Five Rude Predictions

Last weekend shows why predictions are tricky. [The Rude Awakening] October 10, 2023 [WEBSITE]( | [UNSUBSCRIBE]( Five Rude Predictions - Will banks exist in their current form by 2030? - Will the military-industrial complex still run America by then? - What about global warming and Russia? [WATCH: America’s #1 Income Investor]( Let me introduce you to one of my close financial contacts... He might be the most successful investor in America right now. In fact, [his unique income philosophy has allowed him to generate years’ worth of returns – in as little as 2 days](. I have never seen anything quite like it. That’s why I’m urging you to [watch this video]( he made ASAP. He’s agreed to show you how anyone could make rapid ‘income trades’ for themselves. [Watch this video to learn about a trade that could make up to 166% in 10 days](. [Click Here To Learn More]( [Sean Ring] SEAN RING Dear Reader, Good morning from sunny Asti. Last week at the Paradigm Shift Summit in Las Vegas, I opened the conference with “Five Rude Predictions.” My point was to extrapolate the future from what is happening right now. This weekend’s events in the Middle East muddied the waters further. But much of what I said still stands. In today’s Rude, I’ll relay the gist of the talk to you. It’s not an exact transcript, as I don’t read speeches. I just hop around the stage, chatting with the audience. Five Things I Think Will Happen by 2030 Crypto Destroys the Treaty of Westphalia First, some definitions. The Treaty of Westphalia is the foundational moment for our modern concept of the nation-state. To cut through the academic jargon, this set of peace treaties in 1648 said, "Hey, let's respect each other's boundaries and not interfere in one another's domestic issues." That might sound like common sense now, but back then, it was revolutionary. Before Westphalia, Europe was a battleground of religious wars, feudal struggles, and territorial disputes. I'm talking about the Thirty Years' War and the Eighty Years' War, which made Europe resemble something from a Tarantino movie. These conflicts weren't just about who got what chunk of land; they were also deeply rooted in religious differences. So, come 1648, European powers gathered in the Westphalian cities of Münster and Osnabrück and started hammering out these treaties. The key players included the Holy Roman Empire, Sweden, France, and Spain. The result? A significant shift from a Europe dominated by religious doctrines and imperial ambitions to a Europe of sovereign states. Post-Westphalia, the state became the primary unit of political organization. That's where we get this principle of "sovereignty" crucial to international relations even today. The idea was that states have complete control over their territory and internal affairs and shouldn't mess with the affairs of others. While the treaties didn't explicitly lay out these principles, they have been interpreted as such over time, becoming part of what we now call "Westphalian sovereignty." If you were thinking, “Wasn’t that the Congress of Vienna?” you were close. The Congress of Vienna was held between September 1814 and June 1815. It was Europe's grand attempt to clean up Napoleon’s mess. You could think of it as the 19th-century equivalent of hitting the reset button on European politics. Let's set the stage. Napoleon Bonaparte had rampaged through Europe like a bull in a china shop, redrawing borders and toppling monarchies. When he was finally defeated, European leaders stared at a continental jigsaw puzzle with pieces missing, switched, or utterly destroyed. Enter the Congress of Vienna. Key players included Austria, Russia, Prussia, and the United Kingdom, represented by their top diplomats and statesmen. France was also there but in the somewhat awkward position of being both the cause of and a party to the negotiations. The main goals? First, create a balance of power so no single state could dominate the continent again. Second, restore the monarchies and conservative orders toppled because - heaven forbid! - the commoners get any crazy ideas about equality and liberty. So, what did they come up with? It's a diplomatic masterpiece or a patchwork quilt, depending on how you see it. They redrew the map of Europe, carving up territories like a Thanksgiving turkey. Poland was divided among Austria, Prussia, and Russia. Norway and Sweden were joined in a union. Belgium and the Netherlands were merged into a single kingdom. And so on. But it wasn't just about redrawing borders. The Congress of Vienna also laid down the rules for diplomatic conduct and set up a sort of early "United Nations" called the Concert of Europe. This was a framework for European powers to resolve their disputes diplomatically rather than going to war at the drop of a hat. And crypto, or some digital currency linked to gold - but not to a nation-state - will destroy this framework. The way money moves is changing and fast. Digital currencies, especially decentralized ones like Bitcoin, are already challenging traditional financial systems and central banks. Countries with fragile economies (see: El Salvador) will start using digital currencies to bypass economic sanctions or stabilize their economies. For governments, this is both a tool and a challenge. Sovereignty will be tested, and new alliances may be formed around shared digital financial infrastructure (perhaps BRICS). [Response Requested]( 1/1000th of an ounce of gold available As a Rude Awakening reader, you're being offered a 1/1000th of an ounce of gold when you upgrade your account. It will come in the form of a “Gold Back” - a new type of gold currency that’s starting to spread across America ([click here to view](. If you have not responded to this offer yet, and want to know how to claim yours… Please click the link below