Blert:
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For example, I’ve read that recent developments by both Russia and China to develop alternatives to SWIFT would allow those countries to trade more easily with Iran. Again, I’ll stress that my understanding is not at a technical level.

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You are highlighting just how practical and important electronic trade is in the modern era.

Russia and China always have the back door of using gold bullion — which they would certainly accept — as both are building their bullion holdings.

But the shear ‘friction’ of hauling around that much bullion soon becomes ‘wearing’ on the players.

In very short order, they find that they are paying a haircut when using gold. Neither Russia nor China really wants to accept ALL of its payments in gold. Both are major miners of the metal — and would much prefer to build their holdings via internal production. ( which is huge for both of them )

When trading with Iran, Russia wants to flip the proceeds around to purchase OTHER imports — particularly high tech goodies from Europe.

Crossing the line // infuriating Britain and America would IMMEDIATELY queer their commercial dealings with Germany and France… as the firms involved have MASSIVE asset positions inside the US and Britain.

Square D is owned by Group Schneider (france)
Siemens bought up Westinghouse (germany)

And both firms are CRITICAL exporters to the Russian industrial market — being integral to Russian railroad locomotives — their controls — and to Russian industrial controls — up and down the entire range. [ PLCs from the IEC nations of Germany, France, and Britain are ESSENTIAL and CRITICAL to all modern Russian factories.]

THIS ^^^^ is the show stopper for Putin.

It’s also a huge show stopper for Red China.

Siemens bought out Westinghouse for one specific purpose: trade with Red China. Westinghouse educated EEs RUN RED CHINA.

You would not believe the high fraction of Communist party elites that are EEs whose degrees were sponsored and paid for by Westinghouse… all those years ago.

They were never purged during the Communist uproars. They were sitting inside the Chinese power industry — totally untouched.

You might note that Red China is an EEs fantasy come true. It’s an all electric society — at every turn.

Hint, hint.

Russia and Red China want the efficiencies of SWIFT without any blowback from critical Western commercial trading partners.

BHO has assured them that all is clear, now, to proceed. He has his ‘flexibility’ now that he’s in his final eighteen-months of despotism.

Read “The Three Conjectures”

Google it.

It’s quick, it’s free.

Hey, I live there!

We’ve already had terrorists hit New York twice; the third time might just be with nukes. Then the Democrats can claim “martial law” and no one will oppose them.

Just remember —

“Always look on the bright side of life! Da-du, da-du-da-du-da-du! Always look on the bright side of life!”

It is not a coincidence that today’s education produces effects detrimental to political and religious authority, to principle, discipline and reason. What is intriguing is the way that all these developments serve the strategic interest of a particular power and a particular cause — almost as if we were looking at a clandestine method for disrupting society. Would it surprise you if such a method was developed long ago by Willi Mé¼nzenberg (1889-1940) of the Communist International?

he told the Comintern. “We must avoid being a purely communist organization.” For in this circumstance many seeds must be planted in the minds of impressionable children and young adults. In The ABC of Communism N.I. Bukharin and E. Preobrazhensky wrote: “the Communist Party is not merely faced by constructive tasks, for in the opening phases of its activity it is likewise faced by destructive tasks. In the educational system … it must hasten to destroy everything which has made the school an instrument of capitalist class rule.”

Would this not entail the destruction of common sense, the denial of human nature and instinct, the negation of legitimate authority and civil order? Mé¼nzenberg believed that all aspects of society make up a new political battlefield. And the high ground of this battlefield is found in education; and this high ground must be seized at the earliest opportunity. The victims in this battle cannot see they are under attack. They do not know what a cultural weapon is, or how psychological warfare paves the way to their eventual destruction. Our leaders and our people believe that instinct is a myth used by reactionaries to preserve male privilege and its lamentable homophobia. Away with masculinity! It is reactionary! It is a threat!

“No shepherd, and one herd!” wrote Nietzsche. “Everyone wants the same; everyone is equal: he who has other sentiments goes voluntarily into the madhouse.”

“A little poison now and then; that makes pleasant dreams,” wrote Nietzsche. “And much poison at last for a pleasant death.”