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Saturday, February 1, 2025

Trump and Stockholm Syndrome: In a Captured State | Steve Brown

The current reverence for Donald Trump as potential savior of the Western world is like a twisted version of Stockholm Syndrome. The Biden regime was so vile and so corrupt, that the manifestation of Trump (since his election) seems like a life raft thrown to a drowning person. In other words, the US situation is so hopeless that any sort of hope from anywhere must look good to the average US American now.

» A Western financial system built on bullshit and fake industry. «

Trump is, of course, beholden to his donor class. It is a donor class where unsavory ‘trillionaires’ like Zuckerberg, Bezos, and their Wall Street moguls (including the banks) have ‘switched sides’ to back the Trump regime. And well, that is the mantle of power. Trump’s backers preside over war, mayhem, and death all over the globe with glee – just as Biden’s did. The only question for elites now – whether Democrat or Republican – is how affordable this ongoing destruction may be.

The great debacle for the former United States is that its political leadership has failed — meaning both parties — and the Wall Street model of leveraged graft, theft, corruption, and greed has eventually devolved into a Western financial system built on bullshit and fake industry — which Pepe Escobar calls ‘casino capitalism.’ That devolution has now become apparent to the entire world. Trump has drawn a veil over donor influence by promoting a populist message of ending the ‘forever wars’ that the US engages in. But ending forever wars is not a goal that the entrenched Military-Industrial Complex (MIC) can allow, even if that is the will of the American people.

» MAGA in itself is an admission that the US has already failed. «

Thus, Trump has used the immigration issue as cover too, to obfuscate a deeper agenda. That agenda includes confrontation with China, assistance to the Greater Israel project, and accepting advice to leverage crypto as a means to support the lagging primacy of the US dollar. The foregoing agenda will be enforced later during his regime after the dust has settled.

The point is, Trump promised to “make America great again” — which in itself is an admission that the US has already failed and is playing catch-up. China’s success in AI with Deep Seek is just one example. Bottom line, where US America was once about its industry and the ingenuity of its people, due to the criminality of Wall Street and its banks, that dynamic is gone. Ironically, all that remains of US success (as a unipolar hegemon) is the primacy of the US dollar.

And the swamp? Still thriving.

It's a deep swamp, and we are about to learn a lot more than
we ever knew about what horrors lie in the podscum.

US financial markets, including debt instruments, are still the most secure and reliable stash for trillions of US-manufactured Federal Reserve Notes to go. Of course, when those dollar investment vehicles become ignored by the rest of the world, that becomes an issue, and that process is underway. Meanwhile, I stand by my article from 2019, "Trump’s Limited Hangout: Populism Derailed."

Fun Facts 101: The list of names in Jeffrey Epstein’s book of Mossad assets
includes Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Elon Musk, and Donald Trump.

While the above may seem a bleak message for the West, the bottom line is that the United States has been on the wrong side of history since the end of the Second World War. Only the redeeming asset of the US dollar and Western financial markets have maintained US primacy over these decades.

The hopeful message is that, as the US dollar erodes and eventually US financial markets crash, the Neocons and satanic creatures who have led US foreign policy for eighty years now will finally erode away as well—or at least be marginalized—and that's via their own historic folly, personal excess, and greed.

Quoted from:
Steve Brown (February 1, 2025) - Trump and Stockholm Syndrome: In a Captured State.

♪ Here comes the Sun ♫

Simon Hunt (January 11, 2025) - Markets Amidst Trump 2.0: Geopolitics & Geoeconomics in 2025.

Martin A. Armstrong (June 6, 2024) - The Five Stages of the Revolutionary Cycle.

L. David Linsky (October 24, 2023) - War and Regime Change soon in the US.

In 2025 Cuba May Just Collapse Like Syria │ Mikhail Zvinchuk

Since the 1959 revolution, Cuba has relied on foreign aid. Right now, people appreciate help from other countries, but they don’t want to work. They are unwilling to take action. We are talking about a new Cuba—one that is lazy and has no interest in developing itself.

