Tag Archives: U. S. Civil Unrest

Aug 4 2022

BMW Warns Investors of Lower Production Forecast, Incoming Factory Orders Declining


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on August 3, 2022 | sundance 

Whenever we are discussing the intentionally managed decline of the western countries, it is important to remember the closely connected relationship between multinational corporations and the political leaders of those nations.  Specifically, their public-private connections as they run through the World Economic Forum assembly.

An intentionally managed decline of western economic activity should have a direct impact on the private corporations within those economies.  If the politicians are collectively going to stop energy development, raise energy prices (inflation), then use monetary policy to shrink the economy down to the level of energy available, we would normally think corporations were going to make less money.

That preceding paragraph is not controversial.  It simply explains exactly what is happening; that is the situation.  However, for some weird reason the system that evaluates corporate wealth is not responding negatively to the reality of the situation.

Traditionally, we would think destroying the economy would be against the interests of the multinational corporations who benefit from economic expansion.  However, in the era of subsidized and controlled economic management, I’m not so sure the corporations are stakeholders in economic growth.  Something is profoundly disconnected, or else the corporations would be raising hell with the politicians.

BERLIN, Aug 3 (Reuters) – BMW (BMWG.DE) lowered its output forecast and warned of a highly volatile second half on Wednesday, pinpointing supplies of energy in Europe and chips worldwide as the two crucial factors to the carmaker hitting full-year earnings targets.

New incoming orders were beginning to fall but order books remained filled for the next few months, chief executive Oliver Zipse said. (read more)

All of the basic indicators point in one direction.

Energy prices are squeezing consumers and paychecks. Energy driven inflation is high.  Rising housing costs, food costs, gasoline costs and energy costs have hit the consumer hard.  Credit card balances have jumped.  Consumer sales on non-essential items have dropped.  Factory activity around the world (Asia and Eurozone) is slowing or has stopped.  Durable goods inventories have climbed everywhere, without customers to purchase them.  All of these facets are happening exactly as we would expect.

However, the value of the companies negatively impacted by everything above, is not dropping at the same rate of the financial impact each company is incurring.  It’s as if the entire financial system is pretending that things are not as bad as they are.  This announcement from BMW is a good example of that.

Consider another example.  According to the employment data, and even accepting the data is skewed, somewhere around 3.9 million jobs restarted or were created in the first six months of this year.  Yet, despite that job growth the GDP declined -1.6% in the first quarter and -0.9% in the second.

How does an economy add almost 4 million jobs while simultaneously shrinking?

Either people are (1) less productive, or (2) working less hours, or (3) holding multiple jobs…. or a combination of the three.

Trying to filter through the economic noise to see beyond the horizon is becoming more difficult.

So, let’s bring this conversation down to Main Street.  What do you see around you?  What’s going on economically in your community?

Do you see lots of people in stores and shopping malls?

Do you see a lot of new purchases being made?

How are your family, friends and the people in your community being affected by this economy?

Aug 4 2022

Western Nation Economic Recession, Maersk Shipping Group Forecasts Weak Shipping Demand as Warehouses Fill with Unsold Durable Goods


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on August 3, 2022 | sundance 

A few months ago, amid all of the headline warnings about inflation and prices of essential products, CTH noted that if we were to continue waiting about six months, we would see a massive backlog of unsold goods and as a consequence the prices of non-essential durable goods would begin a rapid decline.  That exact scenario is about to unfold.

Keep in mind, this is not necessarily a collapse of total global economic activity; what we are seeing is a collapse of western nation economic activity that is impacting the rest of the world.  A great economic fracturing is taking place as the western nations intentionally shrink their economy.  The supplier nations are feeling the consequences.

Maersk is the international shipping company that delivers millions of containers of goods all around the world, mostly by ship.  They are warning that warehouses are full of previously delivered goods, unsold consumer durable goods, as retail sales have come to a standstill.

The amount of inventory in warehousing is so extreme, major wholesale and retail groups have run out of storage space (link).

