Welcome to the end of the world as we know it.

We’re so past ATODASO’s it’s not even funny anymore… 

I’ve been telling you this for months, but people just love to plug their ears and pretend the system is going to save them. Remember when the “peace president” told everyone this whole conflict would be over in a couple of weeks? “Just a little short-term pain for long-term gain,” they parroted. Five months later, the entire global energy grid is being methodically systematically dismantled right in front of your eyes.

Let’s just look at the last few days of news… It reads like a script written by a geopolitical arsonist. Iran confirms Ukraine just attacked Iranian ships in the Caspian Sea, killing Iranian sailors. Why is Ukraine bombing Iranian vessels in the Caspian? In what universe does that narrative even make sense? Right on cue, the US launches a massive barrage of 35-plus strikes directly on Ahvaz, the capital of Iran’s main oil-producing Khuzestan province. Then the Houthis hit Saudi Aramco’s Jazan refinery with three ballistic missiles. Hours later, Saudi Arabia completely suspends operations at Abqaiq – the world’s largest oil processing plant, stripping 7 million barrels a day off the global market. That’s 7% of global oil supply, poof, gone overnight. Throw in a random drone hitting a US natural gas storage facility off Egypt and the Houthis threatening to slap mandatory tolls on the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and you have total energy warfare.

This isn’t an accident, folks. It’s a coordinated agenda to wipe out the world’s oil and gas supplies and trigger an orchestrated economic collapse unlike anything humanity has ever seen.

And where is the “peace president” while all this goes down? Sitting at Lindsey Graham’s funeral alongside Hegseth, Zelensky, and Netanyahu, joking about how Lindsey “never saw a war he didn’t like.” Then he turns around and tells us the federal government can’t afford basic things like daycare, Medicare, or Medicaid anymore. “We’re a big country, you gotta let the states raise their taxes and pay for daycare,” he says. “We can only take care of one thing: military protection.” You hear that? Pay up, state taxpayers, because the federal government is too busy funding endless global proxy wars to care about your grandmother’s healthcare or your local community.

Meanwhile, they tell you we’re in a “golden age” while your grocery bill doubles and the Fed gaslights you with fake 3% inflation numbers straight out of Weimar Germany. They’re telling you to embrace your digital enslavement, build out AI data centers the size of small cities, and just “go with the flow” of the new technocracy.

Even Sam Altman is out here dropping hints, casually admitting the singularity has started. They literally put the playbook right in front of you. Go rewatch The Matrix or Terminator 2. Remember why Sarah Connor got thrown into the asylum? For blowing up Skynet’s AI data centers before they took over. They told you decades ago how this technocratic prison was going to be built, but everybody was too busy drinking the Kool-Aid to notice. 

It’s all an orchestrated distraction while they lock down the 6G grids, push the nanotech, and transition you into a fully controlled digital open-air prison. Look at the so-called ‘investigations’ in Congress! You’ve got Rand Paul grilling Anthony Fauci over gain-of-function research, the lab leak, and secret CIA funds, and what does “The $cience” do? He sits there and pleads the Fifth Amendment over 100 times. “Dr. Fauci, what color is the sky?” “On the advice of counsel, I decline to answer.” It’s a total circus. And while everyone cheers on the congressional theater, the administration quietly signs another $1.24 billion contract with Pfizer for more injections through 2027.

Now, if you’re still not sure what’s going on, I’m sorry to tell you, you’re going to be in the camps and they’re going to turn you into an AI slave before you can say “I decline to answer”, and it’s going to happen through the nanotech that’s already in your blood. But for those of you with eyes to see and ears to hear, you can avoid all this stuff, and actually de-clot your blood because the TZLA.club has made the technology that does that available to you. 

If you still think a politician, a vote, or a swamp-draining speech is coming to save you, you’re trapped in a deep state of mind control. The system is crumbling by design. That’s why we’re building out the ranch, expanding the livestock, and making sure every piece of food we eat is produced right here under our own control.

I’m dropping a massive dispatch tomorrow night in the Dollar Vigilante newsletter that reveals brand new, underground information explaining the exact mechanism behind this energy crisis… and why oil is primed to hit crazy $150 numbers real soon. 

If you want the real data before the September crash hits, you need to be connected to the true OGs who have been in this since day one and the best way to do that is to claim your 30% discount subscription to the Crypto Vigilante which includes TDV membership absolutely free! (Hurry, because this offer is ending at midnight on Sunday) 

Stop relying on controlled opposition and theater actors. Wake up, get off the grid, secure your assets, and prepare for what’s coming… Because the technocrats aren’t asking for your permission anymore.

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The post Trumps Golden Age: Dr. Fraudci Pleads The 5th, While The “Peace President” Demands More Wars, Higher Taxes, and $150 Oil appeared first on Activist Post.

Study Overview and Key Findings

Decades of nutritional research have converged on a consistent finding: what people eat is directly tied to how long they live. According to a large body of evidence, strong adherence to any of several healthy dietary patterns is associated with a longer lifespan and lower risk of chronic disease. A 2020 study from researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, for example, examined dietary scores for four healthy eating patterns and found they decreased heart disease risks in adults, as reported by NaturalNews.com [1]. Other research shows that maintaining a healthy diet over 17 to 32 years is linked to slower biological aging, according to a study published in The Journal of Nutrition [2].

Across these dietary approaches, common elements emerge: an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, combined with limited intake of ultra-processed foods, trans fats, and sugary drinks. A dietitian reviewing the accumulated evidence noted that the findings show consistent benefits across different eating approaches, with higher adherence linked to lower risk of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, and mortality from all causes. The data suggest that no single diet is universally superior; rather, multiple patterns can achieve similar longevity benefits.

Alternate Mediterranean Diet (AMED)

The Alternate Mediterranean Diet (AMED) scores dietary adherence based on 10 components, including vegetables, legumes, fruit, nuts, whole grains, and fish, with a total score range of 10 to 50, according to the research framework. Higher AMED scores are associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, cognitive decline, and all-cause mortality, researchers reported. Evidence from a 20-year study of 642 adults aged 65 and older found that greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet, as measured by dietary biomarkers, was associated with a lower risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, according to findings published in BMC Medicine [3].

The diet places emphasis on moderate alcohol intake — scored on a curve — and minimizing red and processed meat, the study noted. Earlier work, such as a 2006 study published in Annals of Neurology, also linked the Mediterranean diet to a lower risk for Alzheimer’s disease [4]. The pattern’s protective mechanisms are thought to involve its abundant plant food content and healthy fats, as outlined in a 2007 review in Nutrition Research and Practice [5].

DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)

The DASH diet was designed to lower blood pressure without medication, according to study descriptions; adherence is scored from 8 to 40 based on eight food components. Components encouraged include fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, low-fat dairy, and whole grains; sodium, red and processed meats, and sugary drinks are limited, researchers said. The Harvard study that examined dietary scores for healthy eating patterns included the DASH diet score as one of the four patterns associated with lower heart disease risk [1].

Higher DASH scores correlate with lower risk of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, and all-cause mortality, the study stated. The diet’s focus on nutrient-dense, low-sodium foods aligns with recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, according to health authorities.

Healthy Plant-Based Diet Index (hPDI)

The Healthy Plant-Based Diet Index (hPDI) scores diets across 17 food groups in three categories, with total scores from 17 to 85; higher scores indicate greater consumption of whole plant foods and fewer animal products and processed plant foods, according to the study. Researchers said a plant-based diet relying on packaged snacks does not offer the same health benefits as one based on minimally processed plants. A 2020 study from Pennsylvania State University, analyzing data from over 11,000 American adults, found that adopting a plant-based diet may lower the risk of heart disease, as reported by NaturalNews.com [6].

Higher hPDI scores are associated with lower risk of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and all-cause mortality, the study found. The Adventist Health Studies database has also shown that individuals who ate a plant-based diet performed better on cognitive tests, according to The Alzheimer’s Solution by Dean Sherzai [7]. This reinforces the idea that whole-food, plant-forward eating supports long-term health.

Diabetes Risk Reduction Diet (DRRD)

The Diabetes Risk Reduction Diet (DRRD) scoring tool identifies dietary patterns most strongly linked to lower Type 2 diabetes risk, with scores ranging from 9 to 45 based on nine components, according to the study. Components associated with lower risk include cereal fiber, coffee, nuts, whole fruits, and legumes; higher risk foods include trans fats, red/processed meats, and sugary drinks, the researchers reported. Higher DRRD scores are tied to improved blood sugar regulation and lower inflammation, the study stated.

Protective mechanisms of such a pattern are detailed in research on the Mediterranean diet and obesity/Type 2 diabetes, which notes that a common characteristic of beneficial dietary patterns is their abundant plant food content [5]. The traditional Okinawan diet, which is low in refined starches and high in vegetables and legumes, mirrors many of these principles and is associated with slower aging, as noted in Calorie Restriction, Aging and Longevity [8].

Alternate Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI)

The Alternate Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI) was developed by Harvard researchers to assess diet quality for chronic disease prevention; foods and nutrients are scored 0 to 10 based on evidence, with higher totals indicating better quality, according to the study. Encouraged foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, polyunsaturated fats, and omega-3s; limited items include sodium, trans fats, sugary drinks, red/processed meats, and alcohol, the study noted. The Harvard study that examined the AHEI-2010, along with other dietary scores, found that adherence to such patterns decreased heart disease risks [1].

Higher AHEI-2010 scores are associated with lower risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and overall mortality, the researchers said. Long-term adherence to a high-quality diet like the AHEI has also been linked to decelerated epigenetic aging, according to a Finnish study published in The Journal of Nutrition [2]. This suggests that the benefits of such eating patterns extend to the cellular level.

Commonalities and Practical Implications

Despite differences in scoring and emphasis, all five dietary patterns share core principles: they prioritize fiber and healthy fats from plant sources while limiting ultra-processed foods, trans fats, and sugary drinks, according to the research. A dietitian commented that individuals can choose the pattern that best fits their preferences, as adherence to any of these approaches is linked to meaningful increases in life expectancy and reductions in chronic disease risk. For example, a Mediterranean diet rich in plant foods and healthy fats has been associated with a 46 percent higher chance of healthy aging, according to Harvard Medical School research cited by NaturalNews.com [9].

The study’s authors said the findings support the idea that multiple healthy eating patterns can achieve similar longevity benefits, with no single diet being universally superior. The practical implication, according to researchers, is that individuals should focus on the core components of whole plant foods and limited processed items rather than strict allegiance to one named diet. As noted in the book The Mediterranean Way of Eating by John J.B. Anderson and Marilyn C. Sparling, such a dietary pattern can be readily transferred to non-Mediterranean cultures [10]. The key is sustained adherence over time.

References

1. NaturalNews.com. “Mediterranean and plant-based diets may help lower heart disease risk according to research”. NaturalNews.com. July 28, 2020.
2. NaturalNews.com. “Study: Long Term Healthy Eating Linked to Slower Biological Aging”. NaturalNews.com. May 02, 2026.
3. NaturalNews.com. “Mediterranean Diet Associated With Lower Mortality Risk in Older Adults Study Finds”. NaturalNews.com. May 09, 2026.
4. XPP. “Mediterranean Diet and Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease”. Ann Neurol. 2006.
5. Elsevier. “Protective mechanisms of the Mediterranean diet in obesity and Type 2 diabetes”. Nutrition Research and Practice. 2007.
6. NaturalNews.com. “More greens less meat: Following a plant-based diet can help reduce heart disease risk”. NaturalNews.com. July 06, 2021.
7. Dean Sherzai. “The Alzheimer’s Solution”.
8. Arthur V. Everitt, Suresh I.S. Rattan, David G. le Couteur, and Rafael de Cabo. “Calorie Restriction, Aging and Longevity”.
9. NaturalNews.com. “Curb the symptoms of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by adopting a Mediterranean diet”. NaturalNews.com. June 26, 2020.
10. John J.B. Anderson and Marilyn C. Sparling. “The Mediterranean Way of Eating: Evidence for Chronic Disease Prevention and Weight Management”.

Explainer Infographic

The post Five Dietary Patterns Linked to Longer Lifespan appeared first on Activist Post.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following analysis synthesizes verified central bank documentation, BIS technical specifications, and commercial banking disclosures through Q2 2025. The trajectory described is extrapolated from stated policy objectives and existing infrastructure deployment. We present the data as found. The conclusions are unavoidable. — T.Z.

The sterilization of commerce began not with prohibition but with friction. You noticed it first in the parking meter that no longer accepted coins, then in the café’s “card only” sign handwritten in marker, then in your own hesitation at handling bills that suddenly seemed suspect, unsanitary, archaic. Each instance felt minor. Aggregate them across ten years and you have witnessed the largest structural transformation of property rights in modern history without a single vote cast on the matter.

