Wednesday 2-21-24
Verses for today:
And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.
Zechariah 14:9 KJV
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
John 1:29 KJV
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1 Peter 3:18 KJV
House GOP announces probe of Biden administration's funding of Hamas-linked UN agency:
Amid growing concerns about the staff and operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), House Republicans have announced an investigation into the Biden administration's historical funding of the organization and have demanded the production of a host of documents and other evidence about its decision-making process, as The Hill reports. At the heart of lawmakers' concerns are reports that UNRWA personnel may have played a cooperative role in Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks on Israel and associated hostage kidnappings.
Oversight probe announced.
The initiation of a probe by the House Oversight Committee was announced in a Friday press release which outlined concerns about the administration's decision to reinstate funding to UNRWA following a prior pause, even though the U.S. has since suspended payments to the group once more.
“According to a recent report, at least twelve UNRWA staff participated in the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attacks and hostage kidnappings against Israel or in their aftermath,” the communication explained.
The panel Republicans went on, “The deeply concerning allegations surrounding UNRWA staff include participation in the kidnapping of Israelis and foreign nationals visiting or residing in Israel, procuring weapons or coordinating logistics for Hamas, and participating in the murder of civilians at a kibbutz.”
“An intelligence report assesses that UNRWA is enmeshed with terrorist organizations, most notably Hamas, that carry out suicide bombings, indiscriminate rocket attacks, and use civilians as human shields,” the Republicans continued.
According to Israeli intelligence estimates cited by the panel Republicans, “around ten percent of UNRWA's staff have links to Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad, twenty three percent of its male employees have ties to Hamas, and nearly half of all its employees have close relatives with official ties to militant groups.”
Administration's back-and-forth
It was in April of 2021 that the Biden administration decided to resume financial support for UNRWA in the wake of the Trump administration's 2018 suspension of funding to the group over concerns similar to those described in the Oversight Committee's press release.
During his 2020 presidential campaign, Joe Biden pledged to restore financial aid to UNWRA, ultimately announcing $235 million in assistance upon the restoration of ties after he took office in 2021.
The U.S., together with 11 other nations, recently suspended payments to UNWRA once again, pending the outcome of a United Nations investigation of claims regarding the agency's complicity in the events of Oct. 7, but even so, Oversight Republicans are now seeking information about the Biden administration's 2021 decision to re-start the flow of resources despite the lingering controversies surrounding the entity.
What comes next?
In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Oversight Republicans have demanded the production of a host of documents and evidence covering the period between January 20, 2021 to the present day, all of which are related to the review process used by the Biden administration in its decision to restore funding to UNRWA.
The panel has given Blinken and the State Department a deadline of March 1 to achieve compliance with the records requests.
In the meantime, as the Washington Free Beacon reports, House Republicans have also introduced a bill that would put a permanent stop to any further federal funding going to UNRWA, either directly or indirectly.
With related measures to halt funding to the agency also under consideration in the Senate – and likely to garner at least some Democrat support – a clear message is being sent to the president from lawmakers who question the wisdom of funding an entity that is actively waging war against an American ally.
American Digest

Luxury watch dealer who bought Trump sneakers for $9,000 stomps 'Russian oligarch' narrative:
FEBRUARY 20, 2024
"So, bought a pair of sneakers ... and apparently, they made me a Russian oligarch overnight," said the collector.
Luxury watch dealer Roman Sharf shelled out $9,000 Saturday for a pair of "Never Surrender" high-top sneakers signed by former President Donald Trump at Philadelphia's Sneaker Con. After securing the pair of limited-edition and now sold-out shoes at auction, Sharf underwent significant media scrutiny.
Despite migrating to the United States as a teen and reportedly serving in the U.S. military, the American entrepreneur was cast by various publications and online personalities as a Russian CEO. The Daily Mail went farther, characterizing Sharf as a Trump-supporting "Russian oligarch."
Sharf punched back in a Monday video in which he corrected his origin story, defended his purchase, and underscored his patriotism.
Quick background
Shoe aficionados flocked to the Philadelphia Convention Center over the weekend for Sneaker Con, a traveling event for collectors to buy, sell, and trade sneakers. Trump made an appearance, debuting a line of golden shoes featuring a "T" embossed on the tongue and an American flag on the ankle.

