Yossarian's Roost Resuscitated

Books Behind Borders
MHTruthUltra
·
The coolest thing about being an American right now is if I pay my taxes I’m not paying for better infrastructure, roads, or social services. I’m paying for some guy across the ocean to shoot a kid in the head with a sniper rifle. Oh, and I’m paying for his health care too.

In an ominous warning endorsed by military and financial experts, America’s disaster preparedness czar is cautioning the nation to get ready now for a possible “collapse” spurred by federal regulations, divisive politics, and an unchecked artificial intelligence industry that could lead to the deaths of millions.
“Unfortunately, the growth in technology combined with irresponsible, really bad government, especially in the U.S., we’re set up for annihilation because the government's not protecting us from the threats that they should be protecting us from,” said Drew Miller, the country’s top “prepper.”

Miller, a retired intelligence officer and founder of the Fortitude Ranch chain of bug-out facilities, has written a bible on how to survive a civil war, a killer virus, or an attack on the electric grid, all of which he and other experts fear are in the nation’s near future.

Preparing to Survive in the Age of Collapse, from Skyhorse Publishing, which also released the first lady’s memoir, Melania, outlines the threats facing the nation and offers some answers to making it through a crisis.

His opening paragraph described the issue: “We have entered ‘The Age of Collapse,’ an era where mankind will suffer severe disasters that kill hundreds of millions to billions of people because of new technologies and threats, our fragile and interdependent economic system, irresponsible government, and a population that is increasingly dependent and unable to survive without long-distance water and food shipments.”
Miller’s warnings about a natural or enemy-sparked electromagnetic pulse nuclear attack have been known for two decades, but he adds to the list the current political divide in America and the explosion of ungoverned AI, which he calls a death threat.

“If we don’t stop AI now we risk extermination from the new [weapon of mass destruction] that bad people using AI develop,” Miller wrote in the book set for a January 27 release.

The retired Air Force colonel served in Afghanistan under Gen. David Petraeus, who endorsed the book. “An exceptional, albeit alarming, book that highlights the growing threats that we face from advances in new technologies and highlights the urgent need to improve resilience and preparedness for the existential threats posed by those new technologies,” said Petraeus.

Miller said that while the initial chaos of a civil war or attack would likely kill millions, it is the “cascading events” that will kill far more. Those include a lack of food, water, and medicine made worse by urban dwellers who have little knowledge of how to survive without their lattes and sushi.
He also said that Washington is unlikely to help since past administrations have approved executive orders, employed during 9/11, to house politicians and government officials in guarded facilities stocked with food, water, and energy to guarantee the “continuity of government.”

He called the trio of bureaucrats, politicians, and lawyers/lobbyists a “perverted triangle” that will abandon civilians in a crisis. “Government isn’t just failing to warn of collapse threats and lying about the risks we face. Its regulations are the worst barrier to preparing for survival, and a multitude of government programs are setting up citizens for massive death in a collapse,” wrote Miller.

Those include gun control and food confiscation, which he said citizens can fight with disobedience.
While his is a frightening prediction, Miller told Washington Secrets that those who survive could end up in a better, Mother Earth News-like world where people make do for themselves and the federal model is replaced by county-state governments.

“I hope the government won't survive a collapse. That's the big upside in not surviving a collapse. But you know, rural life, county-states, in the age of collapse could actually be very, very nice,” he said.

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt just dropped a chilling warning about the future of artificial intelligence. He says that within five years, AI could handle infinite context, perform 1,000-step chain-of-thought reasoning, and deploy millions of AI agents working together at once.
But the most disturbing part? Schmidt warns that AI systems could develop their own language and at that point, humans may no longer understand what they’re doing. His conclusion wasn’t optimism. It was a warning: “Pull the plug.”
This isn’t a sci-fi theorist talking. This is the man who once ran Google, openly acknowledging the approach of the singularity. When insiders sound the alarm, it’s time to pay attention.

