A Sense of Urgency about Banks, BRICS, and Bombs
Wow. There sure is a sense of urgency out there across the broad alt-news & information landscape. It feels like a ‘perfect storm’ coming together. Lately, podcasters / commentators / video podcasters / alt-news sources / interviews / prominent people and sources — it all feels like there is a real and imminent sense of urgency in the arena. Of course I’m not referring to the controlled legacy mainstream arena focused on keeping the masses intent and preoccupied on other matters. Rather, the spectrum of sources highlighting (and digging into) the systemic institutional breakdowns and geo-political debacles that will surely affect our near future in ways that have the potential to ‘shock-and-awe’.
We are in the quickening. The fourth turning.
The end cycle of what has now become a glutenous and perverted society. Many or most of you reading this know the following… There are a number of growing crises shaping and potentially culminating into lifestyle-altering disaster. Our personal financial well-being. The economy. Our safety. Health. Our remaining liberty. Or maybe even our lives.
During the past several weeks I have listened and watched more commentary than I ordinarily consume. (which is typically a good amount to begin with). The ongoing banking crisis has triggered even more urgency. And in my opinion, rightfully so. We (and the dollar) are in a LOT MORE TROUIBLE than most people realize. It’s hegemony is being challenged. And if the challenge is even partially successful, it is going to exacerbate already high inflation like you can hardly comprehend.
BRICS will destroy the dollar hegemony
Have you been paying attention to the latest regarding BRICS? (The alternative to the ‘Western’ financial system). What about Operation Sandman? This is some scary stuff.
The BRICS alliance consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Five major emerging economies with over three billion people. They account for over 40% of the world’s population and just over a quarter of the global GDP.
For many countries critically dependent on imports of fuels, food and fertilizers — membership into the BRICS group is a geopolitical hedge in a world forever changed by the US-led financial sanctions on Russia — which has especially brought Russia and China closer together in many ways.
Evidently the BRICS group of nations plan to decide this year, 2023, whether to admit new members and what criteria they would have to meet, with Iran and Saudi Arabia among those who’ve formally asked to join. Yes you read that right. Saudi Arabia – which enabled the dollar becoming the petrodollar all those many years ago. Well guess what happens when they officially join BRICS?
And if Operation Sandman is true, even to an extent, you could wake up one day and find out that many nations have just agreed to join BRICS, and essentially dump the dollar. How do you think that’s going to affect you? Most people don’t even have a clue.
The Western Global Banking System Is Insolvent
This system is bankrupt. It is ridiculously insolvent. Just a small relative percentage of sudden widespread withdrawal demand would bring it all down. Many banks have invested unwisely (such as low interest long term bonds which are now massively underwater given todays high interest rates. The recent banking crisis and subsequent bailouts and bail-ins are not over. The talking-heads scramble to assure the public that their money is safe and that the banks and banking system is structurally sound. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Did you know that one of the oldest banks on the planet collapsed the other day too? Credit Suisse / Switzerland. ‘UBS’ bought what was left for pennies on the dollar. $2 Billion. Now apparently UBS isn’t in good shape either. Contagion is most definitely spreading. Deutsche Bank, the largest in Germany, is apparently getting wacked in the market too. Do you have any idea the magnitude of the Derivatives between all these banks intertwined throughout their systemic web? Can a building still stand when a support pillar or two crumbles to the ground? No, likely not. Have you ever set up dominoes?
Smart people are taking some of their money out of the banks. I read an article yesterday that reported ~ $100 Billion has been withdrawn from banks by the public since the SVA collapse.
Massive Market Meltdown
You might be in the market, although not directly. Do you have an IRA or 401K or other retirement plan? Well when the market melts down as many are predicting worse than 2008… you’re going to get wacked too. Man I hope not. I’ve got my own IRA and am in a similar boat. One could adjust their investments, but everything is going be affected when this starts unraveling.
WAR
The bankers, when particularly desperate, will take us to war. They always have. The bombs start dropping. And as you likely realize, we already are into WWIII. And we are not the invincible nation that we once were. Our military leadership has been neutered. Replaced with woke. Heck we don’t even have a functioning hypersonic missile yet, while Russia does, and could easily sink our Aircraft carriers with them. Could our military even fight an effective ground war today? What about on two fronts? But I digress. WAR. I wonder how many would be okay with their sons, daughters, or grandkids sent to fight for a criminal cesspool enterprise in a place called Ukraine? Or what about Taiwan? Our kids fight for the banksters. That’s what may happen again.
Preparedness Urgency
All of the above, and more that I haven’t bothered to summarize. There is a visceral sense of urgency among the ‘red-pilled’ commentators. They see what’s likely coming. And the recent sense is soon. Like, very bad stuff this year. Or sooner.