According to the website that sold out of all 1,000 of the $399 limited-run shoes, "Trump Sneakers are not designed, manufactured, distributed or sold by Donald J. Trump, The Trump Organization or any of their respective affiliates or principals."
The Associated Press claimed that the shoe website was run by Trump's CIC Ventures LLC. However, the shoe company clearly states in its FAQ that CIC Ventures simply holds the trademarks for Trump's name and likeness and neither manages nor controls the company: "45Footwear uses Donald J. Trump's name, likeness and image under paid license from CIC Ventures LLC."
Extra to the "Never Surrender High Top Sneaker," the company advertised a pair of red laceless athletic shoes and a pair of white laceless shoes, reported NBC News.
"I've wanted to do this for a long time," Trump told an uproarious crowd. "I have some incredible people that work with me on things, and they came up with this ... and I think it's gonna be a big success."
Trump signed ten of the high-tops. Some collectors had an opportunity to get their hands on a pair Saturday.
Sharf, a self-described "sneaker head" and the CEO of the successful pre-owned luxury watch dealer Luxury Bazaar — founded in 2001 in Southampton, Pennsylvania — paid $9,000 at auction so that he could add the high-tops to his collection.
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In a post to X, Sharf wrote, "Passing these down to my kids, but for now will display in the office."

The BLAZE Media
The USA DE-BRIEF:
February 20, 2024
Welcome to this Tuesday edition of The D Brief, brought to you by Ben Watson with Bradley Peniston. Share your newsletter tips, reading recommendations, or feedback for the year ahead here. And if you’re not already subscribed, you can do that here
Houthi terrorism continues near the Red Sea
The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen claim to have shot down a U.S. drone on Monday. If confirmed, it would be the third time Iran-backed militants have downed an MQ-9 Reaper since Hamas launched its war against Israel in early October, triggering attacks against U.S. forces across the Middle East, from Iraq, Syria, Jordan, and off the Yemeni coast. (The two other recent occurrences took place Nov. 8 near Yemen, and again on Jan. 19 when militants in Iraq shot down another MQ-9.)

Here’s a purported video of the Monday strike, which happened over the western Hodeidah region of Yemen, according to the Houthis. U.S. officials told the New York Times on Monday that they had indeed lost a drone near Yemen, but they stopped short of elaborating. The missile used Monday is believed to be the same Iran-made “358” used previously by the Houthis and confiscated in Iraq.
The Houthis also attacked and scuttled a Belize-flagged cargo ship, MV Rubymar, using anti-ship ballistic missiles on Monday. That attack occurred around 10 p.m. local time Sunday night, officials at the Tampa-based Central Command said Monday. “The ship issued a distress call and a coalition warship along with another merchant vessel responded” and transported the crew “to a nearby port by the merchant vessel,” according to CENTCOM
“The ship had turned off its Automatic Identification System tracker while in the Persian Gulf early this month,” the Associated Press reported Monday. It’s unclear what the ship was carrying on its route to Bulgaria from the UAE
The Houthis are also believed to have used drones to attack at least two other ships on Monday: one bulk carrier near the Gulf of Aden that seems to have escaped; and a second vessel closer to the Djibouti coast Monday evening, according to British maritime authorities. The latter attack resulted in only “superficial damage,” which did not alter the ship’s course or harm its crew, British officials said.
And in a new first, the Houthis prepared an unmanned submarine to attack ships off Yemen’s coast, U.S. defense officials alleged. The drone was spotted Saturday along with three three mobile anti-ship cruise missiles and a drone boat, CENTCOM announced Sunday. U.S. forces destroyed the drone sub and the four other items in five different airstrikes at undisclosed locations across Yemen on Saturday.
ICYMI: The U.S. Coast Guard intercepted a boat full of explosives, missile parts, and “unmanned underwater/surface vehicle components” in late January, CENTCOM said last week. More than 200 packages with these parts and more were found on the boat, and you can see some of that equipment in photos published Thursday.
Among the notable details: “The photographs released show a propeller (screw) section that is consistent with UUVs used by Iran,” H.I. Sutton wrote Monday for the U.S. Naval Institute news. “Generally, these have a greater range than a torpedo but are slower, making them most effective against static targets such as ships in port or at anchor,” he writes. Read more, here.
Related reading:
· “US Cyberattack Hit 2 Iranian Military Ships in Red Sea,” Voice of America reported Friday;
· “ Iraqi armed groups dial down U.S. attacks on request of Iran commander,” Reuters reported Sunday from Baghdad;
And a U.S. “Navy admiral explains how Iran supports Houthi militants,” CBS News reported Sunday evening on “60 Minutes.”
Palestinians’ day in court:
Is Israel’s occupation of Gaza and the West Bank since 1967 against international law? That’s the question before the United Nations’ highest court, which is hearing testimony this week from representatives of the Palestinians and dozens of other governments. “The proceedings, which were scheduled months before the war in Gaza began on Oct. 7, gained added urgency amid that conflict, the deadliest Israeli-Palestinian war,” the New York Times writes.
The court’s opinion will not be binding, and Israel has declined to testify. “But the proceeding this time comes amid growing international pressure on Israel to halt fighting in Gaza, which began after Hamas-led attacks on Israel last October.” Read on, here.
Elsewhere at the UN: US vetoes Arab-backed ceasefire resolution. CNN: “The US had already signaled its intention to veto the Algerian resolution, but has grown increasingly critical of Israel’s conduct in Gaza and on Monday proposed its own Security Council draft resolution calling for a ‘temporary ceasefire’ in the conflict.” The U.S. proposal “falls short of the wishes of most other Security Council members” yet indicates a growing dissatisfaction by the White House with Israel’s conduct of the war, CNN wrote.
NCS spox John Kirby: “We all wanna see this conflict end, but it’s gotta end in a way that leaves Israel safe from Hamas attacks,” and the resolution vetoed by the U.S. today did not make that possible, Kirby told reporters at a Tuesday press conference.
Israel raids Gazan hospital. Israeli officials say they arrested hundreds of militants at the Nasser Medical Complex in Gaza over the weekend. Doctors and medical staff at the hospital say they were taken outside, forced to strip to their underwear, and kept in the cold for hours while five were chosen to go back inside to care for patients. CNN reports.
The hospital has been turned into an Israeli military barracks, the Palestinian health ministry says. (ABC)
V-22 crash:
What caused the deadly Nov. 29 crash of a CV-22 tiltrotor off Japan? Air Force officials said they know what, but not why, and are declining to say more. “Engineering testing and analysis is ongoing to understand the cause of the material failure, a critical part of the investigation. Any disclosure of findings prior to investigations being finalized is premature and presumptive,” said a Tuesday statement from Air Force Special Operations Command.
It might be the aircraft’s propeller rotor gear box, CBS News reports , citing U.S. officials familiar with the preliminary findings. Eight airmen died in “the fourth fatal crash of the unique tiltrotor aircraft in less than two years. Twenty U.S. service members have died in the incidents, leading to a rare grounding in December of all Osprey aircraft by all branches of the U.S. military,” CBS wrote.
Ukraine latest:
Ukrainian forces withdrew from the eastern city of Avdiivka on Saturday, handing Russia its only notable battlefield gain in nearly nine months. Russia’s invasion troops took control of the similarly destroyed city of Bakhmut in May.
Ukraine withdrew from Avdiivka “because of congressional inaction,” John Kirby of the White House’s National Security Council told reporters Tuesday. House Republicans are still refusing to take up legislation to provide Ukraine additional funds for munitions and supplies, despite a bipartisan bill recently advancing in the Senate.
Why Avdiivka? The city would act as a logistics hub for Russian forces in occupied Ukrainian Donetsk, Kirby said. Whether the Russians can actually use this newly-occupied city in that way is unclear just yet. If Ukraine is not resupplied soon, Russia could use the city as a launch point for further invasion in the weeks ahead, he added.
Kirby also said the U.S. will be unveiling a new sanctions package to hit various Russian officials following the recent death last week of jailed Russian opposition figure Alexy Navalny. Kirby was short on details, and said to expect more on Friday.
And lastly today: Join several scholars and Russia-watchers marking two years of Russia’s Ukraine invasion with a livestreamed discussion this afternoon hosted by the Defense Priorities think tank, based in Washington.
David YEO:
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David YEO