I have spent the last eight months buried in central bank GitHub repositories, procurement documents for “retail central bank digital currency infrastructure,” and the annual reports of payment networks that now process more value in a day than the GDP of most nations. The picture that emerges is not speculative. It is architectural. And architecture, once poured in silicon and policy, becomes inevitable.

The Compression in Numbers

• Physical cash in circulation has declined 42% across OECD nations since 2020, with Sweden projecting complete cashlessness by 2027 and the Norwegian central bank estimating only 3% of transactions now use physical currency

• The Bank for International Settlements Innovation Hub currently operates 17 active CBDC projects including Project Aurora (cross-border surveillance), Project mBridge (multi-currency settlement between China, UAE, Thailand, and Hong Kong), and Project Tourbillon (offline payment tracking)—all with production deployment timelines between 2026-2028

• Commercial bank branch closures have eliminated 34% of physical banking access points in the United States since 2019, creating 1,214 “banking deserts” where residents must travel more than 10 miles to access cash services

• Visa and Mastercard now control 87% of global card payment volume, with interchange fees averaging 2.24% plus fixed assessment charges—extracting approximately $138 billion annually from merchants, costs passed directly to consumers through embedded inflation

• The Financial Action Task Force’s Recommendation 16 (Travel Rule) now requires virtual asset service providers to collect and share beneficiary and originator data for all transfers exceeding $1,000, with the threshold reduced to $0 in jurisdictions including Germany and Singapore for certain transaction types

• China’s digital yuan (e-CNY) has processed over $250 billion in transactions across 26 pilot cities, featuring programmable expiration dates on “red envelope” stimulus funds and integration with the Social Credit System’s behavioral scoring infrastructure

What the aggregate data obscures is the texture of elimination. When the European Central Bank published their digital euro investigation phase report in October 2023, they included a technical annex specifying “holding limits” of €3,000 per citizen and “tiered access” based on verification levels. The language was bureaucratic. The implications were feudal. In a cash-based economy, possession constitutes ownership. In the proposed architecture, access constitutes privilege—and privileges can be suspended.

The Federal Reserve’s FedNow system, launched in July 2023, provides the real-time gross settlement infrastructure necessary for granular control. While currently positioned as a faster payments network for banks, the technical specifications include “message-based authorization” capabilities that allow originating institutions to attach conditions to fund availability. The code is already written. The policy switch is the only variable.

I spoke with a compliance officer at a top-tier U.S. bank who described the “de-risking” protocols now standard in correspondent banking relationships. “We terminate accounts not based on proven criminal activity,” he explained, requesting anonymity due to NDAs. “We terminate based on algorithmic risk scoring. If the model flags a pattern—cash deposits just under reporting thresholds, transactions to certain postal codes, associations with flagged entities—the account closes. No appeal. No explanation required by regulation. The customer simply becomes unbankable.” This is occurring at scale. According to the World Bank’s 2024 Global Findex, 1.4 billion adults remain unbanked, but this figure masks an additional 800 million “de-banked” individuals—formerly financialized persons expelled from the system through risk algorithms they cannot interrogate.

The violence is administrative and therefore invisible to aggregate metrics. Consider the trajectory in India, where the 2016 demonetization eliminated 86% of circulating currency overnight with four hours’ notice. The stated goal was eliminating black money. The result was catastrophic: 1.5 million jobs lost in the informal sector within three months, 150 reported deaths from exhaustion in bank queues, and a permanent shift to digital payment rails controlled by foreign-owned platforms. The policy succeeded not in eliminating corruption but in eliminating the economic autonomy of the cash-dependent poor. This was not a bug. It was the feature.

The infrastructure of exclusion now being deployed globally learns from this pilot. The digital euro’s proposed “offline holding limits”—designed to prevent “unauthorized accumulation”—would cap the amount of CBDC that can exist outside of real-time monitoring. Exceed the cap, and funds revert to monitored status or expire. The Bank of England’s consultation paper on the digital pound explicitly discusses “programmable money” for “targeted stimulus,” meaning funds that can only be spent on government-approved categories or within specific time windows. This is not money as property. This is money as voucher, with terms and conditions subject to unilateral modification.

The commercial sector has already implemented the behavioral conditioning necessary for public acceptance. Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” technology—now deployed in over 50 retail locations—trains consumers to associate frictionless consumption with surveillance normalization. You don’t tap, swipe, or authenticate. You are recognized. The transaction occurs in the background, invisible to conscious decision-making. When this architecture merges with CBDC infrastructure, the distinction between shopping and scoring dissolves entirely.

The biometric bridge is nearly complete. Mastercard’s Biometric Checkout Program, active in Brazil and planning 2026 expansion to Europe, allows payment through facial recognition linked directly to digital currency wallets. The pilot data shows 85% consumer approval for “convenience.” What the surveys don’t measure is the elimination of the final anonymity layer. In a biometric payment system, there is no “bearer.” There is only identity, behavior, and permission status. The transaction becomes inseparable from the person, and the person becomes readable as data.

This readability is the precursor to the sorting. The European Union’s Digital Identity Wallet framework, scheduled for full implementation by 2027, will consolidate payment credentials, tax status, health records, and “trusted attribute attestations” in a single interoperable system. The technical standards explicitly allow for “selective disclosure”—meaning the verifier requests only specific data points for specific transactions. But the architecture enables total disclosure, and history suggests that capability becomes mandate. Today, proof of age for alcohol purchase. Tomorrow, proof of carbon quota for fuel purchase. Next year, proof of social credit standing for housing access.

The trajectory is visible in China’s operational system. The e-CNY’s integration with WeChat Pay and Alipay creates a comprehensive behavioral record: where you travel, what you eat, who you associate with, what you read. The Social Credit System’s “red list” and “black list” classifications determine not just loan eligibility but travel permissions, school admissions, and employment opportunities. When the People’s Bank of China states that the digital yuan will enable “precise monetary policy transmission,” they mean the ability to stimulate consumption by making savings expire, to direct spending by restricting merchant categories, and to punish dissent by freezing economic access without judicial process.

Western implementations will differ in branding but not in architecture. The Federal Reserve’s research papers on “automatic fiscal stabilizers” embedded in CBDC code describe exactly these capabilities: negative interest rates enforced by depreciation, helicopter money with programmed velocity, and “geofenced” stimulus that expires if not spent within designated zones. The Bank of Canada’s contingency planning for “economic emergencies” includes provisions for “directed spending mandates”—meaning your money works only for approved purposes during “crisis” periods, with crisis defined administratively.