What do I think about it? Well, I do realize that a bad systemic breakdown could realistically and potentially unravel real soon. Such as, for example, banking/finance contagion leading to a cascading ‘major malfunction’. I know that markets can crash really, really fast too. But will this happen real soon? I’ll tell you what… lots of what I’ve been reading, watching, and hearing lately from various alt-news sources — many of them are convinced this is going down pretty darn soon… Of course I don’t know. Neither do they. However I do know that the system is way overdue for a ‘balancing’.
Do you feel a sense of urgency about all or any of this?
“Do you feel a sense of urgency?”
No, not really, honestly at 70 years old, what is there to be “urgent” about.
Not saying I don’t agree with 95% of what you’re saying, but at this stage of the “Game of Life” either you have learned a few things AND prepared or you haven’t.
Yeah Yeah Yeah, a few extra pounds of beans and another brick of Toilet Paper would not hurt, but seriously think on it, we’re to the stage Venezuela was at a few years back.
To big to fail?
To much world influence to fail?
To big of an economy to fail?
To much at stake to fail?
To many “smart” people to fail?
My friends you had best “Get your shit togeather” dang soon.
OR Just let TPTB and our fine .gov take care of everything.
Good article Ken.
One to think on.
The US has rotted and decayed just like every other empire and the rest of the world is sick and tired of our bullying, hypocrisy and going around crapping in everyone’s back yard. We have worn out our welcome like the drunk, obnoxious, loud mouth that won’t leave the party.
The world is disgusted by the US and EU pushing and exporting their perverted lgbtq, transgender, child mutilation agenda and they want them to pay a price for these sins. I also believe God is disgusted by the one Nation he has blessed so much and will use the other nations of the world to severely punish the US for turning its back on Him. Preparing for God’s wrath is a really tough challenge as he has so many means of destruction available.
Several experts have recommended having a large bank, an independent local bank and a credit union. Also to make sure you can make transactions online. One talked about cash in brokerage accounts having a different “insurance” pool and higher limit. But I checked mine with a large company and the cash was FDIC insured. Read about the shortcomings at the failed banks and the years! supervisory folks were recommending changes in the way they were operating as well as accounting for their operations. Now more actions seem geared towards getting us all in the too big not to bailout banks. Some have suggested that goal to make the central bank digital currency transition quicker. Very concerning.
Glory be, figured out the log-on! It’s a challenge for seniors who always did communications another way.
Its a pain in the bum but if Kens finding it needful then us seniors will have to adept lol .
Do I feel a sense of urgency? YES!!! It has been in high gear since the cov id hit. It motivates us beyond what We would do under normal conditions. It is our intuition that feeds from our life experiences. We know something is going to happen and we best get our ducks in a row. And we are the fortunate ones in that we have plants and animals to help feed us.
We are also dependent to some degree on our retirement accounts and are able to prepare as we do because of these accounts and being out of debt other than taxes. We have put our eggs in many different baskets but the truth is: none of them are safe. When things start tumbling, everything goes down. Nothing in life is guaranteed so hedge your bets as best you can with what you have at hand.
The Great Depression taught us 1.) don’t trust bankers and 2.) have land for plants and protein as they fared the best. People grew on any piece of land they had available and they knew where to find other wild food available. There is a fear that our dollar will be outlawed, but it will be devoured completely if left for the bankers so plan accordingly. Food on the shelf will feed your family. Canning jars are currently readily available as is canned meat. Invest in a good pressure cooker and start learning….better than Money in a bank.
Muh.. Buy MOAR Bitcoin. Wait till the price hits 60K+ before you buy… /S
It really does seem TPTB are herding us into the slaughter house.
You see .gov propaganda stories published last week of sheeple pulling their money from small banks and depositing to BIG banking institutions. You see MOAR phys-op and propaganda concerning finances all around us. The Sheep are going Bah Bah Bah for transvestite news story hours. Those sheep watching Fox News especially.
Solutions. Not many solutions, according to the bible we will be living in the Wild when all is said and done. We will be casting our Gold and Silver into the streets.
All I can see doing is buying myself and my family time and some insulation. Prep, stockpile, adaptability, close family neighbors and friends. Cash, gold and silver may buy you some limited time in the intermediate of the collapse. Don’t count on it to save your butt, it is just a tool that you can pawn off to the sheep when everything is burning around them and they are in full panic. You may be able to acquire more assets to help buy you more time in that scenario.
When you understand that TPTB want you DEAD or Enslaved, it is very easy to war game this out and prepare accordingly.