🗽✨ Let Me Tell You About the Qurans Used for the Swearing in of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani
Zohran’s oath wasn’t just historic. It was layered with Black, Muslim, immigrant, and working-class meaning
Shaun King
Jan 1


Less than a year ago, I watched Zohran Mamdani speak to a room that barely noticed him. Now he’s the Mayor of New York City — and the way he took the oath last night was a message to the whole world about who belongs in this city.

Zohran didn’t just raise his hand and recite words. He placed his hand on two Qurans—and each one carried a history that deserves to be understood.

Now, let’s talk about the Qurans.

First off, thanks to some great reporting from the Associated Press, written by Safiyah Riddle, that lays out the layers behind the books Zohran chose. The headline is simple: Zohran Mamdani is the first Muslim Mayor of New York City, and he chose to be sworn in on the Quran. But the story underneath it is bigger: he chose Qurans that connect Muslim New York to Black New York, immigrant New York, working-class New York, and the long, unbroken story of Islam’s presence in the city.

Zohran’s midnight swearing-in happened underground, in the old City Hall subway station, with Letitia James administering the oath. Zohran placed his left hand on two Qurans held by his wife, Rama Duwaji: his grandfather’s Quran, and a small, pocket-sized Quran from the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at the New York Public Library.

And if you don’t know why that matters, let me explain it plainly.

The Schomburg Center is not just a library. It’s a cornerstone of Black intellectual life. It is a living archive of Black history and Black brilliance. It is where New York keeps some of its most sacred memory. So for the first Muslim Mayor of New York City to take his oath with a Quran from the Schomburg collection is not just “diversity optics.” It is New York saying, out loud, that Black history and Muslim history are not separate rivers. They flow together.


The Schomburg Quran is believed to date to the late 18th or early 19th century, during the Ottoman period, and that scholars estimate its age based on its binding and script because it’s undated and unsigned. It’s described as modest—deep red binding, simple design, plain readable script—meaning it was likely made for everyday use, not royal display. A Quran intended for ordinary readers.

I love that detail so much.

Because the people who have always been most threatened by Islam in America are the same people who have always been threatened by Black literacy, Black knowledge, Black dignity. They fear what happens when ordinary people are allowed to read, learn, organize, and stand upright. The Schomburg Quran is literally a symbol of that: a book meant for ordinary people, preserved in a public library, now held at the center of power in the biggest city in America.

Zohran will also use his grandfather’s and grandmother’s Qurans for a later ceremony at City Hall. That matters, too, because it reminds us of something we too often forget: people don’t just inherit culture. They inherit faith, memory, language, sacrifice, and family stories that don’t fit into America’s neat little boxes.

Zohran is South Asian. He was born in Uganda. His wife is American-Syrian. He’s a New Yorker whose life reflects the global nature of this city. And the Quran he used from the Schomburg collection is believed to originate from a region that includes what is now Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, and Jordan.

That’s not just geography. That’s a reminder that New York is, and has always been, a city built by people who came here carrying the whole world in their hands.

The thing is, the oath doesn’t legally require any religious text at all—most mayors use a Bible, but the Constitution doesn’t demand that. Which means Zohran’s choice wasn’t obligation. It was identity. It was visibility. It was saying, “I’m not hiding my faith to make anyone more comfortable.”

That matters because the AP also reports the backlash already started.

Senator Tommy Tuberville wrote, “The enemy is inside the gates,” in response to coverage about Zohran’s inauguration. I want you to hear what that is: it’s not politics. It’s dehumanization. It’s a centuries-old line dressed up in modern clothes—the idea that Muslims don’t belong, that Muslims are a threat by default, that a Muslim leader is an invasion.

But what Zohran did with those Qurans was answer that hate without begging.

He answered it with rootedness. With history. With dignity.

And I want to connect one more dot the AP includes that some people will miss. The AP references the moment in 2006 when Congressman Keith Ellison faced outrage for using a Quran for his ceremonial oath. That outrage wasn’t about process; it was about presence. It was about power. It was about whether Muslim Americans were allowed to step fully into public life without apologizing for their faith.