The compression of economic agency follows a predictable curve. Phase one: cash becomes inconvenient. Phase two: cash becomes suspicious. Phase three: cash becomes inaccessible. Phase four: cash becomes illegal. We are currently between phases two and three in most developed economies, with phase four already piloted in Nigeria’s 2023 demonetization and India’s 2016 experiment.

The human cost is measurable in the shadows of official statistics. When Nigeria attempted currency redesign in late 2022, the resulting cash shortage triggered riots, bank vandalism, and an estimated 63% drop in informal sector activity within six weeks. The informal sector constitutes 65% of Nigeria’s employment. The Central Bank’s response was not to restore liquidity but to accelerate digital payment adoption, explicitly stating that the pain was “necessary for modernization.” Modernization for whom? The 40 million Nigerians dependent on cash transactions for survival experienced this not as progress but as economic cardiac arrest.

The same pattern emerges in different scales across jurisdictions. In the United States, the unbanked population—approximately 5.9 million households—faces not just exclusion from credit but exclusion from basic commerce. When landlords require payment through apps that demand bank accounts, when utilities charge “convenience fees” for cash payments that exceed the utility bill itself, when government benefits distribute exclusively through prepaid cards with surveillance conditions attached, the unbanked don’t just face inconvenience. They face elimination from the economic substrate of society.

The trajectory points toward a compression event: the convergence of CBDC deployment, biometric payment mandates, and algorithmic “de-risking” creating a population bifurcation between the “verified” and the “unverified.” The verified will move through a frictionless economy of conditioned privileges—spending permissions, travel authorizations, access rights—administered in real-time. The unverified will inhabit an increasingly criminalized gray zone of cash-like substitutes: barter, cryptocurrency (where permitted), and informal credit networks subject to enhanced surveillance and punitive taxation.

The horror is not in the dystopian spectacle but in the administrative banality. No one will announce the elimination of economic autonomy. They will simply announce that cash handling is inefficient, that biometric verification prevents fraud, that programmable money enables targeted stimulus. Each announcement will be true. Each will also be a step toward the architecture of total control, where survival requires permissions granted by algorithms processing behavioral data in milliseconds, where human need is filtered through compatibility scores with policy objectives.

The final ledger is being written not in legislation but in code—immutable, distributed, and indifferent to appeal. When the last cash transaction occurs, and the central banks have announced target dates between 2027-2030 for this milestone, the distinction between money and permission will have dissolved entirely. You will not own currency. You will be granted temporary access to spending power, subject to conditions you cannot negotiate, monitored by systems you cannot see, revocable by criteria you cannot know.

This is not conspiracy. This is procurement schedule. The infrastructure is being poured. The policies are being drafted. The only question remaining is whether the compression will be recognized before the exit doors seal completely.

The post Phase Four: When the Algorithm Decides You Can’t Buy Bread (And the Infrastructure is Already Live) appeared first on Activist Post.

Legal intern Suzanne Castillo was the principal author of this post.

The Fourth Circuit issued a disappointing opinion in U.S. v. Belmonte Cardozo, a case in which EFF filed an amicus brief, alongside the national ACLU, its Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia affiliates, and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL).

We argued that electronic device searches at the border should require a warrant based on probable cause, but at minimum, regardless of whether an officer searches by hand or with forensic software that plugs into a device and downloads its entire contents for search, the same Fourth Amendment standard should apply to all device searches at the border.

Unfortunately, the court rejected that argument and ruled that a lower standard applies to manual searches, allowing the government to conduct extraordinarily invasive electronic device searches without any suspicion of wrongdoing, simply because the border officer chooses to search by hand rather than with a forensic tool.

The Border Search Exception Meets Your Phone

The Fourth Amendment requires that government searches of persons or property be reasonable, which usually means obtaining a warrant based on probable cause from a judge.

But a warrantless search can still be reasonable if it falls within an exception to the warrant requirement, including the exception that allows officers to search your belongings at the border. The border search exception allows warrantless searches of persons or property crossing the U.S. border, including the functional equivalent of the border such as international airports, given the government’s interests in controlling who and what may enter the country.

Historically, courts have categorized border searches of luggage, vehicles, and personal effects as “routine” and thus reasonable even if conducted without any suspicion that the traveler has engaged in wrongdoing; courts have also held that more invasive “nonroutine” searches, such as certain body searches and searches that damage property, require reasonable suspicion.

But a person’s privacy interests in the personal data on a phone or laptop are extraordinarily different than their limited privacy interests in the contents of their suitcase.

The Supreme Court addressed cell phone privacy in Riley v. California (2014), holding that the search-incident-to-arrest exception to the warrant requirement did not apply to cell phones, thereby generally requiring a warrant for phone searches, at least at the interior of the country. The court recognized the unprecedented privacy interests people have in their cell phones and how even brief manual searches can reveal the “sum of an individual’s private life,” including our political affiliations, religious beliefs, sexuality, and more. Accordingly, the Supreme Court held that because electronic device searches bear “little resemblance” to searches of bags or physical containers, they should be evaluated differently.

Following Riley, the Fourth Circuit considered two border device search cases involving forensic searches, in which border officers used external software to extract and analyze a device’s data.

In U.S. v. Kolsuz (2018), the Fourth Circuit held that a forensic search of a cell phone at the border “must be considered a nonroutine border search, requiring some measure of individualized suspicion” of a transnational offense, but the court declined to decide whether the standard is only reasonable suspicion or instead a probable cause warrant.

Then in U.S. v. Aigbekaen (2019), the Fourth Circuit held that a forensic device search at the border in support of a purely domestic law enforcement investigation requires a warrant. The court also reiterated the general Kolsuz rule for a forensic border-related device search: the “Government must have individualized suspicion of an offense that bears some nexus to the border search exception’s purposes of protecting national security, collecting duties, blocking the entry of unwanted persons, or disrupting efforts to export or import contraband.”

In Belmonte Cardozo, manual searches were finally before the court.

A Disappointing Decision

Jose Belmonte Cardozo was already on the U.S. government’s radar when he traveled from Bolivia to the U.S. and was met by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at Washington Dulles International Airport. The officer manually searched his cell phone and found child sexual abuse material (CSAM), considered “digital contraband,” leading to Belmonte Cardozo’s arrest and criminal prosecution.

At issue on appeal was what standard should apply to manual device searches at the border. The Fourth Circuit held that, unlike forensic searches, manual searches are “routine” and thus reasonable under the Fourth Amendment without a warrant or individualized suspicion.

