socialism ALWAYS fails, whether in the USSR, Spain, NYC, or California. The market will correct. Lots of people will get hurt. Such is humanity. Stay smart, educate yourself (thanks Lau), and do what's best for you and your family. In my medical practice, we rigorously ensure that only patients make medical decisions in consultation with their doc. Same with finances. Listen to smart people and make a decision yourself.
We fled California over the socialism. So did millions of others. Ditto NYC. Whole countries fled the USSR. Pretty cool how the market corrects.
Thanks, Thomas. I appreciate it... especially the reminder that, in the end, we're all responsible for making our own decisions. And, yes, that's true in medicine, investing, and just about everything else in life.
Enjoy Spain. My wife and daughter are headed there Friday. She has family in the Pyrenees (Basques) so, thankfully, not near Ceuta.
We're here in Prague at the moment. We just toured the Museum of Communism this morning. I know you lived it, so it probably wouldn't be interesting to you. To any other Westerners who happen to find themselves in Czechia, I highly recommend it, particularly with the creep of socialism and state-run grocery stores in the States. The Museum might be an informative preview.
Thanks, Laramie! Hope your wife and daughter have a wonderful trip. The Pyrenees are beautiful.
And yes, I know exactly the museum you're talking about. But if you ever find yourself in Lithuania (not that far from the Czech Republic, by the way), I'd highly recommend the KGB Museum in the center of Vilnius. It's housed in the former KGB headquarters, and you can actually visit the execution yard and the prison cells where people were interrogated and tortured.
My grandmother spent a day there as a teenager being interrogated over something her sister had done at school, so it hits a little differently for me.
For a more lighthearted Soviet experience, I'd recommend Grūtas Park, complete with Lenin statues, Soviet monuments, and a Soviet-style canteen. It's about as close as you can get to the USSR without a time machine. 😄
I visited the Vilnius KGB prison/execution chamber a few years ago. It was enlightening to see how brutal the Soviets were. It seems the Baltics and Poland were caught in a vice between invading Nazis on one side and invading Commies on the other. I later visited the Stans where they also have former KGB headquarters. I asked if they also had prisons in their basements. They acknowledged they had. I asked if they were now museums like in Vilnius. They said no, they had been converted into offices. And all the war monuments celebrated victory over the Germans. Also visited former collective farms. They didn't have the same bitter memories. Maybe the tribal culture the Soviets inherited made the difference. Tribal culture tends to lean socialist. Sort of works for tribes because everybody knows everyone in the tribe and lay-abouts can be shunned or kicked out of the tribe.
I haven't even gotten to your Uranium analysis, but will later today and value it, I'm sure. Meanwhile, though, thanks for your report from the ground in Spain about the shoeless invasion from Morocco and the historical setting. I always so much appreciate reports from folks who see through the headlines and have a larger and longer view, in time and space, regarding why such events occur, then opening the focus to other related geopolicial and macroeconomic developments on today's world stage. Stay focused and be well. Thanks. Jay
Pleasure to read your instructive and intelligent reflections on the recent events in Spain. Your analysis feels spot on. But I do think you’re mistaken about immunity for Fauci. He doesn’t need immunity to tell the truth. He already has immunity for telling the truth. What he demonstrated during the hearing is that he would rather face potential legal jeopardy (contempt of Congress) rather than being truthful.
On Fauci's "immunity to truth”: I'm not sure if you meant that humorously. I mean, the guy has lied so much he seems to have developed an autoimmune reaction to the truth, 😄 so in that sense you're def right.
But if you're referring to Biden's autopen pardon, like I mentioned in the piece, that only covers federal offenses committed before he left office. If Fauci contradicts earlier sworn testimony today, that's potentially a brand-new perjury issue the pardon doesn't touch. The same goes for possible state charges or contempt.
That's why he still has every incentive to plead the Fifth if he thinks truthful answers could expose him to criminal liability.
Witness immunity is different. It's the one thing that could actually remove that risk and, in turn, take away his ability to invoke the Fifth. Meaning, if Congress granted him immunity, he'd have to answer.
Believe me, I'd love nothing more than to see the guy behind bars. But I think it's even more important that we get to the bottom of all of this. We owe at least that much to the people who suffered through it, and to future generations.
Hey Lau. I agree with you that the truth here is more important to public health than punishing Fauci. Where we differ is in our assessment of his current liability for being truthful. If he told the truth now, he could not be prosecuted for past crimes (lies to Congress) even if the truth contradicted his previous testimony/lies. He can’t be prosecuted for current truthful testimony even if he admits to past crimes or contradicts earlier false testimony. You do have a point about his current exposure to state charges, but I don’t think the federal government could grant him immunity there. In any event, Fauci won’t be coming clean under any circumstance’s IMHO.
