Authored by Robert W Malone via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

While at the Brownstone Institute retreat near Hartford, Connecticut last year, I heard Dr. Paul Marik speak on repurposed drugs. Of course, this has been one of my passions since the Ebola outbreak of 2014, with the realization that a safe and effective vaccine could not be developed fast enough for any newly emergent highly infectious disease or infectious bio-threat event.

Unfortunately, there is no interest in using repurposed drugs by our government or pharma for other disease indications such as cancer. This is despite the fact that computerized modeling, which is very sophisticated, suggests that there are many drugs for which the already licensed drug’s safety profile is well known, that would work well for varying types of cancers. Again, no profit motive, no interest. No research dollars or support. A dead end.

Likewise, in the United States, “nutraceuticals” are largely unregulated, as they exist in the same category as dietary supplements and food additives by the FDA [U.S. Food and Drug Administration]. There is no way for a pharma company to make huge amounts of profits from repurposed drugs unless they can figure out a way to patent the product (formulations, co-administration with other agents, etc.). Even then, it can be very difficult and carries a lot of financial risk—in getting it through the patenting process (which is more difficult).

One of the key examples used during Marik’s lecture at the Brownstone retreat was the compound berberine.

As berberine is derived from plants, it is considered a nutraceutical. As a consequence, there are few randomized clinical trials and little pharma or government interest in the drug. Probably because there is no profit motive at play here. Hence, most of us have never heard of it.

One of Marik’s main points was that berberine appears to be one of the most powerful tools we have to regulate insulin and yet because there is no profit in promoting this product, there is almost no publicity or significant research into its clinical benefits.

Traditional medicines use many plants that are true miracles provided to us by nature. Berberine is found in many plants throughout the world and has been used as an essential medicine globally for more than 3000 years. Traditionally, its uses have varied greatly and include treating infections and sores, and as an antimicrobial for various kinds of gastrointestinal inflammation.

Enzymes are proteins that function as biological catalysts in the body and act by accelerating chemical reactions. Berberine works by binding to a variety of individual enzymes and altering their efficiency.

What are the Health Benefits of Berberine?

(Note—there is no question that more research into this compound is needed. But there is overwhelming evidence that this drug has many health benefits and should not be overlooked when assessing the use of dietary nutraceutical supplements.)

Atherosclerosis

“Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arteries, and is the underlying cause of about 50% of all deaths in westernized society”

“Berberine is an extract of Chinese traditional herbs that is known for its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects in the digestive system. Its underlying anti-CVD (cardiovascular disease) mechanisms are currently attracting interest, and its pharmacological actions, such as antioxidation, regulation of neurotransmitters and enzymes, and cholesterol-lowering effects, have been substantiated. Recent studying found that berberine could inhibit both the proliferation and apoptosis of VSMCs (vascular smooth muscle cells) induced by mechanical stretch stress simultaneously, which suggests that berberine might be an excellent drug to treat atherosclerosis.” Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2021

Blood Pressure

Berberine has been shown to help control blood pressure.

Blood Sugar Control (Insulin Regulation)

Berberine has been shown to significantly lower glucose levels in diabetic patients.

One study shows that berberine plus probiotics had the greatest effect on blood sugar levels, although berberine alone also was clinically significant in reducing blood glucose levels, whereas placebo and probiotics-alone control treatments were ineffective in these studies. It was noted that berberine induced more gastrointestinal side effects relative to the control groups.

Cholesterol

“Men randomized to berberine had larger reductions in total cholesterol (-0.39 mmol/L, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.70 to -0.08) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (-0.07 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.13 to -0.01) after 12 weeks. Considering changes after 8 and 12 weeks together, berberine lowered total cholesterol and possibly low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c), and possibly increased testosterone.” Nutrients, 2021.

Taking berberine supplements regularly appears to lower total cholesterol, “bad” cholesterol, and triglycerides in people with high cholesterol. As it is not a statin and works through other pathways than statin drugs, it may be beneficial for people who wish to lower cholesterol but do not wish to take statins or are resistant to statins.

(The issue of statins is complex and not as clear-cut as many think. But this essay is not the place for that discussion. I promise though—at some point in time, we will get to that analysis).