COPENHAGEN, Aug 3 (Reuters) – Shipping group Maersk (MAERSKb.CO) expects global container demand to fall this year as sales of durable goods come to a “standstill”, leaving flat-screen TVs and furniture piling up in warehouses, the company said on Wednesday.

A surge in consumer demand and pandemic-related logjams holding up containers in key ports had boosted freight rates and profits in the shipping industry in recent quarters, yet the cost-of-living crisis has reversed that trend.

[…] “Sales of durable consumer goods have come to a standstill,” Chief Executive Soren Skou told journalists at the company’s headquarter in Copenhagen. “Consumers have bought what they need for now of new sofas, kitchens, flat screens and garden furniture.”

In the United States, the country’s largest warehouse market is already full as major U.S. retailers warn of slowing sales of the clothing, electronics, furniture and other goods.

Mearsk said the number of containers it had loaded on to ships fell by 7.4% in the second quarter compared with a year earlier. (read more)

Keep in mind, South Korean factory output is now negative (electronics etc). European factory output is now negative (industrial equipment).  Japanese factory output has dropped dramatically, and U.S. factory output has stalled.   All of these issues overlay the statements by Maersk that shipping is not needed.

The western economies are contracting in response to the collective energy policies of the Build Back Better climate change agenda, and the high cost of energy that comes from stopping energy production.

Energy production in western nations has been slowed or stopped (Build Back Better).  Western nation inflation is being driven by higher energy costs as a result of less energy products being produced, oil, coal, gas.  Western banking groups have raised interest rates to slow down the economic engines to meet the drop in energy production.

All of this is being done with intent, purpose and control.  This is a managed decline.

Aug 3 2022

Celebrities Normalizing Bug Consumption


Armstrong Economics Blog/Disease Re-Posted Aug 3, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

In my interview with Maria Zeee, you may have heard us mention the propaganda efforts to make eating bugs seem normal. In 2018, actress Nicole Kidman made a video for Vanity Fair in which she eats “micro livestock” from a fancy silver platter. This is an insult to the people of food-deprived nations who are forced to eat bugs to survive. Notice how she uses chopsticks, a nod to some Asian cultures where this practice is not seen as abnormal. Numerous celebrities have stated that they incorporate bugs into their diets.

Canada has already begun to build an “alternative protein manufacturing facility” where they will farm crickets for human consumption. This is completely in line with Schwab’s agenda to reduce emissions (blame the livestock and not the factories) and control the world population. There is a reason that they are making farming increasing difficult across first-world nations.

In fact, the WEF released an article in 2021 entitled “Why we need to give insects the role they deserve in our food systems.” The article cites the growing population, a constant concern among the globalists, and claims that there will not be enough farmland to cultivate food for the estimated 9.7 billion people who will be stuck on this planet by 2050. The article continues:

“Now we need to overcome the last major barriers: preconceived ideas about insects as a source of food and legislation with regard to the use and consumption of proteins derived from insects. The ban on the use of insect as a source of protein has begun to evolve in Europe. In 2017, the authorization of the use of insect proteins was expanded from feed for pet food to include feed for aquaculture animals. This year the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reported that mealworms are safe for human consumption and a decision is expected to be made regarding the use of insects in pork and poultry feed.”

The European Union did in fact approve the use of some insect consumption in 2021. Even Forbes published an article praising the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for passing the measure. All proponents cite the same benefits that all come down to “sustainability” and saving the environment. Enjoy the mealworms and crickets. I cannot see this as a normal menu item and refuse to consume bugs for some madman’s agenda of ruling the world.

Aug 3 2022

Klaus Schwab – How to Rule the World – Maybe!


Armstrong Economics Blog/Civil Unrest Re-Posted Aug 3, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

Klaus Schwab does not understand human nature or how the world economy functions. He preaches Stakeholder Economics which failed and was instituted during the Depression BECAUSE there were no government programs. The theory then was that companies should contribute to saving society. It failed because there was no coordination, for every company was independent, and they would contribute to what they saw or had a bias toward.  His “Stakeholder Economics” is not his own idea. He took it from Berle and Means.

