Germany Moves Ahead with Nord Stream II


EU lawyers have sided with Germany and effectively told the European Commission their bid to regulate a new Russia-Germany gas pipeline known as- Nord Stream 2 (NS2) is seriously flawed. The now former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder  is working with the Russians to push this project forward. This clearly demonstrates that Germany has the upper-hand in Brussels.

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Democrats Collapsing with Socialism?


QUESTION: Marty; I just read Time Magazine that said the Democrats are in the worse shape since 1929. I understand you take no personal credit for all of these amazing forecast you provide on so many topics. You have clearly shown that the world is connected and the global trend is identifiable. Can your computer also forecast that you will make a difference when it comes to push v shove?

ND

ANSWER: Political change is driven by economics. That is fundamental. Time Magazine correctly wrote: “On the surface, the Democratic Party has been united … [b]ut dig an inch deeper and it’s clear the party is divided…” I have warned that the seeds of discontent were rising inside the Democratic Party back in February. In September 2016, I warned that: “By 2018, we just may see a completely different party forged out of the collapse of both the Democrats and Republicans we have come to know.” Trump has recast the Republican Party even though the elites are still in denial and fighting back. Trump beat all their candidates. So even the Republican think this is a fluke.

The people now handling Trump, are doing their best to steer him clear of the Deep State to protect the inner-workings. Trump is finding it very difficult to Drain the Swamp because the Press is defending the Swamp to their last gasp of air like CNN, New York Times, and the Washington Post. CNN fell below all the other news programs because of their extreme bias.

 

The numbers are the numbers. The computer has no personal bias. If we simply step back and look at this chart objectively, it is not hard to see why the computer has been forecasting the demise of the Democratic Party which has maintained the mantra that business is evil as are the rich.

That view dominated the union movements of the 20th century and they succeeded in driving quality down and their jobs to leave by boat, train, and plane. New York use to be the biggest port in the United States. Today only a few Cruise lines sail from NYC at Pier 88/90/92 by 55th street. Here is a postcard from 1909 showing all the activity. The unions drove the shipping industry out of New York with this anti-business attitude inspired by the Democrats and Karl Marx.

Socialism is dying and taking the Democratic Party with it. Time Magazine quotes Democrat Tim Ryan is an 8 term Congressman who was even considered as a potential VP with Hillary. He is frustrated with his own party and finds the message with “its fixation on divisive issues and its ‘demonization’ of business owners” is not a message people want to hear any more.

The Democrats are living in the past and their message is not embracing anyone except those Democrats who cannot think for themselves and simply vote because they are Democrat.

This is BY NO MEANS my personal opinion. This is simply based upon the trend in motion. The left is losing around the globe for it has been a hateful agenda that always blames the rich, yet constantly reduces the standard of living for everyone the same a s Communism did while making politicians rich and the elite. This is how empires, nations, and city states collapse into the dust of history.

The Democrats with their hardcore supporters, are simply in a state of denial. The Republican elite are likewise in a state of denial and think Trump was just as passing fad. Both sides will learn the hard way – this is about them. It is time for political change.

I am not sure of the outcome for myself. I can say that the demand for access to our systems is growing unbelievably. Hopefully, if someone will just look at the global trend in motion and realize we need a change, then my job is finished.

Why would anyone buy European bank stocks?


The European banking crisis is still brewing. The biggest problem rises from the rules that if a bank is in trouble, they just seize the bank and sell it for €1 and all the shareholders lose everything. This is having serious impact upon the European Banking System as a whole as I previously warned. The Italian bank Carige has had difficulty in trying to raise capital to meet requirements. If any bank cannot raise enough capital to meet the requirements, the European supervisory authorities can seize the bank in accordance with the new rules.

Once again, the government solution is to make up rules that totally disregard the private reality. Why would anyone buy bank stocks in Europe today if the government can seize everything and shareholders get zero? Spain’s Banco Santander bought rival Banco Popular for €1. This is Brussels’s new system to rescue failing banks without burdening taxpayers or stressing markets. This was cheered around the world because the shareholders lost absolutely everything. The bank which was valued in the collapse at €1.6 billion was bought for €1.

Hello! Why would anyone buy European bank stocks? I cannot recommend buying any in Europe. It’s just too risky. An Industrial corporation goes into bankruptcy and its assets are sold. The shareholders get something back. Banks are becoming more like government bonds. The normal rules just do not apply.

