://israelpalestinenews.org/rising-maternal-malnutrition-in-gaza/
“We can not even describe” living conditions in Gaza, as babies freeze to death – Not a Ceasefire Day 63 https://israelpalestinenews.org/we-can-not-even-describe-living-conditions-in-gaza-as-babies-freeze-to-death-not-a-ceasefire-day-63/
More Gazans freeze to death amid storms and flooding – Not a Ceasefire Day 64 https://israelpalestinenews.org/more-gazans-freeze-to-death-amid-storms-and-flooding-not-a-ceasefire-day-64/
Israeli drone strike kills 4 in Gaza – Not a Ceasefire Day 65 https://israelpalestinenews.org/israeli-drone-strike-kills-4-in-gaza-not-a-ceasefire-day-65/
Israel’s Gaza proxy strategy is collapsing
The killing of gang leader Yasser Abu Shabab, a known felon and druglord, by one of his own men has exposed the bankruptcy of Israel’s vision for the Strip. https://www.972mag.com/israel-gaza-proxy-yasser-abu-shabab/
IOA uprooted 1,608 olive trees in the West Bank in one week https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/12/14/353666/
UN: Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank hits record levels
Israel orders demolition of 25 residential buildings in Nur Shams camp
IOF raids homes, kidnaps Palestinians in W. Bank
Israeli settler groups have begun bulldozing Palestinian lands in the town of Beit Sahour to make way for a new settler outpost. The settlement threatens the existence of the largest remaining Christian community in the West Bank. https://israelpalestinenews.org/new-israeli-settlement-in-west-bank-town-near-bethlehem-threatens-the-christian-presence-in-palestine/
Israel gives legal status to 19 West Bank settlements https://ground.news/article/israel-gives-legal-status-to-19-west-bank-settlements-media-reports_4d405a
Israeli navy arrests 4 fishermen, blows up their boat
Israel Insists on Hamas Disarmament, Rejects Freeze Proposal https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5218512-israel-insists-hamas-disarmament-rejects-freeze-proposal
Trump Reportedly Planning to Appoint US General to Command ISF in Gaza
4 Palestinians killed in Israeli strike in Gaza amid ceasefire violations - Israeli army claims it targeted senior Hamas member in Gaza City https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/4-palestinians-killed-in-israeli-strike-in-gaza-amid-ceasefire-violations/3770513
Israel has announced its readiness for a new strike on Iran. https://en.topcor.ru/66892-v-izraile-zajavili-o-gotovnosti-k-novomu-udaru-po-iranu.html
Sacking Iranian professor shows US human rights reality - The University of Arkansas in the United States has dismissed an Iranian professor by the name of Shirin Saeidi from her position as director of the Middle Eastern Studies department over her social media posts in solidarity with Iran and Palestine https://en.mehrnews.com/news/239827/Sacking-Iranian-professor-shows-US-human-rights-reality
US commandos raided cargo ship travelling from China to Iran, stole cargo: Report
The reported seizure in the Indian Ocean came weeks before US forces raided and stole a Venezuelan oil tanker carrying millions of barrels of oil https://thecradle.co/articles/us-commandos-raided-cargo-ship-travelling-from-china-to-iran-stole-cargo-report#google_vignette
A leaked U.S. wargame assessment known as the Overmatch Brief reports that Chinese missile, cyber, and space-based attacks repeatedly disabled or sank the USS Gerald R. Ford during Taiwan conflict simulations. https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/navy-news/2025/leaked-u-s-war-games-show-china-could-sink-uss-gerald-r-ford-carrier-in-potential-taiwan-conflict#google_vignette
Military Watch: The US knows China can sink its aircraft carriers not only near Taiwan. https://en.topcor.ru/66919-military-watch-ssha-znajut-chto-knr-mozhet-potopit-ih-avianoscy-ne-tolko-vozle-tajvanja.html
US sanctions and Iraqi compliance cleared the way for ExxonMobil to replace Russia’s last major oil foothold in Iraq, redrawing the lines of control without firing a shot https://thecradle.co/articles/us-takeover-of-iraqs-west-qurna-field-sidelines-russia-reasserts-energy-dominance
John Helmer has treaty details and implications: INDIA AND RUSSIA COMBINE TO RESIST TRUMP’S INDIAN OCEAN STRATEGY https://johnhelmer.net/india-and-russia-combine-to-resist-trumps-indian-ocean-strategy/
