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Monday, May 19, 2025

The Bahamas and Cuba are Family

Bahamians, Cubans are not just Our Neighbours - They are Our Family


Bahamas Cuba Link

CUBA IS OUR FAMILY


“Deo adjuvante, non timendum.”  “With God as My Helper, I have nothing to fear”


By Dr. Kevin J Turnquest-Alcena
Nassau, NP, The Bahamas


The dictionaries have many definitions of the term “to bastardize.”  I will quote one such definition which is particularly relevant to the present narrative.  To bastardize an entity is “to change something in such a way as to lower its quality or value, typically by adding new elements.”  The synonyms to bastardize include words like corrupt, contaminate, weaken, pollute, degrade, and depreciate.

Cuba, Karma will never allow a descendent of Cuba to obliterate Cuba and its steadfast principles.  In spite of the neo conservative propaganda against Cuba.

“It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong.”
— Voltaire

Cuba has experienced the harsh realities of the imperialist agenda and has made it clear: it wants no part of it again.

Imperialism is a policy or ideology in which a country extends its power and influence over other countries or territories, often through military force, political control, or economic dominance.  This type of expansionism has historically left a trail of exploitation, underdevelopment, and cultural erosion in its wake.

Cuba, geologically, originated from the Yucatán Mountains in Mexico.  Incredibly, so did The Bahamas.  In the early 1970s, fossils of the Cuban crocodile were discovered in the caves of Grand Bahama.  This provided evidence of a deep, ancient connection.  Both Cuba and The Bahamas are made primarily of limestone, a rare geological trait that binds us together in more than just proximity.

We are not just neighbors. We are family.

Cuba is surrounded by three major bodies of water: the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean.  Geographically, The Bahamas is Cuba’s closest neighbor.  On clear nights, the lights of Santiago de Cuba can be seen from Inagua and Cay Sal Bank.

Even the fruits we eat, such as guavas and tamarinds, have strong roots in Cuba.  The cultural and botanical heritage is intertwined.  This article exists to highlight this closeness, the geographical, historical, and cultural bonds that make us more than neighbors.  We are kin.

In the realm of geopolitics, this kinship must not be forgotten.  The Bahamas may have emerged from Cuba thousands or even millions of years ago.  That ancestral bond matters.  It cannot be erased by modern politics, foreign agendas, or ideological manipulation.

To turn our backs on Cuba would be to turn our backs on ourselves.

The blockade against Cuba is not a matter of political ideology.  It is a criminal act.  The same nations that sanction Cuba trade openly with countries like Vietnam and China, which maintain similar political systems.

This exposes the truth.  The embargo is not about communism.  It is about control.  It is not about democracy.  It is about power.  And it is certainly not about principle.  It is rooted in bombastic jealousy of Cuba’s resilience, independence, and refusal to be dominated.

Despite immense hardship, Cuba stands strong.  It remains a beacon of solidarity, cultural pride, and endurance in the face of decades-long adversity.

“In politics, absurdity is not a handicap.”
— Napoleon Bonaparte

Indeed, the political absurdity of isolating one of our closest and oldest neighbors must be called out. We must stand on the right side of history, not with those who fear Cuba’s strength, but with those who recognize Cuba as family.


Tuesday, May 13, 2025

COHIBA is CUBAN!

The COHIBA Brand is CUBAN




COHIBA BRAND is CUBAN



COHIBA CUBAN
Cuba won a new victory in the nearly 30-year long legal battle over Cohiba, its flagship cigar brand, after a U.S. federal judge ruled in favor of the Cubans once again.

The verdict is the result of a lawsuit filed in February 2023 by General Cigar Company vs. the Cuban Tobacco Company, known as Cubatabaco.

General sought to overturn a decision made by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAH) in 2022, which ruled to cancel the registration of General's Cohiba trademark in the United States.

But this Wednesday, General - which sells versions of the famous brand in the United States - lost the case.

Judge Leonie M. Brinkema of U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia upheld the TTAB's decision three years ago, a matter in dispute in the courts since the William Clinton administration (1993-2001).

According to the magistrate, Cubatabaco's Cohiba was protected by the Inter-American Convention (CIH), a 1929 law that protects international brands.

These cigars - valued among the best in the world - Cuba cannot legally sell them in U.S. territory due to the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by Washington on the Caribbean country more than six decades ago.

Cubatabaco, owner of the Cohiba name and the rights to market it internationally, challenged the legality of U.S. trademark and filed the first lawsuit in January 1997, the year the litigation began.

Cubatabaco applied for the Cohiba trademark in September 1969 and obtained the registration on May 31, 1972.  Almost six years later, on March 13, 1978, General Cigar made a similar request before U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which was issued on February 17, 1981, the legal document states.