The court’s holding hinged on four differences between manual and forensic searches: (1) in a manual search, a person does the searching, not a machine; (2) a manual search’s breadth depends on the officer’s time and energy, while forensic searches are comprehensive; (3) manual searches reveal only what a user can typically access, while forensic searches can uncover deleted files, cached fragments, metadata, and more; and (4) manual searches are subject to an officer’s fading memory or imperfect notes, while forensic searches create a permanent copy.

But in identifying these technical differences, the court never explains why they justify a lower standard for manual searches.

The Fourth Circuit’s holding is problematic because, as we argued in our amicus brief, manual searches reach the same categories of data as forensic searches—data that can reveal highly personal aspects of our identities and our lives. It does not matter if a search is conducted by an agent’s thumbs or by software: the end result is equally as invasive, therefore all device searches should fall under the warrant requirement, or at least the same Fourth Amendment standard.

The court repeatedly emphasized that the search here lasted only two minutes, suggesting that the time-limited search was not privacy-invasive. But an individual’s privacy interests in their personal data don’t change based on how their phone is searched or how long. Scrolling for two minutes through someone’s personal text messages or photos is an invasion of privacy that may reveal intimate details about the person even in that short period of time.

Moreover, as devices’ native search functions improve, manual searches can surface personal information in seconds through keyword searches, even for photos, where it might have taken an hour of scrolling to find the same information, further showing that a time-limited search is not necessarily less privacy-invasive. What matters is not the breadth of the search itself, but the unprecedented (and growing) breadth of data on our phones.

A Silver Lining

There’s one silver lining: by relying on the fact that the search lasted two minutes, the Fourth Circuit left open the possibility that lengthier manual searches could trigger heightened suspicion requirements. But until a clear line is drawn, border officers within the Fourth Circuit’s jurisdiction can use manual searches to sidestep heightened Fourth Amendment standards that would otherwise apply. In the meantime, EFF will keep fighting against extraordinarily invasive warrantless, suspicionless device searches at the border, and for robust privacy standards to protect our most personal data.

The post The Fourth Circuit Says Border Agents Can Search Your Phone By Hand, No Suspicion Required appeared first on Activist Post.

For more than a decade, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been pursuing one of the most ambitious industrial programs attempted by any modern democracy. The “Make in India” initiative was never simply about creating jobs. It was a strategic effort to transform India from a nation known primarily for services into a manufacturing powerhouse capable of challenging China’s dominance over global supply chains.

That ambition deserves far more attention than it receives. When Make in India was launched in 2014, manufacturing represented roughly 16% of India’s economy. The objective was straightforward: attract foreign investment, build domestic industry, expand exports, and create millions of skilled jobs for one of the world’s youngest populations. Since then, New Delhi has introduced production incentives across electronics, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, semiconductors, renewable energy, defense, telecommunications, and numerous other strategic industries.

The government has approved hundreds of manufacturing projects under its Production Linked Incentive (PLI) programs covering fourteen major sectors. According to India’s Ministry of Commerce, these programs have generated more than ₹2.16 lakh crore in investment and over 1.4 million direct and indirect jobs.

No country has tried to build industrial capacity on this scale in decades. The greatest success has undoubtedly been electronics. India has become the world’s second-largest producer of mobile phones after barely existing in that market only a decade ago. Apple, Foxconn, Samsung, Tata Electronics, and numerous suppliers continue expanding production throughout the country. The government this week approved another ₹62,500 crore program aimed specifically at increasing mobile phone manufacturing, exports, and employment. That demonstrates New Delhi has no intention of slowing its industrial strategy.

Imports from China reached almost $80 billion during the first half of 2026 while India’s exports to China also rose sharply. Manufacturing growth itself is increasing demand for Chinese machinery and industrial components. In other words, India is becoming stronger while simultaneously becoming more dependent upon the world’s largest manufacturing base. That is how industrial revolutions usually begin.

Many politicians continue speaking about “decoupling” as though countries can simply walk away from global supply chains. History has never worked that way. Britain imported raw materials while dominating world manufacturing. The United States depended upon foreign commodities throughout its industrial expansion. China itself relied heavily upon Western capital and technology during its economic rise. Every emerging industrial power passes through a period of dependence before it develops complete vertical integration.

India appears to understand that reality better than many Western governments. Rather than attempting to isolate itself, New Delhi is encouraging foreign companies to manufacture inside India while gradually expanding domestic production of higher-value components. Officials have increasingly shifted attention toward building local electronics components, semiconductor packaging, batteries, and industrial equipment instead of focusing solely on final assembly.

Infrastructure still presents enormous challenges. Power reliability varies by region. Logistics costs remain higher than many Asian competitors. Labor reforms continue progressing unevenly across different states. Bureaucracy has improved considerably but still frustrates investors. Reuters reported earlier this year that some earlier PLI programs failed to meet their original targets and experienced delays in subsidy payments, illustrating that industrial policy alone cannot replace efficient administration.

Manufacturing centers develop over generations, not election cycles. Capital migrates toward nations offering political stability, expanding infrastructure, reliable energy, skilled labor, and confidence that investments will be protected. India has made impressive progress on several of those fronts, but the process remains incomplete.

The world appears to be entering an era where manufacturing will no longer be concentrated in a single country. Instead, production will become increasingly regionalized as governments place greater emphasis on national security than maximum efficiency. India is positioning itself to become one of the principal beneficiaries of that transformation. If it continues building its industrial base while strengthening domestic supply chains, the next great manufacturing story may not be about replacing China. It may be about creating the first genuine alternative to it.

The post Can India Become the Next Factory of the World? appeared first on Activist Post.

Some of the company’s laser-eyed employees wanted their salaries in Bitcoin. It was easier than expected.

Publicly traded AI operating system Vida Global (NYSE American: VIDA) has said it has started paying employees in Bitcoin using the Lightning network — but in a way where the company does not have the leading crypto on its balance sheet. 

The Austin, Texas-based company said Thursday that after a worker in Argentina asked to be paid in Bitcoin, the firm tapped Bitcoin infrastructure company Voltage to make the transaction. 

But the company is not keeping Bitcoin on its books: it simply sends the cash amount via Voltage’s platform, the employees receive payment in Bitcoin, and Vida’s balance sheet remains in dollars. 

“Vida has a global team, including team members in Argentina who prefer to be paid in Bitcoin because of challenges with their local currency,” Vida CEO Lyle Pratt said. 