Heart Disease

People with heart disease often have fatigue and irregular heartbeats. Studies show that taking berberine supplement combined with standard heart disease treatments reduces these symptoms. Berberine reduced the risk of death from heart disease without apparent side effects.

“One hundred fifty-six patients with CHF and >90 ventricular premature complexes (VPCs) and/or nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) on 24-hour Holter monitoring were randomly divided into 2 groups. All patients were given conventional therapy for CHF, consisting of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, digoxin, diuretics, and nitrates. Patients in the treatment group (n = 79) were also given berberine 1.2 to 2.0 g/day. The remaining 77 patients were given placebo.” …

“After treatment with berberine, there was a significantly greater increase in LVEF, exercise capacity, improvement of the dyspnea-fatigue index, and a decrease of frequency and complexity of VPCs compared with the control group. There was a significant decrease in mortality in the berberine-treated patients during long-term follow-up … p <0.02).” AM J Cardiology, 2003 Note—this study was conducted in 2003, and yet only crickets have been heard from the American Heart Association concerning the benefits of berberine.

Check out Dr. Malone here…

And snag some Berberine here…

Multiple outlets are reporting that President Joe Biden plans to use his clemency powers before leaving office next month, with speculation among opponents of capital punishment that he will act on his pledge to end the federal death penalty.

Biden is considering commuting the sentences of the 40 men on federal death row, potentially thwarting any efforts by President-elect Trump to resume executions, an exclusive by the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

Religious and civil-rights groups, bolstered by Pope Francis’s recent prayers for commutation, have urged Biden to act. Commutations would replace death sentences with life without parole.

Biden, a Catholic, recently spoke with Pope Francis and plans to meet him next month. A decision, possibly by Christmas, may involve either a blanket commutation or retaining death sentences for the most severe cases.

The Wall Street Journal wrote that Attorney General Merrick Garland has recommended President Biden commute most federal death sentences, with potential exceptions for cases like Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (Boston Marathon bombing), Robert Bowers (Tree of Life synagogue shooting), and Dylann Roof (Charleston church shooting).

Those eligible for commutation include individuals convicted of heinous crimes such as child killings, kidnapping-for-ransom murders, and a podiatrist who killed a patient to obstruct justice.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell commented: “It would mean that progressive politics is more important to the president than the lives taken by these murderers.”

“It would mean that society’s most forceful condemnation of white supremacy and antisemitism must give way to legal mumbo jumbo,” he added, doing his best to stay upright at whatever podium he was speaking from. 

Four inmates remain on military death row at Fort Leavenworth, but it’s unclear if any potential commutation would include them or affect cases like Luigi Mangione’s pending federal death sentence.

While Biden campaigned on abolishing the federal death penalty and halted executions during his term, little progress has been made on his promise, with Democratic bills to end capital punishment lacking White House support.

Yasmin Cader, a deputy legal director at the ACLU, concluded: “We are absolutely engaging in pulling all the levers that we can. It would cement a very powerful moral legacy and fulfill a campaign promise.”

Via Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com,

Legendary financial and geopolitical cycle analyst Martin Armstrong is back with a new round of predictions, and they are not going to make life easy for President Elect Trump. 

Armstrong says, “Our computer has been projecting that we are going into a depression in some areas and a recession in other areas.”

”  A depression most likely in Europe and a recession in the United States up until 2028. . . . At my November conference, everybody was celebrating after Trump won.  I stood up and told my clients, ‘I’m sorry, Trump is not going to have a blissful administration, and he’s not going to prevent the economic decline.’  (Please remember, Armstrong predicted Donald Trump would win in a landslide many months before the November 2024 Election.)

Armstrong goes on to say, “We have a serious, serious problem on a global scale…”

“The sovereign debt crisis is really going to start percolating in 2025.  It’s probably going to reach a major crisis by 2026 and 2027.  Why?  They have dictated all these banks and pension funds . . . 70%, generally, must be invested in government bonds. . . . They say it’s ‘safe,’ but it’s the worst debt possible. . . . 

So, if the government goes into a sovereign default, what happens?  You wipe out the banking system and the pensions.”

Does Armstrong think the governments around the world are going to go into a sovereign default?  Armstrong says,

“Oh yeah.  How does a government default?  We are in this Ponzi Scheme.  They have to keep selling new debt to pay off the old debt. . . . When you can’t sell the new debt, that’s when the default happens because you can’t pay off the old debt.”