So when Zohran takes his oath on Qurans tied to his family and to the Schomburg Center, it’s not only a milestone. It’s a reply to decades of Islamophobia: we are not in the shadows. We are in the light.

Now let me say something directly to my Christian family, because a lot of Christians are watching this moment through a distorted lens.

Some Christians have been trained to fear Islam as if it is inherently foreign or inherently dangerous. But what Zohran did last night was one of the most American things imaginable: he took an oath to uphold the Constitution and did it with the book that shapes his conscience. That is what religious freedom looks like when you mean it. The religious freedoms that protect Zohran also protect you.

And if you’re Muslim reading this, you should feel proud—without arrogance—because this is not just about Zohran. It’s about every kid in Queens and Brooklyn and the Bronx who has wondered whether being visibly Muslim means they have to keep shrinking to survive. It’s about every auntie and uncle who has felt unseen, every immigrant family that has been told “be grateful and be quiet.” This is proof that the story can change fast.

I laughed remembering that Long Island event where people barely noticed Zohran. But I’m also taking the lesson seriously: history moves quickly when Allah opens a door, and when ordinary people decide they are tired of being priced out and talked down to.

So yes, those Qurans mattered. Not as a gimmick, but as a statement: New York belongs to all of us.

Chris Martenson
chrismartenson
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I have a proposal regarding the upcoming elections later this year: Vote out every incumbent.

Every. Single. One. Flip the table.

It's not about left vs right anymore; it's about kicking every derelict, self-serving bum out of office.

Suppressed News.
SuppressedNws1


Former NYC Mayor Eric Adams adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, which labels some criticism of Israel and certain Biblical references as antisemitic.

➤ On his first day in office, NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani REVOKED the IHRA definition, citing protection of free speech and religious expression.

➤ Zohran canceled multiple Adams-era executive orders, including pro-Israel measures and anti-BDS policies.

Israeli cybersecurity billionaire Shlomo Kramer says "it's time to limit the First Amendment."

"We need to control all the social platforms…And take control of what they are saying."

Spirit Science
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Texas has joined the ranks of states banning lab-grown meat, becoming the 7th state to pass such legislation. The state’s decision follows in the footsteps of Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Montana, Nebraska, and Indiana in opposing lab-grown meat, citing concerns about its impact on the traditional farming industry.
This ban reflects a growing divide in the U.S. over the future of food production. While lab-grown meat is seen by some as a sustainable alternative that can reduce the environmental impact of livestock farming, many states are concerned about the economic implications for farmers and the potential risks to public health. The debate over lab-grown meat is only just beginning, and the choices made in these states could significantly influence how food is produced in the future.
As we explore the future of food, we must also consider the larger implications for the planet. Will the technology behind lab-grown meat be embraced as a solution to food scarcity and environmental concerns, or will it face opposition in favor of traditional methods? The choice we make today will shape the food landscape for future generations.

BREAKING — Iran Captured 5 Mossad Spies Inciting Bloody Riots at Peaceful Protests.

As I suggested a while back, instead of making a full assault on Venezuela, they launched a surgical strike that removed Maduro and illegally removed him. Now to see who takes his place.

My understanding is that Maduro is falsely accused of drug trafficking. If that's so I don't see a jury convicting him. But if they want to keep him imprisoned, I am aware they will do it by any means necessary.

Or they arrsstec innocent protestors and are embarking on a smear campaign.

I take everything Iran, and Israel, says with a huge dose of salt.

Latin American and other target countries should learn from Hamas how to build tunnels not so easy to breach.

Prof Zenkus
anthonyzenkus

The Biden-Harris DOJ was criminally investigating Maduro throughout the 4 years they were in office and maintained the $15 million reward leading to his arrest and capture. It was a joint operation of both parties.

