Tucker Carlson Outlines the Insufferable Theater of the Zelenskyy Act with a Standing Ovation from Congress


Posted originally on the CTH on December 22, 2022 | Sundance 

Comrade proles, thankfully artful sarcasm is still not illegal.  Tucker Carlson pulls back the curtain on a congressional performance so disconnected from the priorities of the American public, that only in Washington DC could it receive a standing ovation.  WATCH:

I am thankful for Comrade Carlson.

The Holy Grail Quest for President Trump’s Tax Returns Ends with the World’s Loudest Sad Trombone


Posted originally on the CTH on December 22, 2022 | Sundance 

For seven years the media have walked the American people through a journey to publicize President Donald J Trump’s tax returns, using phrases like “bigger than Watergate.” Promising, almost daily, the results of their quest would be “the beginning of the end” of Trump.

Thousands of hours of media punditry shouting about the holy grail paper trail sure to culminate in a result “devastating beyond all imaginings.”

Meanwhile, millions of column inches were filled with “bombshell” promises of deep expose’s, certain to highlight how the universal villain of all things universally villainous would be crushed under the weight of financial nakedness.

This moment, they promised, would be second only in political consequence to origin of our constellation.  The quest for Trump’s taxes was the culmination of thousands of hours of deep Lawfare expertise, an epic battle worthy of Homer.

A horrible human would explode in shame they said. Yes, Trump was about to be exposed by professionals, DC experts who build careers understanding the complex system of tax filings, financial schemes and arcane laws.  WATCH:

These were the Gandolfian wizards, heroes as proclaimed by the pretorian guard media, the gatekeepers who would finally gain access to the epicenter of the one true financial enlightenment that would forever destroy Godzilla Trump and crush the empire beneath him.

Breaths were held as “soon” they swore.  Pearls were clutched as ticks were tocked.  ‘Any moment now’, the masses began to shout.  Busses and trains stopped.  Swarms of people rushed home to watch television.  Flights were being cancelled as the moment drew near.  The economy came to a halt as thrills were pronounced to be running up legs.

The world’s most investigated human in all humanity was on the cusp of the abyss. The moment had finally arrived.  The culmination of years of baited anticipation.  This was THE moment; this was THEIR moment….

Boxes were spotted passing through the halls of congress. “That’s them,” people muttered clamoring for a glimpse.  MSNBC finally, after years of anticipation, triggered the countdown clock – as a visibly climaxing Rachel Maddow could no longer contain the spontaneous ecstasy.

And then…

Nothing.

The world’s most anticipated and promoted financial disclosure in the history of the modern universe, was a complete nothingburger.

The only person who seems happy is Geraldo Rivera, who likely thinks that perhaps now his opening of Al Capone’s empty vault has finally been eclipsed in its ridiculous nothingness.

President Donald Trump’s taxes show an ordinary schedule of incomes and losses that fit within the four corners of every other tax filing by every other private company owner.  Incomes that rose and fell with the U.S. economy.   Worse yet, the filings show income losses that were amplified by Donald Trump’s decision to put aside his business interest and run for public office.

Yes, Donald Trump is the first President of the United States who lost money as an outcome of his political ascendency because he never sold his office to any individual, corporation, multinational or financial interest.    President Donald J Trump worked for the American people, using policies that were designed to benefit the American people, from within an office that was created to benefit the American people.

For the media, the world’s largest sad trombone.

Manhattan Judge Sets $250 Million Bond and House Arrest for FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried


Posted originally on the CTH on December 22, 2022 | Sundance

FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried waived an extradition fight and U.S. Marshals flew him from the Bahamas to New York late Wednesday night.  Appearing in a Manhattan court today, the judge set bail at $250 million and permits SBF to remain under house arrest at his parent’s California home until trial begins.

Additionally, it was revealed that Carolyn Ellison, 28, the former chief executive of Bankman-Fried’s trading firm, Alameda Research, and Gary Wang, 29, who co-founded FTX, pleaded guilty to charges including wire fraud, securities fraud and commodities fraud.  Both are cooperating witnesses with the prosecution against the FTX founder.

New York – The cryptocurrency entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried can post $250 million bond and live in his parents’ home in California while he awaits trial on charges that he swindled investors and looted customer deposits on his FTX trading platform, a judge said Thursday.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos said in U.S. District Court in Manhattan that Bankman-Fried, 30, “perpetrated a fraud of epic proportions.” Roos proposed strict bail terms, including a $250 million bond and house arrest at his parents’ home in Palo Alto, California.

An important reason for allowing bail was that Bankman-Fried agreed to waive extradition, Roos said.

Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein agreed to the bond and also approved the house arrest proposal. He also said Bankman-Fried would be required to get an electronic monitoring bracelet before leaving the Manhattan courthouse.

[…] Prosecutors and regulators contend that Bankman-Fried was at the center of several illegal schemes to use customer and investor money for personal gain. He faces the possibility of decades in prison if convicted on all counts.

In a series of interviews before his arrest, Bankman-Fried said he never intended to defraud anyone.

