[ZeroHedge] Two years ago on this day, I posted a piece that was very hard to write. It concerned precisely who was benefiting from the lockdowns, masking, and all that was associated with it, including school and business closures and travel restrictions.
As much as we would all prefer for everyone to be concerned about big issues like public health and human rights, it’s sadly the case that industrial interests (and even ruling-class evildoers) sometimes prevail over both.
Many groups and sectors had a kind of hankering for a pandemic. They turned a widespread and mostly manageable pathogen—doctor/patient relationships and reasonable cautions on the part of the vulnerable—and converted it into the basis for a global panic of compulsion and coercion that overthrew centuries of progress in law and liberty.
Let’s just go through the list of beneficiaries I first compiled two years ago.
1. The tech companies that became so enraptured with the digital world—and we can include online retailers in this—that they forgot all the people who cannot and do not want to live entirely outside the physical world. To be sure, many of these high flying companies are now coming back to earth thanks to higher interest rates. Even Zoom may be falling on hard times. To which I say: Schadenfreude.
2. The pharmaceutical companies with hundreds of billions of investment in labs and distribution circles that wanted to ply their wares in the midst of emergencies, in addition to the PCR testing industry, not to mention mask and ventilator makers and so many other grifting companies in this space. They not only gain from tremendous subsidies and indemnification from damages; they even got governments to conscript their customer base.
3. Public health intellectuals, who for at least a decade and a half had fallen for the romance of computer modeling, were itching to try out a new method for disease mitigation. They must have gotten quite a kick out of watching the experiment tried out in real time. Speaking of: we haven’t heard from these people in a very long time. They seem conveniently very quiet. Notice how the prophets of doom who were all over the news three years ago, with their magic ability to see the future with precision, have completely vanished?
4. The mega-billionaire Bill Gates found himself vexed by computer viruses that were wrecking his Windows operating system and thereby developed a passion for blocking viruses in general, while failing to understand the difference between biology and computer hardware. He seems to have done very well for himself, not only with his investments but now with his new book telling us how he will single-handedly change the path of the global climate.
5. Government officials certainly had a field day trying out new uses of power. My goodness, they even got their mitts on social media, scripting who gets to speak and who cannot. The national security state hasn’t had this much fun since the Cold War. It was, in short, the most successful ramp up of government power the world over in modern times or maybe ever. Disease panic proved more advantageous to them than ever war and economic depression.
6. Media companies, who live on clicks and know with certainty that public panic is the best way to guarantee consumer attention, did especially well, given that millions were locked at home with nothing else to do. Talk about a captive audience!
7. The Chinese government, which was supremely annoyed at the Trump administration’s trade policies, successfully trolled the West into believing that China nixed the virus through totalitarian controls. It can now brag to have scripted the pandemic response for the whole world, and is now goading the World Health Organization into doing ever more of it.
8. Rabid opponents of the Trump administration, who had failed to wreck it through accusations of Russian collusion and then impeachment over a phone call to Ukraine, finally turned to creating tremendous social, economic, and political chaos by massively overblowing the severity of a widespread viral pathogen, which itself became a metaphor for the political infection they believed afflicted the country. This was the final undoing of the administration, much to the celebration of his political opponents.
9. School teachers’ unions that have been wanting to strike for years in order to extract pay and benefits from the taxpayer, worried that doing so would turn their public against them; for them, lockdowns were the perfect excuse to find another way. They abandoned their jobs and got paid anyway. Then they tried to make the racket last as long as possible.
10. A ruling-class population that has lost touch with people who cannot live on their computers, had become increasingly detached from the flow of life as it exists in the physical world, utterly failed to empathize with the suffering of others under lockdown. But they rather warmed up to the mess they had created because it meant they could make the big bucks while never changing out of their PJs.
Posted by: Skidmark ||
02/12/2023 08:04 ||
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Top|| File under: Tin Hat Dictators, Presidents for Life, & Kleptocrats
Everybody is into money. Also status. Sometimes power.
[IsraelTimes] Popular podcast host defends Rep. Ilhan Omar’s 2019 tweet saying pro-Israel votes in Congress were ‘all about the Benjamins,’ for which she has since apologized.
Jewish comedian David Baddiel responds, as reported by Newsweek:
Rogan's comment caught the attention of U.S.-born British comedian David Baddiel, who slammed the podcaster on Tuesday for peddling a "racist myth."
Sharing a snippet of the podcast on Twitter, Baddiel, the author of Jews Don't Count, wrote: "I actually want to stop banging the Jews Don't Count drum at some point but hard to do when a racist myth about Jews is just...said, breezily, on one of the biggest podcasts in the world and no-one gives a f***."
He continued: "For the hard of understanding, 'Jews are into money' is not like 'Italians are into pizza. Because unless my history lessons really missed something out, no-one has exterminated a large section of the entire Italian community because of their love for pepperoni."