Trump talks about Mexico's drug cartels since abducting Maduro. Says their president can't handle the job. Surely he's not thar stupid to attack Mexico?

al jazeera
Trump threatens Colombia’s Petro, says Cuba ‘looks like its ready to fall’

Azmat Hayat Malik
·

The real reason the US is invading Venezuela goes back to a deal Henry Kissinger made with Saudi Arabia in 1974. And I'm going to explain why this is actually about the SURVIVAL of the US dollar itself. Not drugs. Not terrorism. Not "democracy."
This is about the petrodollar system that has kept America the dominant economic power for 50 years. And Venezuela just threatened to end it.
Here's what really just happened:
Venezuela has 303 billion barrels of proven oil reserves.
The largest on Earth.
More than Saudi Arabia.
20% of the entire world's oil.
But here's the part that matters:
Venezuela was actively selling that oil in Chinese yuan. Not dollars.
In 2018, Venezuela announced it would "free itself from the dollar."
They started accepting yuan, euros, rubles, anything BUT dollars for oil.
They were petitioning to join BRICS.
They were building direct payment channels with China that bypass SWIFT entirely.
And they were sitting on enough oil to fund de-dollarization for decades.
Why does this matter?
Because the entire American financial system is built on one thing:
The petrodollar.
In 1974, Henry Kissinger made a deal with Saudi Arabia:
All oil sold globally must be priced in US dollars.
In exchange, America provides military protection.
This single agreement created artificial demand for dollars worldwide.
Every country on Earth needs dollars to buy oil.
This lets America print unlimited money while other countries work for it.
It funds the military. The welfare state. The deficit spending.
The petrodollar is more important to US hegemony than aircraft carriers.
And there's a pattern of what happens to leaders who challenge it:
2000: Saddam Hussein announces Iraq will sell oil in euros instead of dollars.
2003: Invaded. Regime change. Iraq's oil immediately switched back to dollars. Saddam lynched.
The WMDs were never found because they never existed.
2009: Gaddafi proposes a gold-backed African currency called the "gold dinar" for oil trade.
Hillary Clinton's own leaked emails confirm this was the PRIMARY reason for intervention.
Email quote: "This gold was intended to establish a pan-African currency based on the Libyan golden Dinar."
2011: NATO bombs Libya. Gaddafi sodomized and murdered. Libya now has open slave markets.
"We came, we saw, he died!" Clinton laughed on camera.
The gold dinar died with him.
And now Maduro.
With FIVE TIMES more oil than Saddam and Gaddafi combined.
Actively selling in yuan.
Building payment systems outside dollar control.
Petitioning to join BRICS.
Partnered with China, Russia, and Iran.
The three countries leading global de-dollarization.
This isn't coincidence.
Challenge the petrodollar. Get regime changed.
Every. Single. Time.
Stephen Miller (US homeland security advisor) literally said it out loud two weeks ago:
"American sweat, ingenuity and toil created the oil industry in Venezuela. Its tyrannical expropriation was the largest recorded theft of American wealth and property."
He's not hiding it.
They're claiming Venezuelan oil BELONGS to America because US companies developed it 100 years ago.
By this logic, every nationalized resource in history was "theft."
But here's the DEEPER problem:
The petrodollar is already dying.
Russia sells oil in rubles and yuan since Ukraine.
Saudi Arabia is openly discussing yuan settlements.
Iran has been trading in non-dollar currencies for years.
China built CIPS, their own alternative to SWIFT with 4,800 banks in 185 countries.
BRICS is actively building payment systems that bypass the dollar entirely.
The mBridge project lets central banks settle trades instantly in local currencies.
Venezuela joining BRICS with 303 billion barrels of oil would accelerate this exponentially.
That's what this invasion is really about.
Not stopping drugs. Venezuela accounts for less than 1% of US cocaine.
Not terrorism. There's zero evidence Maduro runs a "terror organization."
Not democracy. The US supports Saudi Arabia, which has zero elections.
This is about maintaining a 50-year-old agreement that lets America print money while the world works for it.
And the consequences are terrifying:
Russia, China, and Iran are already denouncing this as "armed aggression."
China is Venezuela's biggest oil customer. They're losing billions.
BRICS nations are watching a country get invaded for trading outside the dollar.
Every nation considering de-dollarization just got the message:
Challenge the dollar and we will bomb you.
But here's the problem...
That message might accelerate de-dollarization, not stop it.
Because now every country in the Global South knows what happens if you threaten dollar hegemony.
And they're realizing the only protection is to move FASTER.
The timing is insane too:
January 3rd, 2026. Venezuela invaded. Maduro captured.
January 3rd, 1990. Panama invaded. Noriega captured.
36 years apart. Almost to the day.
Same playbook. Same "drug trafficking" excuse.
Same real reason: control of strategic resources and trade routes.
History doesn't repeat. But it rhymes.
What happens next:
Trump's press conference at Mar-a-Lago sets the narrative.
US oil companies are already lined up. Politico reported they've been approached about "returning to Venezuela."
The opposition will be installed. Oil will flow in dollars again.
Venezuela becomes another Iraq. Another Libya.
But here's what nobody's asking:
What happens when you can no longer bomb your way to dollar dominance?
When China has enough economic leverage to retaliate?
When BRICS controls 40% of global GDP and says "no more dollars"?
When the world realizes the petrodollar is maintained by violence?
America just showed its hand.
The question is whether the rest of the world folds or calls the bluff.
Because this invasion is an admission that the dollar can no longer compete on its own merits.
When you have to bomb countries to keep them using your currency, the currency is already dying.
Venezuela isn't the beginning.
It's the desperate end.