What should the average guy do now?  Does Armstrong think people should get to the bank and get cash?  Armstrong says,

“Yes, cash, physical paper money.  We just had two hurricanes here in Florida.  This idea of Bitcoin and CBDCs are very nice, but what’s the reality?  The internet was down for 10 days.  A credit card did not work.  You wanted something, it was cash only.  It was the same in Canada when they froze all the accounts of the truckers.  They could not even buy food.  Unless you had cash, you were dead in the water.  This is why I am saying to have cash in this point in time.” 

Armstrong still likes physical gold, too.

Armstrong says the digital currencies that are getting a lot of attention lately are only a control mechanism.  Armstrong contends digital money will stop bank runs.  Armstrong still thinks the world will be at war by April or May of 2025.  Armstrong says watch Turkey with its huge conventional army.  Armstrong says Jordan and Lebanon may also be taken over, and like Syria, Turkey will be orchestrating this move.  Armstrong says the Middle East is setting up for a major conflict starting in 2025, and there will be destruction.  Armstrong also predicts Europe will be on the losing end of the next world war.

In closing, Armstrong says:

“They can’t stop Trump from taking office, but they can delay him with martial law.  Martial law has been enacted 60 times in the United States. . . . The neocons are scared to death of Trump and really want to trap him in war before he takes office.”

There is much more in the 56-minute interview.

Join Greg Hunter of USAWatchdog.com as he goes One-on-One with Martin Armstrong where he gives his analysis on a major debt crisis coming in 2025 with the defaults and destruction that come with it on 12.21.24.

*  *  *

To donate to USAWatchdog.com click here.

To see the trailer of “The Forecaster” that features Martin Armstrong, click here.

Mysterious drone sightings continue over US cities and military bases, with their origins remaining unknown (at least to the public), even as the federal government insists there is no national security threat. 

We have offered readers multiple theories, from a drone psyop to push through H.R.8610 (Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act of 2024) and nuclear drone “sniffers.” Some lawmakers even pushed the wild idea of an Iranian “mothership” drone carrier off the East Coast. 

At the beginning of last week, former US Navy Lt. and F/A-18F pilot Ryan Graves appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast, dismissing claims that drone sightings in the New Jersey-New York skies were “sniffers” searching for radioactive devices.

Then President-elect Donald Trump told reporters, ” The government knows what is happening. Look, our military knows where they took off from, and for some reason, they don’t want to comment. And I think they would be better off commenting on what it is. Our military knows, and our president knows, and for some reason, they want to keep people in suspense.” 

Shortly thereafter, we coined the term “Dronegate” to describe the ongoing situation.

Let’s not forget to end the week, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul beefed up the number of New York National Guard members patrolling NYC subway stations, marking the largest military presence in the city’s subway system since the aftermath of 9/11. We asked the question if this was in response to a terror threat, such as mounting risks of pre-trained terrorists, now possibly active in cells nationwide. 

With many different theories floating around, entrepreneur David Friedberg of the All-In podcast explained this could actually be a psyop by China to crush America’s rising drone economy. 

Here’s the theory (courtesy of All-In): 

“Right now, the US has a significant regulatory burden on drone utilization in a commercial setting.”

“Meanwhile, you’ve got countries like China rocketing ahead. The drone delivery business in China is already $30B per year.”

“And they’re also launching a pretty significant fleet of what we would call eVTOLs or flying cars.”

“The expectation is that by 2030, there will be 100K flying cars moving people around in China. And these are huge efficiency gains.”

“And in the US, the reason that these things haven’t taken off, and the reason we don’t have a large drone industry, which is clearly emerging and is going to be a huge economic driver for China and others around the world, is simply the regulatory restrictions.”

“If you were going to try and mess with the US’s ability to move forward with the drone economy, you would probably try and wreak some havoc, stoke some fear, and get people to say, ‘Hey, this doesn’t seem cool. What’s going on? I don’t like that there’s all these drones in the sky. I’m freaking out.'”

“And try and get the regulators to come in and say, ‘Hey, we’re banning drones.'”