Orban vs EU: 83% Of Hungarians Fear Foreign Interference In 2026 Election; New Poll Finds https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/83-hungarians-fear-foreign-interference-2026-election-new-poll-finds
Ahmed al Ahmed, 43, a local fruit vendor and father of 2, hailed as ‘hero’ by Netanyahu and Albanese after wrestling rifle from gunman during shooting https://www.timesofisrael.com/a-genuine-hero-unarmed-muslim-bystander-filmed-disarming-sydney-terrorist/
Caitlin Johnstone, Israel Apologists Hasten To Use Bondi Shooting To Attack Anti-Genocide Activists https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/israel-apologists-hasten-to-use-bondi
In a statement, the Euro-Med said its field team documented the case of Zaher Nasser Shamiya, 16, from Jabalia refugee camp, who was shot by Israeli forces on Wednesday, December 10, 2025. He was left to bleed on the ground while gunfire in the area prevented any help from reaching him. Minutes later, an Israeli bulldozer intentionally crushed him, even though he was still alive and lying on the ground, slicing his body into two and leaving him in pieces.
The child’s uncle told the Euro-Med that Shamiya had been near the Jabalia Services Club, approximately 50 meters from the Yellow Line, when Israeli forces arrived at the area and opened heavy fire. Shamiya was struck, reportedly by fire from a quadcopter drone, near his head. Witnesses saw him still moving before his friends fled, leaving him lying injured. https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/12/11/353490/
The child’s uncle told the Euro-Med that Shamiya had been near the Jabalia Services Club, approximately 50 meters from the Yellow Line, when Israeli forces arrived at the area and opened heavy fire. Shamiya was struck, reportedly by fire from a quadcopter drone, near his head. Witnesses saw him still moving before his friends fled, leaving him lying injured. https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/12/11/353490/
The killing of gang leader Yasser Abu Shabab, a known felon and druglord, by one of his own men has exposed the bankruptcy of Israel’s vision for the Strip. https://www.972mag.com/israel-gaza-proxy-yasser-abu-shabab/
In a report submitted to members of the UN Security Council, Guterres said indicators of Israeli settlement growth peaked in 2024, marking an unprecedented surge since UN monitoring efforts formally began seven years ago.
According to the report, plans were advanced, approved, or put out to tender for nearly 47,390 settlement housing units in 2024, compared with about 26,170 units in 2023. The figures represent a sharp increase over previous years, during which the annual average between 2017 and 2022 stood at around 12,800 settlement units. https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/12/13/353620/
According to the report, plans were advanced, approved, or put out to tender for nearly 47,390 settlement housing units in 2024, compared with about 26,170 units in 2023. The figures represent a sharp increase over previous years, during which the annual average between 2017 and 2022 stood at around 12,800 settlement units. https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/12/13/353620/
The Israeli occupation forces have issued a military order to demolish 25 residential buildings in the Nur Shams refugee camp, located in the Tulkarem governorate in the northern West Bank. https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/12/14/353692/
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) stormed different West Bank areas at dawn Saturday and kidnaped a number of Palestinian citizens in the cities of Ramallah and Bireh. According to local sources, the IOF carried out raids on homes and arrests during a campaign in the cities of Ramallah and Bireh. https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/12/13/353588/
The Israeli naval forces arrested four Palestinian fishermen off the coast of Gaza’s main port and later blew up their boat, in yet another attack in the ongoing series of violations against Gaza’s fishing community since the start of the war of extermination in October 2023.
