More than any other group, the 1% has been convinced that the stock market represents some sort of leading indicator of wealth and prosperity. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sure, the stock market can function as such an indicator. It is such an indicator when the rising stock market reflects a dynamic, capitalist economy where new industries and companies are rising to the top and improving standards of living for the populace.

It represents the opposite indicator when it merely reflects the ownership interests of the oligarchs in a crony-capitalist, fascist economy that is picking away at the dying carcass of what little economic freedom still remains. This is what a rising stock market actually represents today. When people look at it they should understand it is merely a measure of the oligarchs getting wealthier and more powerful and you becoming more of a debt slave.

It represents their interests in multinational corporations with record profit margins because they refuse to pay their employees a living wage. A rising stock market today is actually a leading indicator of the destruction of the middle class, cultural destitution and a society in collapse.

- From the 2013 post: The Stock Market: Food Stamps for the 1%

Eh, so what? It's good for stocks.

The recent Russian concert in Palmyra was an event loaded with symbolism. While it was the Syrians who liberated this ancient city and while the Russian only provided support, this support was crucial and, besides, it was not just Palmyra which Russia saved, but the Syrian nation. I would even argue that Russian in Palmyra saved not just Syria, but all of civilization.


Imagine you are an extraterrestrial watching our planet from space. Not only would you see the unspeakable atrocities committed by the Daesh liver-eating psychopaths, but you would see that the Empire which runs most of the planet, and the so-called "western civilization" which shaped our modern world more than any other civilization, have given their full backing to the Daesh.

You would see the US TOW missiles used against the only army capable of standing up against Daesh, you would see all the countries making up the so-called "concert of nations" (about, maybe, 1/3rd of the countries out there) calling for the overthrow of the legal and legitimate President of Syria even if that means that a black Daesh flag over Damascus.

You would see the genocide of Christians while the putatively Christian world looks away and the genocide of (all non-Takfiri) Muslims while the putatively Muslim world looks away. You would see the self-described "Leader of the Free World" condemn the (very limited) Russian military intervention in Syria and you would see a member of the most powerful military alliance on the planet (Turkey) make millions by trading stolen oil with Daesh.

This list could go on and on, but I think that we can agree that any extra-terrestrial observing this would be overcome by a total sense of disgust with the human race.

Never in modern political history has it been so easy to "abolish the people" and simply erase 54 million votes cast in a free and fair presidential election.

Forget about hanging chads, as in Florida 2000. This is a day that will live in infamy all across the Global South - when what was one of its most dynamic democracies veered into a plutocratic regime, under a flimsy parliamentary/judicial veneer, with legal and constitutional guarantees now at the mercy of lowly comprador elites.

After the proverbial marathon, the Brazilian Senate voted 55-22 to put President Dilma Rousseff on trial for "crimes of responsibility" - related to alleged window dressing of the government's budget.

This is the culmination of a drawn-out process that started even before Rousseff won re-election in late 2014 with over 54 million votes. I have described the bunch of perpetrators of what Brazilian creativity has termed 'golpeachment' (a mix of coup - "golpe" in Portuguese - and impeachment) as Hybrid War hyenas.

Sophisticated golpeachment - supported by what amounts to an Electoral Inquisition College - has propelled Hybrid War to whole new levels.

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister expresses frustration with Ankara's "unconstructive role" in exacerbating the Syrian crisis. On Tuesday, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov strongly criticized Turkey in the latest round of talks regarding the ongoing Syrian civil war, calling into question Ankara's role and intentions in the process.

Speaking with Russian Izvestia Daily, Gatilov claimed Ankara persuaded the Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee (HNC) to abandon multilateral negotiations, imperiling a hard-won ceasefire orchestrated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry. "It is a pity that foreign players, and important regional players such as Turkey, continue to play an unconstructive role in this process," Gatilov remarked.

The peace talks, which began in Geneva on April 13, were halted after the HNC walked out of discussions in protest at what it claimed was a violation of the ceasefire by the Syrian government. Damascus challenged the allegations, saying the truce was violated by foreign-backed militants.

Concurrently, the Free Syrian Army — often referred to as "moderate" rebels by Western media outlets — announced that it would not comply with the strictures of the ceasefire, citing concerns that the Assad regime would use the lull in combat to stifle opposition. The so-called moderate rebels, according to top US military officials, consist of al-Nusra Front militants, an al Qaeda spinoff extremist network only questionably less virulent than Daesh.

Introducing stability to the war-torn country has become increasingly complicated as the US government continues to provide military aid to groups in 'moderate' opposition to Assad, under the guise of combating Daesh. US weapons and supplies consistently either end up in the hands of Daesh, who share many common allegiances with al-Nusra, or are otherwise turned against the Assad regime, undermining the effectiveness of the Syrian-Arab Army.