Bankman-Fried is charged with using money, illicitly taken from FTX customers, to enable trades at Alameda, spend lavishly on real estate, and make millions of dollars in campaign contributions to U.S. politicians. (read more)

Egg Prices Surge to Record Levels as Christmas Grocery Prices Hit Consumers


Posted originally on the CTH on December 22, 2022 | Sundance 

The price for a dozen eggs continues climbing as explanations turn toward blaming bird flu.  However, the avian influenza may explain a recent spike, but the longer duration of escalating food price commodities is much deeper than momentary fluctuations.  These are energy dependent products.

As CTH noted last year, watch egg prices as a general gauge for overall food inflation (eggs hit almost every process in the supply chain), and watch potato availability to gauge overall row crop stability (staple commodity on every plate, venue).

Additionally, as previously noted, as energy prices continue rising pay attention to the prices on ‘organic’ products.  Rising energy prices drive up costs for large commercially processed food supplies at a much higher rate than smaller organic production.  People are starting to notice the ‘organic’ option is almost at price parity.

Wall Street Journal – […] Wholesale prices of Midwest large eggs hit a record $5.36 a dozen in December, according to the research firm Urner Barry. Retail egg prices have increased more than any other supermarket item so far this year, climbing more than 30% from January to early December compared with the same period a year earlier, and outpacing overall food and beverage prices, according to the data firm Information Resources Inc.

For supermarkets, eggs are a staple product that most consumers pick up on trips to the grocery store, similar to milk and butter. To maintain store traffic, grocers said they have been sacrificing some profits on eggs to keep prices for consumers competitive. Some suppliers are projecting potential relief in price by February or March, but cold weather could hamper production in the near term, executives said.

[…] Grocery prices have continued to increase this year because of what companies have said are higher costs of labor, ingredients and logistics, helping supermarkets generate higher sales and profits. Those factors have propelled egg prices, too. As eggs get more costly, some supermarkets are selling more organic eggs that are sometimes less expensive than conventional varieties, while suppliers say consumer demand has remained steady despite higher prices. (read more)

Additionally, the overall price for a Christmas meal is much higher than it was in 2021.

(Via Fox) […] The holiday dinner grocery basket is estimated to cost an average of $60.29, according to data from Datasembly. That’s 16.4% higher than last year’s basket when comparing the same exact basket of goods. It’s also double the year-over-year increase reported last year at 8.2%, according to the retail data firm.

[…] The 13 products included stuffing mix, corn, green beans, frozen apple pie, whipped topping, butter, cranberry sauce, bone-in spiral-cut ham, egg nog, homestyle biscuits, russet potatoes, white frozen young turkey and homestyle roasted turkey gravy.

According to the data, biscuits had the highest price increase year-over-year, rising 47.7%. Butter and russet potatoes weren’t far behind with prices rising 38% and 32.6%, respectively, the data showed. (read more)

Keep in mind, this week you should be seeing competitive pricing on beef, specifically standing rib roasts.  Retailers will be competing with each other on the staple table items, and this creates an opportunity to buy and freeze beef at a lower price.

2023 will be a year when shopping smart will become increasingly important.  Prices are likely to continue rising; one thing is certain, as long as energy costs keep increasing, food prices will not drop.  Use the season(s) and holiday sales as opportunities to purchase specific items at lower prices; then store, freeze or can at home for use when the price of those same items is much higher.

Eggs at Christmas 2020 $1.79/doz.  -VS-  Eggs October 2022 $7.29/doz.

There will Never Be a Trial for FTX


Armstrong Economics Blog/Rule of Law Re-Posted Dec 22, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

You have to understand the way the government prosecutes its cases. If you look closely, all cases are charged with CONSPIRACY. That means the proof is NOT the crime itself, but only an AGREEMENT to commit a crime. Bankman-Fried’s ex-girlfriend, Caroline Ellison, who was also the CEO of Alameda Research, a privately-controlled hedge fund, and Gary Wang, co-founder of FTX, have both pleaded guilty earlier this week, according to newly unsealed court documents. That means the case is already over.

Caroline Ellison and Gary Wang cut deals so they get less time, or even no time, in return for throwing Bankman-Fried under the bus. They would take the stand and will be prepared by the prosecution and artfully say whatever they are instructed to maintain the government’s 99% conviction rate.

With their pleas in hand, in addition to all the press against Bankman-Fried, there is no way he could ever win a trial. His lawyers will be urging him to take a deal. That will be the end result with no trial and no shot of the truth EVER surfacing. All the money laundering from Democrats funding Zelensky, who then in turn handed cash to FTX who then was the 2nd largest donor to the Democrats for the Midterms, will remain hidden from ever gracing the history books without someone doing a FOIA 25 years from now.

One of the few New York Judges who exposed the corruption in the prosecution, Jed S. Rakoff, wrote: Why Innocent People Plead Guilty. They will threaten someone with 25 years in prison. Plead guilty and say what we need you to say, and you will get 5 years or less.

So, any hope that putting Bankman-Fried on trial is a fool’s dream. The whole money laundering scheme with Zelensky funneling cash back to the Democrats will never see the light of a jury.

The ONLY question will be is he too found dead from suicide? This is the same jail where Epstein supposedly committed suicide. This is the same place they tried to kill me, but I survived after being in a coma for several days. High-profile cases NEVER see the light of day – EVER!