🚨Friedberg’s Drone Conspiracy Theory: A Psyop by China to Crush America’s Drone Economy?@friedberg explains:

 ”Right now, the US has a significant regulatory burden on drone utilization in a commercial setting.”

“Meanwhile, you’ve got countries like China rocketing ahead.… pic.twitter.com/nTGegSABZj

— The All-In Podcast (@theallinpod) December 22, 2024

Let’s not forget that the Chinese were active with drones over Langley Air Force Base in Virginia last year, as well as their spy balloon that traversed the Lower 48 in 2023. 

Authored by Mike Shedlock via MishTalk.com,

I have not updated a pair of recession indicators for a while, one of them is mine. Let’s discuss.

What is the McKelvey Recession Indicator?

Take the current value of the 3-month unemployment rate average, subtract the 12-month low, and if the difference is 0.30 percentage point or more, then a recession is likely.

Edward McKelvey, a senior economist at Goldman Sachs, created the indicator.

Different Trigger

The problem with the indicator is that it has many false positives.

I suggest a higher trigger. If we use a trigger of 0.4, the number of false positives since 1953 drops from five to two.

For six consecutive months McKelvey has been at or above 0.4, with the last five months above.

An Alternate Trigger

I devised a second moving average indicator based on 15+ weeks of unemployment.

Consider the following chart.

U1 Unemployment 15+ Weeks

It’s clear the above chart is troubling. But how troubling? Recessions can start at levels as low as 0.29 percent or as high as 2.09 percent.

But it’s the direction and rate of change that matters the most, not the level.

Using the excellent work of McKelvey as my guide, I created the following chart.

Mish McKelvey-Style Recession Indicator

What is the Mish McKelvey-Style Recession Indicator?

Take the current value of the 3-month moving average of the U1 unemployment rate average, subtract the 5-month low, and if the difference is 0.20 percentage point or more, then a recession is likely.

My indicator is a more lagging indicator that McKelvey and it needs to reset. The apparent false positives in 1992-1993 can be discarded as continuing weakness from the previous recession.

In 2003, my indicator nearly reset to zero, hitting 0.02. That’s close enough. I concede a false positive on the rise to 0.24 in August of 2003, using a reset trigger of 0.10.

Synopsis

We have a leading recession indicator (McKelvey) and my more lagging indicator both giving recession warnings.

My indicator weakened to 0.19. That’s partly because of a faster rollover (5 months vs 12). But historically, dating to January of 1948, any signal above 0.15 on my indicator is a warning.

McKelvey ticked up slightly in November to 0.44 from 0.43 last month.

Together, the indicators imply a very strong warning that something is seriously amiss in the labor markets.

Authored by Jeff Louderback via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

While Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continued his tour of Capitol Hill in a quest to gain backing from lawmakers, a group of Republican senators launched a new caucus to support the objectives of President-elect Donald Trump and his pick to head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The Congressional Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) caucus was formed to cultivate partnerships with officials at the local, state, and federal levels who are interested in MAHA initiatives.

Other objectives include establishing educational campaigns to promote nutritional awareness and healthier lifestyles, addressing chronic diseases, and increasing access to affordable, nutrition-rich foods.

Sens. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) are the founding members.

“The MAHA caucus is committed to improving health outcomes by prioritizing nutrition, providing access to affordable, nutrient-dense foods, and focusing on primary care availability to tackle the root causes of chronic diseases,” Marshall said in a Dec. 19 statement.

Marshall is a former physician who practiced medicine for 25 years, according to the press release.

He said the caucus will promote a “Food is Medicine” approach and “foster transparency, innovation, and a transformative agenda that builds a healthier, stronger nation.”

After running for president as a Democrat and then an independent, Kennedy suspended his campaign in August, endorsed Trump, and formed the “Make America Healthy Again” campaign.

The environmental lawyer and Children’s Health Defense founder was nominated by Trump to serve as HHS secretary last month and immediately promised significant changes throughout the department.

Multiple Republican senators have expressed agreement with Kennedy on issues such as ending what the latter described as corporate capture of health agencies and removing chemicals from the U.S. food supply.

The HHS manages 13 agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Fighting chronic disease, improving children’s health, and addressing corporate influence on government agencies were vital parts of Kennedy’s campaign platform when he ran for president as a Democrat and then an independent.

