If I step away and look at this incredibly naively I do think it is slightly heartwarming that someone with a massive global reach is out there and trying to create a mascot with a message of hope, cooperation, friendship etc.

But then I’d have to stop smoking shit and realize its also possibly one of the worst institutions in human history. Somehow that makes it worse than if they had not bothered in the end. Even the most childish naive good shit comes from the worst people imaginable.

This is correct and its not doomerism imo, these clowns were praising Kissinger when he died and as much as a great leader Xi may be(and he definitely is a key factor to China’s success) the collective leadership clearly didn’t give a shit about the consequences of the Xi-Biden meeting.

They clearly thought the photos of the Chinese diaspora waving him was worth more than actual practical reality of what that was meant to accomplish and the message it sends. Go meet with top western capitalists with what hope?

The hope that they invest in China but bow to CPC? 12 months later its the same CPC doing liberal fiscal incentives for improving “investor sentiment”. Its a clown joke.

China has talked and acted in favor of liberal international order nonsense. Whatever deeply held conspiracy they may have about “Communism by 2050” or whatever doesn’t align with their actions imo. I can certainly cope with this dream, but it is a dream.

If there is a bright side is like it or not Chinese nationalists will be a problem the more the CPC compromises with the west.

I’m not too optimistic and I don’t dare set unrealistic expectations anymore, even Russia doesn’t have a perfect defense against Ukrainian missile strikes/drones etc and the US got 3 years of complete surveillance data to understand how Russia operates them.

Its a formidable system, but it wont stop Iran from getting hit in vulnerable places anymore than it stops Russia from getting hit sometimes.

If evil communist Cuba is so bad they’ll collapse themselves why is it necessary for the US to continue a 60 year embargo?

So that you’re aware WTI Oil futures on the NYMEX closes trading on Friday 22:00pm UTC and the attack is reported to start at around 22:30pm. They’ve obviously avoided any oil or nuclear infrastructure.

If Iran did take the bait and immediately retaliated into an open war I think it is definitely possible for oil to reach '22 levels and that is certainly one way to lose the election on the 11th hour. I don’t believe its possible for oil to go that high in any other scenario though.

So its obviously prudent to avoid this risk.

Here and here

This was last year but in short.

COVID high interest rates crushed the global south and created a new debt crisis(IMF smiles with a smug face). For these global south countries its the same old austerity as the only natural consequence.

“Record debt levels and high interest rates have set many countries on a path to crisis,” said Indermit Gill, the World Bank Group’s chief economist. “Every quarter that interest rates stay high results in more developing countries becoming distressed — and facing the difficult choice of servicing their public debts or investing in public health, education, and infrastructure….For the poorest countries, debt has become a near paralysing burden,” said Gill.

In the past three years alone, there have been 18 sovereign defaults in 10developing countries including the likes of Zambia, Sri Lanka and Ghana — greater than the number recorded in all of the previous two decades. The World Bank forecasts that by the end of 2024, economic activity in low and middle income countries will be 5% below pre-pandemic levels, with growth over the 2020-24 period projected to be the weakest five-year average since the mid-1990s.

And how is this to be done? Well, “entitlement reforms are inescapable” says Gopinath. That means raising retirement pension contributions and the age threshold; and cutting public services. “Many EMDEs need to reduce the footprint of state-owned enterprises, which strain the public purse and often fail to deliver effectively.” That means privatisation. And “we need to be candid: for many industrial policies, these conditions are simply not met.” That means productive development must be sacrificed for fiscal and monetary probity. Gopinath claimed that putting “fiscal houses in order is essential to ensure governments can deliver for their people.”

High rates also continues to deteriorate the US economy and the growing number of zombie corps. Mag 7 profits are already a huge majority of the entirety of the SP500 for example. The US economy is realy just a literal handful of giant mega corps, something not even 1950’s scifi writers would have predicted.

When the Fed finaly lowered interest rates this year it was done because this situation is unbearable. When the mega tech sector starts doing layoffs because even their profitability was not sustainable it was a warning sign.

Here mainstream today on zombiefication

Corporate bankruptcies chart I think the Fed saw data like this too, the ‘22-current’ line going up is unsustainable.

There wont be a war for Taiwan in the short maybe even medium term(under 10 years). China doesn’t want it and the US made the choice Israel is more important.