"This is what Joe is saying, with a big grin," Baddiel added as he shared an illustration from the antisemitic Nazi propaganda children's book Der Giftpilz (The Poisonous Mushroom/Toadstool).
One part of the 1938 German book reads: "Money is the god of the Jews. He commits the greatest crimes to earn money. He won't rest until he can sit on a great sack of money, until he has become king of money."
Concluding his thread, Baddiel said, "Also, Joe Rogan has a 200 Million dollar deal with Spotify. And yet apparently it's Jews who are into money."
#1
Goes back to the Church's ban on usury. How do you build or obtain capital if you ban the practice? Outside investment. Who do you blame for your financial problems? Outside investment.
[BrookingsInstitute] Afghanistan in 2023 will be shaped by whether or not the Taliban ...the Pashtun equivalent of men... ’s supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada ...Former deputy to Taliban supremo Mullah Akhtar Mansour, now The Big Man Himself... , retains his tight grip on all decisionmaking. The second crucial dynamic will be terrorism and militancy. The Taliban is unlikely to get a better handle on the Islamic State
Continued on Page 49
[NationalInterest] As China gets deeply involved in an economically fragile Afghanistan, it is bound to face enormous security challenges that will limit its ambitions.
A teachable moment, even as China encounters all sorts of other teachable moments that would suggest to a more insightful ruling class that they aren’t all that, after all. How interesting for China that her ruling class is not at all insightful.
The recent flurry of attacks on Chinese nationals in Afghanistan has raised concerns inside Beijing’s foreign policy circles. Beijing has a self-made reputation for operating on an astute business model. While Beijing is somewhat risk-averse, it does not let values and norms impede its economic interests. Its conduct and policies toward Taliban ...the Pashtun equivalent of men... -ruled Afghanistan mirror this approach. So far, despite facing some obstacles, China has remained committed to cementing its presence in the country to advance its strategic and economic objectives. The future, however, doesn’t look very promising for Beijing.
[The Nation (Pak)] The phenomenon of mob violence, particularly lynching, is a complex issue that cannot be reduced to a single cause or explanation. While it is true that poverty, unemployment, and a lack of education can all contribute to feelings of frustration and desperation that may lead some individuals to participate in mob violence, it is also important to recognise that these factors alone do not fully explain the problem. One important factor that must be considered when analysing mob violence in Pakistain is the role of political instability and weak governance. In some cases, politicians may incite or condone mob violence for their own gain, either by stoking fears of religious extremism or by manipulating public opinion to further their own political agenda. Furthermore, the lack of rule of law and the inability of the authorities to effectively enforce the law can also contribute to a sense of impunity among those who participate in mob violence. Another important factor to consider is the role of religious extremism in some instances of mob violence. While the vast majority of people in Pakistain are peaceful and do not condone such acts, a small minority of gunnies may use religion as a tool to incite violence and justify their actions. It’s important to remember that religion is often used as a tool by those who want to achieve power and control over a population.
The media also plays a big role in escalating and spreading the news of mob violence. Sensationalised and unverified news can incite people to participate in mob violence. It’s important for media to be responsible and verify the news before publishing it. Another dimension that is often overlooked is the cultural dimension. In some cases, the cultural norms and values of a society may condone or even encourage mob violence. For example, some communities may have a strong tradition of vigilantism, where individuals take justice into their own hands rather than relying on the legal system. This can make it difficult to address the problem of mob violence, as individuals may not see their actions as criminal but rather as a form of moral righteousness. Additionally, the impact of poverty and inequality on mob violence should also be considered. Societies with high levels of poverty and inequality tend to have a higher rate of mob violence. In such societies, people may be more likely to turn to mob violence as a means of expressing their frustrations and seeking justice, as they may not have access to other forms of redress. Moreover, poverty and inequality can also lead to a lack of trust in institutions and the legal system. In societies where the rule of law is weak, individuals may not have faith in the ability of the authorities to bring criminals to justice or to provide protection and security. This can lead to a sense of lawlessness and a belief that individuals must take matters into their own hands. To further elaborate on the role of poverty and inequality in mob violence. In societies with high levels of poverty and inequality, individuals may feel a sense of hopelessness and despair, which can lead to feelings of frustration and anger. These feelings can be exacerbated by a lack of access to opportunities for education, employment, and upward mobility. When individuals feel that they have been left behind and have no means of improving their situation, they may turn to mob violence as a way of expressing their frustrations and seeking justice.
On the other hand, addressing poverty and inequality can help to prevent mob violence. For example, policies that focus on reducing poverty and inequality, such as increasing access to education and job training, providing social safety nets, and promoting economic growth, can help to improve the lives of individuals and reduce feelings of frustration and hopelessness. It’s also important to note that poverty and inequality are not only economic issues, but also social issues. They are interconnected with other dimensions such as education, governance and cultural norms. Therefore, it’s important to adopt a multidimensional approach that addresses both the economic and social aspects of poverty and inequality in order to effectively prevent mob violence.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred ||
02/12/2023 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
[Jpost] NATIONAL AFFAIRS: Events may come to a head next week with a vote on judicial reform and a proposed nationwide strike.