One of General Cigar's main arguments in the lawsuit was the claim that Cuba allowed the Cohiba trademark to lapse for lack of use in the 1970s, an idea that the court rejected.

Thursday, April 24, 2025

Financial Services Jamaica

JAMAICA EYES FINANCIAL SERVICES!

Financial Centre Jamaica

Jamaica must not become an ‘al a carte’ financial centre.  It must cultivate a niche in the global financial system and leverage that niche to become a world leader


By Professor Gilbert Morris
Nassau, NP, The Bahamas


During the tenure of Hon Bruce Golding MP - Prime Minister as then he was - I was in negotiations to frame, design and implement a financial centre in Jamaica.

I won’t detail my advice here.

But having advised a dozen or so governments - including the Swiss Private Bankers Association and (believe it or not, the Haitian government - on financial centres), there are some general points to be made. 


- 1. Jamaica must not follow the Caribbean model of low grade tax arbitrage

- 2. Jamaica cannot follow the Swiss model of global custody or the Swiss wealth management model as it lacks the corollary sociology for that

- 3. Jamaica can adopt BVI’s model of an international company centre, if Jamaica have the right treaties in place, together with an advanced digital on-boarding platform

- 4. Jamaica can leverage its world best performing Stock Exchange (although, frustratingly, it lacks an index fund), together with its currency that may give it a pricing advantage

- 5. Jamaica should have established a Jamaican Sovereign Fund - as I advised - which is another leverage point to domesticate its international investments

- 6. Jamaica should have leveraged Port Antonio as a luxury retirement zone, which would be generative to its financial centre ambitions.  In my view, Port Antonio is the most prominent example of under investment, and delayed opportunity in the Caribbean followed by lack of family island development in The Bahamas.

I could go on…but you get the point.  Yet, there are further considerations which I advised:

- a. Jamaica must establish “The Jamaican International Financial Centre” (JIFC) as a location (a square mile in Port Antonio), and as a free trade zone in financial services

- b. Jamaica will require for this, an Assistant Attorney General for the JIFC and an Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for the JIFC.

- c. Jamaica will require an International Arbitration Centre within the JIFC

- d. Jamaica will have to remove immigration requirements for global professionals in the JIFC.

- e. Jamaica will have to establish its own Global Investment Grade Insurance products and establish an Actuarial Association for the JIFC

- f. Jamaica will have to appoint a Secretary General for the JIFC

- g. Jamaica will have to establish a JIFC Research Centre

- h. Jamaica should - having done the above - should lead the world’s international financial centres in establishing an ASSOCIATION OF INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CENTRES - as I’ve advised for 25 years now - headquartered in Jamaica.

I’ll leave those general points there now.

Finally, Jamaica must not become an ‘al a carte’ financial centre.  It must cultivate a niche in the global financial system and leverage that niche to become a world leader; not merely claim to be a world leader…but a proven leader by the scale of global transactions.

Failing these prerequisites, Jamaica would not be a financial centre.  Like most others, it would be a jurisdiction that offers financial services until blacklisted; a mere bumbling capitulator as so many financial services jurisdictions have become; signing onto unconstitutional processes such as FATF and CFATF protocols - which have no basis in international law, as they nor the OECD are international organisations established by multilateral agreements with dispute resolution protocols.

I pray not..!


Source / Comment

Friday, April 4, 2025

Crisis in Haiti

The Haitian people cannot be forgotten.”


The UN human rights chief sounded the alarm over the rapidly deteriorating situation in Haiti, calling it a “catastrophe” fuelled by gang violence, widespread impunity and a political process that is hanging by a thread.

Crisis in Haiti

Volker Türk told the Human Rights Council in Geneva that the country had reached “yet another crisis point,” with heavily armed gangs expanding their control, public institutions in ruins and a humanitarian emergency deepening by the day.

“I am not sure the usual description of gang violence captures the amount of unbearable suffering that has been inflicted on the Haitian people,” Mr. Türk said.

Between July 2024 and February 2025, 4,239 people were killed and 1,356 injured, with 92 per cent of casualties attributed to gun violence.

Gangs, armed with increasingly sophisticated weapons mostly trafficked from abroad, are killing civilians, destroying schools and healthcare facilities, and using sexual violence and mass kidnappings to terrorise communities.

Destruction as governance

The rights chief warned that gangs are no longer just operating in pockets of Port-au-Prince – they are implementing their own rule across wider parts of the capital and beyond.

The Viv Ansanm gang coalition and others have launched coordinated attacks, often outnumbering police, and have destroyed or taken over schools, orphanages, courts, media outlets and hospitals.