» It looks like Gaza. «

To illustrate, Cuba now imports almost everything, even sugar. In the last century, Cuba was a major exporter of sugar, but now it depends on imports. The country is unable to maintain or rebuild its electricity system on its own. In 2021, they began a foolish economic reform that failed. Economic conditions are dire. Russia and other countries provide some aid, but the main problem is Cuba itself. The situation there reminds me of Syria right before the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

It is clear that communism in Cuba is not working. When you go to a shop, the shelves are empty. You can find things on the black market for dollars, but in regular shops, there is nothing. While Cuba may have a relatively low crime rate and some degree of safety, it is a poor country, struggling with unreliable electricity and lacking opportunities for social mobility. As a result, many Cubans are still fleeing to Florida. In fact, the flow of migrants to the United States has been steadily increasing over the past decade. If the situation continues, Cuba will eventually end up like Puerto Rico.

» Nothing but disgust for the offspring of the Guevara and Castro families. «

If you stand on a high building and look across Havana or any of the major cities, you’ll see decaying, dilapidated buildings falling apart. It’s an insane sight. It looks like Gaza. People often blame the US blockade for this, but at some point, leadership has to come into question. How much of this is due to the blockade, and how much is a result of failed leadership? The problem is poor leadership—they lack the education and skills to properly govern the country.

The country is falling deeper into crisis, and no one seems to know how to fix it. I’ve spoken with many Russian diplomats, and Russia provides humanitarian aid, including oil and gas. However, even our diplomats can’t fill their tanks because the Cuban people expect everything to be handed to them without any effort in return.

» The economic situation will likely cause Cuba to collapse on its own. «

If the country were to open its borders and allow for a more open market, there might be hope for improvement. Currently, only the hotel and tourism sectors are allowed some access. But if the country lifted restrictions on the private sector and started working with other countries, there could be a chance to improve the situation. Right now, however, it's a failed social state. The country is clearly collapsing.

Yet, the ruling party elite still posts meme tweets about Trump being a fascist and display LGBT flags at their hotels in Havana. The priorities are completely misaligned. You know who is the main LGBT activist in Cuba? It’s Mariela Castro Espín, the daughter of Raúl Castro. When I spoke to average Cubans, they expressed nothing but disgust and disdain for the offspring of the Guevara and Castro families. They had nothing good to say about them.

Latter-day mission: babble on about feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, trans identities, and—of course—revolution. Priorities.

Cuba may fall in 2025. If the US wanted to take Cuba—liberate it from the communist regime, as they might call it—they could do it easily, and quickly. The Cuban people are not like their ancestors from the 1950s—they have changed a lot. It would take significant effort to rebuild the nation.

Russian Navy about to lose the haven of another friendly power.

Cuba was the last American colony, and now it could become a new American colony. However, Trump is currently focusing on Greenland and Panama, and hasn’t given Cuba much attention. The economic situation, though, will likely cause Cuba to collapse on its own, regardless of Trump’s decisions. Once the humanitarian crisis deepens, the US might intervene as a savior.

Quoted from:

Mikhail S. Zvinchuk (January 31, 2025) - The Collapse of Cuba. (video)

M & W Wave Patterns │ Arthur A. Merrill

In 1971, Robert A. Levy made the first attempt to systematically classify price patterns. He categorized five-point patterns, defined by price swings influenced by stock volatility, and tested their significance. Although he was unable to identify any substantial forecasting power, he introduced a valuable concept: the five-point categorization of time-price patterns.

» Pick any five consecutive turning points. If the first of the four swings is upward,

the pattern forms an M. If the first swing is downward, the pattern is a W. «

Arthur A. Merrill, 1984.

This method remained dormant for a decade until Arthur A. Merrill revived it and published applicable results in the early 1980s: He employed the same five-point pattern approach, but instead of Levy's volatility filter, he used a rather large 8-percent swing filter in his research study. (Of course, since time and price are fractal, Merrill's patterns are too; they appear on every price swing scale across all timeframes.)

Merrill's 16 M and 16 W wave patterns, and their statistical occurrences: Are some of these patterns bullish?

Are some bearish? When a certain pattern occurred in the past, what happened to prices after the pattern?

Merrill organized five-point patterns based on the sequential order of points from high to low, creating a structured taxonomy of "Ms" and "Ws". He identified 32 distinct patterns, grouping them into two categories: 16 resembling a capital M and 16 resembling a capital W. He then highlighted six subcategories, based on classical chart pattern names used by market technicians:

Uptrends                                           M15, M16, W14, W16
Downtrends                                     M1, M3, W1, W2
Triangle                                              M13, W4
Head and Shoulders                      W6, W7, W9, W11, W13, W15
Inverted Head and Shoulders   M2, M4, M6, M8, M10, M11
Broadening                                       M5, W12

For example, an M1 is a strongly descending pattern, while the middle patterns, M8 and M9, are flat. An M16 is a strongly ascending pattern. Similarly, a W1 is a descending pattern, the middle Ws are flat, and a W16 is an ascending pattern.