Why is Congress at 31% & Trump at 41% Approval in the Polls?


A root cause for Congressional ineffectiveness will be found in the simple fact that the exercise of good governmental judgment cannot possibly compete with re-election pressures. This is why term limits are ABSOLUTELY  MANDATORY if we ever hope to have a reasonable government. There is a substantial conflict between good government and corrupt ineffective government. Congress has merely been transformed into a school how to be corrupt and get away with it.

Congress has only at best a 31% approval rating against Trump at 41%. Democrats in Congress are at 29% with Republicans at 36%. Nancy Pelosi is at 35% and Chuck Summer is at 23%. Yet CNN and the New York Times bash Trump as being so unpopular while they ignore Congress’ approval rating.

What is amazing is that people criticized Trump for lacking experience in government. Yet, politicians lack any skill set whatsoever to understand the real world. There is no advantage to the nation from lengthy political office holding for there is no empirical evidence that it has increased the knowledge or skill to run the nation. Unfortunately, the only skill or increased knowledge is confined to re-election techniques and how to raise money. This is always counter-trend to the public interest of running the nation. So much governmental expenditure is pressured by the re-election fervor that the real Federal deficit cannot be closed and the Federal debt will continue to skyrocket without end. These debt ceiling increases are a joke because they all just want to spend money so they get re-elected. That is using public funds for personal gain at the expense of our future.

From 1789 to 1855, members of Congress received only a per diem (daily payment) of $6.00 while in session, except for a period from December 1815 to March 1817, when they received $1,500 a year. Members began receiving an annual salary in 1855, when they were paid $3,000 per year.

1780s–1820s was the formative era when the good of the nation tended to be at least on the agenda when they earned just $6 per day when they showed up. The 1830s–1900s was known as the partisan era. This was followed by the 1910s–1960s known as the committee era which was a system of seniority that handed long-time Members of Congress more and more power and encouraged politicians of both parties to serve for long terms which has continued into the present time. This was augmented by the 1970s–present, known as the contemporary era, which is all about spending money to create socialism and buying the votes of groups to maintain the lifetime jobs in Congress.

All of this should be changed to one-term and out. Then we can get back to the formative age where the good of country returns to the top of the list of important consideration.

The Epidemic of Fake Analysis


COMMENT: Mr. Armstrong; I want to thank you for your work on Europe. We hear nothing from European analysts but up-up-and away and it makes one wonder if that is not fake analysis just like the news. Nobody seems to be talking about how retail sales are declining in Europe and even my mother, who is 90, said it is because they tax us too much.

Keep up the analysis. We need someone to tell the truth who is not told what to report here in Europe.

PF

REPLY: Yes, that has always been the NUMBER ONE problem in analysis. A famous bank has analysts but they cannot speak truthfully for the ECB will pick up the phone and they are silenced or fired. BTW, your mother is spot on. They keep raising taxes and hunting money and then wonder why there is deflation. Ah! The illogical thoughts of those in power.

The retailers in the Eurozone had posted the second monthly decline in sales falling 5% in August. This was the sharpest drop in one month since October 2015 when the ECM turned. It does not speak well as we head into 2020. The official news reported was that European Economists came out and forecast in response that sales will increase of 3% next year.

During the holiday season in August, which is traditionally the best month of gasoline sales, reported a stunning fuel sales decline by 9%. This is reflecting the growing concern about terrorism as people are showing a distinct decline in travel.

Our problem is that we have career politicians. This infects everything. They are only concerned about their reelection so they manipulate the analysis to deny that there are problems. All we hear is constant complaints about the quality of analysis. The shocking trend is now central banks want to just subscribe to Socrates because even they are fed up with what you call “fake analysis” that is getting really bad.

Was Paddock an Anti-Trump Motivated Shooter?


A number of emails have come in about Paddock. There are pictures floating around of someone who looks like Paddock at anti-Trump rallies. This is by far not confirmed and is highly speculative. Nevertheless, the timing cyclically when someone would be triggered to act in this manner would be about January 12th. Targeting the Country Western rather than Pop music festival may also be a speculative indication that he was for some reason an anti-Trump advocate if one assumes the Country Music crowd voted for Trump rather than the Pop Music crowd. None of this is confirmed, but it is also doubtful anyone would provide such confirmation for it would be a political time-bomb.

