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Social Media Censorship Increases Controlled By Fed Agencies

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Social Media Censorship Increases Controlled  By Fed Agencies

Decentralized Media Platforms On The Rise

Two investigative journalists from The Intercept published a recent article about social media censorship that captivated the internet. The account referred to leaked and litigated documents that revealed the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is working in tandem with tech giants to monitor online information. More specifically, what they consider is disinformation. 

The article is quite eye-opening and detailed, so I’ll summarize the crucial points in this article. It will also be enlightening as to why we so desperately need a decentralized social media marketing platform like Markethive, and what we are building is the only solution to the oppressive censorship that the social media moguls and three-letter agencies are facilitating.  


Image source: The Intercept

The authors explain that all the information in the article is based on years of internal DHS memos, emails, documents obtained via leaks and an ongoing lawsuit, and public records. This information proves the US government is actively policing information online. Their influence became apparent to the average person when the DHS announced the infamous disinformation governance board, dubbed the Ministry of Truth, earlier this year. 

Interestingly, the disinformation governance board was announced right after Elon Musk announced he would acquire Twitter. The European Union also announced its censorship push with the Digital Services Act, which will set up a Ministry of Truth in every EU country.  Although the disinformation governance board was decommissioned, the DHS is actively exploring other initiatives to police social media now that its original mandate, “the war on terror,” nears its end. 

So, behind closed doors and through pressure on private social media platforms, the US government has used its power to shape online discourse. The authors point out the three forms of information they are targeting.  

  1. Misinformation: False information spread unintentionally.
  2. Disinformation: False information spread intentionally.
  3. Malinformation: Factual information shared, typically out of context, with harmful intent (that allegedly threatens U.S. interests.)

[Or perhaps it’s easier to combine these three explanations into one category: Anything the government doesn’t agree with or like.]

A formidable text message from a Microsoft executive (a former DHS official) to a DHS director expressing, “Platforms have got to get comfortable with gov’t. It’s really interesting how hesitant they remain.” Note that Microsoft owns LinkedIn and Skype. 

The authors also highlight a recent meeting that Laura Dehmlow, an FBI official, had with executives from Twitter and mega-bank JP Morgan Chase. The topic of discussion was distrust in the US government on social media, with Laura stating that “we need a media infrastructure that is held accountable.” 

It was also cited that a formalized process for intelligence agencies to flag content on Facebook or Instagram directly and request that it be throttled or suppressed through a special Facebook portal that requires a government or law enforcement email to use. Not surprisingly,  both Facebook and the FBI declined to comment even though the portal was still live when the article was published.

When Did It All Start?

In the second part of the article, the authors pivot to discussing when all this social media censorship started happening. They identify that it began with the 2016 presidential election, which makes sense as this was around the time that fact-checking companies surfaced. 

Predictably, the pandemic exacerbated the DHS’s social media censorship. An ever-progressive number of people see through that many of the theories that the DHS and army of fact-checkers labeled conspiracies ended up being correct. And some are still in the throes of coming to light and proven as facts, not fiction akin to a horror movie. 

But the DHS’s narrative and censorship are not over. According to a DHS report obtained by the authors, its priorities for the coming year will be to fight “inaccurate information on a wide range of topics, including  “the origins of the covid-19 pandemic and the efficacy of medical procedures, racial injustice, US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the nature of US support to Ukraine.”

The authors point out that how the government defines disinformation needs to be clearly articulated, and the inherently subjective nature of what constitutes disinformation provides a broad opening for DHS officials to make politically motivated determinations about what constitutes dangerous speech. 
 
Whoever defines hate speech will have the power to censor whoever they want. This seems fine with the EU, which will police hate speech as part of the Digital Services Act mentioned above. Oddly enough, the DHS justifies its new quest by claiming that terrorism is “exacerbated by misinformation and disinformation spread online.” 

The authors accurately point out that this is just an excuse for political propaganda and point to half a dozen previous examples as proof. They admit that the extent to which the DHS affects the social media feeds of the average American is unclear; however, intelligence agencies flagged over 4,800 social media posts during the 2020 election, and 35% of them were subsequently suppressed or censored by social media. 

This statistic comes from the Cyber Security and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which along with the FBI, met with social media platforms every month before the 2020 election. The list includes Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, Discord, LinkedIn, and even Wikipedia. It revealed that these monthly meetings between social media platforms and intelligence agencies are still ongoing.


Image source: Industrial Cyber

These monthly meetings of the private-public partnership between social media platforms and intelligence agencies were cemented in 2018, creating a new wing of the DHS, including the CISA. This new wing focused on social media election-related disinformation and was highly active in policing disinformation during the 2020 election. 

Last year, under the Biden administration, the new wing, formally known as the Countering Foreign Influence Task Force and established for election-related disinformation, was replaced with the Misinformation Disinformation and Malinformation team or MDM. This broadens their scope from disinformation produced by foreign governments to include domestic versions and focus on general MDM. 

The MDM’s job is to “counter all types of disinformation.” In other words, a task force intended to combat election disinformation expanded its scope to include whatever information the government deems to be disinformation, regardless of whether it's related to an election. 

Jen easterly, the director of CISA, appointed by President Biden, sent a text to Microsoft Representative Matthew Masterson, saying she is “trying to get us in a place where Fed can work with platforms to better understand mis/dis trends so relevant agencies can try to prebunk/debunk as useful.”