Kennedy will appear at confirmation hearings in January with the Senate Finance Committee, which oversees the HHS and is scheduled to be led by Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho).

If Kennedy is approved by that panel, the full Senate will vote on his nomination.

When the new Senate meets in January, Republicans will hold 53 seats compared to 47 for the Democrats.

After announcing the creation of the MAHA caucus, Marshall said he would vote to confirm Kennedy.

Since Monday, Kennedy has made the rounds on Capitol Hill, visiting with Republican senators and providing insight about his views.

He has repeatedly said little will change until the influence of giant or private corporations on the FDA, the CDC, and the Department of Agriculture is addressed.

At a roundtable organized by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) in September, Kennedy said these agencies “advance the mercantile and commercial interests of the pharmaceutical industry that has transformed them and the food industry into sock puppets for the industry they’re supposed to regulate.”

His comments about potential changes within agencies under the HHS have drawn praise from Republican lawmakers and MAHA advocates and criticism from Democrats and public health officials.

“FDA’s war on public health is about to end,” Kennedy wrote on X on Oct. 25, adding his support for raw milk, ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, foods with healing properties, and natural remedies such as sunshine.

Kennedy told The Epoch Times in September that he would revamp the NIH to focus on the causes of autism, autoimmune diseases, and neurodevelopment diseases instead of developing drugs and serving as an incubator for pharmaceutical products.

He has also vowed to lead efforts to remove chemicals in ultra-processed foods.

Multiple times this year, Kennedy has called for a review of advertising rules for pharmaceutical companies and has urged Trump to ban pharmaceutical advertising on TV. He also believes in eliminating liability protections for drug companies.

As for vaccines, he has advocated for safety and informed consent.

“I’ve never been anti-vaccine. People should have choice, and that choice should be informed by the best information possible,“ he said. ”I’m going to ensure that there are science-based safety studies available and people can make their own assessments about whether a vaccine is good for them.”

On Dec. 17, Lummis told The Epoch Times that she was interested in exploring Kennedy’s ideas and thoughts about addressing chemicals in foods.

She added that she is not concerned about his views on vaccines.

“He wants to be sure that information about them is transparent so people can make up their own minds. He’s not trying to stop other people from having vaccines,” Lummis said. “I’m very comfortable with his position on vaccines.”

In the Dec. 19 statement announcing the debut of the MAHA caucus, Lummis said that the group would work to improve the health of Americans and “hold the federal agencies who have failed the American people accountable.”

Scott, who is the incoming chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, voiced his support for Kennedy in the same statement.

“From the day we are born, we start aging—and my goal is that every American has the resources and information to live long, happy lives,” Scott said.

“If you have your health, you have everything and I am looking forward to working with my fellow MAHA members and RFK Jr. to Make America Healthy Again.”

Kennedy is expected to meet with more senators on Dec. 20.

Term limits for US politicians on Capitol Hill were clearly on Elon Musk’s mind Saturday night. A post from X user “The Rabbit Hole” showed that the number of members of Congress over 70 has skyrocketed, nearing 25%—as the baby boomer generation clings to power.

Wow https://t.co/eYsO3wwU1W

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 22, 2024

Just days ago, a baby boomer swamp creature emerged from the shadows.

When they said “DC swamp creatures”, I thought it was just a metaphor 😳 https://t.co/9Qmn92BGkO https://t.co/w7e0Gp1trv

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 20, 2024

Now, another baby boomer politician, missing for six months, has finally been found—this time at a dementia care home—reigniting the conversation about term limits.

These are the same boomers who are trying to start World War III, but younger generations are firmly saying ‘hell no’. 

This art installation depicts world leaders as they have aged, yet I feel this is our current government. Old, feeble, unable to move, and possibly brain dead. pic.twitter.com/afdrkJgy1T

— Dr. Jebra Faushay (@JebraFaushay) December 21, 2024

Local paper Dallas Express recently launched an investigation into the whereabouts of Republican Congresswoman Kay Granger, who has represented Texas’s 12th Congressional District since 1997. The investigation followed reports that she had been absent from office for months.

Dallas Express found out from a local resident that Granger was not missing but instead residing at an assisted living facility specializing in memory care.