From an analytical perspective, should these aspects be remotely correct, they would cyclically support the time frame. We would not see the media admit that that was his motive and the government might also try to suppress such a motive. We will have to see. Tying this to politics may be too radioactive. Nevertheless, such cyclical timing in these type of events you look back 8.6 months.

The assassination of President McKinley took place on September 6th, 1901, which was also about 8.6 months after the Presidential election in November 1900.

My Opinion on Stephen Paddock


I’m a former Green Beret from back in the day, pre-Tet Vietnam, where I was WIA in combat at a Special Forces camp on the Cambodian border in late 1967, so I was trained by the US military on the use of many different weapons, explosives, tactics and guerilla politics; therefore my opinion on the Stephen Paddock massacre in Las Vegas is more than idle speculation. When searching for motivation one must always consider Occam’s razor; meaning the simplest solution or answer is almost always right. To begin any analysis one must start with the facts. So what are the known facts found on the broadcast news media and searches on the web?

On September 30 in Las Vegas 58 concert attendees were killed by gun fire and another 527 were injured. The gunfire was rapid and appeared to come from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay resort and casino. Police breached the room and found Stephen Paddock dead. Cell phone videos taken by concert attendees clearly indicated rapid fire interrupted by short periods of silence (changing magazines) and there were clearly two windows broken out on the upper floors of Mandalay Bay. The weapon reports, I heard, were not from a military full automatic rifle and were either from a well trained shooter or from the use of a bump stock add-on to a regular civilian semi automatic rile that allowed rapid fire similar to that of a military rifle.

The news reported the following.

The suite Paddock had rented had two rooms and both rooms had windows knocked out and shooting platforms established.

There were 23 weapons found in the room including semi-automatic rifles and handguns as well as thousands of rounds of ammunition and related items such as scopes and firing positions and 12 bump stocks, a simple device that allows a semi-automatic rifle to fire at a slightly faster rate of fire then individual trigger pulls but not as fast as a military automatic rile or a machine gun. There were IP cameras set up outside and in inside the room; we are told they were not set to record.

Shortly after the shooting ISIS claim Paddock had converted to ISLAM several month ago and was one of them; and news reporters indicated that ISIS claims of this kind were credible although not 100% accurate.

Additional searches of his car and homes found more weapons, ammunition and explosives. Places were Paddock purchases some of his weapons told investigators that there was nothing unusual about Paddock and apparently all of what he purchased was done legally.

Other information indicated that Paddock traveled to multiple cities and stayed in hotels where concerts were held. That he had a girl friend originally from the Philippians and that he and his girl friend had visited Las Vegas regularly averaging a couple of times a month over the past several years.  That he and his girl friend had traveled to the Philippians and that he sent his girl friend to the Philippians prior to the shooting and he transferred to her at least $100,000 to buy a home.

However we were also told that:

Paddock was a 64 year old retired accountant.

Paddock was a multi millionaire apparently from property speculation and gambling.

Paddock owned multiple properties and owned an airplane.

Paddock had no known strong opinions either religious or political.

Paddock had no known weapons or explosives training.

A few days after the shooting we were told that there was nothing found at any of Paddock’s residences that indicated he was researching weapons or explosives. We were also told there was nothing in his medical records that indicated a severe mental problem. Professional profilers told us that he fit no known existing profile of any other mass shooting perpetrated.

On Fox News Sunday with Cris Wallace in an interview with Stephen Wynn, who resides and owns several hotel/casinos in Las Vegas,  indicated the following. In 2015 he had professionals review his properties security procedures and major changes were made to minimize the chances of what happened and the Mandalay Bay  resort. Steve told Chris that his employees never saw anything from Paddock or his girl friend that gave any concerns to them of any kind. Steve did make one comment that neither Paddock or his girl friend ever had a drink at his properties and that Paddock was mid level gambler and never owed the casinos any money and that he always paid his bills. Wynn also started the Paddock was a very logical and methodical man that gave no sign of mental illness.

There is only one scenario that fits the principle of Occam’s Razor.

Additional facts:

The Philippians has areas controlled by groups such as ISIS and ISLAM has a major presence in the Philippians. Paddocks girl friend is from the Philippians.