The term “pre-bunk” is disturbing when you consider it means preventing information from getting out in the first place. In other words, pre-bunk means proactive censorship, so they’ll try to silence us before we say anything!

The authors revealed that the DHS advisory committee of CISA was concerned about information that undermines “key democratic institutions” such as the courts or other sectors such as the financial system or public health measures. The CISA advisory committee, which includes Twitter’s head of legal policy, trust, and safety, Vijaya Gadde, assisted in drafting a report to the CISA director calling for an expansive role for the agency in shaping the “information ecosystem.” 

The report called on the agency to closely monitor “social media platforms of all sizes, mainstream media, cable news, hyper-partisan media, talk radio, and other online resources.” Notably, Vijaya Gadde was terminated from her position on Twitter immediately following Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter. 


Image source: The Intercept

The DHS Censorship Scope Widens

Unfortunately, the authors reveal that the DHS’s censorship efforts have only expanded since the Ministry of Truth was disbanded. They talk about how sub-agencies like Customs and Border Protection are somehow responsible for determining whether information on social media is accurate. 

Meanwhile, sub-agencies like the Science and Technology directorate get the final say on whether you're a bot or a human. As expected, the DHS’s online efforts are becoming so significant that they are slowly starting to eclipse the agency's original purpose of fighting terrorism. This was revealed in an internal report.pdf  obtained by the authors, which includes “domestic violent extremists” as the DHS’s primary targets.

To accomplish its new goals, the DHS will work closely with NGOs to “build resilience to the impacts of false information." This begs the question of who is funding the NGOs that are getting ever more involved in the affairs of the average person. 

The authors also note “intelligence agencies backed new startups designed to monitor the vast flow of information across social networks to better understand emerging narratives and risks.” It makes one wonder how some blockchain analytics companies got their funding. The main takeaway is that the US government's suppression and censorship of information on social media have only continued to increase.  


Image source: Markethive.com

The Solution? Decentralization 

Regardless of what is being orchestrated by these agencies and NGOs, information is still being disseminated, and nefarious actors and corporations are being exposed for the world to see. Facebook has suffered and arguably is dying because of its involvement which has become more apparent in recent years. 

Even if the centralized legacy social media platforms survive, more and more people with a voice are migrating to alternative platforms. Creatives and critical thinkers who refuse to be surveilled and silenced need a decentralized, free-thinking platform to continue their quest without the concern of looming censorship or being de-platformed. 

The technology that is available today makes it possible for social media decentralization. For a decentralized social media platform to work, you need a blockchain, a smart contract, and a decentralized, scalable, and secure cryptocurrency. Distributed data centers and cloud systems that do not rely on centralized servers are essential to minimize the risk of being tracked or shut down by centralized agenda-driven entities. 

In markethive’s case, this technology is its foundation, and the steps taken to make it impenetrable are being implemented, starting with the Markethive wallet, which houses multiple mechanisms and is the comprehensive center for all your transactions and facilitations in this decentralized ecosystem.  

With the wallet on the cusp of being launched, Markethive’s five-channel newsfeed, which includes a general newsfeed, video channel, curation, blogging interface, and conference or live streaming channel, is next to be integrated.  It means we don’t have to rely on centralized streaming platforms or upload videos parked on a “woke” video platform. 

Markethive, the company, will not police content or censor members. The community will discern what they deem unacceptable content by simply blocking an offending user. Personal configuration of algorithms will also be an effective tool for choosing who and what you want to see on your feeds. This meritocratic culture understands that individuals can think and do for themselves and not be told what is “dis, mis, or mal information.” What the autocratic powers believe to be disinformation and deem illegal is questionable and the very least. 

Markethive incorporates all facets of social media marketing, including broadcasting to other platforms, as well as the infamous social media giants. We still need to get our message out to users on these platforms. So, regarding Markethive’s blogging and video channel, any video created on the Markethive video channel is broadcasted with AI-generated summaries to the woke social media platforms. In turn, the viewer is brought back to the Markethive site to view it in its entirety. 

With an opaque summary of the topic, their artificial intelligence surveillance can’t track the nature of the content if it happens to be controversial and against their narrative. If the oppressive platforms do delete your video, it will remain on Markethive’s distributed system. It’s important to understand that all feeds or channels will be secure and remain your property. This is the solution to get your message out to people who need the truth about what’s happening worldwide. 

Markethive has many members in Russia and other parts of the world that have been seriously impacted by the global elites and governments creating false narratives and particularly sanctioning the Russian Federation, all for their personal gain. Believe it or not, the people trying to enforce these sanctions and censorship standards are the most corrupt of all. 

Markethive is the answer for those who have fallen through the cracks in the chaos the powerful few continue to instigate. The direction Markethive is going is to create an ecosystem that does not depend on greedy leaders or the political climate. Its promise and vision of what it's all about are to give access to the platform to everyone worldwide. 

 

 

Editor and Chief Markethive: Deb Williams. (Australia) I thrive on progress and champion freedom of speech. I embrace "Change" with a passion, and my purpose in life is to enlighten people to accept and move forward with enthusiasm. Find me at my Markethive Profile Page | My Twitter Account | and my LinkedIn Profile.