Milton Friedman, back in 1970, exposed how Stakeholder Economics was inefficient and stupid. He laid out that such a role was that of government, not corporations, whose #1 fiduciary obligation was to its shareholder. Under Schwab, I could say, “OK I will go public; everyone sends in money. I will give you shares in return and then say — OMG, there are people starving in Africa!” So, I decide to give 50% of all the profits to them and not my investors. This is Stakeholder Economics.

The history of the Volkswagen brand began with the “Käfer”; development work on this Nazi prestige project began in 1934. On May 28, 1937, it was formally established. The name was changed to “Volkswagenwerk GmbH” in 1938. With the outbreak of war, it became the arms industry. But it was produced under the direction of Hitler was called the Volkswagen (“people’s car”). This is the Stakeholder Economics of Schwab today. I can tell you that, personally, Schwab is a control freak. He runs the WEF with an Iron Fist. Errors are not tolerated.

Schwab is actually advocating fascism where he wants to control the future by controlling the production of all corporations. His dream of world domination is much deeper than simply communism, where his hero remains Lenin.

Lenin nationalized all manufacturing and industry throughout Soviet Russia. This is what Schwab is advocating to get them to “voluntarily” surrender their fiduciary duty to his one-world government to end the potential war as was structured in the EU. Schwab pushed for that and his bedfellows, George Soros, poured money into Britain to try to storm BREXIT.

The one-world government of the Roman Empire did not prevent civil war and uprisings. Julius Caesar said men believe what they want to believe. That certainly applies to Schwab and Soros. They only look at what they want to hear from the dead economic theories.

Lenin failed to understand human nature. He requisitioned surplus grain from peasant farmers to feed his Red Army in addition to nationalizing all manufacturing. These measures proved disastrous. Under the new state-owned economy, both industrial and agricultural output completely plummeted. The very people who understood how to run their companies or when to plant crops were capitalists who were typically killed or imprisoned. This policy led to an estimated five million Russians who died of famine in 1921 alone. The living standards across Russia plunged into abject poverty. This is the hero worshiped by Schwab!

There began a massive uprising, as we see in Sir Lanka. The civil unrest threatened the very existence of Lenin’s Soviet government. Lenin used the secret police (Cheka) to silence all political opposition. This was a rein of terror targeting both his opponents and challengers within his own political party. Schwab sees this as a necessary tool, and thus this is why he wants total digital ID to restrict movement using pandemics that will most likely be created for control. What they did with COVID may not have established a precedent. It may have hurt so many people that the attempt to initiate a repeat performance itself is more likely to erupt in civil unrest next year on a major scale.

Indeed, there was an attempted assassination on Lenin by Fanya Kaplan, who shot him in the shoulder and neck as he was leaving a Moscow factory in August 1918. Lenin was badly injured. This unleashed the Red Terror carried out by his secret police. They unleashed a campaign of mass executions against supporters of anyone who supported the czar. Russia’s upper classes and any Socialists who weren’t loyal to Lenin’s Communist Party found themselves on the target list.

Augustus (27 BC-14 AD) established the Praetorian Guard to protect the emperor. When Caligula was assassinated on January 24, 41 AD, the Praetorian Guard made Claudius Emperor, who had always been a Republican and played the role of the fool. He did not want to take the throne. He was advised by his Jewish friend Herod Agrippa to take it or he would be killed, for there were those in the Senate who would love to be emperor. So here you see a gold aureus of Claudius with the reverse showing the Praetorian camp. For you see, without an emperor, they were unemployed. They made Claudius emperor, and neither he nor the Senate had any choice.

Consequently, once Lenin created his Secret Police (Cheka), they were not about to let Russia slip back into a monarchy or a democracy, for that would have ended their power, as was the case with the Praetorian Guard upon the assassination of Caligula. The Cheka (Secret Police) is believed to have executed at least 100,000 so-called “class enemies” during the Red Terror between September and October 1918 following the assassination attempt of Lenin.