So, what is the practical application and benefit of Merrill's weird-looking M & W Wave Patterns in trading? They can be used to identify support/resistance levels, determine areas of interest, anticipate market direction and reversals, project extensions, define entry and exit points, and manage risk.

» There are only two ways a short-term high or low is broken. «

Larry Williams, 2000.

How? You may want to watch the following video, as well as review the references and recommendations provided below.

M & W Patterns: A Complete Guide to Market Structure,

Change of Trend, Entries & Targets.

Reference:

Arthur A. Merrill (1984) - Behavior of Prices on Wall Street (2nd Ed.).

Arthur A. Merrill (1980) - M and W Wave Patterns.

Arthur A. Merrill (1977) - Filtered Waves - Basic Theory.

Cosmic Cluster Days | February 2025

Cosmic Cluster Days (CCDs) and financial markets do not display a consistent polarity or directional bias. However, swing directions, along with swing highs and lows—also within the 'noise channel'—may correlate with or coincide with market movements and reversals.

Cosmic Cluster Days | Composite Line | Noise Channel — — — Solunar Rhythm

○ = Full Moon | ● = New Moon | ▴ = Lunar Declination max North / ▾ = max South | 立春 = Solar Terms

For previous CCDs, click [HERE]. For background on the author, the concept, and the calculation method, click [HERE].

Monday, January 27, 2025

Russia Must Help Overthrow Europe's Dangerous Elites │ Sergey Karaganov

Any outcome of the Ukraine conflict framed as a ‘compromise’ would be celebrated in the West as a victory and perceived as a failure by Russia. This must be avoided at all costs.

» Western Europe must be sidelined from global decision-making. It has become the primary threat to itself and the world.

True peace will only come when Western Europe’s backbone is broken once more, as it was after Russia’s victories over

Napoleon and Hitler. The current elites must be replaced by a new generation capable of engaging in constructive dialogue. «

Sergey Karaganov, honorary chairman of Russia’s Council on Foreign and Defense Policy,

dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, and adviser to Vladimir Putin.

First, Russia must openly confront Western Europe’s historical culpability. It’s not the ‘garden’ its elites imagine but a field of fat weeds thriving on the blood of hundreds of millions it has enslaved, murdered, and robbed. Calling Western Europe out for its crimes – from colonialism to warmongering – legitimizes our potential use of nuclear deterrence as a justified response to aggression.

Second, Russia must emphasize the inevitability of nuclear escalation in any conflict between NATO and Russia. This message is essential not only to limit an arms race but also to underscore the futility of stockpiling conventional weapons that will be rendered irrelevant in a nuclear confrontation. NATO’s leaders must understand that they cannot avoid the consequences of their actions.

Third, we must continue advancing on the battlefield, destroying the enemy’s forces with relentless precision. However, it is equally critical to declare that Russia’s patience is finite. For every Russian soldier killed, we must make clear that a thousand Western Europeans will pay the price if their governments persist in waging war against us. The public over there must understand that their elites are preparing to sacrifice them, and nuclear weapons will not discriminate between soldiers and civilians. Western European capitals will be among the first targets of our retaliation.

Fourth, Russia must communicate to the Americans that their continued escalation of the Ukraine conflict will lead to catastrophic consequences. Should they persist, we will cross the nuclear Rubicon, targeting their allies and bases worldwide. Any non-nuclear response will provoke a nuclear strike on American soil. This clarity will force Washington to reconsider its reckless policies.

2025 Yalta 2.0.

Fifth, we must strengthen our military capabilities while continuing to adjust our nuclear doctrine. If diplomacy fails, we must escalate decisively, demonstrating our readiness to use advanced weapons to defend Russia’s sovereignty and interests. While new technologies such as the Oreshnik missile system enhance our capabilities, they are no substitute for nuclear weapons, which remain the ultimate guarantor of our security.

Finally, Russia must offer the United States a dignified exit from its self-inflicted Ukrainian disaster. We have no desire to humiliate America but are prepared to help it extricate itself from this quagmire, provided it abandons its destructive policies. At the same time, Western Europe must be sidelined from global decision-making. It has become the primary threat to itself and the world.