 

 

 

 

Also published @ BeforeIt’sNews.com; Steemit.com

 

 

Tim Moseley

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Gold silver sell off as USDX rebounds from overnight low

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Gold, silver sell off as USDX rebounds from overnight low

Gold and silver prices are lower and nearer their daily lows in midday U.S. trading Monday. The metals are seeing selling pressure as the U.S. dollar index has rallied after trading solidly lower overnight. There are also worries about global demand for metals as unrest in China, the world's second-largest economy, is likely to further squelch that country's economic growth. February gold was last down $11.10 at $1,757.90 and March silver was down $0.474 at $21.135.

The marketplace is very uneasy to start the trading week amid civil unrest in China over its strict zero-Covid policies. Reports said there were demonstrations across China over the weekend. It's the largest show of discontent since the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. China is the world's second-largest economy and the most populous nation. The geopolitical and economic consequences of a further escalation in protests and any crackdown by Chinese authorities would be huge. However, is this situation escalates, look for better safe-haven demand for gold and silver.

Other big market events this week include a speech by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Wednesday afternoon and the U.S. employment report from the Labor Department on Friday morning.

Silver jewelry demand hits records, makes headlines in high fashion

The key outside markets today see the U.S. dollar index higher after trading solidly lower overnight. Nymex crude oil prices are weaker but well off the 10-month low hit overnight and are trading around $75.75 a barrel. The yield on the benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury note is presently 3.69%.

Technically, February gold futures prices scored a bearish "outside day" down on the daily bar chart. The gold futures bulls have the slight overall near-term technical advantage but need to show fresh power soon to keep it. Bulls' next upside price objective is to produce a close above solid resistance at the November high of $1,806.00. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at $1,700.00. First resistance is seen at today's high of $1,778.50 and then at $1,790.00. First support is seen at $1,750.00 and then at last week's low of $1,733.50. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 5.5.

March silver futures bulls have the slight overall near-term technical advantage. Prices are in a choppy three-month-old uptrend on the daily bar chart. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at the November high of $22.50. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at $19.00. First resistance is seen at today's high of $21.815 and then at $22.00. Next support is seen at $21.00 and then at last week's low of $20.79. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 5.5.

March N.Y. copper closed down 370 points at 359.35 cents today. Prices closed nearer the session high and hit a three-week low today. The copper bears have the overall near-term technical advantage. Copper bulls' next upside price objective is pushing and closing prices above solid technical resistance at the November high of 394.70 cents. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at 330.00 cents. First resistance is seen at Friday's high of 369.35 cents and then at 375.00 cents. First support is seen at today's low of 354.70 cents and then at 350.00 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 4.0.

By Jim Wyckoff

For Kitco News

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

 

Tim Moseley

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Don’t Settle For What Life Gives You

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Don't Settle For What Life Gives You

NATURE

Introduction

I don’t know what it is that brings on “the gray.” For some people, it comes when they are in their 30s, while others experience it in their 40s or 50s. It may come when you lose a loved one or realize that your friends have moved on from the way things were when you were younger. Maybe it’s triggered by a career change, an empty nest or a divorce. Whatever the cause (and there may be many), I want to share with you what I will never accept as my fate: living a life where I am miserable because of choices made by myself or others around me.

Don’t accept a life in which you are unhappy when you realize that there are ways to change it.

Don’t accept a life in which you are unhappy when you realize that there are ways to change it.

Don’t accept a life where you are not happy, because there are ways to make yourself happier than you have been before.

Don’t accept a life where you are not satisfied with what has happened or who you have become in the past. It is never too late to start doing something different than what has been done before!

Don’t accept a life where you feel like giving up and settling for less than what your heart truly desires—because this will only lead down an empty road filled with regret and disappointment!

Instead of settling for “good enough," strive for greatness by setting goals for yourself and achieving them one step at time (just like those little steps on stairs).

Don’t accept a job that you know will not bring out the best in you.

It is important to be honest with yourself. Don’t accept a job that you know will not bring out the best in you. If a particular job isn’t appealing to you, there must be another one out there waiting for your attention and skill set.

If you are unhappy at work, take action to make it better or find another place of employment where someone will appreciate what they have!

Don’t accept anything less than what you want for your kids, your family and yourself.

Don’t accept anything less than what you want for your kids, family and yourself. Don’t let anyone tell you what you should do and don’t let anyone tell you what you can’t do.

Don’t accept that things can never change.

  • Don't settle for what life gives you.

  • Think about what you want from life and go after it. The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is often how they handle disappointment and failure.

  • Successful people always have a plan B, C, D etc., in case their first attempt fails. Unsuccessful people get discouraged when things don’t go their way and give up quickly because they don’t believe anything is possible anymore (see point 1).

Don’t accept explanations from people who say they love you when their words and actions don’t match up.

Don’t settle for someone who says they love you, but then treats you like nothing. Don’t settle for someone who says they love you, but then hurts you. Don’t settle for someone who says they love you and promises to change, but never does. If a person has to tell you that they love you, ask yourself why? Do the words sound genuine? Or are their actions more convincing than their words?

You should not have to rely on people's word alone when it comes to matters of the heart. People can be good at lying and deceiving; however, their words are not always enough evidence to prove whether or not someone truly loves another person. There is no one perfect way of knowing whether or not someone loves us based solely on what they say; rather there are many ways in which this can be determined by observing how a person acts towards us over time – especially under adversity!

Don’t accept a life based on “shoulds,” or on what other people think is best for you.

