Tag Archives: Lesko Brandon

Apr 27 2022

Antidepressant Prescription Sales Spike


Armstrong Economics Blog/medicine Re-Posted Apr 27, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

A SingleCare Team study revealed the majority of the US population takes some form of a prescription pill. The insurance agency found that the number of people reliant on prescriptions significantly rose after the pandemic. In fact, medications for mental health issues are on the rise. The company reported a 70% increase in prescriptions for the antidepressant Lexapro, a 31% increase in Zoloft, a 21% increase in Trazadone, a 20% increase in Prozac, and a 16% increase in Adderall. The agency noted that the American Psychological Association reported an uptick in individuals self-medicating illegally with opioids as well.

Currently, around 66% of adults in the US are reliant on Big Pharma. Canada is in a similar situation, albeit with lower prescription costs, with 65% of their adult population on prescription medicine. In contrast, only 26% of adults in the UK and 35% of adults in Australia are reliant on medications.

Why are people in the US and Canada more likely to take prescription medication? One could argue the US population is not as healthy as other nations due to obesity and limited walkable cities, but that does not account for the large disparity. One big reason is marketing – but that does not apply in Canada. Only in the US do you see commercials and billboards promising a pill to cure the woes of life. It is not common practice in other countries for people to ask their doctor for a specific medicine.

This all comes down to business and corporate profits. The average American takes FOUR different pills each day. So over 131 million Americans are reliant on at least one medication. Citizens in the US spend more than any nation on prescription drugs, with the average consumer spending $1,229. Canadians spend around $879.

In addition to the billions Big Pharma made on COVID-related drugs and vaccines, they have also profited from COVID restrictions deteriorating the public’s mental health. In mid-June 2020, when many restrictions began to ease, SingleCare reported a 50% increase in antidepressant medication. The same increase was reported during the third week of March when lockdowns began. “Between the concern over job loss, isolation, and general anxiety, this growing trend in antidepressants over the past few months may well be due to the pandemic’s impact on mental health,” Ramzi Yacoub, Pharm.D., the chief pharmacy officer at SingleCare stated. Insurance and pharmaceutical companies believe the need for prescription drugs will only continue. Thanks to COVID, antidepressants are now the most prescribed medication in the US and the second-most prescribed medication in Canada.

Apr 27 2022

Would Putin Use Nukes?


Armstrong Economics Blog/War Re-Posted Apr 27, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Andrei Kozyrev served under Putin’s predecessor Boris Yeltsin in the 1990s. From his former position within the Russian Federation, Kozyrev believes Putin would only use nuclear weapons in “very specific situations.” Namely, if NATO became involved and Russia was backed into a corner from which there was no escape. “If Russia or one of those countries really threatened in their hearts – existentially, that is … if NATO troops come to Moscow, then probably they will resort to nuclear weapons,” Kozyrev told reporters.

Ukraine’s Zelensky has been touting that Russia is close to using chemical and nuclear weapons against Ukraine. “Not only me — all of the world, all of the countries have to be worried because it can be not real information, but it can be truth,” Zelensky said to CNN reporters, strategically in English. Zelensky stated that all nations should be concerned about Russia’s nuclear capabilities, but Putin is not that ignorant. The goal is to secure land that is believed to belong to the Russian people, not to create a nuclear world war. Putin believes he is winning the global battle financially by saying Russian sanctions have led to a “deterioration of the economy in the West.”

Similar to North Korea launching missile exercises to remind the world not to invade, Russia is touting its nuclear capabilities as a scare tactic to prevent the NATO alliance from decimating their country.

Apr 27 2022

Ukraine’s New Deal


Armstrong Economics Blog/Ukraine Re-Posted Apr 26, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

Apr 27 2022

Solid Take from Glenn Greenwald on Elon Musk Motives and Purchase of Twitter


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on April 26, 2022 

Fox News’ Tucker Carlson previewed a discussion with Glenn Greenwald that will appear in full tomorrow on Fox Nation.  In this segment {Direct Rumble Link Here} Greenwald gives his perspective on the motives of Elon Musk purchasing Twitter.

Greenwald does a good job encapsulating the essential support most feel for the Musk effort.  There are many people still uncertain about how this will all roll out, and Musk has been favorable to Big Govt in his two most famous endeavors, Tesla and SpaceX.   Elon Musk’s phase of pushing back against speech and internet control is more recent, and as a result has left many people wondering about it.

As Greenwald notes, there really isn’t a downside for people who are trying to break the totalitarian and monopoly control systems on the internet.  The upside benefits to on-line freedom, debate, discussion and the first real effort to stop internet censorship are well worth supporting.  Greenwald eloquently puts an appropriate context to the battle.  WATCH:

Apr 27 2022

The Media Meltdown Over the Possibility of Free Speech Twitter is Very Revealing, Meanwhile Twitter Employees Fear Loss of Censorship Mechanisms and Leaked Audio of Twitter Executive Reaction


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on April 26, 2022 | Sundance 

Perhaps no media paragraph more perfectly encapsulates the issues around the Twitter debate than this one from New York Times writer Shira Ovide:

…”The 2016 U.S. presidential election and the Brexit vote that same year gave Silicon Valley executives, U.S. elected officials and the public a peek into what can go wrong when social media companies opt not to wade too deeply into what people say on their sites.”… (link)

In essence, that would be the quiet part said out loud and matter-of-factly.  If people are allowed freedom of communication, they end up doing things without our approval.