If America withdraws, Ukraine’s defeat will follow swiftly. Russia will reclaim its rightful territories in the east and south, while a neutral, demilitarized state is established in central and western Ukraine. Those unwilling to live under Russian law will be free to relocate. Peace can only be achieved by removing Western Europe as a destabilizing force and addressing humanity’s broader challenges alongside the global majority.

True peace will only come when Western Europe’s backbone is broken once more, as it was after Russia’s victories over Napoleon and Hitler. The current elites must be replaced by a new generation capable of engaging in constructive dialogue. Only then can Europe rejoin the world as a responsible partner, not a source of perpetual conflict.

The stakes are clear: This is not just a battle for Russia’s future, but for the survival of human civilization as we know it.

Quoted from:
RT (January 27, 2025) - Sergey Karaganov: Russia must help overthrow Western Europe’s dangerous political elites.

[ RT’s version of Karaganov's January 21st Profile essay is essentially completely rewritten

including its title, although RT merely says it "was translated and edited by the RT team." ]

See Karaganov's original version translated here:
Karl Sanchez (January 28, 2025) - Sergey Karaganov: Breaking Europe's Back: What Should Russia's Policy Towards the West Be.

Do the Jews Control the US Government ? │ The Jerusalem Post

"Do the Jews control the US government?" asks The Jerusalem Post, and just like that, the question they’d rather not have raised lands front and center. Let's not kid ourselves: this isn't about transparency.

» Anyone who believes ‘The Donald’ will be calling the shots in his
upcoming administration has no idea how our political system works. «

It's about controlling the narrative, gaslighting dissenters, and preemptively dismissing critiques of Israeli influence in Washington. The image of the Israeli and American flags fluttering side by side? It's the perfect metaphor for what is the true nature of the "special relationship" - one where sovereignty takes a backseat to Tel Aviv's agenda.

» Gaza is a real mess. Clean out the whole thing! «

Warp Speed ZioCon MIGA Don, January 26, 2025.

The US-Israeli relationship isn’t just cozy, it's symbiotic in a way that leaves America playing servant. From AIPAC's lobby machine to billions in military aid, Washington’s foreign policy isn’t just pro-Israel, it’s Israeli-first and always first. Every war in the Middle East, every veto at the UN, and every blank check to fund apartheid policies in Palestine underscores a system where US interests are sidelined for Tel Aviv's.

Well, what can I say ... the guy is a NYC real estate shyster, who is very ... transactional.

This isn't a question of "control"—it's a demonstration of how the levers of influence work. Zionism’s grip on Washington is a textbook case of soft power gone unchecked, shaping narratives, wars, and diplomacy in a way that serves one master.

» Gaza could be a valuable waterfront property. «

The Trumps, without their MAGA hats, at the Wailing Wall.

But as the world shifts to multipolarity, cracks in the façade are beginning to show. The Global South isn't buying the story anymore, and even within the US, the grip of the Zionist lobby is being questioned louder than ever. The question isn’t just who controls the US government, it's how much longer they'll be able to get away with it.

The Islander, January 26, 2025.

Friday, January 24, 2025

Mexico's Strategic Position in China's Maritime Silk Road of the Americas

While Trump and Washington focus on renaming the Gulf of Mexico, reclaiming the Panama Canal, "purchasing" Greenland, toppling the governments of Mexico, Venezuela, Bolivia, Cuba, and Nicaragua, and militarizing and sabotaging global trade, Beijing subtly reshapes the commercial landscape in the Americas. The new Port of Manzanillo, Mexico's Pacific mega-project, is a crucial element in China’s strategic plan for the Maritime Silk Road of the Americas:

Second phase inauguration of the Manzanillo project, November 23, 2024.

Mexico is building Latin America's largest port in Manzanillo, a flagship project under President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration, continuing Andrés Manuel López Obrador's (2018-2024) legacy to strengthen infrastructure and position Mexico as an economic superpower.

» That's just how they are. «

Situated in Cuyutlán Bay, Colima, the port’s expansion aims to boost Mexico’s international trade capacity and reflects the left-wing government’s vision to enhance key economic sectors: infrastructure, trade, and energy. By 2030, with a 63-billion-peso ($3.4 billion USD) budget, the port will grow from 450 to 1,880 hectares, handling up to 10 million containers annually, ranking among the world’s 20 largest ports.

Mexico's new trade hub on the Pacific, bypassing the Panama Canal.