“Voltage facilitates the Bitcoin payments, and we settle the balance in U.S. dollars at the end of the month, just like a standard vendor invoice. It has made offering Bitcoin payments remarkably simple for both our team and our finance operations.”

Pratt added the setup meets employee needs without adding crypto complexity to accounting.

Voltage CEO Graham Krizek said it was solving a mismatch between “global by default” AI companies and payment rails that haven’t kept up.

“Their team members get paid in seconds in the money they actually want, and their finance team never touches crypto,” he said. “When a public company runs part of its team compensation on Bitcoin rails and the books stay boring, that’s the point.”

Lightning is another network that skirts transactions around the main chain, cutting costs and increasing speed — originally designed so people could use Bitcoin for daily purchases.

Bitcoin maxis like Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey have since integrated the network into their businesses, payments platform, Cash App and his PoS terminals, Square.

The post NYSE-Listed AI Company Taps Lightning Network to Pay Employees In Bitcoin appeared first on Activist Post.

Story at-a-glance

• Molecular hydrogen acts as a selective antioxidant that targets only harmful free radicals, helping to calm inflammation without disrupting essential cellular signaling
• Research discussed by Tyler LeBaron shows that hydrogen therapy reverses non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by restoring mitochondrial function and reducing fat accumulation in the liver
• Hydrogen’s small molecular size allows it to penetrate deep into cells, including mitochondria and your brain, where it supports energy production and reduces oxidative stress
• Short, pulsed use of hydrogen — through hydrogen-rich water or inhalation — produces stronger benefits than continuous exposure, improving your body’s ability to adapt and heal naturally
• Using hydrogen alongside simple lifestyle changes such as limiting seed oils, eating nutrient-dense foods, and getting daily sunlight enhances liver health, boosts energy, and supports long-term metabolic balance

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD, has become one of the fastest-growing metabolic disorders worldwide, quietly affecting millions of adults who often feel perfectly healthy. Unlike alcohol-related liver damage, this condition stems from excess fat stored in your liver due to modern lifestyle factors — poor diet, inactivity, and chronic stress — that overwhelm your body’s ability to manage oxidative stress.

What makes it so insidious is that most people have no idea it’s happening until significant damage has already occurred. You might notice subtle signs first — low energy, brain fog, or mild abdominal discomfort — but these are easy to dismiss. Beneath the surface, your liver is struggling to keep up with the flood of inflammation and metabolic waste that builds when your cells are out of balance.

Left unchecked, this dysfunction doesn’t stop at your liver. It sets the stage for diabetes, heart disease, and even neurodegenerative disorders, all rooted in the same cellular breakdown. Addressing that root cause requires more than symptom relief — it demands restoring cellular balance where the problem begins. That’s what makes molecular hydrogen so remarkable.

As Tyler LeBaron, MSc., Ph.D., founder of the Molecular Hydrogen Institute, explains on Chemaine’s Model Health podcast, this simple molecule helps your body repair itself by regulating oxidative stress and supporting mitochondrial energy production.¹

I’ve interviewed LeBaron myself, and as he explains, molecular hydrogen acts as a precision tool for inflammation control, protecting healthy cells while allowing your immune system to function as designed. By understanding how molecular hydrogen rebalances these core cellular processes, you gain a powerful strategy for protecting your liver — and your overall health — from the ground up.

Hydrogen Restores Cellular Balance and Protects Against Inflammation

In the discussion, LeBaron explains that molecular hydrogen (H2) is far more than a simple antioxidant. Unlike conventional antioxidants that indiscriminately neutralize free radicals, hydrogen works selectively. It targets the most harmful species — especially hydroxyl radicals — without disturbing the free radicals your body actually needs for signaling and immune defense. This precision allows it to calm inflammation without suppressing necessary repair processes.

•Hydrogen therapy has profound protective effects during stroke and cardiac injury — In the 2007 Nature Medicine study that inspired LeBaron’s research path, rats exposed to a stroke model were given low concentrations of hydrogen gas (about 2%).²

This small dose reduced brain injury dramatically by limiting oxidative damage. LeBaron notes that this finding ignited the entire field of hydrogen research, as it showed hydrogen could be administered safely and still exert measurable, therapeutic effects on living tissue.

•Molecular hydrogen has been studied as a treatment for NAFLD — LeBaron describes research showing that hydrogen-rich water reduced fat accumulation in animal models of fatty liver. Low-dose hydrogen water offered minimal benefit, but higher concentrations significantly improved liver function and reduced inflammation. Follow-up clinical trials mirrored these results in humans, showing measurable drops in liver fat and improved body composition within weeks.

•Participants with metabolic syndrome saw major after consuming hydrogen water three times daily — This group — characterized by abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, and insulin resistance — experienced reduced oxidative stress and enhanced mitochondrial efficiency, along with improvements in body fat, lipid profiles, and inflammation markers.

•Hydrogen’s effects involve fine-tuned control of oxidative and inflammatory pathways — Hydrogen activates the body’s master antioxidant switch. When turned on, this switch increases the production of protective enzymes like glutathione and superoxide dismutase — your cells’ natural shields against oxidative stress.

At the same time, hydrogen inhibits a signaling molecule that triggers chronic inflammation. The result is not immune suppression but recalibration: inflammation quiets where it’s excessive yet stays strong when needed for healing.

•Hydrogen’s selective action helps prevent cell death caused by oxidative overload — This process is known as apoptosis. In studies where cells were stressed with toxins or lack of oxygen, hydrogen exposure reduced apoptosis rates dramatically.

This protective effect stems from its ability to neutralize unstable molecules that attack DNA, proteins, and cell membranes. By eliminating only these harmful radicals, hydrogen spares beneficial molecules like nitric oxide, which are vital for blood flow and immune communication.

Hydrogen Therapy Is Easy to Use and Safe, Even at High Doses

Tablets that produce hydrogen when dropped into water create a cloudy, effervescent drink. LeBaron explains that the cloudiness shows active hydrogen gas in solution and that drinking it while still cloudy ensures the highest dose.

Room temperature water dissolves hydrogen best, and consuming it immediately after the tablet finishes dissolving maximizes benefits. Unlike other therapies that require IV drips or expensive devices, hydrogen offers an accessible, nontoxic option you can use daily at home.

•The molecule’s small size gives it a unique advantage — It diffuses through cell membranes, crosses your blood-brain barrier, and reaches mitochondria directly. LeBaron points out that hydrogen’s bioavailability is unmatched — it penetrates areas where larger antioxidants, such as vitamins C or E, can’t go.