That paragraph perfectly encapsulates the reason why so many media and leftists are having mental breakdowns.

Elon Musk has the audacity to purchase one, just one, social media platform with the intent to allow Americans the freedom to speak to each other freely, without limit and control.  That is the expressed risk the Democrats, media and leftists in every institution are enraged about.

As Fox News highlighted, “several Twitter employees expressed serious concerns and fear over Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of the company including a prominent worry that Musk would undo censorship mechanisms they had worked to implement over the years.”  It’s all about control.  We are living in a cyber version of Poland circa early 1980’s.

The solidarity movement results in millions of Polish citizens taking to the streets, looking around and suddenly realizing there are more of us than them.  That is what the collective left is now desperate to avoid, and they will do anything to stop people from seeing the scope of the control effort they have deployed in order to carry out their agenda.  Those are the stakes at play.

During yesterday’s phone call between Twitter executives and employees at the company, the leaders within the company talked about the issues at hand.  A leaked copy a short segment of the discussion was made available by Project Veritas today.  WATCH:

.

All of this collective apoplexy and anxiety is a reflection of fear.  The need for control is a reaction to deep internal fear.

Notice they keep using the words “safety”, as if being exposed to alternate perspectives is something that threatens safety.

Elon Musk is correct, “the extreme antibody reaction from those who fear free speech says it all.”

(Source)

I can only imagine what “years of censorship mechanisms” means inside the technology systems created by the Twitter regulators.

This gets more interesting by the day….

Apr 27 2022

Goya CEO Bob Unanu Discusses Food Production, Security and Sustainability from Field to Fork


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on April 26, 2022 | Sundance 

Goya Foods CEO Bob Unanu appeared on Fox Business earlier today in order to give a bigger picture review of the current status of food production. Unanu does a good job outlining how the interconnected systems from field to fork impact consumers.  The Goya CEO appropriately outlines what is happening and what the consequences are from Biden energy policy.  It’s a good interview.

Unanu does not push food alarmism and accurately states the U.S. food production system will ensure that food is available for U.S. consumers to purchase, albeit at higher prices.  The people most at risk from food insecurity are developing countries who rely on exports of food products generated by efficient, productive and exceptional farming operations in North America that feed the world.

For U.S. consumers it is the massive increases in energy and transportation costs that are driving up food prices, putting the issue of food insecurity into the correct context of food affordability.   WATCH:

.

Consumers can offset the price impacts by shopping closer to the field, the origin of the food purchases needed.  Shopping for fresh food products at farmers markets avoids feeling the impact of shipping and transportation costs, and it helps the local economy.  If you are near areas with farm production in the United States consider the financial value of skipping the convenience of the supermarket in favor of shopping closer to the field.

In the field to fork food supply and distribution system, the closer you can get to the field for purchases the less costs you will encounter.  Obviously, for many people this may not be possible.  However, for others it might be time to evaluate the cost of convenience.

Apr 27 2022

REPORT, U.S. Gas Exports are Triple U.S. Gas Production, Low Gas Reserves Now Sends Prices Soaring


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on April 26, 2022 | Sundance

Another item in the long list of ‘thanks Joe Biden‘ stuff.  Shortages in natural gas in windmill chasing Europe have driven up the prices significantly.  The conflict between NATO and their targeted villain in Russia is only making matters worse.

As the EU prices jump to $33/$34 per million British thermal units (BTU’s), the U.S. natural gas selling at $6 per million BTU’s is an absolute bargain.

Liquify that stuff and send it across the pond says any smart energy capitalist.

However, that comes with a problem for us.  Our supplies of natural gas are depleting quickly, our exports are now almost three times more than our production.

LONDON, April 8 (Reuters) – U.S. gas prices have climbed to their highest level in more than a decade as strong demand from overseas has emptied storage and left inventories well below average for the time of year despite a mild winter.

Front-month futures for gas delivered at Henry Hub in Louisiana have risen to $6.40 per million British thermal units, the highest in real terms since 2010. Wholesale prices in the United States are still far below those prevailing in Northeast Asia ($33 per million British thermal units) and Northwest Europe ($34).

[…] U.S. LNG exports rose 13% in the three months from November to January compared with the same period a year earlier, while gas production was up by less than 5%.

[…] Working stocks in underground storage were 316 billion cubic feet (19%) below the pre-pandemic five-year seasonal average for 2015-2019.

Because of strong exports, inventories depleted more than usual despite high prices and winter heating demand that was 8% below the long-term average.

Reflecting the low level of stocks, futures prices have moved into a strong backwardation, with nearby prices rising to reduce consumption and exports and encourage more production. (read more)

But hey, relax….  Biden is only destroying our food, fuel and energy….  I mean, it could be worse right?