According to Wynn, Paddock and his girl friend never drank; Muslim’s are not permitted to drink alcohol.

In my opinion there is no way Paddock taught himself everything that he knew that permitted him to pull of this shooting without leaving a trace. So he had to have help.

Within Islam, in particular to recent converts, it is taught that all good Muslim (men) do their best to be like Mohammad their founder. Mohammad practiced violent jihad and was a War Lord  that conquered most of Arabia before he died. Therefore an act like this would guarantee him Islamic heaven.

Therefore:

The only reason for Paddock to do what he did is that his Girl friend converted him to Islam and that they trained him in what he needed to know in the Philippians over the past several years. He did not stay in a Wynn property since he know their security would have caught him.  If he was a Muslim he would have believed that doing this would take him to heaven and he was 64 years old so what happens after death would be and issue.

So since the ISIS claim is credible and the rest of the facts support them I believe that his conversion to Islam gives us the motivation to do what he did and this theory is in compliance with the principles in Occam’s Razor.

The deep state does not what this to be known as they would prefer that guns in the US could be eliminated or at minimum tightly controled so they have minimized the link to ISIS to promote their confiscation of all guns. This is also supported by actions of the Obama administration and all progressives. The progressives to what to find a way to get rid of the Bill-of-Rights as it does make it harder for them to change our form of government. Which they are doing with the Black Lives Matter BLM narrative and the more recent knelling at sports games when the flag and national anthem are played.

The deep state may not have participated in what Paddock did but they certainly could have tried to take advantage of the shooting.

 

 

 

Why Do Some Hate Intelligence?


COMMENT: “La bave du crapeaud n’atteint pas la blanche colombe.” (slime toad does not reach the white dove)
“Ce qui dérange les gens, c’est l’intelligence, les insectes attaquent seulement les lampes qui brillent.” (what bothers people is intelligence, insects attack only the shinning lamps.)
Thank you for all your enlightenment.
MF

REPLY: Yes they killed Socrates for being intelligent. There are too many who prefer to blame other for their shortcomings. The Romans called it the goddess Fortuna who could change your fate on a whim. Today, they con-cock conspiracy theories to pretend they are really right, but there is some evil force that has prevented them from proving they are correct.

They hate intelligence the same as they hate others who have more material wealth than they do. This is the typical emotion politicians tap into for class warfare. We go to school to learn. When you attack intelligence, it is typically the sign that they are incapable to learning and prefer to blame everyone else for their own failures

Paddock & Las Vegas Massacre


A lot of people have been writing in asking if I have any comment as to motive concerning the Stephen Paddock who massacred people on a wholesale basis in Las Vegas. Typically, there is some sort of event that triggers someone to act in this manner. He bought his girlfriend a ticket and sent her home, then wired her a $100,000 to buy a house there. She later told police she took it as a sign he was breaking up with her.

The latest is that Paddock had also researched possible attack locations in Boston and Chicago. He was possibly targeting the most recent Lollapalooza festival in Chicago, which was held Aug. 3 to Aug. 6 in Grant Park. The music there is more pop such as Lorde, whose music is not country.

Jason Aldean, who was on stage at the time of the shooting, is an American country music singer since 2005.

 

So the type of people that attend country concerts are generally a different crowd than those who attend pop concerts. So on the surface it does appear he was targeting a specific type of music goers.

Paddock bought 33 guns in the past year. I would look to see what took place in his life around January 12th. That might provide some answer.

Some People Really Hate Me – There Must Be Always an Opposite


COMMENT: You know some people hate you for your comments and views.

REPLY: I am fully aware of that. Life is a journey which is a question to understand why we are even here. What is this thing we call life? What makes the word tick?

Experience is the great teacher in life. It is what shapes us into who we are. I have worked around the world, lived in London, my favorite city, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Sydney. I have probably spent one-third of my life in Europe. I love the diversity and the culture in Europe. It pains me to see the EU function as it does and try to eradicate those differences.

My teacher has been the computer. That is what I hope to leave behind. Take it or leave it. I fully understand it is usually kill the messenger when you do not like the message. I cannot change the world and I am the fool if I try.

To make a cycle function, there must be two opposites. Nobody can be everything to everybody. Of course some people will hate my guts. Some were sad I was not in Vegas one email said from Madrid. That is life. I would certainly prefer to go out that way than slowly in diapers.