Canadian Christians Will Be Arrested:
David Cooke
Campaign Life Coalition
Should Christians be arrested for quoting portions of the Bible in public? Should pastors be charged with a “hate crime” when they preach against certain sins? Should churches be closed if the government does not approve of their beliefs?
You might think these are ridiculous questions. After all, this is Canada – the “true north strong and free”! Our national motto is “a mari usque ad mare”, quoted from Psalm 72:8, which says that Christ shall have dominion “from sea to sea”. This is not communist China!
However, with the introduction of Bill C-367, all these questions are on the table. I call this bill the “Closet the Christians Bill”, because that is exactly what it intends to do – put Christians in the closet. Under threat of jail-time, it will silence believers who oppose the woke ideology that is overrunning our country.
This repressive, christophobic proposal from Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet is currently before Parliament and may be voted on shortly. If the Trudeau Liberals support this bill, it will most certainly pass, striking a fatal blow against freedom of religion and freedom of expression in this Dominion.
We need to speak up while we still can and call on our Members of Parliament to reject Bill C-367. You can do that right now via our Action Alert Email page.
Christians know the Bible is a powerful book. As someone once said, “When you open your Bible, God opens His mouth.” It is a book full of hope, wisdom, peace, and God’s message of salvation. However, the Bible is also a book of warning and correction for those who wander astray. It’s a book that tells us: “Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways!’” (Ezekiel 33:11).