Additionally, the US finds itself regionally aligned with Saudi Arabia, a country seen as the primary financier of the Daesh and al-Qaeda extremist networks. Notably, Turkey has been implicated in recent months, in engaging in regular oil and arms trade with Daesh extremists in Syria. To further exacerbate matters, the most effective fighting force against Daesh, the region's Kurdish minority, is considered by Ankara to be a sworn enemy of Turkey.

American congressmen introduced a new bill this week aimed at creating a separate federal agency that would focus exclusively on countering Russian and Chinese "propaganda" which poses a threat to US interests at home and around the world.


The bill, H.R. 5181, the 'Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act of 2016' is a companion bill to S.2692 introduced back in March.

According to Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) who coauthored the bill alongside Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA), H.R. 5181, seeks to incorporate a "whole-of-government approach without the bureaucratic restrictions," which will set up innovative partnerships to combat information warfare with "organizations that have experience in countering foreign propaganda."

"As Russia continues to spew its disinformation and false narratives, they undermine the United States and its interests in places like Ukraine, while also breeding further instability in these countries," Kinzinger said.

Work on the fourth and final power line to deliver electricity from mainland Russia to the Crimean peninsula has been completed. President Putin oversaw the launch of the energy bridge by video link from the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

"We managed to break through the energy blockade of Crimea within a short period of time, and we will likewise do away with any other blockade against Russia, should someone wish to test us again," said the president addressing workers on the power line.

Currently, the UK capital of London hosts the global anti-corruption summit attended by high-ranking politicians from a number of countries.

During the summit, a number of countries, participating in the summit, including France, Netherlands and the United Kingdom are expected to announce measures aimed at tackling corruption.

"I have been shocked by the degree to which I find corruption, pandemic in the world today," Kerry said, speaking at the London summit.

In an interview with Sputnik, political analyst Yuri Pochta noted that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is openly ignoring the interests of NATO and the EU in the wake of Ahmet Davutoglu's decision to quit the role of Prime Minister. The remarks came after Davutoglu's May 5 announcement of his decision to step down as head of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Prime Minister. He will perform his job as head of the government and the AKP's chairman until May 22. "Erdogan is no longer going to heed the interests of NATO — on a number of issues he prefers to turn a blind eye to discipline, and he is also at odds with the European Union," Pochta said.

As for Davutoglu, he is "more diplomatic, more tolerant and less inclined to destroy the freedom of the press" in Turkey, Pochta said, noting that Brussels had pinned its hopes on the Turkish PM in light of the EU-Turkey deal on migrants. "This could weaken Erdogan's authoritarian tendencies and he decided to nip it in the bud by actually prompting Davutoglu to resign," Pochta pointed out.

In mid-March 2016, Ankara and Brussels agreed to a deal under which Turkey pledged to take back all undocumented migrants who arrive in the EU through its territory in exchange for Syrian refugees residing in Turkey. In return, the 28-member bloc promised to accelerate Turkey's EU accession bid and introduce a visa-free regime between the country and the Union.

In this vein, Pochta said that the outgoing Turkish Prime Minister could be made responsible for all the pressing problems in Turkey, including those related to the migrant deal. "As an Oriental country, Turkey has a particular political culture where former allies can become arch-enemies. I think that Davutoglu will be blamed for all the problems Turkey has faced in the past few years. In this regard, I don't exclude a revision of the EU-Turkey migrant deal," he said.

Meanwhile, the EU is considering alternatives to this agreement, one of which is to use Greek islands as reception centers, the German newspaper Bild reported earlier this week. The islands of the Aegean may become temporary reception centers for migrants if the 6 billion euro (6.8 billion dollar) deal with Turkey falls through; in that case, the EU will send the money to Athens instead, Bild reported.

EU officials are making contingency plans because of the increasing likelihood that Turkey will not fulfill the conditions of its migrant deal, which was struck in November 2015 following negotiations between Davutoglu and the EU Council.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that his armed forces are readying to "clear" the frontier on the Syrian side of the border, following back-and-forth fire with Islamic State terrorists.

Erdogan made the announcement on Thursday, alluding to "difficulties in Kilis," a town that straddles the southern border with a volatile zone in Syria currently controlled by Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL). He said that Turkish forces are "making necessary preparations" to take action.

The terrorist group has been using the area to launch rockets at the Turks, with Erdogan complaining that the allies aren't helping, and that Ankara is ready to act alone.

Brazilian senators have voted to put President Dilma Rousseff on trial for breaking budget laws. She is to be suspended from her post after five years in power.

"Today we are trying to overcome this situation by removing an irresponsible government. We have no alternative," said Senator Blairo Maggi, as cited by Reuters.

The senate voted 55 against 22 in favor of putting the Brazilian president on trial.

Vice-President Michel Temer is to become acting president during Rousseff's trial, according to the senate.