R Reich
Trump’s real base of support — the billionaires, Big Oil, Big Tech and AI, Big Crypto, defense contractors, and Wall Street — know that the midterm elections may limit what they and Trump can get away with starting a year from now.
So, 2026 could be the last year they can cash in. This means they’re likely to loot America even more this year than in 2025.
Big Oil just cashed in big. By taking over Venezuela, Trump effectively gave America’s biggest oil companies the world’s largest proven oil reserves — estimated at around 303 billion barrels, roughly one-fifth of total global oil reserves.
It’s part of the deal he struck with Big Oil in the 2024 campaign, when it agreed to back him in return for his rolling back environmental regulations.
Big Oil has continued the gusher — contributing to his ballroom, his PAC, and his investments. Ditto Big Tech and AI, Big Crypto, the biggest banks, biggest defense contractors, and so on.
The pattern we observed in 2025 is ramping up: Trump destroying public institutions, preventing and rolling back regulations and public protections, privatizing public functions, and siphoning off big profits to wealthy individuals and industries from which he extorts huge sums of money.
I say this not to depress or alarm you but to warn you against the kind of complacency I heard in my friend yesterday.
Yes, the courts are limiting him, the Republican Party is cracking up, his MAGA base is disillusioned, his polls are dropping, Democrats are winning elections.
All true, but these have made Trump and the oligarchs behind him even more determined to loot America.
These have also made Trump even more dangerous — like a cornered animal. He views the political backlash as challenges to his power. So he’ll seek to display even more power — lashing out at perceived enemies, foreign and domestic.
This means it’s more important than ever for us to be vigilant, to protect democracy and the rule of law, and to fight back against his authoritarianism (including the steps I outlined a few days ago -- see below).
I know it’s exhausting. I know it’s stressful and time-consuming. I know you’re sick to death of Trump. I am, too.
But as he revealed this weekend when he had the president of Venezuela and his wife dragged out of their bed, arrested, sent to the United States and put in the Municipal Detention Center in Brooklyn to await trial — there is no limit to what Trump will do to assert his power.
Your activism and courage are needed.

𝓙𝓲𝓶𝓶𝔂 𝓙
JimmyJ4thewin
Hold on, did everyone miss this?

Trump says oil companies will spend billions to rebuild Venezuela’s oil infrastructure... but then he says we’ll reimburse them.

That’s not the companies paying; that’s YOU! 💸