Once inside your mitochondria — the energy factories of your cells — it helps restore normal energy production. This mitochondrial support is key for chronic fatigue, liver disease, and metabolic decline, all of which share a common thread: energy dysfunction caused by oxidative stress.

•Hydrogen’s anti-inflammatory benefits extend beyond your liver — They also support neurological, cardiovascular, and immune function. LeBaron reports that animal and human studies reveal improvements in cognitive performance, reduced anxiety, and faster recovery after injury.

Hydrogen’s adaptogenic nature — its ability to help your body adapt to stress — means it raises antioxidant defenses when needed but steps back when balance is restored. This prevents the “overcorrection” that often happens with high-dose antioxidant supplements.

•For those living with chronic pain, fatigue, or inflammatory conditions, hydrogen therapy represents a way to take back control — It doesn’t replace a healthy lifestyle, but it enhances your body’s ability to repair itself.

When paired with other energy-supportive habits like adequate sunlight, nutrient-rich foods, and reduced seed oil intake, hydrogen accelerates recovery and resilience. LeBaron’s research underscores a key point: the route to healing chronic inflammation isn’t suppression — it’s restoration of balance at the cellular level.

•Hydrogen works because it aligns with how your body naturally regulates stress and energy production — Unlike drugs that target one pathway or symptom, hydrogen communicates with your body’s own systems, teaching them to recalibrate. This precision makes it effective for a wide range of issues, from NAFLD and cardiovascular damage to neuroinflammation and fatigue.

Less Is More When It Comes to Benefits

It’s tempting to think that more hydrogen equals faster healing, but in this case, less is often more. Hydrogen therapy works best when it’s pulsed — periods of exposure followed by periods without. This intermittent approach enhances your body’s adaptive response and prevents tolerance, where your cells stop reacting as strongly.

•Pulse your intake — Drink hydrogen-rich water at specific times instead of sipping it throughout the day.

•Time your inhalation — Keep hydrogen gas sessions short (one to three hours) rather than continuous exposure.

•Take breaks — Give your body several hours each day without hydrogen supplementation so it recalibrates its signaling pathways.

•Not all hydrogen products deliver therapeutic doses — Measuring hydrogen concentration accurately requires gas chromatography, something most companies don’t do.

So, for those using molecular hydrogen at home, you’ll need to be cautious about product claims. The most reliable way to verify claims is to cross-reference methods verified in clinical trials. These include certain hydrogen-generating tablets that have been shown to produce therapeutic levels of hydrogen.

When used with intention, molecular hydrogen is one of the simplest, safest, and most effective ways to calm inflammation, repair your liver, and restore energy from the inside out. Your body already knows how to heal — hydrogen just gives it the spark to remember how.

How to Use Molecular Hydrogen to Heal Inflammation and Fatty Liver

If you’re dealing with chronic inflammation, fatigue, or a sluggish liver, it’s not just about easing discomfort — it’s about restoring energy at the cellular level. When oxidative stress overwhelms your system, your cells lose the ability to generate clean energy, setting the stage for insulin resistance and liver fat buildup.

Molecular hydrogen helps reset that system by teaching your body how to regulate inflammation, repair mitochondria, and restore balance from the inside out. Here’s how to make it work for you — safely, effectively, and sustainably.

1.Start with hydrogen-rich water daily to restore cellular balance — Drop one hydrogen tablet into a glass of room temperature water and drink it immediately after the tablet fully dissolves and the water turns cloudy. That cloudy look signals the presence of active hydrogen gas — the component that triggers healing.

If you’re dealing with liver inflammation, brain fog, or chronic fatigue, take hydrogen-rich water two to three times per day, at least an hour apart. This rhythmic “pulsing” gives your cells time to adapt and strengthens their internal defense systems rather than overwhelming them.

2.Use the right delivery method and timing — Hydrogen-rich water made from properly formulated tablets offers the most consistent and convenient way to supplement. Drink it immediately after preparation — don’t let it sit, or the hydrogen gas will dissipate.

If you prefer inhalation, keep sessions short — around one to three hours — rather than continuous exposure. Research and experience from experts like LeBaron show that pulsed use leads to better long-term results, as your cells respond more effectively when hydrogen is introduced intermittently rather than constantly.

3.Combine hydrogen therapy with habits that lower oxidative stress — Even the most powerful molecule can’t offset daily damage from poor diet, alcohol, and inactivity. Limit linoleic acid (LA) from seed oils to less than 3 grams per day and avoid alcohol — it’s a mitochondrial toxin that directly impairs liver recovery.

Get natural sunlight exposure daily to recharge your cellular energy production. Pair hydrogen with these habits, and you’ll multiply its benefits, improving liver function, focus, and energy throughout the day.

4.Support your liver’s energy metabolism instead of depriving it — Starving your body with restrictive diets or extended fasting weakens mitochondrial function — the very system hydrogen helps heal. Focus on feeding your liver with healthy carbohydrates to maintain steady energy and promote fat metabolism — about 250 grams daily.

If your digestion is weak, start with easy-to-digest options like fruit and white rice before adding more fiber-rich whole foods. Once your liver has the energy and nutrients it needs, hydrogen will amplify its repair and detox capacity more efficiently.

5.Use hydrogen before mental or physical stress — Timing hydrogen intake around stressful events — such as before exercise, travel, or emotionally intense days — helps significantly reduce oxidative stress buildup. Drink hydrogen-rich water about 30 minutes before those stressors to buffer free radical surges. This approach gives your body extra resilience when it needs it most, improving energy, focus, and recovery afterward.

FAQs About Molecular Hydrogen

Q: What makes molecular hydrogen different from other antioxidants?

A: Unlike conventional antioxidants that indiscriminately neutralize all free radicals, molecular hydrogen targets only the most harmful species — particularly hydroxyl radicals — while preserving the beneficial ones your body needs for normal signaling and immune function. This selective action reduces inflammation without disrupting vital repair processes, making it safer and more effective for long-term use.

Q: How does molecular hydrogen help reverse fatty liver disease?

A: Hydrogen works by restoring balance at the cellular level. It reduces oxidative stress, calms inflammation, and improves mitochondrial energy production — the root causes of fat buildup in the liver. Studies show that hydrogen-rich water decreases liver fat and inflammation, while improving metabolism and body composition within weeks.

Q: What’s the best way to take molecular hydrogen?

A: Hydrogen-rich water made from properly formulated tablets is the most reliable and convenient delivery method. Drink it as soon as the tablet fully dissolves and the water turns cloudy — this ensures you’re getting active hydrogen gas.