As a result, Lenin was forced to back down from his authoritarian government, instituting his New Economic Policy, which was a temporary retreat from complete nationalization. The New Economic Policy created a more market-oriented economic system, “a free market and capitalism, both subject to state control.” Lenin’s Red Army eventually won Russia’s civil war, and then in 1922, he formed the USSR with a treaty between Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and the Transcaucasus (now Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan). Lenin thus became the first head of the USSR.

Between 1922 and his death in 1924, Lenin suffered a series of strokes that impacted his ability to speak, and it had been his charismatic delivery of speeches that gave him power, as was the case for Adolf Hitler. Both spoke with a passion that moved the crowds. This opened the door for Joseph Stalin, who was the Communist Party’s new General Secretary, and he quickly began to consolidate his power. Lenin resented Stalin’s growing political power and saw his ascendency as a threat to the USSR. Lenin’s Treaty for the USSR was one built upon mutual respect, whereas Stalin saw it all as one nation with all power at his fingertips.

Lenin died on January 21, 1924, at the age of 53. Knowledge of his death came after Stalin had already come to power. It was Stalin who stole all the food from Ukraine, killing some seven million, and he unleashed the Great Purge of 1936-38. He strengthened the Cheka (Secret Police) to firmly retain power in the same fashion that the Roman Praetorian Guard supported the emperor to retain their jobs.

Beware, this is the same power being crafted by Klaus Schwab. The digital ID for everyone and to create a “social” index of people is the exact way to instill control as well as fear.

Aug 3 2022

FBI Training Materials Designate Gadsden Flag and Historic American Symbols as Evidence of Militia Violent Extremists


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on August 2, 2022

Project Veritas has obtained whistleblower materials from official FBI training and instruction, highlighting images that are defined as evidence of Militia Violent Extremists or MVE’s.  Among the material now identified by the FBI as extreme are pictures of the Gadsden flag, Betsy Ross flag, Patriot symbols, Molon Labe and a host of other historic images that are now defined as evidence of Militia Violent Extremism.

[WASHINGTON, D.C. – Aug. 2, 2022] Project Veritas released a newly leaked document today provided by an FBI whistleblower, which shows how the Bureau classifies American citizens it deems to be potential “Militia Violent Extremists” [MVEs].

In the document, the FBI cites symbols, images, phrases, events, and individuals that agents should look out for when identifying alleged domestic terrorists.

The “Unclassified/Law Enforcement Sensitive” document says it is for “FBI Internal Use Only.”

Of note, under the “Symbols” section, is a prominent citation of the Second Amendment, where it explains that “MVEs justify their existence with the Second Amendment, due to the mention of a ‘well regulated Militia,’ as well as the right to bear arms.”

Right below that, under the “Commonly Referenced Historical Imagery and Quotes” section, Revolutionary War images such as the Gadsden Flag and the Betsy Ross Flag are listed. Each flag displayed in the document comes with a brief description of what it means.

Under the “Common Phrases and References” section of the leaked document, Ashli Babbitt is cited as a person that MVEs consider to be a Martyr.

The same document also refers to Ruby Ridge, Waco, and even Timothy McVeigh, tying in traditional American ideas and symbols with radical and/or violent events in the past. (see and read more)

FBI Director Chris Wray is scheduled to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday [SEE HERE], perhaps someone will ask him about this.

It would appear, if we are to accept the narrative from the FBI, patriotic Americans are all dissidents now.

Aug 3 2022

Foreboding Data, Second Quarter Credit Card Balances Jump 13 Percent, Largest Increase in Twenty Years


It’s not just the scale of the increase that is surprising; it’s the history of how long it has been since this scale of debt increase happened in a single quarter.

(CNBC) – […] Although average hourly earnings are up 5.1% from a year ago, prices have been rising much faster. The Consumer Price Index, which measures the average change in prices for consumer goods and services, jumped a higher-than-expected 9.1% in June, the fastest pace in over four decades.

To bridge the gap, more consumers are relying on credit cards to get by, which has helped propel total credit card debt to $890 billion.

Overall, credit card balances rose 13% in the second quarter of 2022, notching the largest year-over-year increase in more than 20 years, according to a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. (read more)

This doesn’t sound like a good economic omen.