Zakaria Bakr, head of Gaza’s Fishermen Union, confirmed the arrests and the destruction of the boat, adding that the Israeli navy has killed around 230 fishermen since the war began. He also noted that 28 fishermen remain in Israeli detention. https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/12/14/353689/
Zakaria Bakr, head of Gaza’s Fishermen Union, confirmed the arrests and the destruction of the boat, adding that the Israeli navy has killed around 230 fishermen since the war began. He also noted that 28 fishermen remain in Israeli detention. https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/12/14/353689/
Trump told reporters Wednesday that he's planning to announce the Gaza Board of Peace in early 2026.
According to Axios, two Israeli officials said US Ambassador Mike Waltz to the UN, who visited Israel this week, told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials that the Trump administration is going to lead the ISF and appoint a two-star general as its commander. "Waltz even said he knows the general personally and stressed he is a very serious guy," one Israeli official said.
The Israeli officials said Waltz stressed that having an American general in charge of the ISF should give Israel confidence it will operate according to appropriate standards. https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5218473-trump-reportedly-planning-appoint-us-general-command-isf-gaza
According to Axios, two Israeli officials said US Ambassador Mike Waltz to the UN, who visited Israel this week, told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials that the Trump administration is going to lead the ISF and appoint a two-star general as its commander. "Waltz even said he knows the general personally and stressed he is a very serious guy," one Israeli official said.
The Israeli officials said Waltz stressed that having an American general in charge of the ISF should give Israel confidence it will operate according to appropriate standards. https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5218473-trump-reportedly-planning-appoint-us-general-command-isf-gaza
Stealing Palestinian gas: Netanyahu planning Cairo trip to sign multibillion-dollar gas deal with Egypt
Senior US source confirms to ToI that Israeli officials are working with American diplomats on preparations for trip, which would be PM’s first official state visit to Egypt in 15 years https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-planning-cairo-trip-to-sign-multi-billion-gas-deal-with-egypt/ Not "ISIS": Gunman Who Killed Three Americans in Syria Was Member of Syrian Government’s Security Forces
Two members of the Iowa National Guard and a civilian interpreter were killed in the attack https://news.antiwar.com/2025/12/14/gunman-who-killed-three-americans-in-syria-was-member-of-syrian-governments-security-forces/The reported seizure in the Indian Ocean came weeks before US forces raided and stole a Venezuelan oil tanker carrying millions of barrels of oil https://thecradle.co/articles/us-commandos-raided-cargo-ship-travelling-from-china-to-iran-stole-cargo-report#google_vignette
Chinese navy attacked Phillipine fishermen in disputed waters. China Blasts 'Premeditated' Provocations Of US-Allied Philippines At Disputed Shoal https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/china-blasts-premeditated-provocations-us-allied-philippines-disputed-shoal
We're "At The Beginning Of The Credit Destruction Cycle"; Ed Dowd Warns
So, this is where we are, at the beginning of the credit destruction cycle. We are seeing consumer credit card delinquencies nearing all-time highs, auto loan delinquencies and, next up, we will be seeing mortgage delinquencies.
People stop paying their credit cards first, then their auto loans and stop paying on their homes last.
As the layoffs accelerate, and we are already seeing more high-profile layoffs at Amazon, UPS and you name it, once those begin, we will be seeing higher delinquency rates.”
Dowd sees much lower prices for homes. Dowd says,
“There is a distinct problem between homes for sale and homes sold, meaning there are a lot of people wanting to sell their homes and not a lot of people buying them. The inventory continues to grow. . .. The only way this clears is through price. The price of homes is going lower.
We had an overbuild in multi-family housing because of the illegal immigrants. Those deals are going sour and rolling over." ...
House GOP to Clintons: Appear for Epstein Hearings Dec. 17 or Face Contempt of Congress Proceedings https://redstate.com/bobhoge/2025/12/13/house-gop-to-clintons-appear-for-epstein-hearings-dec-17-or-face-contempt-of-congress-proceedings-n2197102
Direct investment: South Korea’s defense giant plans $1 billion US plant for 155mm howitzer modular charges
Hanwha aims to introduce its fully automated, vertically integrated production capabilities in the United States. https://interestingengineering.com/military/south-korea-hanwha-howitzer-modular-chargesSo, when does the panic kick in? Dowd says, “The panic kicks in when there is some sort of banking wobble or stock market wobble, which is in the process of setting up..."