For some people in Canada, the Bible’s message is an affront to their lifestyle and pride. They don’t want to hear it, their consciences can’t tolerate it, and they will try to silence those who proclaim it.
For example, LGBT activists have gone after one courageous Christian named Bill Whatcott for many years, whom they accuse of “hate crimes” against homosexuals. When he handed out leaflets that warned about the medical and spiritual dangers of LGBT practices at the Toronto “pride parade” in 2016, those LGBT activists were furious. They clamoured for his arrest in 2018 under the government of Kathleen Wynne, who was then-premier of Ontario and an open lesbian.
Mr. Whatcott went to trial two years later and was finally found not guilty in December of 2021. However, the government of Doug Ford has appealed his acquittal and is continuing to prosecute Mr. Whatcott for sharing what the Bible says about sexual sin.
A number of Canadian pastors have also faced “hate crime” charges for their public witness against sexual immorality and child sexualization. Pastor Derek Reimer and Pastor David Lynn are just two examples, both of whom were vindicated from the accusation of “hate”.
So far, “hate crime” charges against Christians have been very difficult to prove because of an important protection in our Canadian Criminal Code. There is a “religious exemption” in Section 319 that states: “No person shall be convicted of a [hate crime] offence… if, in good faith, the person expressed or attempted to establish by an argument an opinion on a religious subject or an opinion based on a belief in a religious text.”
In other words, if you are saying what the Bible says about sexuality, gender, marriage, family, or anything – no matter how unpopular, offensive, or “hateful” it might sound to someone else, you have the freedom to express yourself under Canadian law. Christians have the right to quote the Bible in Canada.
But if Bill C-367 passes, that protection will be removed from the Criminal Code. We will then expect to see a flurry of charges against pastors, churches, Christian organizations, and ordinary believers who dare to speak the truth in love in the public square. This will, in turn, create a chilling effect that will diminish everyone’s freedom of speech.
No longer will we be allowed to share God’s design for human sexuality and marriage in public. No longer will we be able to speak out in the name of God against drag shows for kids, child drag, or child sex change. All this could be misconstrued as “hate speech” against the LGBT community. Even our pro-life message could be spun as a “hate crime” against women.
Christians may possibly be charged for claiming that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), because it discriminates against other religions. In fact, to criticize the teachings and practices of other religions may be tantamount to a “hate crime”! Will pastors who refuse to comply be hauled off to prison from their pulpits?
The ostensible reason for Bill C-367 is the recent rise in antisemitic demonstrations in Canada. Some politicians would claim extremists are being allowed to call for the annihilation of Jews because our Criminal Code protects religious speech, so religious speech must be silenced. But, really, this is just an excuse for an opportunistic attack on the religious freedom of Christians (and other faiths too).
But is the answer to antisemitic rhetoric in Canada the elimination of everyone’s religious freedom? Rather, if the government truly believes that someone is advocating or promoting the annihilation of Jews, should it not enforce existing laws which already make that illegal? It is already illegal to advocate genocide according to Section 318 of the Criminal Code! Clearly, this proposal is just a cynical attack on people of faith by the anti-religious Bloc Québécois leader.
In fact, if Bill C-367 were to pass, I can almost guarantee you that antisemitic demonstrations would still be permitted to continue as “political” protests, while the changes to the Criminal Code would be used to prosecute Christian pastors and laypeople for proclaiming Bible-based truths about sexual morality. In time, Jewish rabbis and Muslim imams would not be exempt, and they would also come under the hammer of the state.
No, Bill C-367 is a dangerous threat to every citizen’s freedom of expression and religion. It will only serve the nefarious agenda of pro-LGBT activists and christophobic politicians who want to impose their woke ideology on our country and silence all opposition.
Bill C-367 must be stopped, and we need your help to stop it! Take a moment to send an Action Alert Email to your Member of Parliament today and ask him or her to stand up for our right to share our Christian values and beliefs in the public square.
If we want to keep Canada free – both for ourselves and our children – we need to speak up now.
Yours for Life, Family, and Freedom,
David Cooke
Campaigns Manager
Campaign Life Coalition
P.S. For a web version of this email that you can share on social media or print out, click here: https://www.campaignlifecoalition.com/clc-blog/id/348/title/bill-c-367-threatens-christian-speech
P.P.S. To email or phone your MLA - to urge them to support parental consent for abortion - click here: https://www.votervoice.net/CALIFE/Campaigns/112075/Respond
David Cooke

