2025-12-29

Yup, we need to read this.

Especially those in the police, military, and (to be even-handed) in officialdom.

2026 - gateway to the future or end of the world? 

Ben's report this week will come as no great surprise to many but likely will be a surprise to those who habitually place their trust in officialdom and those "in authority", not to mention mainstream media. If you are amongst the latter, don't panic but broaden your horizons 😎.

2026 is shaping up rapidly (modest subscription required).

Don't assume it "won't affect us". Nobody escapes the effects of financial chaos or war-mongering politicians.

2025-12-28

Our friend Sebastian explains the unreconcilable politics of Europe.

Admittedly not ideal post Christmas viewing, but the turgid posturings of the wannabe-powerful of the EU-NATO grouping continue unabated even as Zelenskyy's "close associates" are investigated for corruption... what could possibly go wrong?

(13 minutes)

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2025-12-28

It's a long story...  but Xi's authority doesn't seem to be in good shape, and the PLA may be not a few generals short...

(37 minutes)

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2025-12-28

I have tended to avoid too much stuff on CBDCs and so on, on the basis that there's a lot of fear mongering about it and plenty of people who think they know exactly what's going on and probably don't.

I don't know whether Andrew Orlowski is any better informed than others, but if you have an interest, and have the best part of an hour to hand, this may be for you. He strikes me as reasonable if you still consider that the government is largely motivated by good intentions, as I am sure many of the individuals involved are. But much like the NHS, they are likely good people controlled by an unresponsive hierarchy which may not share their motivation. Add in involvement of the "private sector" and the politics of motivations soon proliferate...

"we'll never do anything as stupid again"

Are you sure?

Have you factored in that complaint, common to both large IT projects and government projects and

2025-12-28

If we didn't know it before, we do now.

Auntie Beeb looks to be in serious dooh-dah.

And that's without even mentioning any impact from "the Donald"'s incoming lawsuit...
... even those who love the BBC and dislike Trump may be considering that they don't want to contribute to his costs/damages payments should he win, as doesn't seem unlikely given that the trial is to be held in Florida.

2025-12-27

I don't want to post this article because we don't do financial advice on this site. 

But it turns out that whilst investment is a seriously tricky business for many reasons, financial columnists are often (probably always!) ahead of the curve when major change is afoot - probably because they have to put their personal predilections aside in order to professionally assess what comes next - and the fourth turning is the time for major change. The most tricky bit is usually around the timing, when to buy, and even more tricky, when to sell. If (like me) you don't fully understand it, stay out of it is my best advice - even full-time professionals get it wrong. If you want to take a punt, that's your business and on your head be the results.

So with that said, I do want to post this article because it validates so much of what we have been saying for years now, and it's becoming increasingly difficult not to succumb to helpless

2025-12-26

Is Christmas still a good time to bury bad news?

If the latest news from the FBI is anything to go by, then maybe so! 

Although their inability to redact some of this stuff properly might be seen by some to pile conspiracy theory upon "conspiracy theory"...

Certainly blaming "government incompetence" seems to be a favoured ploy in the UK, so why not elsewhere?

What two purposes might that indicate?

2025-12-26

No comment whatsoever. 

(NB: This is not financial advice 😎)

2025-12-25

I'm not qualified to comment on this, as I didn't have to contend with such evil in my childhood.

But I trust Cyntha's viewpoint.

But I do have a short homily to put forward for consideration... which I hope may be helpful.

I think that to be OK with others we must first be OK with our as-yet-imperfect selves, and realise that (quite contrary to the teachings of the so-called Christian Churches that hold that we are all dreadful sinners and have to earn forgiveness of "God" - or perhaps actually of the Church on the Church's terms - sale of "indulgences" anyone? - "By their fruits shall ye know them"...

Rule of Law Over - Rule by Arbitrary "Authority" Firmly in Place?

2025-12-22

Seyed Mohammad Marandi puts forward his view of his home nation's treatment by western media.

Well, it makes a change from being invited on everyone else's talk shows to talk about the perpetual war with Israel.

"In the first episode of Demystifying Iran, we break apart the dominant myths that shape the world’s understanding of the Islamic Republic"

Part one of several then...  let's hope that in future episodes he will centre on providing an overview of the reality of life in Iran in all its variety, both because of, and in spite of, external "influences".

(23 minutes)

...

2025-12-22

Nick Hudson - follower of the money - interviewed by Neil Oliver.

Our modern world is gradually being revealed, partly through the communicative power of the internet, and partly through the growing realisation that the world is not what we thought it was, and the many who have decided that they want to know how the world really works is now growing exponentially. AI or no AI.

Those who do know should be getting increasingly worried - but who exactly are they anyway?

As money (of whatever nature) is "what makes the world go round", those who understand the operation of the various monetary systems (lawful or otherwise) should be well placed to understand how our world operates.

(50 minutes)

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2025-12-21

Fusion. The Holy Grail of power generation?

Like the "cure for cancer" that is always seemingly just around the corner, merely needing a paltry few squillion quid to open up a future of unlimited power for every imaginable purpose - no doubt including any number of power-thirsty AI data centres, central government social control schemes certain to keep the masses in compliance with whatever the Great Dictator dictates, and all the high tech weaponry that the Military Industrial Complex thrives on.

Or simply a feint to confuse the opposition?

(14 minutes)

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2025-12-21

We were introduced in the '80s to the ways and wiles of the Civil Service, with Jim Hacker as the hapless minister corralled into compliance by the genial Sir Humphrey Appleby (GCB KBE MBO) whose "Yes Minister" invariably meant "No Minister".

But of course time and tide wait for no man and things have evidently advanced considerably today, quite beyond the simple subterfuges that oiled (or crunched) the wheels in those heady times. Today, it seems that the bureaucrat would get the uncompliant minister sacked, whereas most reasonable voters would rightly expect the minister to sack the uncompliant bureaucrat.

Still, I'm sure that this story is simply for entertainment purposes (as was the "Yes Minister" sitcom of those innocent days) - after all, could a government really be effective if it actually worked like this in reality?

2025-12-20

America is doing it again. And this time the gloves are really off.

If you want to hit them hard, hit them in the pocket.

"The real strategic battle-lines have not been this clear in a century"

(15 minutes)

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2025-12-20

One of the very few things that we can actually assert with reasonable confidence is that very few people have a well-informed grasp of what is actually going on in the Ukraine.

We do our best to seek them out, but... we are not there either.

So here is another view by a former commander of British forces in various theatres of conflict.

It's a bit different in the detail from the views of our other preferred sources, but he strikes me as probably as close as any to the actual reality, whatever that may be.

2025-12-20

This time from our favoured financial commentator Nick Hubble (this is not financial advice!).

And after 50 years of the same old same old it really should be obvious to all but the young, who haven't lived through enough of it yet to understand where this is all going.

Politicians understand  well enough - hence the continuing efforts to lower the voting age seemingly until toddlers in nappies will qualify. After that they may have to ban abortions in order to get enough voters who will believe their blandishments, so perhaps some good may come of it eventually...

Which brings me to my next point. If we want to continue to live in a democracy, then we oldies have the moral responsibility to live every bit as long as possible so that the voting public can benefit from our wisdom at the ballot

2025-12-19

English history is replete with tales of the Ruling Elite turning with ferocity on their lower classes:

• the crushing of the Peasants Revolt of 1381,
• the burning of Lollards in 1401 and the last woman to be burned (for counterfeiting the coinage - are you listening Bank of England?) in 1789, 
• the massacre at Peterloo in 1819,
• and the