for details. [Click here to learn how to claim your new Gold Back Currency<]( Thanks! Amber Anderson Customer Service [Click Here To Learn More]( The US Military Industrial Complex Suffers Enormous Losses Just this weekend, the US seems to have dumped Ukraine for Israel. Who knows if Taiwan is a distant memory? [Rude] Credit: [@HawleyMO]( The US is stretched far too thin as The World’s Policeman™, which will wreck the MIC. But as that old gigolo, St. Augustine, once said, “Give me chastity and constancy, but not yet.” And how did our aerospace and defense sector perform yesterday, on the dreadful news in Gaza? [Rude] It couldn’t be better! NOC was up 11.43%, LMT was up 8.93%, and GD was up 8.43%. But like butter scraped over too much bread, the US military will be Bilbo Baggins-tired soon. China’s BRI Will Reshape Global Supply Chains Blockading China’s entry into the sea seemed like a good idea at the time. [Rude] But the Chinese are too smart not to have figured out an alternative. [Rude] And that’s the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). One railroad to rule them all. From Lisbon to Vladivostok, the railroad would slash costs and obviate the US/UK’s naval power. We’ll be back in [Mackinder’s world]( soon. I’ll love Chinese logistics stocks in the future. Buy PLTR My theory goes like this: if you listened to Richard Mayberry, who, after September 11, 2001, said to buy defense stocks because we’re going to have war for a long time, your portfolio would resemble this: [Rude] If you bought HMO stocks simultaneously because you knew Americans were getting obese, your returns would look even better! [Rude] The one thriving part of the USG after this mess will be spying. Palantir, headed by authoritarian lunatic Alex Karp, is America’s excellent spy machine. Here he is, a private citizen, [talking about how he’s embarrassing competitors into helping the USG with artificial intelligence](. The man is deranged. And that’s why I love the stock so much. In short, if you pay taxes to fund the military, offset that cost with aerospace and defense stocks. If you’re going to pay for Obamacare, offset that by owning HMO stocks. If you’re going to get spied on, offset that by owning spy stocks. As of yesterday’s close, PLTR is $17.61. Fill your boots! Global Warming Frees Russia Russia’s permafrost is melting. The tundra isn’t so frozen anymore. Vladimir Putin pissed off the environMentalists by saying, “An increase of two or three degrees wouldn’t be so bad for a northern country like Russia. We could spend less on fur coats, and the grain harvest would go up.” Many true things are said in jest. Russia gets two big things when the permafrost melts: - Warm water ports, which it has always wanted. - A seat at the European table, which it will take once this Ukraine mess is finally finished. Russia’s Northern Route is ice-free for part of the year now and will hook up with the BRI to change everything about how Eurasia does business. Wrap Up If anything, I hope this was entertaining. If you're still watching, we’ll see if I was right seven years from now. Have a wonderful day ahead! All the best, [Sean Ring] Sean Ring Editor, Rude Awakening X (formerly Twitter): [@seaniechaos]( In Case You Missed It… Palestine Attacks! [Sean Ring] SEAN RING Good morning from chilly Northern Italy. I was going to publish my Five Rude Predictions today. But events took over. I’ll save them for tomorrow. Meanwhile, this weekend was great for figuring out who was who. First, I’d like to send my condolences for the loss of the anti-war right. The anti-war right lived a short life, lasting only from February 24, 2022, to October 8, 2023. The baying for blood from the Republican right - and even from the left - has been breathtaking. Watch for this important change in your normie friends. I know I will. [Rude] Credit: [@jacksonhinklle]( In this Rude edition, I won’t rehash the incident. But I’ll point out the winners and losers. And boy, we’ve got plenty of both. The Losers The Palestinians Obviously. There’s nothing - and I mean nothing - that’ll steel the antipathy toward a people than the alleged rape, torture, and murder of innocent women. That’s right: the men, not so much. We understand men die in these situations. But we’re wired to wonder why women do. And to exact a toll on those who harm women. No, not every Palestinian is responsible for what happened. Only individuals act. But they’ll all be blamed and suffer for the acts of those individuals. What gets me is this: how can they be so goddamned stupid? Didn’t they think for a second: boy, the barn door is wide open… This is too easy… It must be a trap. According to [World Population Review]( the average Palestinian IQ is 77.69. After this sordid episode, I can’t believe their leaders’ IQs would be much higher. [Rude] Credit: Batman Begins, Warner Brothers The whole thing reminds me of Batman Begins. In the training scene, Ra’s Al Ghul tricks Bruce Wayne into attacking him on the ice, only for Bruce to fall through the ice. Benjamin Netanyahu This is from today’s [Haaretz]( editorial, Israel’s newspaper of record: In the past, Netanyahu marketed himself as a cautious leader who eschewed wars and multiple casualties on Israel’s side. After his victory in the last election, he replaced this caution with the policy of a “fully-right government,” with overt steps taken to annex the West Bank, to carry out ethnic cleansing in parts of the Oslo-defined Area C, including the Hebron Hills and the Jordan Valley. This also included a massive expansion of settlements and bolstering of the Jewish presence on Temple Mount, near the Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as boasts of an impending peace deal with the Saudis in which the Palestinians would get nothing, with open talk of a “second Nakba” in his governing coalition. As