Christians have the right to quote the Bible in Canada:
[An Opportunity to be part of this MINISTRY]
Joan Eveleigh
Pas Mary sent these two beautiful videos - this is their 4th (Fourth) Graduation Service - Can you believe it?
And I've been part of the work in Kenya for 16 years now...how amazing is that!
Pas Mary is the tall one with the wide red brimmed hat - that's what doctors wear. Her husband is the short one beside her and he is also a doctor.
They have a fully accredited Bible School right up to the Doctorate Level. It's amazing what the Lord has done! And, as you will see...they sure love Celebrating!
I think you'll enjoy seeing these videos, and knowing that you've been part of this, (and some of you, for many years). Look what the Lord has done!
Pas Mary & Allan have their own church...plus they have 4 (Four) Daughter Churches now! Isn't that incredible?
So... for EASTER (which is March 31st), I thought it would be so lovely if we could SURPRISE them with Study Bibles!
Their Pastors, as well as their whole leadership teams have NO Study Bibles.
They do have some KVJ Bibles which are very old and very worn, and thankfully, they use them a lot, but No one has Study Bibles as they can't afford them.
Anyway, I checked into it and in order for them to get a really good NIV or NKJV Study Bible, it costs $50 each. I’ll like to get at least 50 Bibles.
So, if you would be interested in supplying a Bible or two, let me know and I'll make sure they get their Bibles for Easter.
Two things about the Kenyans - they love the Word of God, and they absolutely love Praying!
Call me if you have any questions. You can do either an e-transfer or cheque - just let me know.
Thanks for helping, and together, we'll make this happen!
Joni – at 519-872-1277
(For Pastor Mary & Allan & the work in Kenya)
Joan Eveleigh
When the Politicians say... “Trust the Science”...
make sure that you can TRUST THEM FIRST!
Pray for those who got the Shot:
Check-Out this DATA CHART following:
Patrick Bestall

REBEL BUZZ
The flaws in Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms:

Former Liberal Speaker to testify on 'Canadian hero' tribute to Nazi collaborator
**Is diversity, equity, and inclusion doing more harm than good?
The CBC's lawsuit against the Conservatives cost $400,000 — took three years to disclose
Chrystia Freeland raises federal borrowing limit to record $517 billion
**Tamara Lich's lawyer provides update on trial: 'There are some very
Freedom Convoy anniversary demonstrators: 'We're the majority now,' we 'woke the masses up'
REBEL

Superstition and taboo: Germany retreats into the Middle Ages as its economy declines:
An abandonment of reason is among the symptoms of a nation suffering from a collapse in the prevailing narratives:
By Henry Johnston, an RT editor. He worked for over a decade in finance and is a FINRA Series 7 and Series 24 license holder.

Bloomberg recently foretold the end of Germany’s days as an industrial power in an article that begins with a depiction of the closing of a factory in Dusseldorf. Stone-faced workers preside with funereal solemnity over the final act – the fashioning of a steel pipe at a rolling mill – at the century-old plant. The “flickering of flares and torches” and “somber tones of a lone horn player” lend the scene a decidedly medieval atmosphere.
Intentional or not in their inclusion of such evocative detail, the Bloomberg writers offer potent imagery for Germany – not only because the country is regressing economically but because its elites are increasingly guided by an atavistic force: the abandonment of reason.
As hard economic realities lay bare the futility of its utopian energy plan and the consequences of numerous terrible decisions mount, Germany is experiencing what Swedish essayist Malcom Kyeyune calls “narrative collapse.” The peculiar offspring of this, Kyeyune argues, is a turn toward ritual, superstition, and taboo. It is a malaise afflicting the entire West, but Germany is suffering a particularly acute case.
Kyeyune defines this as an occurrence “when social and political circumstances change too rapidly for people to keep up, the result tends to be collective manias, social panics, and pseudo-religious revivalist millenarianism.”
The abandonment of reason can be conceived of in various ways. Quite a lot of ink has already been spilled about the irrationality behind Germany’s fantastically improbable climate policy. Indeed, the quasi-religious verve with which this program has been rolled out speaks to something of a loosening of the country's moorings. But as we will see shortly, the problem goes far beyond an attachment to unattainable policy goals.
Prominent German business executive Wolfgang Reitzle argued that for the government to deliver on its climate and energy policy, capacities for wind and solar power would have to be more than quadrupled, while storage and back-up capacities would have to be massively increased. Such a plan is “neither technically feasible nor affordable for a country like Germany,” Reitzle argues. What it is then, he concludes, “is simply insanity.”

Michael Shellenberger, in a piece for Forbes magazine in 2019, points out that the initial impetus for seeking to transition to renewables emerged from the idea that human civilization should be scaled back to sustainable levels. He cites German philosopher Martin Heidegger’s 1954 landmark essay ‘The Question Concerning of Technology’ and subsequent work by the likes of Barry Commoner and Murray Bookchin as espousing what emerged in the 1960s as a much more austere vision for the future of civilization.
Shellenberger concludes that the reason why “renewables can’t power modern civilization is because they were never meant to. One interesting question is why anybody ever thought they could.”
The cohort who suddenly began thinking they could is the German political and intellectual elite in the early 2000s. Gone was the bucolic environmentalism of the 1960s and in its place came an aggressive and utterly detached-from-reality agenda that was imposed with millenarian fervor.
Before circling back to the idea put forth by Kyeyune – that the German elite is now mired in superstition due to the onset of narrative collapse – we must back up for a moment and examine what animated Germany prior to Bloomberg’s flickering flares and melancholy horn.
Modern Germany has long been an object of admiration for the West’s liberal elite, upheld as the ideal incarnation of the post-Fukuyama ‘history-has-ended’ world where liberal democracy triumphed and ideological conflict is a thing of the past. Germany, a nation with a penchant for militarism and authoritarianism, had expurgated its past sins and humbly assumed its place in the grand liberal order, magnanimously refusing to translate its economic prowess into bullying of others.
The country’s status was enhanced even further when the US and UK went off the rails, as the elite saw it, with the populist rebellions of Donald Trump and Brexit. Germany, with its staid, consensus-driven, common-sense politics, was the ‘adult in the room’, in stark contrast to the Anglosphere.