The word “should” is a trap. It stops you from feeling good about your life and keeps you living a life based on other people's expectations.

Let’s say the boss says to you, “You should be a perfectionist at work, so I can trust you with my company more.” One day, your friend says: “You should go out with me tonight. You don't want to be stuck at home all the time! Don't worry about being tired tomorrow morning because we'll just go for coffee first thing in the morning after work! You need some fun in your life!"

What do these statements have in common? They both tell you what you should do (perfectionism at work and going out) rather than give any logical reasons why it would benefit YOU (job security, making friends). If someone tells us what we "should" do without providing any reasoning behind their statement or telling us how it will benefit US personally then they're basically saying that our feelings don't matter and that there are no other options available besides following through on their demands."

Don’t accept a situation in which someone makes you feel unappreciated or not good enough.

  • You are good enough.

  • You are not unappreciated.

  • You deserve to be treated with respect, and you deserve to be happy.

Never settle in your life!

  • Don’t let your life pass you by

  • Don’t be afraid to take risks

  • Be bold and brave, like the many visionaries in history who changed the world for good, not only for themselves but for everyone else.

Conclusion

You have to be brave and go after the life that you want, because it’s not going to come to you. You have to take responsibility for your own happiness and success by making changes in your life when necessary. Don’t accept a life without fulfillment!

Tim Moseley

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Test blog by tom

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The Fed is not ready to pivot now, but it might be soon

The gold market continues to hold its own as prices end the week slightly above $1,750 an ounce. The precious metal was once again thrown a lifeline by the Federal Reserve after the minutes from the November monetary policy meeting were deemed to have a dovish tilt.

According to the minutes, a majority of participants judged that a slowing in the pace of increases would likely be appropriate soon. The messaging is helping to solidify expectations that the U.S. central bank will raise interest rates by 50 basis points next month.

Although the gold market is keeping its head above the water, holding critical support levels, investors still appear to be reluctant to make any significant bullish bets. The lack of conviction is not surprising, as other pivot rumors throughout the summer have burned investors.

While the Fed is preparing to slow the pace of its rate hikes, many market analysts have pointed out that this is not a pivot. Markets still see the terminal rate in the Fed Funds above 5% and nobody knows how long rates will be kept at this level.

This will still be a difficult environment for gold. However, even if prices are capped at around $1,800, it is still important to note that despite the strong headwinds, gold continues to outperform the broader market and remains an important portfolio diversifier.

The French bank Société Générale has probably the healthiest outlook on gold. The bank made some significant adjustments to its multi-asset portfolio ahead of the new year. It is now heavily weighted in bonds. At the same time, it has only made a slight adjustment to its gold allocation. It now represents 6% of its portfolio, down from 7%.

Although the bank sees gold prices going lower next year, they still see value in holding the precious metal.

"Systemic risks are a common feature after a round of policy tightening of this kind," the analysts said. "Holding gold and CHF can help stabilize portfolio volatility, in our view."

Gold prices should be closer to $1,614 than $1,750 – Quant Insight

The system risks to the economy only continue to grow. This week Tavi Costa, portfolio manager at Crescat Capital, noted that 70% of the entire U.S. yield curve is now inverted. He added that every time this threshold has been breached, it has soon led to a recession.

Specifically, the yield on two-year notes is now 71 basis points higher than the 10-year yield. This is the widest gap in the inverted yield curve in more than 40 years.

Tavi noted that even if gold prices do go lower, there is solid value and potential in the precious metal that investors can't ignore.

With so much uncertainty in the marketplace, some analysts have said that it is only a matter of time before the Fed's slower tightening turns into outright cuts.

By Neils Christensen

For Kitco News

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

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The Fed is not ready to pivot now but it might be soon

Leave a comment

The Fed is not ready to pivot now, but it might be soon

The gold market continues to hold its own as prices end the week slightly above $1,750 an ounce. The precious metal was once again thrown a lifeline by the Federal Reserve after the minutes from the November monetary policy meeting were deemed to have a dovish tilt.

According to the minutes, a majority of participants judged that a slowing in the pace of increases would likely be appropriate soon. The messaging is helping to solidify expectations that the U.S. central bank will raise interest rates by 50 basis points next month.

Although the gold market is keeping its head above the water, holding critical support levels, investors still appear to be reluctant to make any significant bullish bets. The lack of conviction is not surprising, as other pivot rumors throughout the summer have burned investors.

While the Fed is preparing to slow the pace of its rate hikes, many market analysts have pointed out that this is not a pivot. Markets still see the terminal rate in the Fed Funds above 5% and nobody knows how long rates will be kept at this level.

This will still be a difficult environment for gold. However, even if prices are capped at around $1,800, it is still important to note that despite the strong headwinds, gold continues to outperform the broader market and remains an important portfolio diversifier.

The French bank Société Générale has probably the healthiest outlook on gold. The bank made some significant adjustments to its multi-asset portfolio ahead of the new year. It is now heavily weighted in bonds. At the same time, it has only made a slight adjustment to its gold allocation. It now represents 6% of its portfolio, down from 7%.

Although the bank sees gold prices going lower next year, they still see value in holding the precious metal.

"Systemic risks are a common feature after a round of policy tightening of this kind," the analysts said. "Holding gold and CHF can help stabilize portfolio volatility, in our view."