Here’s more from the reporting: 

We then received a tip from a Granger constituent who shared that the Congresswoman has been residing at a local memory care and assisted living home for some time after having been found wandering lost and confused in her former Cultural District/West 7th neighborhood.

The Dallas Express team visited the facility to confirm whether Granger was residing there and to inquire about how she planned to vote on the spending bill. Upon arrival, two employees confirmed that Granger is indeed living at the facility. However, we were not permitted to conduct an interview regarding the current spending debate in the House of Representatives and how or if Ms. Granger planned to vote.

Taylor Manziel who is the Assistant Executive Director for the senior living facility acknowledged to The Dallas Express that “This is her home.”

It remains unclear why Granger’s staff declined to disclose her condition to the public, especially given the lack of representation during a crucial voting period in Congress. 

And, of course, the term limits conversation on X reignited…

81-year-old Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), who hasn’t been seen for 6 months, found living in a dementia care facility.

Being a politician shouldn’t be a lifelong career. It should be something one reluctantly does for the betterment of society.

It’s time Congress gets term limits. pic.twitter.com/46jqalSCHT

— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) December 22, 2024

The case for term limits has never been clearer:

So Mitch McConnell fell down on Capitol Hill

Nancy Pelosi fell down on a trip overseas

TX Rep Kay Granger was found living in a senior care facility

And Joe Biden, the President of the United States, is severely cognitively…

— Shawn Farash (@Shawn_Farash) December 22, 2024

Kay Granger’s long absence reveals the problem with a Congress that rewards seniority & relationships more than merit & ideas. We have a sclerotic gerontocracy.

We need term limits. We need to get big money out of politics so a new generation of Americans can run and serve.

— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) December 22, 2024

Yes.

Maybe we should have some basic cognitive test for elected officials?

This is getting crazy … https://t.co/raE6dAS1jm

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 22, 2024

The biggest scandal of all may be the investigation into Biden’s mental health and the alleged cover-up surrounding it. 

Tesla shares just reached a new all-time high following Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election, propelling the company to a massive $1.5 trillion valuation as of December 18, 2024.

This graphic, via Visual Capitalist’s Marcus Lu, highlights the most valuable automakers by market cap worldwide as of Dec. 13, 2024, based on figures from CompaniesMarketCap.com.

Tesla Dominance

Tesla accounts for nearly half of the market capitalization among global carmakers. Its valuation surpasses the combined value of the next 29 automakers.

Trailing far behind Tesla, the four other top automakers on the list are Toyota ($231 billion), BYD ($107 billion), Xiaomi ($98 billion), and Ferrari ($81 billion).

Musk’s Trump Connection

Investors believe Elon Musk’s close relationship with Trump, along with Musk’s growing role in government, will serve as a powerful catalyst for Tesla. Additionally, some of the stock’s recent gains hinge on expectations that Trump’s planned corporate tax cuts will benefit U.S. manufacturers, including Tesla.

Tesla’s stock has also regained popularity due to investor expectations that its Robotaxi and Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology will drive a new phase of growth. Year-to-date, Tesla’s stock is up 57%.

However, Tesla’s massive market cap is not reflected in its production numbers. In 2023, Tesla sold 1.8 million vehicles, while Toyota sold 11.2 million vehicles during the same period.

Tesla’s success has further extended Elon Musk’s lead as the richest person on Earth. In December 2024, Musk’s net worth reached $462 billion, far ahead of Jeff Bezos in second place at $243 billion.

If you enjoyed this topic, check out this graphic showing where Tesla and BYD make their cars.

Via Visayas Outpost,

December 19, 2024

By now I suspect you are all fully conditioned to recognize a Psyop. At least we can enjoy some benefit from the last four years of brain fog. The Drone Happening clearly checks all of the boxes on the BS meter, almost like they want you to notice. So good morning, Readers! I hope you are enjoying your best cuppa coffee.

With the news and social media feeds going all berserker simultaneously, we are compelled to press on the mix-tape and give it a think. Nothing like a gajillion lock-step headlines and videos to raise the signal flag. I had been expecting the Disease XTM narrative vector, or the venerable WW3TM to explode onto the scene. Maybe drones are the diversion?

But something about these sightings is tickling the old wetware computer, and I need to share it with you:

Maybe it is how overreaction to video clips was part of what triggered the Covid insanity.