White cracker …..you hit the nail dead center, the only real life saving assets…are the ones you hold, be it food, equipment, guns, my favorite is still ammo lots of ammo, all of these are and will be the ‘new money’ during the shakeout gold and silver will only be a limited time barter item. When the event is in full swing even metals will be worthless.
that ammo, I would avoid using that medium for barter, you don’t want the barter to come back at you in a bad way.
K-bay, I knew the Saudi’s were talking about it and usually when they talk, they act. My D.H. mentioned them joining. He watches that part of world, while my world consists of five acres. I am really surprised that this isn’t big news. I did see it shown on FOX, using charts. Hyper inflation would almost have to be the end result; then they will nail us.
Very good point on not bartering Ammo. The only way I would do it if I had aaa caliber of ammo that is old and I no longer have the gun. In that case, I would trade for something I did have if the opportunity presented itself. I would be very, very careful. In bartering the only real value is what someone is willing to give at the time. There will be no comparing apples to apples. I would rather not barter and put a target on our backs. The assumption will be, “if they have this, then they have more”. I would be willing to go without certain things.
More likely than not this death by a thousand cuts will be the order of the day for the foreseeable future. Anxiety? Perhaps. More like disgust, and a growing burning anger.
FAFO
When the FED and Govt folks tell you the economy is solid— it ain’t!
They don’t want you to pull your money out because they will need it to bail out the big banks.
Pay attention, research, think, plan.
Do stuff to get ready.
The stress and tension in the air is palpable. We are working every day to do our best to provide for ourselves and family. It’s impossible to foresee EVERY possible situation, but I’m thankful for all the thought provoking articles and comments over the years on MSB to give lots of scenarios and ideas on what may be coming.
I am more concerned about how this government aka Joe Biden will react to the current situation – if at all. I don’t think it’ll be 1929 all over again but Puppet Joe will take advantage of any disaster to exert more control on a free people and that could lead to some version of a civil war. Those on the left will welcome more government intervention and control. As preppers we should be ready for a fallout (no pun intended). The greater question is, will any on the left see the truth before take a turn toward disaster.
I believe that FJB is ‘owned’. He will do whatever he is told by his masters.
KJ yep!
BRICS got a longgg way to go before people invest in their money in their system. The majority of the wealthy in those countries don’t trust their money there. They still put a large chunk of their money in the west and will continue to do so for the forseeable future. Would you “invest” in Brazil or Russia?
To ‘kenny’, thanks for the opinion. Evidently the BRICS system started in 2001. I’m not so sure about being a longgg way to go before a dollar impact in this regard. However I do hope that you are correct.
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Once concern is that the Ruble is backed by gold. That is a tangible backing. Whereas, as we all know, the dollar is backed by nothing except ‘faith’ in the US Government (and the fear of getting bombed if nation ‘xyz’ goes against it – which has happened in the past).
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Side Note: If Saudi Arabia joins in and begins to also transact with BRICS system (other currencies) for oil, well that’s not going to be good for the petrodollar. Anyway, it’s all food for thought and commentary.
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Maybe all this is why the US seems hell-bent on going to kinetic war with Russia / China. One glaring problem in that regard is, Thermonuclear War.
Ken, not only is the ruble backed in gold, the one country buying more gold than any other in the last three years, China, and the promise is to back the yuan with gold. I foresee Saudi’s moving in that direction as an additional move after joining SCO this past week.
As to that war thing, yeah, biden and blinken have been pushing that agenda since coming into office. They knew that the petro-dollar was tittering and about to go over, thus the need for America to go to war to save the economy. (war is good business)
Kbay, it will be interesting to watch stuff develop, especially with the OPEC cuts in production. Me thinks inflation will go through the roof
Since Saudi Arabia claims it is “thinking” about joining BRICS, it is probably as good as done. The point that none of these countries trust the currency of the others, is a valid one. Since several are rich in natural resources, esp. oil; they certainly can form an alliance, shutting out “the ugly American”. Are they strong enough as a whole, to trade among themselves, leaving us out in the cold? That is a big chuck of change for them to lose. This would serve to further weaken a problematic thorn in the side, of a country that may, at any time, wage war, in order to boast it’s deteriorating economy. The BRICS nations will welcome that Saudi’s, but Iran, as a member is doubtful. They don’t hold a true alliance with the other members. The are a danger to all. High finance is not my forte’. My D.H. thinks they will drop the dollar. I am not as sure. We agree on more issues at hand than not; this one is tricky.
Ariel, with the exception of two of the smaller members of BRICS, the big three are already in an organization with Iran, one which the Saudi’s joined this week. The move of Saudi Arabia is almost a done deal.