Gold prices should be closer to $1,614 than $1,750 – Quant Insight

The system risks to the economy only continue to grow. This week Tavi Costa, portfolio manager at Crescat Capital, noted that 70% of the entire U.S. yield curve is now inverted. He added that every time this threshold has been breached, it has soon led to a recession.

Specifically, the yield on two-year notes is now 71 basis points higher than the 10-year yield. This is the widest gap in the inverted yield curve in more than 40 years.

Tavi noted that even if gold prices do go lower, there is solid value and potential in the precious metal that investors can't ignore.

With so much uncertainty in the marketplace, some analysts have said that it is only a matter of time before the Fed's slower tightening turns into outright cuts.

By Neils Christensen

For Kitco News

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

 

Tim Moseley

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Gold needs a new catalyst as prices end the week around 1750

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Gold needs a new catalyst as prices end the week around $1,750

The gold market is holding its own at $1,750 an ounce, but analysts are warning investors not to expect a breakout move anytime soon as the precious metal is in desperate need of a new catalyst to drive prices.

According to commodity analysts, the Federal Reserve's aggressive monetary policy stance remains the most significant driver for the gold market. While the U.S. central bank has signed that it could slow the pace of rate hikes in December, investors remain reluctant to jump into the market.

Nicholas Frappell, global general manager at ABC Bullion, noted that gold's rally since the start of the month has been driven mostly by short covering, investors buying gold to cover their short trades. He added that investors are also not buying gold-backed exchange-traded products.

He said it doesn't look like any bullish momentum will last in the current environment.

"Fresh buyers are not motivated in either the Futures or ETF space," he said. "Additionally, the messaging from the Fed is that if anything, rates will stay high for longer and this will help the USD and rates – gold appears to have rallied on a slower path towards high and long."

Markets will be able to hear from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell himself when he speaks next week at an event at the Brookings Institution in Washington DC.

Although markets are looking for the Federal Reserve to slow the pace of its rate hikes to 50 basis points next month, some analysts have said that it is still too early to signal any pivot in the marketplace.

Commodity analysts at TD Securities expect hawkish comments from Powell to weigh on gold as its upside momentum has run its course.

SocGen looks for bonds to outperform equities as Fed pivots in Q2; gold remains a risk hedge

"Considering that we see buying exhaustion across several major global assets, macro headwinds for gold bears already appear to be subsiding. This points to lower risks of an extension in the pain trade for gold, particularly as Chair Powell's speech on Wednesday could provide the hawkish catalyst needed for CTAs to resume selling," the commodity analysts said.

Along with Powell's comments, a busier economic data calendar next week is also expected to add volatility to the marketplace. Economists have said that next week's employment data could impact market expectations on the Federal Reserve's monetary policy.

In recent comments, Powell has said that the labor market has been too tight and the Fed would need to see more slack before it would start to ease back on its aggressive stance.

According to consensus estimates, economists forecast that about 200,000 jobs were created in November.

"Odds are that job gains will still be too high relative to the moderation we're seeking," said Avery Shenfeld, senior economist at CIBC.

Along with the economic data, gold investors will continue to pay close attention to the U.S. dollar. Carley Garner, co-founder of the brokerage firm DeCarley Trading, said that the U.S. dollar index is testing critical support around 106 points. She added that any weakness in the U.S. dollar could end up sending gold prices back above $1,800 an ounce.

Next week's data

Tuesday: U.S. Consumer confidence

Wednesday: ADP private-sector employment, Q3 GDP, pending home sales, JOLTS job opening, comments from Powell

Thursday, UK CPI, U.S. PCE personal income and spending, ISM manufacturing PMI,
 

Friday, U.S. Nonfarm payrolls

By Neils Christensen

For Kitco News

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

 

Tim Moseley

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The March to Freedom Celebrating Victories

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The March to Freedom, Celebrating Victories

At a time in our history when we are witnessing an orchestrated global effort to create a new world order, it may seem like gloom and doom. 

After all, the move to bring in the Central Bank Digital Currencies as a hub piece and part of a plan to programme and control your money while linking it to a social credit score system is nothing short of confirmation of the agenda at play.

However, it is even more important to notice and acknowledge the positive victories that are happening on behalf of humanity as the battle and march for freedom continue. Here are just a few. Feel free to comment on victories you are observing in your county.

AUSTRALIA

Brady Gunn from Sydney, Australia, started off what has become a global movement of peace and unity in the name of truth – A Stand in the Park. This shows how one person can make a difference. 

Brady had enough of the corruption affecting all areas of society, and for the sake of his children and future generations, he started inviting people on Facebook to join and create their own groups and simply take a stand in doing so. 

This is a different approach to the mass protests and is as much about celebrating freedom, and all it means, while uniting for peace and freedom for all in the wake of the intended global reset.

A Stand in the Park has grown worldwide, and it is estimated that there are at least 600 stands across various sectors of the globe, particularly in the USA and Europe. Let this inspire you to know that one person can make a difference!

Australia was also one of many countries where thousands took to the streets in protest of the forced mandates. Mainstream media blocked transmission, but drone footage was captured across the world. 

Here is a summary of the global freedom marches worldwide in 2021. The source is anonymous and came from a telegram group.

 
Image Source: Festival.com

CANADA

Jordan Peterson, a Canadian clinical psychologist who regularly features in the media, is using his voice to speak out against censorship and give individuals stepping stones to change their lives.

