Tuesday, August 22, 2017
The Eclipse and War
Please see this video that is 1 day before the Eclipse
The day of the eclipse.... U.S. goes to war
This is from today, One day AFTER the Eclipse
Beware of the “dark side” of humanity during any collapse
While there have been countless books, movies and television shows about life after some type of apocalyptic event, chances are none of us will ever actually be forced to experience what its like trying to rebuild society from the ground up. More than likely, the majority of us will never be so hungry that we’re forced to get food from somewhere other than the local supermarket, craft our own tools and weapons just to make it through the day, or make decisions that are a matter of life or death. All that being said, there is still a burning question that millions of Americans across the country find themselves asking every now and then: what if?
What if society really did crumble like a house of cards? What if we really were forced to rebuild from the ground up? What would that look like? Would mankind be able to set aside our differences for the greater good, or would the ensuing chaos and fear bring out the worse in us?
All of these can be answered by addressing one more overarching question: are human beings good or evil by nature? It would appear that when reduced to their natural state as a species, humans possess the will and desire to work together with one another; if the opposite were true, then society would never have had the opportunity to be built in the first place. (Related: These are the top ten cities that would be rebuilt first after a societal collapse.) However, it would be inaccurate to say that human beings are entirely good in nature because, as demonstrated through people like Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, our species clearly has a dark side.
It is important to note that although its true that humans aren’t entirely good in nature, not everyone intends to perform unspeakable acts of evil like Hitler or the terrorists behind 9/11 either; in fact, the vast majority of people do not. There are varying degrees of darkness inside each of us, and while most of us live our entire lives apart from it, others are more eager to embrace it.
So how would human beings act in a post-societal world? Would we remain mostly good in nature, or would our dark side start to come out in response to all of the chaos and stress of trying to survive?
In 1961, sociologist Charles Fritz argued that just because human beings would experience a significant amount of stress after society collapses, it doesn’t necessarily mean people would lose themselves. Fritz came to this conclusion while stationed in Britain during the Blitz, where he reported seeing “a nation of gloriously happy people, enjoying life to the fullest, exhibiting a sense of gaiety and love of life that was truly remarkable.” He also noticed that the people continued to share supplies and speak with people they had never spoken to before.
A counterargument to Mr. Fritz would be to say that even though the Blitz lasted for roughly 8 months with the people of Britain being bombarded by German forces day in and day out, it still wasn’t an example of true societal collapse. In a situation where you don’t have any food, clean water is extremely difficult to obtain, and the law no longer exists, there’s no question that some people, even those who have lived their entire lives up until that point as good, decent individuals, will begin to do things they never thought they would do. Again, these types of people would still be in the minority, but even a minority can do a significant amount of damage and destruction when they choose to embrace the darkness that is inside of them.
Credit to natural News
China Warns Of "Looming Trade War" With India In Retaliation To Anti-Dumping Duties
One of the more under-reported stories - at least among the Western press - are the growing tension between China and India. As reported over the weekend, in the latest escalation, Indian and Chinese soldiers, in addition to the ongoing tense military standoff over a contested road in Doklam, were involved in an altercation in the western Himalayas on Tuesday, further raising tensions between the two countries which are already locked in a two-month standoff in another part of the disputed border. A widely circulated clip on social media showed many soldiers from the two countries punching and kicking each other and throwing stones, a clash which luckily ended before it could devolve into something far more dangerous.
Meanwhile, in addition to a territorial dispute that has the potential to devolve into a shooting skirmish at any moment as thousands of troops have amassed on both sides of the border, a trade war also seems to be looming between India and China after New Delhi imposed anti-dumping duties on 93 Chinese products amidst a military standoff in Doklam area, India's First Post reported last week.
The Indian publication cites an article in China's state-owned Global Times, which urged Chinese firms to "reconsider the risks" of investing in India and warned New Delhi to be "prepared for the possible consequences for its ill-considered action." The article said that China "could easily retaliate" with restrictions on Indian products, but added that it "doesn't make much economic sense" for the country.
Making a less than subtle hint that a trade war would have damaging consequences on the Indian economy, the Global Times cited figures from the Indian embassy in China to show that Indian exports fell by 12.3% year-on-year to $11.75 billion while India's imports from China rose by 2% to $59 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $47 billion. Meanwhile, according to the Indian Commerce Ministry, the trade deficit with China last year mounted to over $52 billion when the bilateral trade stood at $70 billion.