Meanwhile, its economy was humming. The hyper-globalization of the 2000s played right into Germany’s hands. It was a confluence of propitious global circumstances. China was growing at astronomical rates and needed cars and machines – Germany provided both. The expansion of the EU into Eastern Europe opened up new markets for German exports. Germany was prospering and its success was an important driver of economic development across Europe.
All of this helped foster what was perhaps the primary trait of the German elite during this time: a supreme confidence.
It was this confidence that led Angela Merkel to famously assert “wir schaffen das” (“we can do this”) when confronted with the task of assimilating over a million migrants. It was the same confidence that led to the idea of jettisoning both nuclear power and coal at essentially the same time, an announcement that was met with a certain disbelief but also awe. “If anyone can do it, it’s the Germans,” was a commonly heard response.
However, the last few years have witnessed a shaking of that assuredness and unraveling of the prevailing narratives as Germany’s vaunted stability and prosperity have been challenged and the benevolent globalized world that nurtured it began fading. But narrative collapse, like many other forms of collapse, at first happens slowly and at the margins before being catapulted forward by some trigger into its more rapid terminal phase.
What was happening at the margins was that the economic model that sustained Germany over the past two decades came under increasing strain as China moved up the value chain and began importing less of Germany’s manufacturing output; it had also become a competitor in the automobile market. Meanwhile, Germany’s economy largely failed to diversify and has been slow to embrace innovation.
Likewise, doubts about the prospects for the energy transition had begun creeping in, again at the margins, long before the events of 2022. Germany has made little progress toward its 2030 emissions target, and it is laughably far behind in its aim of putting 15 million electric vehicles on the road by 2030. It has had to delay plans for the phase-out of coal, and in fact even as of 2021 coal still accounted for a quarter of electricity output. In other words, rather than effecting an actual transition, Germany had merely set up a clean energy system that ran parallel to the dirty one. The clean one spoke to the narrative while the dirty one still powered much of the country. This could not help but plant the seed of the cognitive dissonance that would later assume such bewildering proportions.

Nevertheless, it was undoubtedly the start of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022 that has precipitated the cascade of failure we see now. Certainly, Germany has made many poor decisions during this time, not the least of which was its headlong plunge into supporting the US-led proxy war against Russia. Relatedly, watching Russia’s sanctions-ridden economy rebound and return to growth – while their own economy struggled – defied everything the German elites would have imagined. That in itself is a narrative-shaking development.
But perhaps more important than the particular economic and political setbacks has been a sense that the benevolent, familiar world of recent decades is receding ever faster and in its place is coming something ominous, as if from a strange and turbulent dream.
To quote Kyeyune again, it’s as if “the future that they were promised – and that they promised the rest of us – was one of continued Western progress, prosperity, and geopolitical dominance. But that’s looking less and less plausible, and they neither like nor understand the future that is coming into view.”
For the elites, the world is crumbling around them and nothing is playing out as they had desired, which has deeply shaken their confidence.
The quotes from public officials and business leaders offered in the Bloomberg piece are bleak and a far cry from the “wir schaffen das” confidence of a few years back.
Stefan Klebert, the CEO of a company that has been supplying manufacturing machinery since the late 19th century, said: “To be honest, there is not much hope. I’m not really sure if we can stop this trend. Many things have to change quickly.”