expected, signs of an outbreak of hostilities began in the West Bank, where Palestinians started feeling the heavier hand of the Israeli occupier. Hamas exploited the opportunity in order to launch its surprise attack on Saturday. Above all, the danger looming over Israel in recent years has been fully realized. A prime minister indicted in three corruption cases cannot look after state affairs, as national interests will necessarily be subordinate to extricating him from a possible conviction and jail time. This was the reason for establishing this horrific coalition and the judicial coup advanced by Netanyahu, and for the enfeeblement of top army and intelligence officers, who were perceived as political opponents. The price was paid by the victims of the invasion in the Western Negev. RFK Jr. How to sink your possible third-party candidacy in one easy tweet: [Rude] Credit: [@RobertKennedyJr]( The race to jump into the Israeli bed from America is ridiculous. “But Israel is our ally,” you say? Ok, then, where has it been for the last 20 months? Trying not to piss off Russia. There are lots of Russian Israelis, you know. (Just because I don’t blame them doesn’t absolve them.) Nikki Haley It’s impossible to take this woman-child seriously. [RUDE] Credit: [@NikkiHaley]( No, Israel is not America. And finish them? Do you mean “kill them all?” This looks suspiciously like a call for genocide. Watching her speak is like watching Freaky Friday, except the daughter-in-her-mom’s body becomes a politician. Europe I got a great idea! Let’s let in 2,000,000 Muslim immigrants and then stick the Star of David on Brandenberg Gate! [Rude] Credit: [@Bundeskanzler]( And it’s not just him. It’s Rishi Sunak and Ursula von der Leyen, as well. Macron was much more intelligent. Express condolences and support, and leave it at that. An explosives-laden truck will crash through a Christmas market somewhere in Europe this upcoming season thanks to these imbeciles. Ukraine (and especially Zelensky) Who are ya? Who are ya? What a perfect opportunity to bury this lot on the back pages! Everyone who predicted a Ukraine win was wrong. And that’s a lot of people. Luckily, they have more important things to attend to, like pretending to care where all the money went. Allegedly, much of the munitions the Palestinians used were from… you guessed it… Ukraine. The Zelensky as Churchill trope will become a meme forthwith. Israeli Intelligence Whether it’s Mossad (external security) or Shin Bet (internal security), someone screwed the pooch badly. A sterling reputation lies in ruins. How could they just let the Palestinians in? [Over 62 And Collect Social Security? Take Action Immediately!]( [If you’re over the age of 62 and currently collect Social Security, you need to prepare now](. Because Biden has given our country the worst inflation in decades – and many warn things will only get worse from here. Worse yet, the Social Security check you receive now may not keep pace with inflation… [Which is why, if you don’t act now, you could fall behind in the months ahead](. Is your retirement at immediate risk? [Click here now to get the simple, step-by-step actions to survive inflation](. [Click Here To Learn More]( The Winners Israeli Intelligence Whether it’s Mossad (external security) or Shin Bet (internal security), someone came up with a genius plan. A sterling reputation is further burnished. How could they know the Palestinians would walk through an open door and into the most obvious trap since James Bond went after the Lektor decoder in From Russia With Love? Israel Ukraine has aged like a fish. Israel is the hot, new thing in town. Get those Star of David flags on your profile. Yellow and blue are so 2022! [Rude] Anyone Who Wanted to Divert Attention Away from Ukraine Vlad Putin must be pissing himself laughing right now. The US has just given him Ukraine. The US will be down in the Holy Land while he hoovers up Ukrainian farmland. BlackRock will be one unhappy asset manager after all this. US Arms Dealers Today, we celebrate the F-35. It doesn’t rain in the desert, so pilots won’t have to eject nearly so much. Lockheed, Raytheon… fill your boots! [Rude] Credit: [@SallyMayweather]( Donald J. Trump Would you like some mean tweets with your world peace? Wrap Up As a “Leave Me the Hell Alone” Libertarian, I can think of a million things that need fixing. I’d rather fix those things than run off to a foreign land to fight a war. But there are truths and facts. The truth is the Holy Land matters to a great deal of people. The fact is that part of the Middle East is a worthless piece of dirt utterly devoid of resources. Should the economist in me sit in church? Or should the churchgoer sit in an economics class? Israel turning the West Bank into a parking lot is a sure thing. But at what cost? Maybe I’ll opt for the church first. All the best, [Sean Ring] Sean Ring Editor, Rude Awakening Twitter: [@seaniechaos]( [Paradigm]( ☰ ⊗ [ARCHIVE]( [ABOUT]( [Contact Us]( © 2023 Paradigm Press, LLC. 808 Saint Paul Street, Baltimore MD 21202. By submitting your email address, you consent to Paradigm Press, LLC. delivering daily email issues and advertisements. To end your Rude Awakening e-mail subscription and associated external offers sent from Rude Awakening, feel free to [click here.]( Please note: the mailbox associated with this email address is not monitored, so do not reply to this message. We welcome comments or suggestions at feedback@rudeawakening.info. This address is for feedback only. For questions about your account or to speak with customer service, [contact us here]( or call (844)-731-0984. Although our employees may answer your general customer service questions, they are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular investment situation. 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