In fact, he has just spoken in Australia and inspired many in Brisbane. You can view feedback on the Reignite Democracy Australia Youtube channel.

Who can forget the truckers convoy, which appeared to start out of Canada, and then spread to other parts of the world as people took their stand against forced experimental jab mandates and lockdown restrictions? 


Image Source: LA TIMES

USA

The USA also took the baton, a country that seems to be a magnifying glass for the common themes of corruption and centralization of power into the hands of global elites.

Yet rather like the phoenix rising from the ashes of intended destruction, brave doctors are coming together to propose a more sensible route to dealing with viruses, such as the Great Barrington Declaration.

Forensic audits are showing what many thought, that the last election was fraudulently tampered with en masse. The documentary 2000 Mules captured the essence of how this happened. 

In more declassified information, Pfizer has been caught hiding the severity of side effects in their heavily redacted documents.

In a recent big win, the New York supreme court ordered the reinstatement of New York City Department of Sanitation employees who had been fired from their jobs due to declining to take the jab.

The court concluded that the mandate was in breach of the separation of powers doctrine and the equal protection doctrine.

In an attempt to restore independent journalism, transparency, and truth Project Veritas has played a key part in going underground to expose fraud, crime, and many key grave misdemeanors perpetuated by the establishment.

An example in kind was the exposing of the complicity of news media in colluding with the establishment’s false narrative to gain control of the public. 

Brian Stelter was exposed and acknowledged the use of fear and propaganda to get more views,  stating that climate change and related lockdown agendas would be next.

There are many documentaries that have arisen to shed light on what is really going on or what needs to be questioned, quite a few from the USA. Here are some:

Plandemic – by Mikki Willis and team. There was more than one series in which Judy Mikovits featured exposing Dr. Anthony Fauci. Also, David Martin was featured. He did an exposé on the patents for several viruses and the fraudulent practice going on.

2000 Mules – Dinesh De Souza documents the exposure of election fraud in the USA.

Watch the Water – Stew Peters and his team featured Dr. Bryan Ardis, who explored the use of water to contaminate populations with viruses.

The video series Fall Cabal is by Janet Ossebaard, from the Netherlands, who has a teaching and research background. It is designed to give an overview of the various themes run by the establishment to control the population. 

She breaks each series down into small segments and is educative in nature, a good place to start for those who are beginning to question the established narrative.

Documentaries are compelling and in-depth alternate media, shedding light on issues that remain unanswered by mainstream media and are educational in nature. These are gathering momentum.

Also gathering momentum are groups arising to advocate and educate about the natural law, common law, and equity so that individuals and groups can start reparation.

In the USA, you have people like David Straight, who has been tirelessly educating people for many years.

UNITED KINGDOM

In the UK, there was a landmark win for nurses here in the UK who were threatened in a similar vein to those in the New York case and were due to lose their jobs in April of this year if they failed to comply with taking the jab.

Many resigned ahead of this, and in what seemed to be the 11th-hour u-turn, the government revoked the mandates, although they stopped short of apologizing. Many believe this happened due to increasing staff shortages more than anything else.

On the subject matter of human rights, more recently, a landmark legal challenge was issued against the Met Police's discriminatory Gangs Matrix. This is a secretive database of people the force considers to be ‘gang members,’ which means they do not tell you if you are on the list.

This data could be shared with major authorities with possible grave consequences and no right of appeal.

According to Liberty, an organization set up to hold the government accountable on a wide range of human rights matters, the case was scheduled for a hearing in early to middle of November at The Royal Courts of Justice, only for the Metropolitan Police to concede defeat beforehand. They now acknowledge that this is unlawful and breaches human rights.

Similar to David Straight in the USA, we have people like David Adelman of The People’s Lawyer and private member organizations such as Matrix Freedom helping people to free themselves from the enslavement of the establishment. Education and reparation are key themes.

SRI LANKA

I’m sure you will recall the uprising in Sri Lanka, which peaked on July 9th of this year. This came off the back of the country defaulting on its debt, with inflation soaring at approximately 50%, reflecting a long period of economic hardship.

You may recall seeing videos of crowds of protestors storming the presidential residence on that day, resulting in Gotabaya Rajapaksa reportedly fleeing to the Maldives, according to The Conversation.

He was replaced by former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on 21st July 2022, who then declared a state of emergency and has sought to crack down on protests.

The country has had its fair share of conflicts, notably the civil war in the 1980s and attempts to assassinate anyone who acted for the good of its civilians. There is a commonly held perception that corruption is responsible for the plight of this country.

China features heavily in Sri Lanka in connection with the Belt and Road projects, and the IMF is involved, with public assets being sold presumably to service the debt.

The feeling of the people is one in which they want to disband what they believe to be corrupt parliamentary and government officials in place of a more civilian type of governance structure.

Indeed Counterfire reported back in August that grassroots initiatives are moving away from the centralization of power to help the country recover and restore human rights and fairness.

While the battle is far from over in this country, we caught a glimpse of what happens when a group of people has had enough of corrupt practices. 

Hopefully, they can find a resolution without further civil or other wars.  These themes are not solely isolated to Sri Lanka, as previously reported with reference to the bankruptcy of the world’s nations.