Finance Minister Christian Lindner told a Bloomberg event earlier in February: “We are no longer competitive. We are getting poorer and poorer because we are not growing. We are falling behind.”
Volker Treier, foreign trade chief at Germany’s Chambers of Commerce and Industry, remarked: “You don’t have to be a pessimist to say that what we’re doing at the moment won’t be enough. The speed of structural change is dizzying.”
The last quote, a lament about the speed of structural change, is particularly telling and makes us recall Kyeyune’s assertion that when social and political circumstances change too rapidly for people to keep up, strange flora can sprout.
This sense of no longer being able to control events and the fear this has engendered have bred a sense of impotence among the European elites – a sort of ‘deer frozen in the headlights’ paralysis – with Germany at the vanguard of this. No longer confident that their actions can produce certain desirable outcomes, the elites have shed their sophisticated modern veneer and technocratic sensibility and retreated into symbolism and superstition.
In a way this should come as no surprise. It is an age-old human response to the lack of control – think about rain dances instead of irrigation – that once again confirms the words of George Bernard Shaw that “the period of time covered by history is far too short to allow of any perceptible progress in the popular sense of evolution of the human species. The notion that there has been any such progress since Caesar’s time is too absurd for discussion. All the savagery, barbarism, dark ages and the rest of it of which we have any record as existing in the past, exists at the present moment.”
As a result of this, actions, emptied of their utilitarian contents, come to be seen as inherently meaningful only if they conform to the prevailing superstitions and carry the necessary symbolism. The policies being pursued are thus detached from reason in the sense that they are no longer evaluated or even undertaken with an expectation of a particular outcome – in fact, the outcomes are often quite the opposite of the presumed intention, leading to all manner of absurdities.