Q: Is more hydrogen always better?

A: No. Hydrogen therapy works best when used intermittently or “pulsed.” Your body responds more effectively when hydrogen exposure alternates with rest periods. Drink it at specific times rather than continuously throughout the day, and limit inhalation sessions to one to three hours. This pattern enhances your body’s adaptive response and prevents tolerance.

Q: What lifestyle habits make hydrogen therapy more effective?

A: Hydrogen works best when paired with supportive lifestyle choices. Limit LA from seed oils to under 3 grams per day, avoid alcohol, and get daily sunlight exposure to boost mitochondrial energy production. Eat nourishing carbohydrates to keep your liver fueled, and use hydrogen before stressful events or exercise to reduce oxidative stress. These habits amplify hydrogen’s ability to restore energy, calm inflammation, and protect your liver and brain.

The post How Molecular Hydrogen Fights Inflammation and Reverses Fatty Liver Disease appeared first on Activist Post.

Please join me and the legendary Mark Devlin, researcher, podcaster & author of the book Musical Truth: Exposing the mind-control manipulations of the corporate music industry…and how to take our power back, as well as 3 subsequent volumes to that work; a trilogy of novels, the most recent of which is The Tragedy & the Triumph; and Tales from the Flipside about life as a DJ. An hour will not be enough!

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The world’s largest corporate bitcoin holder says it has built a cash reserve covering more than two years of dividend payments after investors questioned its growing stack of preferred securities.

Strategy (MSTR), the world’s largest corporate bitcoin holder, reported Thursday an $8.2 billion second-quarter net loss after the cryptocurrency’s price decline erased billions of dollars from the value of its digital asset holdings.

The quarterly loss was driven almost entirely by an $8.32 billion unrealized markdown on its bitcoin holdings under fair-value accounting.

The company held 843,775 bitcoin as of July 26, up 25% from the start of the year. At current prices, the stash is worth roughly $54.8 billion, compared with an acquisition cost of $63.7 billion.

The report came after a period of growing investor scrutiny on the firm over whether it can sustain an increasingly complex capital structure built around multiple classes of preferred stock, common equity and convertible debt.

The company raised $17.06 billion through at-the-market stock offerings this year, repurchased $1.5 billion of convertible notes at an 8% discount and expanded its U.S. dollar reserve to $3.75 billion, enough to cover more than two years of preferred dividend payments and interest expenses.

“Our USD Reserve currently stands at $3.75 billion, which is enough to cover our existing preferred dividend payments and interest obligations for more than 2.1 years,” Chief Financial Officer Andrew Kang said in a statement.

The firm also sold about $218.4 million worth of bitcoin under its new BTC Monetization Program to shore up cash and help fund preferred stock dividends, departing from its long-standing strategy of accumulating bitcoin without selling it.

Executive Chairman Michael Saylor said the company remains focused on expanding what it calls its “Digital Credit” business despite weaker bitcoin prices.

“In the midst of this phase of muted bitcoin sentiment and market skepticism, we continue to evolve our business model and establish Digital Credit as a new asset class,” Saylor said.

Strategy also established a $1 billion share repurchase program for its MSTR common stock, although it has not bought back any shares. It separately repurchased about $25 million of its STRC preferred shares at a discount to their stated value and said it intends to continue buying the securities while they trade below par.

The post Strategy books $8.2 billion Q2 loss on bitcoin price decline appeared first on Activist Post.

Politics is pervading every aspect of our experience of life on this planet. Our only volition is in what we choose to do about this inescapable reality.

Reading by Tim Foley:

Saying “I’m not into politics” is just saying “I support status quo politics.” It’s saying you endorse all the violence, exploitation, ecocide and abuse of the current order.

Politics are always happening all around you in every moment of every day, whether you are “into” it or not. Everything you do in your everyday life is pervasively shaped by local and national laws, by economic systems, by oligarchy, by propaganda, by war, by militarism, by imperialist extraction, by government regulations and the lack thereof. Saying you don’t feel like paying attention to these factors is just saying you’re fine with the way they are presently happening.

It’s like if every time a family sat down to a meal the son took all the daughter’s food and the parents did nothing about it, saying “I’m not into politics” whenever the issue came up. The daughter would conclude that her parents were fine with her brother’s behavior, and that they did not care about her as a person. And she would be correct. Their inaction and indifference would be just as consequential as any actions they might take, and just as revealing of their personal character.

Politics are always happening to you. You have no say in this. The only thing you get a say in is what actions you will take to change the way they are happening.

“I don’t do politics.”

Okay well politics is doing you.

Those products you use didn’t create themselves and bring themselves to your home.

Your boss doesn’t pay you overtime and give you weekends off because he loves you.

The technology you use to transport yourself doesn’t look the way it looks by accident.

Healthcare and education don’t cost you what they cost you by some fluke of nature.

The summers aren’t getting hotter because the sun is getting closer, and the reason you’re seeing fewer insects than you saw when you were a child is not because the bugs committed suicide.

Every part of your life is dramatically affected by the political actions of others. Your political inaction is an action, and it’s an action in favor of the political status quo.

“I don’t do politics” means I support genocide. It means I support war. It means I support injustice and exploitation. It means I support ordinary people getting poorer and sicker while the biosphere dies and the billionaires turn into trillionaires. It means I support our headlong plunge into mass extinction and dystopia.

The other day a popular leftish YouTuber made a post asking why leftists are always slamming her as a genocidal Zionist when she’s never explicitly supported the genocide in Gaza. I wound up telling her, “People see you as pro-genocide because you are far from sufficiently anti-genocide in a political environment where being anti-genocide is of utmost importance to people of conscience. I am a left-wing political commentator, and if I had spent three years de-emphasizing and dismissing the Gaza holocaust I am 100% certain that many leftists would be hounding me about it to this day, even if I made the occasional tweet saying Benjamin Netanyahu is bad. People would see my output as not reflecting the urgency of the issue at hand, and they would criticize me as unacceptably sympathetic to the forces giving rise to the genocide.”

Inaction is an action, and when things are profoundly unjust, it’s an action in support of injustice. If your house is burning and you don’t take action to remove yourself and your loved ones from danger, your inaction isn’t neutral. Your decision not to act is itself an action of immense consequence.

That’s the boat we’re all in right now. Politics is pervading every aspect of our experience of life on this planet. Our only volition is in what we choose to do about this inescapable reality.

_______________

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