Dispensing with diplomacy, the Chinese publication warned that "a trade war between China and India seems to be looming after the latter moved last Wednesday to impose anti-dumping duties on 93% from China," and added that "if India really starts a trade war with China, of course China's economic interests will be hurt, but there will also be consequences for India."
Meanwhile, the Global Times also took a swipe at the ongoing military standoff in Doklam in the Sikkim sector where India has protested the construction of a road by the Chinese military in the area claimed by its ally Bhutan, fearing it would allow Beijing to cut off India's access to its northeastern states. The Global Times report strongly cautioned India that "given the tense bilateral trade ties, China may consider temporarily suspending investment or economic cooperation projects in India to ensure the security of these investments."
A separate article in China Daily likewise warned that boycotting Chinese goods would harm India's economy. Referring to the calls of boycott of Chinese products, it said the ongoing standoff in Doklam seems to have spilled over into bilateral exchanges.
"Suffice to say, calling for the boycotting of Chinese products and those related to Chinese investors is not just a fool's errand but also risks backfiring," it said and added that "it is the Indian economy that will suffer because of the boycott," it said. The editorial concluded that any attempt to keep Chinese cellphone companies at bay or shut down Chinese-invested factories will hurt the Indian economy and cost Indian jobs.
Separately, on Monday China expressed "strong dissatisfaction" with the U.S. decision announced on Friday to probe its intellectual-property practices and pledged to respond if needed. China's Commerce Ministry said that the U.S. "is irresponsible because it’s conducting the review under domestic laws and disregarding World Trade Organization rules." It also said that "the accusations against China aren’t objective and the probe sends the wrong signal as the countries are already making progress on separate negotiations", adding that the international community and U.S. industries will oppose the investigation.
The Commerce Ministry said the U.S. should work with China to press ahead on the one-year economic cooperation plan and keep bilateral economic ties on a healthy and stable track. It urged the U.S. to respect multilateral trade rules and act prudently, adding that the country will monitor the probe’s progress and take appropriate measures to defend China’s rights.
Going back to the latest spat between China and India, while it is still early to make a determination on how this latest trade escalation between the world's two fastest growing economies will be resolved, the troubling reality that China may soon - in a worst case scenario - find itself engaged in trade war on two fronts, with both the US and India, would have significant adverse consequences not only for the Chinese economy but would lead to another negative shock for the entire world, something which we doubt that central bankers are even remotely contemplating as they finalize their Jackson Hole speeches this Friday.
Credit to Zero Hedge
Erdogan let his hatred for Angela Merkel fly over when he urged Turkish Germans not to vote for her re-election.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan let his hatred for German Chancellor Angela Merkel fly over the weekend when he urged Turkish Germans not to vote for her re-election.
After strengthening his nation’s relationship with Russia, and promising to do the same with Iran, the head of NATO’s largest member state in Western Asia has continued to increase tensions within the North Atlantic Alliance. The U.S.-Turkish relationship began fraying during the Obama administration, but Erdogan’s outright disdain for Merkel dates back even farther.
It boiled over Friday, when he said:
"I am calling on all my countrymen in Germany: the Christian Democrats, SDP, the Green Party are all enemies of Turkey. Support those political parties who are not enemies of Turkey."
"I call on them not to vote for those parties who have been engaged in such aggressive, disrespectful attitudes against Turkey, and I invite them to teach a lesson to those political parties at the ballot box."
Germans head to the polls in a little over a month to vote for new government leadership. Merkel is seeking a fourth term as chancellor and her Christian Democratic Union has a monumental lead over its biggest rival, the Social Democratic Party.
Even if Merkel were to lose the election, it’s highly unlikely she would be replaced by someone who is friendlier to Turkey. The three parties of the government coalition—Merkel’s CDU, the SDP, and the Christian Social Union of Bavaria—hold 502 of the 630 seats in the Bundestag.
Erdogan has long wanted Turkey to join the European Union, but has been blocked by Merkel’s government. Additional efforts to deepen Turkish-EU ties have also been blocked by the Germans. The final straw was when Merkel became a frequent vocal critic of Erdogan’s crackdown following last year’s failed coup.
Credit to Trunews
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