The EU’s rush to approve an absolutely token package of sanctions by February 24 – the anniversary of the beginning of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine – is not being carried out with the slightest expectation that a motley assortment of obscure companies and third-tier public officials coming under EU sanctions will achieve any policy aims. The entire value of the endeavor is in its symbolism. Because the symbolism is ‘correct’ the action becomes important.
Germany’s Green Party, a leading voice both in the fanatical climate program and the anti-Russia camp, has in the last two years promoted policies that have directly led to an increase in the burning of coal in the country. This is certainly not an outcome the party would have ever lobbied for. But its actions no longer have anything to do with specific desired outcomes; rather they exist entirely in the mist-filled world of symbolism and, in the logic of this new age of superstition, are to be evaluated only in relation to their symbolic potency.
Kyeyune gives what may be the most vivid example of this principle at work. “Germany still has one functioning pipeline through the Baltic Sea but refuses to use it,” he correctly notes, referring to one line of Nord Stream 2 that was not damaged in the sabotage attack carried out in September 2022. “The problem is that the alternative approach to meeting its energy needs means buying liquefied natural gas… and some of this gas comes from Russia. In other words, Germany still buys natural gas from Russia, less efficiently and at a higher cost, in order to maintain a quasi-ritualistic prohibition against use of the pipeline.”
Meanwhile, he continues, a similar operation takes place with Russian oil, which is now sent to India or China to be refined before being imported by Europe. It is “as if the act of mixing it with other oil in a foreign refinery removes the evil spirits contained in it.” In other words, Russian oil must undergo some sort of purification process before it can enter the EU garden. European refiners, meanwhile, suffer, while all sorts of middlemen are enriched along the way, and consumers are left paying higher prices. There is not an ounce of economic logic to it – but we have now passed into a realm beyond economic logic.
Policies governing energy, the lifeblood of industrial civilization, are now subject to the tyranny of ritual, taboo, and superstition. Such is the predicament of the German elite as it seeks to navigate the country through a turbulent period of epochal transition. The abandonment of reason is quite a handicap in carrying out that job.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.
Russia TV
BC "safe (drug) sites" ??
We heard the same thing from a doctor who should know best here in London. Our "safe supply" experiment has been poorly evaluated. It's a bomb or a dud, depending on how/what you're looking at it. Worst case scenario- it could blow up in our faces. At best it's a money sinkhole. Patrick Bestall
Rumors – Rumors - Rumors – Rumors – Rumors
RUMOURS Circulating out there...:
You need to MAKE-UP Your own MIND!
SUMMARY
Global Currency Reset:
· Tues. 20 Feb. $5.20 New Iraqi Dinar International Rate: Iraqi Dinar Its Massive, Dinar Reinstated Surprised New Rate $5.20 USD For Every IQD 19 February – YouTube
· On Tues. 20 Feb. 2024 Protocol 20 begins – the expansion of the stellar platform that will bring in new opportunities, and over time, bring in more abundance. We will notice changes that have been made on certain days begin to bring in more and more liquidity in the assets we hold inside this new digital asset based trading system. …Goldilocks
· Tues. 20 Feb. Wolverine: “The QFS is connected to 108 banks, is active in 14 countries and the platforms are already to allow transfers. We are ready. God bless.
· Tues. 20 Feb. MarkZ: “I have three Currency Whales who have exchange appointments set for some time in March.”
· Tues. 20 Feb. Bruce: Feb. 22 Thursday to the end of the month Feb. 29 Fri. is when NESARA is starting to be released – including the R&R allowance. Two sources – Reno and Geneva say we could be notified Wed. 21 Feb.
· Tues. 20 Feb. Texas Snake: “Well folks, preparation is the key to success so after news of Protocol 20 being approved keep your phones charged and your email close. Word is trickling in that ATMs are being loaded with the new rainbow currency and then being placed out of service until all machines are loaded. …According to some sources, Bond Holder payments begin to be processing tomorrow Wed. 21 Feb. …I was on a call that was most positive and is affirming we stand at the threshold of scheduling/ exchanging currencies. They do not have rates or exactly when the announcement will be made but it could be as early as the next couple of days. They did confirm that the new UST currency is being placed in bank ATM’s within the US and once all machines have been serviced they will be reactivated. This meant if your ATM gave you cash it hadn’t been updated, if it indicated an error and you should visit a drive thru it had been serviced with the new currency and was temporarily out of service.”
Restored Republic:
· Assange is bigger than we think. I said back in 2022 that Julian Assange is one of President Trumps – Trump Cards. We know it’s Game Over for the Cabal who are no longer in control whatever plays out in the next two days. This is all a show for the sleepers to expose the unlawful Satanic Judicial System and the Deep State players trying to take Assange down. What we are seeing now is a movie – If the extradition case is dropped I expect total carnage and panic from the demons. If he isn’t then it further more exposes the old guard system and an uprising will happen. Remember Tucker Carlson interviewed Assange a few months ago in Belmarsh Prison in the UK. It’s all part of the movie.
The Real News for Tues. 20 Feb. 2024:
· Tues. 20 Feb. The Police State War on Trump Is Worse Than We Thought! – Dan Bongino Live | Police State | Before It’s News (beforeitsnews.com)
· Tues. 20 Feb. Mr. Pool on Telegram: Lockdown? BRACE 2202 210°-240° 11 3 IMPACT 2411 End Game.
· Tues. 20 Feb. Situation Update – Your Country is now a War Zone: https://beforeitsnews.com/war-and-conflict/2024/02/situation-update-feb-20-2024-battlefield-america-your-country-is-now-an-active-war-zone-mike-adams-2481445.html
· Tues. 20 Feb: Idaho House Officials just passed a bill that would allow convicted child sex offenders whose victims are were under the age of 12 to be given the death penalty.
· Tues. 20 Feb. I’m Exposing All Even if it Gets Me Killed, Tucker Carlson: https://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2024/02/tucker-carlson-im-exposing-the-whole-thing-even-if-it-gets-me-klled-3808647.html
· Tues. 20 Feb. A report shows Obama weaponized the Intel Community: https://beforeitsnews.com/opinion-conservative/2024/02/x22-report-memo-demonstrates-barack-obama-weaponized-the-intel-community-only-the-beginning-treason-must-video-3685960.html
· There is a secret technology that has been used in secret, for decades underground, like means of transport: Tow train, Instant connections, 0Energy Points, ZeroPoint Energy, Electromagnetic train, Magnet + Coil of copper wire + Battery = Magic. They have been using a maglev train system underground for a long time hidden from public eye. Apparently, you can travel from USA to Japan in under 30 minutes. Only used by the parasite elites.
· Masonic Layout of Washington D.C. French architect and civil engineer Pierre “Peter” Charles L’Enfant was hired by George Washington to construct Washington, D.C. He was responsible for the occult patterns, the diagonal avenues, and the major circles or intersections. Pierre’s plans and designs were approved by George Washington.
· Tues. 20 Feb. General Flynn – Trump is the CURRENT PRESIDENT (rumble.com)
· All over Europe, farmers are staging massive protests against their own governments, who seem determined to put them out of business via tyrannical Net Zero/Agenda 2030 policies that nobody voted for or consented to. If the farmers perish, we all perish. They need your support now more than ever.
· Tues. 20 Feb. Deep State Won’t See a Dime of Trump’s Money | Real Raw News
· The Supreme Court rejected appeals brought by Sidney Powell and Lin Wood, among 7 other lawyers in “Kraken” lawsuit who faced legal sanctions for alleging in court that the 2020 election in Michigan was fraudulently won by Joe Biden. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-allows-sanctions-trump-allied-lawyers-2020-election-laws-rcna139256
Tues. 20 Feb. Joe Rogan:
The press wants you to think the only story in Washington is a fight amongst Republicans. But over the past 10 days:
– The Democrat chair of the foreign affairs committee was charged with taking bribes from a foreign country
– The DC attorney general has sent subpoenas to Democrat dark money giant Arabella Advisors over possible illegal activity
– A House Democrat stalled a house proceeding by pulling a fire alarm, a felony.
– Biden’s envoy to Iran was outed as an Iranian spy
– Gavin Newsom appointed a Marylander to be California’s senator
– Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to a felony gun charge
– Hunter was also caught listing his dad’s home address as the beneficiary on a wire transfer from Communist China.
– A Democrat House member was carjacked thanks to an explosion of predatory criminal behavior sparked by Democrats’ pro-crime policies.
– Oh, and Joe Biden is still an utter disaster of a president, too.
END
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