To be doubly clear, after China just launched these shitty fiscal incentives and had their entire state media justify how market/investment optimism is important etc its extremely clear China is making the bed with western capital for now and Taiwan wont change that, not even some Pelosi 2.0.

We need to see some drastic course changes I could be wrong, but I see nothing but China tripple and quadrupling down on their peaceful rethoric shit. It means in effect its the US that gets to choose the perfect time for war.

DPRK troops will only operate within Russia’s legal borders is the logical assumption I’m getting here. So Kursk is fine but Ukrainian territory is not.

Meh, Feds going after this site but not 4ch?

I guess depending on which country you live maybe if you post here your intentions to give lots of kisses and hugs to your local president or something and then actualy go and do it, perhaps that sort of attempt could lead to an FBI intervention. Otherwise I seriously doubt anyone cares.

Someone should check on Mr Roger’s and see if he is still keeping track of this website for his “research”(the guy with the only result for HB on Google scholar)

The key issue of lesser evilism is it doesn’t work because it necessitates 100% honesty and competence from all parties involved. Her policies are better in theory only and Dems have a terrible record of actualy fighting and delivering on their “better” policies. Likewise some of the worst fears about the Trump admin are outright fantastical, some are already being done by Biden, and some didn’t happen despite what they claimed the first time.

You should first understand Brazil is doing a 180 here. This financial talk can’t be used here because certainly before the election issue Brazil/Lula was either very clueless about what you’re talking about or they didn’t care and wanted Venezuela to join. Either way we can’t rationalize their rejection today with financial talk given they were about to be approved if the election thing didn’t happen for example.

Next its very important to understand the state of Venezuelan economy as dictated almost entirely by oil production.

Current BRICS oil exporters top to bottom: Russia, SA, China, Iran, Brazil, Egypt.

Venezuela joining would add an irrelevant amount of GDP and would just slot them barely ahead of Egypt as an oil producer.

BRICS is already deeply related with OPEC and therefore already deeply tied to the USD. It makes no meaningful difference whether you add Venezuela or not. Russia alone produces over 10x more oil. Russia and SA together produce as much as China/Iran/UAE.

Even further context, here is the OECD BRICS(old) exports(billions) rank

China - 3.700B

Russia - 486B

India - 468B

SA - 147B

Venezuela 4.3B

South Africa exports over 30X more than Venezuela. We can’t possibly seriously suggest adding Venezuela is a step too far here. Venezuela got literaly one of the lowest exports per capita in the world(OEC) Within this context Venezuela is sadly irrelevant to the world economy and is not a real justification imo. Their economy is shit and irrelevant, they produce literaly nothing and barely sustain themselves(they have a trade deficit actualy).

I think what is happening is that everyone is starting to realize that adding more countries into the BRICS+ bloc would end up strengthening the US financial system, not weakening it. This tracks with the news that BRICS has decided to suspend the admission of new members back in June. 0,

They are instead making a new list of future members. Cuba was accepted but Brazil vetoed Venezuela and Nicaragua. They’re eating their cake and having it if I go by your reasoning, there is no point making a list of future members if you’re truly not going to add new members.

The current impression is every continent’s major player gets to call their shot. China says what they want in Asia, Russia in ME, Brazil in SA and India in SEA. Though India is just content in being the resident contrarian.

This should be an ideological battle, surprisingly even Putin accepted Brazil’s stance despite Russian relations with Cuba and Venezuela. Its clear where the lines are drawn.

I’m definitely one of the people that think this story is more likely true than not.

Keep in mind the original source was SK intel not the usual western Ukraine war/media rumor/propaganda factory.

The fact SK is kind of looking like they’re serious about to send their own troops should give you some pause. What if the reverse was true and there are no DPRK troops? Then SK is suddenly committing troops in a dangerous escalation with the DPRK for no real reason. Historical the south is more about baiting, the drone saga is an example of this, imo its a clear escalation but at insignificant cost.

SK benefits from the current status quo as much as China, they realy don’t want to make the US choose between them and Taiwan for example, they shouldn’t want to become another Ukraine, besides SK got a “real” army compared to Ukraine anyway. The US would use other proxies if they intended to put troops, France was literally begging for it.

Right now though it seems the real war is with Iran and again, imagine if this story is false then you have SK basically creating a trigger for DPRK escalation or even a real war in retaliation which is not what the US should want.

