Where France's Macron buys his suits is front page news on one of the many international news websites I peruse.
Germany's Chancellor has done another about face, which has left the columnists spinning, trying to keep up.
Europe is cooperating on gas, which suggests some sort of united front, but really ends up with several countries in Europe not cooperating and even one stating they will veto. I got to look up "cooperating", in the dictionary. Hungary claims there are 10 countries using the Rubles for Energy scheme.
Previously, Germany got the blame for obstinance regarding sanctions, but any meaningful sanctions have seen the EU bloc in disarray. Conveniently, the Germans are now pushing back by laying blame on "other" members of the EU. No doubt they will eventually coalesce their blame shifting and lay all this at the feet of Americans. Some things never change.
Pelosi has been to Ukraine and is seen posing with Zelensky. Is it one of those selfies Zelensky was so critical of?
India is on pace to have a record wheat crop. Oh wait, India is undergoing a massive heat wave which may dramatically limit the wheat crop.
Musk buys twitter and Homeland Security announces, "Disinformation Governance Board". DGB... not to be confused with KGB, which was a completely different committee. What qualifies as disinformation, misinformation, etc.? Who decides when a lie is no longer a lie, or when the truth is no longer the truth?
Speaking of disinformation... CNN is boldly proclaiming "3 Signs that Prices Could Soon Come Down." Prices coming down would be a sign of "deflation". The rate of inflation might come down, but prices... not so much. But it is CNN, so excuse the confusion or is this what the KGB DGB will soon remedy? Not intentionally leaving out FOX, MSNBC, et al, but it is way too much.
I keep reading where China's economy may be stalling, but until China says it is... it isn't. I fully expect them to say they are meeting targets. <wink> <wink>
A lot of concern about U.S. farmers cutting back on fertilizer and the potential for much lower crop yields as a result. The big farmers bought their fertilizers and inputs and had it all delivered by December 31st. Granted the big farmers does not equate to all farmers, but the weather is still the biggest factor. That weather has not been very cooperative at the start of this planting season.
This nugget from a Deutsche Welle opinion piece, regarding North Korea...
Pyongyang claims the most advanced weapon in its armory can carry multiple warheads and has a range of more than 15,000 kilometers (9,300 miles), putting the entire continental US within striking distance.
Note that the continental US is singled out. That distance puts all of Asia, Europe, Oceania, the North American Continent, most of Antarctica, most of Africa, and South America above the equator. It would not be difficult to understand the continental U.S. would be the main objective, but the wording seems to indicate only the U.S., while ignoring fallout, etc.
Run out of things to ponder, so time to wrap this up.