Posted originally on the conservative tree house on August 2, 2022 | sundance

Aug 3 2022

Job Openings in June Decreased 605,000, Retail Sector Dropped 343,000


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on August 2, 2022

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) produces a monthly report of available job openings.  The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary (JOLTS report) shows the number of available jobs at a captured moment in time.  This JOLTS report [DATA HERE] is a summary of the last day in June.

As you can see within modified Table-1, the number of available jobs dropped by 605,000 in this report.

Hires and separations were little changed, so too was the number of people who quit their jobs.  The big change in this JOLTS survey was the removal of available jobs.  Employers cancelling job openings.

BLS – “On the last business day of June, the number and rate of job openings decreased to 10.7 million (-605,000) and 6.6 percent, respectively. The largest decreases in job openings were in retail trade (-343,000), wholesale trade (-82,000), and in state and local government education (-62,000).”

If we monitor the JOLTS report as an indicator of employment strength reflecting the general pattern of consumers, we can see a pullback in both the goods and service sector.

Retail job openings dropping 343,000 as consumer spending tightens even more due to inflation, and now we see the service side with leisure and hospitality dropping 91,000 openings.

Aug 3 2022

Nancy Pelosi Lands in Taiwan After Kirby Reaffirms “we do not support Taiwan independence”


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on August 2, 2022 | sundance 

There was a lot of back-and-forth hostility between the government of China and the administration of Joe Biden in advance of Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan.  Some Chinese state media even suggested a possibility that Pelosi’s plane could be shot down.  However, none of the threats materialized.

Yesterday it was obvious the White House was attempting to diffuse the aggressive grievances of Beijing when spokesperson John Kirby, technically the NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications, made a specific statement:

“The world has seen the United States government be very clear that nothing has changed — nothing has changed — about our One China policy, which is of course guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Joint U.S.-PRC Communiqués, and the Six Assurances.  We have said — and we have repeatedly said — that we oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side.  We have said that we do not support Taiwan independence.  And we have said that we expect cross-Strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means.”

Those six words, “we do not support Taiwan independence,” was a very deliberate and public assurance to China.  Essentially, the United States will not do anything to support the independence of Taiwan, do whatever you want.  Joe Biden took a knee to Chairman Xi.  As a result, Beijing dropped back their tone to traditional rhetoric saying in a statement Tuesday morning, the visit “seriously infringes upon China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Arriving late last night, Speaker Pelosi released the following statement: “Our visit is one of several Congressional delegations to Taiwan – and it in no way contradicts longstanding United States policy, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, U.S.-China Joint Communiques and the Six Assurances.  The United States continues to oppose unilateral efforts to change the status quo.”

The Biden administration then sought to overwhelm the media coverage of the Pelosi controversy by promoting the killing of al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al Zawahiri.

…And that’s the way that went.

Aug 2 2022

US National Debt to Surpass 185% of GDP


Armstrong Economics Blog/Sovereign Debt Crisis Re-Posted Aug 2, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

The Congressional Budget Office warned that US federal debt is expected to rise 185% within the next 30 years. Total debt holdings could double the size of US GDP by 2051. No politician or spender of this debt cares as they have no intention of paying it off. The Congressional Budget Office is calling this an optimistic forecast, given the previous estimate of debt soaring to 202% of GDP by 2051. The fact of the matter is that no one can foresee how much money politicians will continue to spend. Servicing the debt will become more expensive over time, expected to reach 10% of GDP by 2051, 7.4% in 2042, and 5.1% in 2032.

Most do not realize that the national debt is already at monumental levels. US gross federal debt to GDP reached 100% by 2012. The ratio remained somewhat stagnant until capitalism became sick with COVID in 2020, and the GDP to debt ratio rose to 128.1%. The figure stood at 137.2% by December of 2021 and has continued to increase.

China no longer wants US debt and has begun to sell off its holdings. As other currencies decline relative to the dollar, US debt, and all government debt in general, no longer seems like a smart investment. We have reached a point where Congress can continue to pass bills and bribe voters with socialistic promises from their latest puppets because no one cares about the future of America. The US will be the last to fold but expect the inevitable as countries, city-states, and governments are all temporary in the eyes of father time.