"Private credit is the first to show problems. We had Tricolor Holdings (subprime auto lending bankruptcy) go poof. We had First Brands (bankruptcy) go poof. This is all private credit. We have had other lenders like PrimaLend (bankruptcy) starting to go poof. Private credit is just like subprime. It not a very big part of the Jenga credit chain, but it’s enough to start a daisy chain of knock-on effects. So, this is where we are, at the beginning of the credit destruction cycle. We are seeing consumer credit card delinquencies nearing all-time highs, auto loan delinquencies and, next up, we will be seeing mortgage delinquencies.
People stop paying their credit cards first, then their auto loans and stop paying on their homes last.
As the layoffs accelerate, and we are already seeing more high-profile layoffs at Amazon, UPS and you name it, once those begin, we will be seeing higher delinquency rates.”
Dowd sees much lower prices for homes. Dowd says,
“There is a distinct problem between homes for sale and homes sold, meaning there are a lot of people wanting to sell their homes and not a lot of people buying them. The inventory continues to grow. . .. The only way this clears is through price. The price of homes is going lower.
We had an overbuild in multi-family housing because of the illegal immigrants. Those deals are going sour and rolling over." ...
..China is a lot weaker than anyone can imagine. Dowd says,
“Not only does China have long-term structural problems, our report identifies a very acute part of their real estate crisis, which is beginning now and accelerating into 2026. . .. China is struggling mightily. We have more bargaining chips than a lot of us think. When I hear things like ‘China holds all the cards and Trump is screwed,’ I laugh.” https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/were-beginning-credit-destruction-cycle-ed-dowd-warns
“Not only does China have long-term structural problems, our report identifies a very acute part of their real estate crisis, which is beginning now and accelerating into 2026. . .. China is struggling mightily. We have more bargaining chips than a lot of us think. When I hear things like ‘China holds all the cards and Trump is screwed,’ I laugh.” https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/were-beginning-credit-destruction-cycle-ed-dowd-warns
Trump Sues BBC For $10 Billion Over Misleading Jan. 6 Edits https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-sues-bbc-10-billion-over-misleading-jan-6-edits
Shared State and Federal jurisdictional issues: PRISON OFFICIALS WON’T RECOGNIZE PRESIDENT TRUMP’S PARDON – LAUGH AT REQUEST AND REFUSE TO RELEASE TINA PETERS https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/12/breaking-huge-prison-officials-wont-recognize-president-trumps/
He did not identify as a UA Flight Attendant in his posts: United Airlines Caught Digging Through 140,000 Posts – Musk’s X Saves Fired Attendant
The settlement underscores ongoing challenges airlines face in balancing corporate values with employee expression on personal digital platforms. https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2025/12/14/united-airlines-caught-digging-through-140000-posts/Lifetime environmental impact is not lessened, and supply of EV materials will run out. Brussels Slams Brakes On 2035 Combustion Engine Ban https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/brussels-slams-brakes-2035-combustion-engine-ban
A Midwestern Doctor advocated preventive steps first. Reversing Alzheimer’s: The Forgotten Causes and Cures Big Pharma Buried
It Starts Early: Spot the Hidden Signs and Stop Alzheimer's Before It Takes Hold https://www.midwesterndoctor.com/p/reversing-alzheimers-the-forgotten Meryl Nass MD, Bayer's $17 Billion War Chest to Pay For and END its Glyphosate Liability; a Supreme Court Coup; and identifying Bayer's 6 pronged strategy to win at all costs https://merylnass.substack.com/p/bayers-17-billion-war-chest-to-pay
Share and share-alike: Typhoons vacuum microplastics from ocean and deposit them on land, study finds https://phys.org/news/2025-12-typhoons-vacuum-microplastics-ocean-deposit.html
Terrestrial Dweller (pictured closer up with large spiderweb, and spider visible near shirt collar)