Apr 27 2022

60 Tons of Ground Beef Recalled


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on April 26, 2022 | Sundance

Recalls are not uncommon in the modern food industry.  As consumers have shifted toward convenience and increasingly done less food processing in their own kitchens, the opportunity for foodborne illness has expanded.  One familiar example would be using bagged, previously processed, salad mixes instead of doing the raw chopping, cleaning and rinsing at home. [The risk is listeria (pink mold) or E.Coli]

A few days ago, when talking about the uptick in industrial accidents, CTH noted, “another downstream consequence could be an uptick in food recalls as an outcome of increased bacteria within the food processing equipment, because the break-down-time, sanitation and hygiene might be impacted by excessive operational run times. 

There’s a myriad of issues from any industrial operation that goes from ordinary capacity to seriously over-stressed maximum capacity… and then remains in the emergency phase for months.”…

Now today: – “Approximately 120,872 pounds of ground beef products have been recalled due to possible E. coli contamination.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) website, Lakeside Refrigerated Services, of Swedesboro, N.J., announced Monday that it is recalling the beef after the problem was discovered during routine testing of imported products produced from Feb. 1 through April 8. (read more)

E.coli comes from bacteria in feces.  Sometimes during cattle processing the blade can rupture the internal organs and feces can contaminate the meat.  It’s not uncommon.

E.coli bacteria can also be found in row crops.  However that usually comes from inadequate personal hygiene of the field workers (I will not detail, tmi).

Bottom line: clean and sanitize raw food (salads, veg,) before eating, and cook all meat proteins to an internal minimum temperature of 145° to kill any foodborne bacteria before consumption.

Even when/if E.coli bacteria is present in meat (not uncommon), it does not survive cooking temperatures above 145°.

When most people have a bout of foodborne illness, commonly referred to as food poisoning, the focus is usually on the beef, pork or chicken as the culprit.  However, most foodborne illnesses are caused by vegetables, not protein, because they are consumed raw. Spouts and leaf items are common bacteria carriers, but the least understood risk is actually from potatoes.

Potatoes should always be washed if cooked with the peel (ie baked), because the external soiled bacteria can transfer into the center when pierced with a fork as frequently done as people prep/test during cooking.  Bacteria can transfer from the exterior of a potato into the center where a nice warm moist environment exists, perfect for growth.

Just an fyi, handle/cook potatoes as you would handle/cook meat.  [USDA Recall Sheet Here]

Apr 26 2022

Abbott Sends Illegal Migrants to DC


Armstrong Economics Blog/North America Re-Posted Apr 26, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

Governor Greg Abbott of Texas has sent at least 10 buses of migrants to the nation’s capital. Abbott has long criticized President Biden for failing to secure the border. “By busing migrants to Washington, D.C., the Biden Administration will be able to more immediately meet the needs of the people they are allowing to cross our border,” Abbott said. “Texas should not have to bear the burden of the Biden Administration’s failure to secure our border.”

A growing number of Republican lawmakers are urging Abbott to declare an “invasion” of Texas as border security and law enforcement simply cannot manage the inflow of illegal aliens. Texas could declare an invasion by invoking Article IV, Section 4, and Article I, Section 10, of the Constitution. National troops and Department of Public Safety officers would be sent to immediately secure the US border.

Since the Biden Administration is openly allowing migrants to cross the border, declining to provide bordering states with assistance, other heads of state such as Governor Doug Ducey of Arizona and DeSantis of Florida have threatened to declare invasions as well. Both Abbott and Governor DeSantis have threatened to send migrants back to Biden’s home state of Delaware. No one knows how to handle the large influx of undocumented people.

Abbott worries federal prosecutors will hunt down state law enforcement if an invasion is formally declared. Additionally, many already have some form of documentation to enter America. “These are people who already have papers to roam freely into the United States,” Abbott said. “As soon as we drop them off across the border, they would just come right back across the border. And so all we would be doing is creating a revolving door.” Biden’s desperate attempt to gain Democratic votes by allowing illegal immigrants into the country is creating a crisis.

Find a way into America, vote for me, and I will allow you to stay!

Apr 26 2022

Musk v Gates


Armstrong Economics Blog/Humor Re-Posted Apr 26, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

Elon Musk destroyed Bill Gates over the weekend after texts between the two were leaked to the press. This may be the first time someone has put Bill Gates in his place and publicly shamed him for his hypocrisy. Per usual, Gates had his hand out looking to “discuss philanthropy possibilities” with a fellow billionaire. “Cool.” Musk replied. “Do you still have a half billion dollar short position against Tesla?”

Gates said he simply forgot to close his position out, and then mentioned “philanthropy possibilities” again. Musk told him to kick rocks. “Sorry, but I cannot take your philanthropy on climate change seriously when you have a massive, short position against Tesla, the company doing the most to solve climate change.”

Doubling down on his anger toward Gates for a multitude of reasons, Musk began tweeting comedic representations of untouchable Bill. An unapologetic Musk compared an image of the Microsoft founder with the new Apple emoji of a pregnant man. The insult was a subtle nod to the insanity of woke culture that Gates is supporting through funding. From the vaccines to unexplainable meetings with Jeffrey Epstein followed by an immediate divorce, Bill Gates is rapidly losing his good-guy image.