CROATIA | SERBIA

Many positive grassroots initiatives are happening. For example, on a stretch of land between Croatia and Serbia lies a micronation established to restore constitutional principles to its inhabitants.

The 7-kilometer square of land, previously unclaimed, is referred to as Gornja Siga and classed as a sovereign state. Its motto is ‘To Live and Let Live,’ with economic and personal freedom for the people as its stated objectives.

It was declared the Free Republic of Lieberland in 2015, and its principles and criteria can be read in the Montevideo Convention.

This example reminds me of a quote by Buckminster Fuller:

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”

I suspect we will see more new models of micronations arising as civilians engage in grassroots movements to reshape society to one of fairness, dignity, and economic restoration for all.

MARKETHIVE

As I write this, in the world of business and commerce, Markethive has its own landmark victory to celebrate. Markethive has just announced the completion of Phase 2 of its own wallet. 

This is part of a more extensive architecture and ecosystem to create a place where entrepreneurs can build a business and thrive, away from the interference of giant monopolies and centralized control.

More and more people are awakening worldwide to what is happening at humanity's expense. Many are rising in protest and beyond. There are still battles to fight, yet victories are happening and need to be acknowledged.

I leave the final note on the sound of victory to the very brave and courageous Karen Hudes, former World Bank lawyer turned whistleblower. 

She spoke of a transition in power and reminded us of something called the 100th Monkey Effect, which refers to the change in consciousness arising from a small group of people behaving in a certain way. 

When the benefit is observed, this then catches on until a critical mass is achieved, resulting in a tipping point of cultural change.

This finds its roots in a story of a young female monkey on a Japanese island who got fed up swallowing grit from the potatoes she ate. She washed them in a stream before eating—one by one, the other monkeys who had been observing her followed suit. 


Image Source: Miyazaki.com

After 100 monkeys had copied this, it seemed that every monkey started to behave likewise, demonstrating this critical mass and tipping point theory.

Here at Markethive, as more and more people come on board, we will create a tipping point and cultural shift in the business world. It will also be a cultural shift for freedom.

When it comes to light versus darkness, there is only one winner. The light wins. At the same time, this is a participatory universe, meaning it is incumbent on all of us to find ways in thought, word, or deed to shine that light as a force for good.

There are many examples of individuals and groups creating projects and activities in the name of freedom, so this is a partial account.

May the synopsis of key victories here uplift you so you can rise above any fear perpetrated on the many by the few, and may you take your stand to be a beacon of light in your part of the world for the benefit of all.

 

 

About: Anita Narayan. (United Kingdom) My life's work is about helping individuals to greater freedom through joy and purpose without self-sabotage, so that inspirational legacy can serve generations to come. Find me at my Markethive Profile Page | My Twitter Account | and my LinkedIn Profile.

 

 

 

 

Also published @ BeforeIt’sNews.com

 

Tim Moseley

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SocGen looks for bonds to outperform equities as Fed pivots in Q2 -gold remains a risk hedge

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SocGen looks for bonds to outperform equities as Fed pivots in Q2 – gold remains a risk hedge

A mild recession in the U.S. in 2023 will force the Federal Reserve to pivot in the second quarter of next year, according to market analysts at Société Générale.

The French bank said Thursday that it was making some significant changes to its multi-asset portfolio ahead of the new year and is heavily weighted toward sovereign debt compared to equities and commodities. The bank also said that it is reducing its cash position to zero.

"Overall, expected return should be more positive than in 2022, with particular focus on Treasuries, EM and Credit. U.S. technology remains at risk and Chinese assets uninspiring," the analysts said. "We believe the clear prospect of an imminent Fed pivot offers the opportunity to increase cheap quality credit and strongly re-gear our strategy towards cheap E.M. assets, from unhedged local currency bonds to (mostly) non-China Asian equities."

As to how high the Fed Fund's rate will go, the economists said that market expectations of a terminal rate close to 5% would be appropriate. They added that that would bring real interest rates up to 1.5% to 2%.

"We believe that pivoting before the real Fed fund rate is firmly in positive territory would be a policy error and would trigger much stronger volatility," the analysts said.

As SocGen increases its exposure to government and corporate debt, it is also slightly reducing its commodity holdings to 9%, down from 10% in September. Gold still makes up the biggest portion of its commodity position, but has been reduced to 6%, down from 7% in September.

The analysts said they continue to see gold as a hedge against risks.

Investors thankful spot gold prices holding above $1,750

"Systemic risks are a common feature after a round of policy tightening of this kind," the analysts said. "Holding gold and CHF can help stabilize portfolio volatility, in our view."

Although the bank continues to maintain a solid position in gold, it remains fairly bearish on the price next year. The French bank sees gold prices falling to an average of $1,500 an ounce by the third quarter of next year. However, prices are expected to recover and average around $1,650 an ounce by the fourth quarter.

The French bank sees continued improvement in gold through 2024, projecting an average annual price of around $1,800 an ounce. The analysts forecast prices to rise to $1,900 by 2025.

By Neils Christensen

For Kitco News

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

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Gold price firms after FOMC minutes lean a bit dovish

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Gold price firms after FOMC minutes lean a bit dovish

Gold and silver prices are higher and hit daily highs in afternoon U.S. trading Wednesday. The U.S. data point of the week saw the FOMC meeting minutes tilt slightly dovish on U.S. monetary policy. December gold was last up $5.70 at $1,745.50 and December silver was up $0.381 at $21.43.