Maybe it is because the Gubment and Military won’t say what they know.

Maybe it is because any craft with lights on wants to be seen.

Radiation detection is just a misdirect: We already have planes for that, routinely sniffing the Northeast and Chesapeake Bay. If some of you have checked out ADSB Exchange or Monkeywerx on YT, then you’ll know what I mean. But that theory does lend itself quite well to what could be a pending False Flag.

So I’m going to tell you what is happening

Call it intuitive spit-balling, but you heard it here first.

Sightings in New Jersey and elsewhere are just the latest steps in an effort begun years ago, out in Nevada and western test ranges. That effort has been spun-up by the CIA or some other arm of the Hegemon to exert complete technical and information dominance on Americans first, then the rest of the world. No surprise there.

As usual, Skunkworks-style R&D combined with limitless funding produced breakthrough technology. Part materials science but mostly advanced computing algorithms to govern swarm behavior. Drone swarms in previous years over sensitive targets were test flights, the same way a lot of UAP / UFO sightings are test flights. The fact that most of the military was not in the loop suggests the classified nature of what was being developed.

High-end applications of this software are powering NGAD ‘loyal wingman’ drones and future weapons systems. But we can assume that some technology has been leaked, to be developed along parallel paths. The purpose: to simplify and commercialize drone tech, to be pushed out to ‘terrorist’ organizations linked to the Hegemon.

How? By letting China do what it does best, the same way Elon Musk develops space tech instead of NASA. Drone tech has therefore come down to the masses, but more importantly has been battle tested in the Ukraine, in Yemen, Syria, etc. What has emerged is one of the greatest asymmetrical warfare weapons of all time. $5K drones killing tanks is a game-changer. The profit model cannot be sustained if the Hegemon only has $470K Sidewinders to counter with.

But most of all, the Hegemon cannot have Joe Sixpack building potentially lethal drone tech in his garage, much less ordering it from Amazon. Congress is already hard at work to ban Chinese drones from import, to allow Law Enforcement to operate drone radar, and to push all kinds of regulation and restriction onto drones and drone operators. All that is needed is public support. At the first opportunity, Law Enforcement will be signing up to purchase their own lethal drones with autonomous targeting. The technology is already here.

So back to Jersey, they are trying to engineer a public scare to enable the passage of S.1631 or something similar. Standard procedure, their favorite trick. If they don’t get enough response, then a 9/11 style False Flag could be cooked-up. Radiation scare, fentanyl poisoning in the water, a large-scale power blackout, etc. Real people may die in order to achieve the public demand required. But the ultimate result is to enable severe drone restriction and control over Joe Sixpack. Why? Can you handle the truth?

You are simply not allowed to possess asymmetrical technology against a tyrannical state. I don’t even care about drones, personally. But if the state wins the upper hand, Skynet becomes almost guaranteed.

What you can do

#1, don’t fall for False Flags. If the public can learn this is just another Covid-tier scam we may avoid the trap altogether.

#2, do all you can to protect technology that may soon be restricted, especially if you are connected to the industry.

#3, Someone with the ability, please take a page from recent history and emulate the path pioneered by Cody Wilson and Defense Distributed back in 2013. He is the central figure in the 3D-printed-gun debate that has raged ever since, winning an injunction case against the ATF as recently as 2023. His non-profit Defense Distributed is a CAD model hosting site with downloadable files for 3D printing, or you can order a desktop CNC called Ghost Gunner to machine various critical gun parts yourself.

Wilson played a critical role in the cause of freedom, during a time when legislation was being sought to get ahead of the emerging tech. They were not going to allow 3D printed guns, period, and that was his whole motivation. He rightly recognized that they may squash the gun producers so hard that the only way to bear arms would be to make one yourself. So he just made it easier to do.

A similar downloadable storage archive must be launched to make open-source code available for drone flight, communication, swarm behavior, etc. The processors and chips may not be unique, but Gerber files could also be hosted on the site. 3D files, material specs, part numbers for suppliers, all of it could be available for DIY download and construction. Let the risk be taken by any DIYers brave enough to build their own, but at least there would be some level of parity available to the masses.