The main US goals are imo 1- Israel v Iran, 2- China, 3-Ukraine. Ukraine is already conceded as a loss imo. Its all just about draining Russian resources(if they believe this) and maybe then milking EU NATO members for more money(Trump rhetoric).

To be honest it seems more about Brazilian self interest, BR media reports it more over Lula/Brazil losing face to Venezuela than anything else.

Obviously the US just points and laughs at a distance with a happy smug face but it is the sad reality, there are bigger root causes i.e again Lula is a sucdem at very best and his government is completely in bed with the “normal” modern neoliberal policies(Haddad is only missing a swastika or something at this point otherwise he is doing everything he can to show he is the worst). The difference between PT and the right is just on the level of unhinged support for extreme right discourse and very basic Lula’s own affinity towards maintaining some social welfare. Otherwise its welcome to neoliberal hell and enjoy your stay, I’m sorry nothing can be done because otherwise PT/Lula can’t govern is the excuse.

Despite what happened post-Chavez, given Lula is not a communist this is irrelevant to them. Brazil got no ideological reason to support Venezuela unconditionally so they obviously will not.

The reality though even Brazilian interests would be better off using Venezuela in BRICS as an anti-US pawn(to be brutaly honest) but no, its amateur hour what is realy important is Lula must not lose face to the “dictator”. God damn it for someone that was literaly in jail but still kneels and begs on the altar of the global “rules based” order shit while also at the same time making discourse over multipolarity. sigh.

Despite the Lula fandom here its all about the Venezuela election stuff. Brazil “demanded” to see the votes and Venezuela rejected. Brazil has no right to demand anything but these clowns did it anyway.

Celso Amorin on the 21st

“I don’t support Venezuela’s entry. I think we have to go slowly. There’s no point in filling it with countries, otherwise we’ll soon create a new G-77,” Amorim told CNN .

“The entry of new countries must be carefully studied. We need countries that can contribute. We need to have a strategic conception of admissions. Remember that the world is experiencing wars that could escalate into world wars. Therefore, the admission criteria are more important than the country itself,” he said.

This is fucking garbage. This is exactly what the worst critics say and its tough to admit. Little capitalist garbage fuckers trying to draw their own little garden while paying lip service to multipolarity shit.

I will continue to blame China for themselves not having a clear position on clamping down on this shit.

Cuba may still join in the future, they made the “list” and Venezuela didn’t. But if at the end of the day all it takes is the big capitalist shit down south to say “no” then what is the excuse? Lula is not a leftist is what Brazilian communists already know and repeat a lot so this is not unexpected realy but yeah its bad.

Surely you can find a better use of your time lol.

Garbage PR meeting as expected, Brazil single handedly suggesting and then not just opposing but vetoing Venezuela, there is zero chance of Cuba joining now. This is completely expected though, but good on them for trying and shame on these garbage idiots.

All the worst criticisms of BRICS starting to show through, again as expected. Worthless clowns pay lip service to “multipolarity” but the lines are very clearly defined around their own capitalist interests.

DPRK flag spotted in Ukraine. Mil summary YT 10:20s

They say its just Russian trolling for now. The narrative seems like ever increasing Russian cope which I don’t understand why, I admit its wierd but also I don’t quite think someone right at the front(see the video geolocation) has time or reason to be bothering with internet memes, just a weird situation imo, why would you carry a DPRK flag around just in case?

To me this seems like the funniest narrative of the past year imo. Its going to be so funny to watch all these silly mil bloggers experts trying to justify the extremely obvious reasons why DPRK was willing to send some small amount of troops.

Meanwhile SK is officially taking the matter seriously South Korea summons Russian envoy to protest North Korea troop dispatch.

Related article from Michael Roberts(Marxist economist) mostly on these same criticisms.

IMF and BRICS: no return to Bretton Woods(10/20/2024)

IMF is worried about growing inequality and poverty and wants some form of change which we know wont happen.

Meanwhile BRICS is actually just Chinese economic dominance, there are still internal conflicts, no US-China decoupling yet and as a result dedollarization is debunk(so far) as everyone still defaults to the USD.

How long would you survive as president if the first thing you did was to remove “In god we trust” and the cartoon evil pledge of allegiance.