This expansion, part of a strategic initiative to boost Mexico’s global connectivity, includes specialized terminals, advanced dredging systems, state-of-the-art cranes, and enhanced railway and road infrastructure. These upgrades will enable the port to handle five mega-ships simultaneously, connect seamlessly with interoceanic logistical corridors and commercial routes in Asia, North America, and Latin America, optimize goods movement, significantly reduce transportation times, and improve access for Mexican products in global markets.

By 2030, Puerto Manzanillo will rank among the 20 largest ports in the world.

Puerto Manzanillo will become a pivotal hub for international trade, facilitating direct links with Asia and bypassing the Panama Canal bottleneck. COSCO Shipping’s direct routes further strengthen Manzanillo’s role as a central node in the Asia-Pacific supply chain, positioning it as a strategic partner for Latin American markets.

Mexico is on track to become an economic superpower, driven by a growing population, an expanding middle

class, and a robust manufacturing sector, potentially surpassing the US in the second half of the 21st century.

This connection strengthens Mexico’s role in the global trade network, promoting exports like automobiles, agricultural goods, and steel, and secures its position as a vital link between Latin America and Asia’s manufacturing powerhouse.

Monday, January 20, 2025

How Markets Move: The Natural Cycle of Range Change │ Larry Williams

Markets typically shift from small ranges to larger trend moves. When the market is in a large trend move, wait for it to settle into smaller ranges before getting involved. This gives more reliable setups when the market trends again. Market tops generally occur when the price closes well off its low, while market bottoms happen when the price closes near its low. Most traders get emotional during these times, buying at tops and selling at bottoms. Once you understand this, it becomes easier to make smarter trades.

Small Ranges Beget Large Ranges. Large Ranges Beget Small Ranges.

Markets move from congestion to creation (expansion), transitioning from small ranges to larger, more defined trend moves. A small range signals buildup, and a large range signals an impending trend. If I see a small net change from open to close, I know a large trend move is likely coming and am prepared to act on it. Here’s an example using the NASDAQ: Notice how volume fluctuates throughout the day: heavy volume in the morning, a dip in the middle, and a surge towards the end.

"U" shaped intraday: Heavy volume in the morning, a dip in the middle, a surge at the end.

This pattern is consistent across markets. It’s like a freeway: traffic is heavy in the morning, dies down in the middle of the day, and picks up in the afternoon. Understanding this helps day traders identify opportunities in the morning and towards the end of the day, while avoiding the midday lull. Volume drives range, and large ranges happen at the start and end of the day. This is when short-term traders make money. We need volatility and large ranges to profit.

There are three key cycles in market behavior:

(1) small range/large range, (2) moving closes within ranges, and (3) closes opposite openings.

All three cycles work equally well in any timeframe and market.

"Do yourself a big favor: Mark off all the large-range days [in the chart above], and then study the size of the ranges just

prior to explosive up-and-down days. See what I see? We are given ample warning of virtually every large-range day

by the shrinkage of ranges a few days earlier."

The key takeaway for short-term traders is that not every day offers a high-probability trade. You need to identify days with potential for explosive moves and not expect large profits daily. It’s about finding that opportunity.

As for market tops, they usually occur when prices close near their highs, and bottoms happen when prices close near their lows. Focus on these closing patterns to determine when to buy and sell.

Trend is a function of time. The more time in a trade, the more opportunity for trend.

The most important insight in trading is that trends are the basis of all profits. Without a trend, there are no profits. But what causes trends? Trends are fundamentally a function of time—the more time you hold a trade, the more opportunity for a trend to develop. The challenge with day trading is that trends occur only about 15% of the time. Most of the time, prices are consolidating, making it difficult to catch a big trend move. Limiting yourself to a few hours of trading only targets that small window when trends are likely to occur.

My Day Trade Secret: HTTC - Hold To The Close.

The day trader dilemma is that they have limited time to catch trends. Holding positions overnight allows you to capture longer trends and larger profits. A small bet with the potential for a big move is the key advantage of holding positions over time.

» How you know a large trend move is coming. «

Many day traders are afraid to hold positions overnight. However, if you do the math, you'll see that most market moves happen between the close of one day and the open of the next. Moves within the day are often smaller and less reliable. For short-term traders, the key to success is recognizing large range days and holding positions to the close. This is how you catch a big move during the day.

Reference:
Larry Williams (2022) - Trading Tactics and Indicators I Still Use. (video)

» Hold To The Close. «

S&P 500 E-mini Futures (daily bars).

Narrow Range 4 & 7 Days and Inside Bar Narrow Range 4 & 7 Days.