I'll take H.I.A.S. (Hebrew Immigration Assistance Support), an Israeli organization, for paying non-citizens, giving them "Smart Phones, for travel to Western Europe and the Southern U.S. Border for The Daily Double, Alex! On CV19? I'll also take Donald J Trump paying Dr.s and Hospital Systems $13,000 for each positive CV19 diagnosis based on the fraud PCR test as indicated by it's Inventor who mysteriously died soon after that was reported, $39,000 for admission ,Intubation on any of those falsely testing positive for The Corona Virus aka CV19 when intubation is largely contra indicated in most cases and results in death by Drowning by their own bodily fluids.
Signed,
COVID19, Inc. (Certificate of Vaccine Identification and Artificial Intelligence)-- 19=Artificial Intelligence. Number the letters.
Immigration, in the U.S., Europe or any other welfare state is not the problem. The problem is giving immigrants myriad forms of welfare once they get here.
Without welfare, immigrants would have to work, starve or become criminals. Those who work should be welcomed.
It's a win/win. Every worker is also a consumer. Europe, Japan and the U.S. have an aging demographic problem that can most easily be solved by immigration. Any immigrants who do crime or apply for any form of government welfare whatsoever should be immediately deported. No hearing. No trial. Just gone. And while we're at it we should eliminate government welfare for citizens of all these countries.
The U.S. did just fine with no government welfare and open immigration well into the 20th century. Government welfare just crowds out private welfare and perpetuates itself. The primary reason we cannot implement immigration reform along the lines I have described above is that the left wing parties in all these countries are deliberately importing voters. "Welcome! Vote for us and we'll keep the welfare benefits coming."
Even if Fauci was granted another pardon, he would still lie to cover up his prior lying. To tell the truth would be to admit he’s an idiot. Not going to happen.
socialism ALWAYS fails, whether in the USSR, Spain, NYC, or California. The market will correct. Lots of people will get hurt. Such is humanity. Stay smart, educate yourself (thanks Lau), and do what's best for you and your family. In my medical practice, we rigorously ensure that only patients make medical decisions in consultation with their doc. Same with finances. Listen to smart people and make a decision yourself.
We fled California over the socialism. So did millions of others. Ditto NYC. Whole countries fled the USSR. Pretty cool how the market corrects.
Thanks, Thomas. I appreciate it... especially the reminder that, in the end, we're all responsible for making our own decisions. And, yes, that's true in medicine, investing, and just about everything else in life.
Enjoy Spain. My wife and daughter are headed there Friday. She has family in the Pyrenees (Basques) so, thankfully, not near Ceuta.
We're here in Prague at the moment. We just toured the Museum of Communism this morning. I know you lived it, so it probably wouldn't be interesting to you. To any other Westerners who happen to find themselves in Czechia, I highly recommend it, particularly with the creep of socialism and state-run grocery stores in the States. The Museum might be an informative preview.
Thanks, Laramie! Hope your wife and daughter have a wonderful trip. The Pyrenees are beautiful.
And yes, I know exactly the museum you're talking about. But if you ever find yourself in Lithuania (not that far from the Czech Republic, by the way), I'd highly recommend the KGB Museum in the center of Vilnius. It's housed in the former KGB headquarters, and you can actually visit the execution yard and the prison cells where people were interrogated and tortured.
My grandmother spent a day there as a teenager being interrogated over something her sister had done at school, so it hits a little differently for me.
For a more lighthearted Soviet experience, I'd recommend Grūtas Park, complete with Lenin statues, Soviet monuments, and a Soviet-style canteen. It's about as close as you can get to the USSR without a time machine. 😄
I visited the Vilnius KGB prison/execution chamber a few years ago. It was enlightening to see how brutal the Soviets were. It seems the Baltics and Poland were caught in a vice between invading Nazis on one side and invading Commies on the other. I later visited the Stans where they also have former KGB headquarters. I asked if they also had prisons in their basements. They acknowledged they had. I asked if they were now museums like in Vilnius. They said no, they had been converted into offices. And all the war monuments celebrated victory over the Germans. Also visited former collective farms. They didn't have the same bitter memories. Maybe the tribal culture the Soviets inherited made the difference. Tribal culture tends to lean socialist. Sort of works for tribes because everybody knows everyone in the tribe and lay-abouts can be shunned or kicked out of the tribe.
Thanks for the recommendations. Much appreciated!