I’ve mostly been ignoring what are functionally anti-Bibi protests across Israel, fanned and aided by the international leftwing deep state currently finding favour with the Biden administration. This piece linked by Skidmark in comments suggests I was wrong to do so, though I did post something about the head of the CIA going on about a third Intifada the other day. Skipping straight down to the meat of the thing:
...So, yes, one can understand the talk of a third intifada, even though threats of a third intifada are something we are accustomed to hearing at regular intervals – either when there is a spike in terrorism, or when the Palestinians want to apply pressure on Israel. After a while, one gets inured to the threats, though this time the talk of a third intifada seems more serious.
Still, there are significant differences. First, the Palestinian violence today is not being planned, financed and executed by the PA, as was the case with Yasser Arafat when he headed the PA during the Second Intifada. Second, Israel has much better intelligence than it did in 2000, when it had moved out of the Palestinian areas under the Oslo Accords.
Additionally, the security forces are busy night and day pursuing terrorist targets throughout Judea and Samaria, including inside the Palestinian cities and refugee camps, something they did not begin to do during the Second Intifada until March 2002, way after the violence that began in September 2000 was well underway.
While feeling the need to draw historical parallels is understandable – and, as Burns said, there are similarities – this parallel is far from exact.
THOSE LOOKING to compare what Israel is going through now with periods of the recent past might, instead, want to look to a different period: the days preceding the Rabin assassination in the fall of 1995.
It is there – in the toxic atmosphere that prevailed at the time, when the government moved full speed ahead with plans that would profoundly affect the lives of everyone while half the country was passionately opposed – that perhaps closer historical parallels can be drawn.
Here, too, there are obviously tremendous differences between then and now, but these are differences that one could argue makes the atmosphere today even more charged and ripe for political violence. In 1995 there was no Twitter or Facebook, social media – and its ability to amplify extreme positions – did not yet exist. Today it does, and is contributing mightily to the spread of the vitriolic rhetoric being spouted by both sides.
In the days leading up to the Rabin assassination, there were mass rallies against moving forward with the Oslo Accords, and there was talk of din rodef, the concept in Jewish law of the permissibility of killing someone before they try to kill you.
There was also a vote in the Knesset on Oslo II, which created Areas A, B and C in the West Bank and gave the PA broad responsibilities in governing parts of those areas. This was a hugely significant vote. It passed by a razor-thin 61-59 majority with the help of Alex Goldfarb, a renegade MK originally on the Right who supplied the necessary vote after being promised a Mitsubishi and a driver in his role as deputy housing and construction minister.
A month after that vote, Rabin was assassinated. There are some striking similarities today.
TODAY, AS was the case in 1995, hundreds of thousands of people are protesting against government steps that they feel will dramatically change the country for the worse.
Today, as then, there are those talking openly about the possible need to kill the prime minister to save the country. Today, as then, din rodef has seeped back into the public discourse. Today, as then, there are those comparing the prime minister to Hitler. Today, as then, there are calls for massive civil disobedience. And today, as then, there are those who openly express a willingness to take up arms.
Hagai Tal, who was head of the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) operations branch during the period of the Rabin assassination, said in a rare radio interview this week that both the public atmosphere and the stakes of what is at issue are reminiscent of the supercharged summer of 1995.
“Things are going in the wrong direction, and I hope for compromise, a way that will join together the different sides. Everyone is certain that they are right and the other is wrong, and – like always – the truth is somewhere in the middle.”
Asked if he thinks a political assassination could happen again in Israel, he replied that he believes it could. “First of all, because we have the painful experience of 1995, and if it happened then, it could happen today. The discourse is more extreme than ever, and social media – which was not around in 1995 – only fans the flames and turns into a blitz of comments, and reactions... I certainly think that someone, in the end, could get confused and try to save the motherland, in one direction or the other, and do something. And then woe unto us.”
Tal said he believes that Netanyahu, because of the tight security around him, is less in danger from a sole assassin. “I am less worried about that situation, but don’t forget there are many people in positions who are leading the [judicial reform] processes or opposed to the processes.”
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...Former deputy to Taliban supremo Mullah Akhtar Mansour, now The Big Man Himself...
...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
[The Nation (Pak)] The phenomenon of mob violence, particularly lynching, is a complex issue that cannot be reduced to a single cause or explanation. While it is true that poverty, unemployment, and a lack of education can all contribute to feelings of frustration and desperation that may lead some individuals to participate in mob violence, it is also important to recognise that these factors alone do not fully explain the problem. One important factor that must be considered when analysing mob violence in Pakistain is the role of political instability and weak governance. In some cases, 
[Jpost] NATIONAL AFFAIRS: Events may come to a head next week with a vote on judicial reform and a proposed nationwide strike.