The just-released minutes from the last FOMC monetary policy meeting showed FOMC members saying it would soon be appropriate to slow the pace of U.S. interest rate increases. However, they also see a higher terminal Fed funds rate than they had earlier expected. Some Fed officials were worried the Fed could be tightening monetary policy more than necessary. As always, traders were looking at the minutes to see if they contain any new clues on the future path and timing of Fed monetary policy.

Most global stock markets were slightly up overnight. U.S. stock indexes are higher in afternoon trading, following the dovish FOMC mintues. The marketplace remained tentative at mid-week as Covid-19 cases in China continue to rise and are crimping the world’s second-largest economy. Newswire reports this morning quoted Chinese officials as saying they will further ease China’s monetary policies in an effort to produce more economic growth.

Gold prices should be closer to $1,614 than $1,750 – Quant Insight

The key outside markets today see the U.S. dollar index sharply lower. Nymex crude oil prices are also sharply lower and trading around $77.50 a barrel. The yield on the benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury note is presently around 3.71%.

U.S. markets are closed on Thursday for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Technically, the gold futures bulls and bears are on a level overall near-term technical playing field. A fledgling price uptrend on the daily bar chart has been negated. Bulls’ next upside price objective is to produce a close above solid resistance at the November high of $1,791.80. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at $1,675.00. First resistance is seen at this week’s high of $1,755.00 and then at $1,770.00. First support is seen at $1,725.00 and then at today’s low of $1,719.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 5.0.

The silver bulls have the slight overall near-term technical advantage. Prices are in a choppy 2.5-month-old uptrend on the daily bar chart. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at the November high of $22.38. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at $19.00. First resistance is seen at $22.00 and then at $22.38. Next support is seen at $21.00 and then at this week’s low of $20.60. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 5.5.

December N.Y. copper closed up 80 points at 362.25 cents today. Prices closed near mid-range. The copper bears have the overall near-term technical advantage. A six-week-old uptrend on the daily bar chart has stalled out. Copper bulls' next upside price objective is pushing and closing prices above solid technical resistance at the November high of 396.00 cents. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at 330.00 cents. First resistance is seen at this week’s high of 366.90 cents and then at 370.00 cents. First support is seen at this week’s low of 354.75 cents and then at 350.00 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 4.0.

By Jim Wyckoff

For Kitco News

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

 

Tim Moseley

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Gold silver slightly up amid weaker USDX higher crude oil

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Gold, silver slightly up amid weaker USDX, higher crude oil

Gold and silver prices are slightly higher but well off daily highs in midday U.S. trading Tuesday. The metals are getting a slight lift from a lower U.S. dollar index and higher crude oil prices on this day. U.S. Treasury yields have down-ticked today and that's also limiting selling interest in the safe-haven metals. December gold was last up $2.20 at $1,741.80 and December silver was up $0.178 at $21.05.

Global stock markets were mixed overnight. U.S. stock indexes are higher at midday. Risk appetite remains subdued so far this week as Covid cases surge in China. News reports are calling China's largest city, Beijing, a "ghost town." Some analysts are saying 20% of China's economy is being negatively impacted by the Covid lockdowns.

Wednesday will be the busiest day for U.S. economic data, including the minutes from the last FOMC monetary policy meeting, to be released in the early afternoon. A Barron's headline today reads: "Don't tune out for the holidays; the Fed minutes will be a must watch." The minutes may contain fresh clues on the future path and timing of Fed monetary policy.

Turkey, Uzbekistan continue to buy gold, speculation grows that China is buying anonymously

The key outside markets today see the U.S. dollar index lower on a corrective pullback from solid gains posted Monday. Nymex crude oil prices are firmer and trading around $81.50 a barrel. The crude oil market was roiled Monday by reports Saudi Arabia is contemplating raising its crude oil production—only to have Saudi officials deny the report. Oil prices fell to an 11-month low shortly after the news reports hit the wires. The yield on the benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury note is presently 3.773%.

Live 24 hours gold chart [Kitco Inc.]

Technically, the gold futures bulls and bears are on a level overall near-term technical playing field. A fledgling price uptrend on the daily bar chart has stalled out. Bulls' next upside price objective is to produce a close above solid resistance at the November high of $1,791.80. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at $1,675.00. First resistance is seen at this week's high of $1,755.00 and then at $1,770.00. First support is seen at this week's low of $1,733.90 and then at $1,725.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 5.0.

The silver bulls have the slight overall near-term technical advantage. Prices are in a choppy 2.5-month-old uptrend on the daily bar chart. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at the November high of $22.38. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at $19.00. First resistance is seen at today's high of $21.37 and then at $21.80. Next support is seen at this week's low of $20.60 and then at $20.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 5.5.

December N.Y. copper closed up 525 points at 362.40 cents today. Prices closed near mid-range. The copper bears have the overall near-term technical advantage. A six-week-old uptrend on the daily bar chart has stalled out. Copper bulls' next upside price objective is pushing and closing prices above solid technical resistance at the November high of 396.00 cents. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at 330.00 cents. First resistance is seen at today's high of 366.90 cents and then at 370.00 cents. First support is seen at this week's low of 354.75 cents and then at 350.00 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 4.0.

By Jim Wyckoff

For Kitco News

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

 

Tim Moseley

The Artist that came out of the Winter