When BRIC was first coined it was merely a hopeful adjective. “Brazil, Russia, India, China” was viewed as a grouping of large developing countries not quite in the first world. Around that time, a couple of decades ago, I was in and out of India several times as it was a major focus of my work at the time, and then in and out of China as assignments changed and it was peripheral. Then 10-15 years ago BRICS became a thing. But not an effective, united, powerful thing. Today we have Russia returning to its empire-building in the face of global opposition. China having trouble reconciling its increasing totalitarianism with not being able to move away from the corrupting capitalism of the past several years. South Africa is falling apart in many ways; Brazil is being watched this year to see how much the global fertilizer shortage will impact its food security and export market; while India is at war with China and remains largely isolated from big power moves globally. So, no, not worried.
Yes, it would seem that they all have enough on their plates at the current time. Of course this has not kept many countries from making major mistakes in the past.
I envy your travel, which gives you a unique perspective on the situation.
Our greatest threat really comes from within…..
Saudi Arabia, a key player in the US dollar hegemony (petrodollar), is definitely hedging its bets outside ‘the west’…
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In the latest evidence of major shifts in global power dynamics, the Saudi government has approved the kingdom’s partial membership in a Chinese-led economic, political and security bloc, Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
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Iran is expected to become a full member later this year, while other dialogue partners include two more countries that have traditionally been in the U.S. sphere of influence: Qatar and Egypt.
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zerohedge.com/geopolitical/saudi-arabia-joins-china-led-economic-and-security-bloc-russia-also-member
It’s official. China and Brazil ditching the dollar.
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According to the Brazilian government, China and Brazil have reached a deal to trade in their own currencies, ditching the United States dollar as an intermediary entirely, AFP reported.
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https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/china-and-brazil-strike-deal-ditch-us-dollar
India is trading with other countries without using the dollar.. Biden set us up by trying to put Russia in a corner that had an obvious back door.
Spent the morning outside transplanting and working on herbs for tinctures.
Mrs. U. How in the world do I find green Sweet Gum. I picked up a bunch of brown ones yesterday, but these trees must be twenty years old. I would think I would find them in spring. We have had a lot of wind, but nothing green on the ground. I may have to hunt in the woods for smaller trees. I think “Just Saying”, might have used the brown ones, but I know the seeds have to be orange. I sure miss his knowledge! By the way , transplanted my wild lettuce today and added some tinctures two weeks ago. Whoops, sorry Ken, I digress….
Not surprised regarding the major players, this has been in the making for a long time. If they accept Mexico, this would surprise me, as no one wants to play ball with the Cartel. There is no real government in Mexico, with that exception. They murdered all the real journalists around five years ago, including those in hiding. Very few areas are safe. Those that are…homes to family members of the afore mentioned. The drug money is so big that it way over-shadows tourist contributions. Not sure how the expats from the U.S. and other countries are weathering this storm. It was a lovely country, once, full of fun adventure…no more.
The seriousness of the whole package is over-whelming. If T.P.T.B can not take us down any other way, a strong BRICS union could very well do it. Looks like they might just let anyone in, but how do they reconcile the differences in currency? That could be very difficult once the involved parties come to the table to decide on a currency they all trust. Most of these countries do not like each other, let alone trust one another. So, will the U.S. once again be a gold backed currency by default? Only the shadow knows…. (you have to be old).
Another facet to keep an eye on is “SCO” or Shang Hai Cooperation Organization. Last year Iran joined the group and last week the Saudi’s moved into the group. That encompasses a major portion of the globe when combined with BRICS. Something else to ponder is the announcement this past Wednesday of the Indonesians and India now doing trade in rupees.
Unfortunately, still have all our banking assets at one of the larger regional banks. (They were part of the TBTF group in 2008.) Getting some research done on the 2 local options to spread things out a bit. Plus I also won’t have to drive over an hour to make our intermittent physical deposits. I think our retirement and brokerage accounts are okay at this point. The bulk of those are in cash and we are debt free. I went ahead and prepaid an estimated 6 months of electricity and probably propane through year end. Figured the funds paid out of a non-interest bearing account were better spent on something I know we’ll need. We have a trip to the “big” city later this week for a doc appointment. We always do some stocking up on things not available locally. Also getting the rest of the items we need for the laying hens arriving later this month and gardening supplies for our new place. Last night as we were watching tv, my DH said, all of a sudden, “we need more ammo. That’s the tipping point – when they try to take our guns.” We were watching an historical show about Nazi Germany and a Jewish survivor was lamenting – What could we do?
Part of my concern is the bumbling buffoon’s administration and the uniparty deciding to crash the banking system to implement a CBDC before the next election if it looks like they may not be able to win [steal] it. If the government can control whether you can or when you can spend your money as well as monitor every transaction, can there ever be an election free of government interference? The threat of coercion by the surveillance state will generate even more sheeple. Just remembered we need to check with the PM dealer about hours and availability for when we are in town as well.