I haven't even gotten to your Uranium analysis, but will later today and value it, I'm sure. Meanwhile, though, thanks for your report from the ground in Spain about the shoeless invasion from Morocco and the historical setting. I always so much appreciate reports from folks who see through the headlines and have a larger and longer view, in time and space, regarding why such events occur, then opening the focus to other related geopolicial and macroeconomic developments on today's world stage. Stay focused and be well. Thanks. Jay
Thanks, Jay. That's exactly what I'm trying to do... zoom out a little and connect stories that, at first glance, may seem unrelated. Appreciate it.
Hope you enjoy the (uranium) report... when you get to it.
"Many people would sooner die than think, in fact they do so." - Bertrand Russell
100%. Thanks, Ben.
Pleasure to read your instructive and intelligent reflections on the recent events in Spain. Your analysis feels spot on. But I do think you’re mistaken about immunity for Fauci. He doesn’t need immunity to tell the truth. He already has immunity for telling the truth. What he demonstrated during the hearing is that he would rather face potential legal jeopardy (contempt of Congress) rather than being truthful.
Hey dr. b, thanks for your comment.
On Fauci's "immunity to truth”: I'm not sure if you meant that humorously. I mean, the guy has lied so much he seems to have developed an autoimmune reaction to the truth, 😄 so in that sense you're def right.
But if you're referring to Biden's autopen pardon, like I mentioned in the piece, that only covers federal offenses committed before he left office. If Fauci contradicts earlier sworn testimony today, that's potentially a brand-new perjury issue the pardon doesn't touch. The same goes for possible state charges or contempt.
That's why he still has every incentive to plead the Fifth if he thinks truthful answers could expose him to criminal liability.
Witness immunity is different. It's the one thing that could actually remove that risk and, in turn, take away his ability to invoke the Fifth. Meaning, if Congress granted him immunity, he'd have to answer.
Believe me, I'd love nothing more than to see the guy behind bars. But I think it's even more important that we get to the bottom of all of this. We owe at least that much to the people who suffered through it, and to future generations.
Hey Lau. I agree with you that the truth here is more important to public health than punishing Fauci. Where we differ is in our assessment of his current liability for being truthful. If he told the truth now, he could not be prosecuted for past crimes (lies to Congress) even if the truth contradicted his previous testimony/lies. He can’t be prosecuted for current truthful testimony even if he admits to past crimes or contradicts earlier false testimony. You do have a point about his current exposure to state charges, but I don’t think the federal government could grant him immunity there. In any event, Fauci won’t be coming clean under any circumstance’s IMHO.
>>In any event, Fauci won’t be coming clean under any circumstance’s IMHO.
On that we can definitely agree, dr. b.
I'll take H.I.A.S. (Hebrew Immigration Assistance Support), an Israeli organization, for paying non-citizens, giving them "Smart Phones, for travel to Western Europe and the Southern U.S. Border for The Daily Double, Alex! On CV19? I'll also take Donald J Trump paying Dr.s and Hospital Systems $13,000 for each positive CV19 diagnosis based on the fraud PCR test as indicated by it's Inventor who mysteriously died soon after that was reported, $39,000 for admission ,Intubation on any of those falsely testing positive for The Corona Virus aka CV19 when intubation is largely contra indicated in most cases and results in death by Drowning by their own bodily fluids.
Signed,
COVID19, Inc. (Certificate of Vaccine Identification and Artificial Intelligence)-- 19=Artificial Intelligence. Number the letters.
CC-Heinz Kissinger
Jacob Rothschild.
Immigration, in the U.S., Europe or any other welfare state is not the problem. The problem is giving immigrants myriad forms of welfare once they get here.
Without welfare, immigrants would have to work, starve or become criminals. Those who work should be welcomed.
It's a win/win. Every worker is also a consumer. Europe, Japan and the U.S. have an aging demographic problem that can most easily be solved by immigration. Any immigrants who do crime or apply for any form of government welfare whatsoever should be immediately deported. No hearing. No trial. Just gone. And while we're at it we should eliminate government welfare for citizens of all these countries.
The U.S. did just fine with no government welfare and open immigration well into the 20th century. Government welfare just crowds out private welfare and perpetuates itself. The primary reason we cannot implement immigration reform along the lines I have described above is that the left wing parties in all these countries are deliberately importing voters. "Welcome! Vote for us and we'll keep the welfare benefits coming."
Excellent and pointed writing. Many Thanks
Even if Fauci was granted another pardon, he would still lie to cover up his prior lying. To tell the truth would be to admit he’s an idiot. Not going to happen.