I know I know. The Gubmint has a million ways to shut you down. But if we do not start acting to preserve and build on this information, they are just going to lock more and more of it away. Compare the internet of today to that from 15 years ago if you doubt what I’m saying. They got the upper hand on computing, the internet, cell phone architecture, “A.I.”, and probably Cryptocurrency. If you don’t want armed police drones combing your neighborhood, then please heed this warning.

To put it in perspective, here is a short video clip from venture capitalist Marc Andreessen discussing a govt. meeting he had earlier this year about “A.I.” companies.

pic.twitter.com/xBaqUk0wcR

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 15, 2024

Chilling takeaway: “We shut down whole areas of research during the Cold War, and we could do it again with the Mathematics underlying A.I.”

Shutting down math, that is how desperate they are to prevent individual people or small companies from breaking into an area the government already dominates.

Closing thoughts at Christmas

Friends, Trump’s reelection has the rats running for cover. Just his presence is already toppling governments, and I am enjoying every second. It took the other team a while to get up off the mat, but they definitely have some surprises in store as we get closer to Jan. 20. Hopefully Trump will still be alive to take office; not that I think he can stop this train, but that it gives us more time.

I do look for signs of war, signs of their desperation to maintain control, and alignments leading to the rise of Antichrist. Yes, I am one of those. Yes, the little hairs are standing up on my neck as we watch things unfold in Syria, with an eye on Damascus…

In 2024, global public debt is forecast to reach $102 trillion, with the U.S. and China largely contributing to rising levels of debt.

This marks a $5 trillion increase since 2023 alone. Looking ahead, debt levels are projected to increase faster than previously expected as government policies fail to address debt risks amid aging populations and increasing healthcare costs. Going further, rising geopolitical tensions could lead to higher spending on defense, adding strain to government budgets.

This graphic, via Visual Capitalist’s Dorothy Neufeld, shows government debt by country in 2024, based on data from the IMF’s October 2024 World Economic Outlook.

Ranked: Government Debt by Country

As the world’s largest economy, the U.S. debt pile continues to balloon, accounting for 34.6% of the world’s total government debt.

Overall, net interest payments on the national debt soared to $892 billion in the 2024 fiscal year. By 2034, these costs are forecast to reach $1.7 trillion, with total net interest costs amounting to $12.9 trillion over the next decade. A rising mountain of debt and higher interest rates are among the primary factors driving up net interest costs.

Below, we show the gross government debt of 186 countries worldwide in 2024:

*The above table uses IMF data from October 2024, however, the most current up-to-date number for U.S. government debt is $36.1 trillion based on data from the U.S. Treasury for December 12, 2024.

China, ranking second globally, holds 16.1% of the world’s government debt.

Over the next five years, China’s debt to GDP ratio is projected to hit 111.1% of GDP, up from 90.1% in 2024. Going further, Chinese officials recently stated they are prepared to deploy stimulus measures to support the economy if Trump imposes sweeping tariffs on goods imported from China. As a result, China’s debt to GDP could rise even faster than current projections.

India, ranked seventh globally, has amassed $3.2 trillion in debt, an increase of 74% since 2019. However, thanks to its strong economic growth and fiscal policies that are increasing government revenues, debt as a percentage of GDP is projected to fall gradually from 83.1% in 2024 to 80.5% by 2028.

In Europe, the UK has amassed the most debt, about $3.65 trillion, equal to 101.8% of GDP. This is far higher than the regional average, standing at 77.4% of GDP in 2024. Europe has a lower debt to GDP than North America and the Asia-Pacific, but European budgets likely face increasing pressures looking ahead, due to sluggish economic growth, trade wars, and aging populations.

A Regional Outlook for Global Debt

Below, we show how government debt by region is projected to change over the next five years:

As we can see, average debt by country in North America is set to swell to 125% of GDP, the highest across global regions.

With governments increasingly using stimulus measures to boost the economy, it poses a greater threat to fiscal sustainability. In order to stabilize debts, the IMF stated that major spending cuts and tax hikes are needed over the next five to seven years.

Like North America, debt to GDP ratios are set to increase across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

Overall, world government debt is projected to exceed 100% of global output by 2029, driven by several large countries including the U.S., China, Brazil, and France, among others.

To learn more about this topic from a forward-looking perspective, check out this graphic on G7 government debt projections over the next five years.