Aug 2 2022

Global Recession Spreads, European Factory Activity Contracts in July, Japanese Factory Activity Also Drops


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on August 1, 2022 | Sundance 

In addition to the contraction in South Korean manufacturing announced last night, European manufacturing and factory activity is also contracting with less output, higher buildup of inventory and fewer orders for finished goods.  The global recession is being measured fast and furious.

Every economic outcome is connected to a purposeful decision by the leaders of western industrialized nations to follow the Build Back Better climate change agenda.  Higher energy costs, an outcome of the collective policy to stop new production of coal, oil and gas, which has transferred into higher food prices, farm prices, gasoline prices, heating and cooling prices as well as electricity rates, is forcing consumers to stop purchasing non-essential products.

The sale of durable goods collapsed in the first half of this year; however, no policymakers or bankers wanted to admit it and they kept saying there was an excess of demand.  Now, with fewer customers for durable goods in the market, global manufacturing and factory outputs are dropping fast.  Eventually the central planners are going to have to admit their pretended demand does not exist.

While there is a natural lag in the activity, the rate of factory contraction will be proportionate to rate of the drop in demand.  Meaning we have only just begun to see the manufacturing decline that lags a few months behind consumer activity.

LONDON, Aug 1 (Reuters) – Manufacturing activity across the euro zone contracted last month with factories forced to stockpile unsold goods due to weak demand, a survey showed on Monday, adding to concerns the bloc could fall into a recession.

S&P Global’s final manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to 49.8 in July from June’s 52.1, just ahead of a preliminary reading of 49.6 but its first time below the 50 mark separating growth from contraction since June 2020.

An index measuring output, which feeds into a composite PMI due on Wednesday and seen as a good gauge of economic health, sank to a more than two-year low of 46.3. In June it was 49.3.

“Euro zone manufacturing is sinking into an increasingly steep downturn, adding to the region’s recession risks. New orders are already falling at a pace which, excluding pandemic lockdown months, is the sharpest since the debt crisis in 2012, with worse likely to come,” said Chris Williamson, chief business economist at S&P Global. (read more)

The WEF directed politicians are trying to bring energy demand down to match the energy shortage they have created. The various western government leaders, Biden included, want/need a recession to drop energy demand. The central banks and federal reserve are supporting the policymakers by driving up interest rates into the recession.

The combined effort leads to a shrinking of the global economy.

By lowering the economic activity and forcing their western nations into a joint collaborative and intentional recession, the central planners hope to offset the inflation they created by blocking coal, oil and gas production. By intentionally collapsing demand, the prices of excess non-essential goods will drop; however, there will be no one to purchase those goods at any price because global employment in a global recession is tenuous at best. This is the spiral they are trying to manage.

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s manufacturing activity expanded at the weakest rate in 10 months in July, as pressure from rising prices and supply disruptions hurt output and new orders, suggesting a solid post-pandemic economic recovery is still some way off.

The final au Jibun Bank Japan Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) dipped to a seasonally adjusted 52.1 in July from the previous month’s 52.7 final.

That marked the slowest pace of growth since September last year, and was slightly lower than a 52.2 flash reading.

[…] Manufacturing activity suffered from contractions in output and overall new orders as well as a slower expansion in the backlog of work, the PMI survey showed.

[…] But a government official also warned downside risks for output remained as parts supply delays lingered. That is one of many reasons why the Bank of Japan remains resolutely committed to its ultra-low policies despite a global trend of rising interest rates to fight rampant inflation. (more)

It’s incredible how they various western leaders and bankers can still say there is too much demand, when every single economic indicator clearly shows that all consumer purchasing of non-essential goods and services has stopped.

We are seriously looking at a future employment scenario that might be as bad as it was during the economic lockdowns in the pandemic.  This time all of the unemployment will have been created by intentional climate change policy.

These ideologues are seriously disconnected from the pain they are inflicting.