In one December incident alone, at least 207 people were killed over five days in Cité Soleil.

Sexual violence is being used deliberately to assert control, Mr. Türk said, citing gang rapes in public spaces and even the execution of victims after assault.

The forced recruitment and trafficking of children is also on the rise.

Meanwhile, more than 700 kidnappings were documented during the reporting period.  “Those who attempted to resist abduction were often shot dead,” Mr. Türk said.

Police violence and impunity

Despite efforts by the Haitian National Police and the Security Council-mandated Multinational Security Support Mission, the State is losing ground.

Law enforcement operations against gangs have resulted in over 2,000 people killed or injured – a 60 per cent increase – with nearly a third of those victims not involved in any violence.

OHCHR documented at least 219 extrajudicial executions by specialised police units during the reporting period, up from just 33 the year before.

There has also been a rise in mob lynchings and self-defence groups, sometimes with police complicity.

Mr. Türk stressed the urgent need to accelerate the deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission and ensure full human rights compliance mechanisms are in place.

Hunger, displacement, despair

The human toll of the violence is staggering.  More than one million people are now displaced, 40,000 in recent weeks alone.

Half of all Haitians – 5.5 million people – face acute food insecurity and two million have been reduced to emergency hunger levels.

Nearly 6,000 people are living in famine-like conditions, while 500,000 children are displaced -  a quarter suffering stunted growth due to malnutrition.

Only half of health facilities in the capital are fully operational, and 31 per cent have shut down due to insecurity.

“The impact on children is particularly devastating,” said Mr. Türk. “[This] will impact them for life.”

Justice, not just security

The High Commissioner welcomed Haiti’s recent decision to establish two specialised judicial units to tackle human rights violations and financial crimes but said much more must be done.

“The most crucial first step here is to stop the illicit flow of arms into the country,” he said, stressing the need to fully implement the Security Council’s arms embargo, travel bans and asset freezes.

Mr. Türk emphasised that “there is a way out”, but only with political will, international support and urgent action to end the cycle of corruption, impunity and senseless violence.

“I call on each and every one of you, including the media, to put the spotlight on this crisis,” he said.  “The Haitian people cannot be forgotten.”


Source



Sunday, March 30, 2025

Inclusive Education in Latin America and the Caribbean Now!

Despite strong commitments to inclusive education across Latin America and the Caribbean, the reality on the ground is uneven, with many students with disabilities still placed in segregated schools or special classes...

Inclusive Education Now


Bridging the Gap: Inclusive Education in Latin America and the Caribbean

by Claudia Martinez A. - Suzanne Duryea - Maria Antonella Pereira

Inclusive Education in Latin America and Caribbean Now!
In Latin America and the Caribbean, 10-15% of school-aged children live with disabilities or learning difficulties, making inclusive education both a moral responsibility and an economic imperative.  With 12.5-18.9 million children at risk of being left behind, inclusive education— in which children with and without disabilities learn together—offers a crucial path to ensuring equal opportunities.

Despite strong commitments to inclusive education across Latin America and the Caribbean, however, the reality on the ground is uneven, with many students with disabilities still placed in segregated schools or special classes.

Legal Frameworks and Policy Commitments—Building the Foundation

Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have established a foundation for inclusive education through strong legal frameworks.  All nations in the region have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), ensuring that children with disabilities have the right to education within the general education system.  National laws further reinforce this commitment, with most countries mandating reasonable accommodations in schools to support the inclusion and learning of students with disabilities.

However, the implementation of these policies varies widely across the region.  While countries like Chile and Brazil have developed comprehensive programs that facilitate the inclusion of students with disabilities in mainstream schools, others continue to rely on segregated schooling models.  This gap between policy and practice underscores the need for ongoing advocacy and support to ensure that all children can interact and learn side by side.

The Enrollment-Completion Disconnect—A Persistent Challenge

One of the most significant challenges is the disconnect between enrollment and completion rates for children with disabilities.  While enrollment rates for children with disabilities in Latin America and the Caribbean are not particularly low, these students must still finish their education.  Most children with disabilities attend primary and secondary school, but gaps widen with age, particularly with regards to completion.

Evidence suggests that inclusive education policies play a role in reducing these disparities.  In countries like Chile and Brazil, where most students with disabilities attend mainstream schools, enrollment gaps at the primary and secondary level are minimal, at under 3 percentage points, and more than 68 percent of students with disabilities complete those levels of education.

In contrast, countries with lower levels of inclusion, such as Bolivia and Peru, still show substantial completion gaps, with secondary school completion rates for students with disabilities lagging behind those of their peers by as much as 48 percentage points.   This might be related in part to the low rates of disability measured in surveys in these countries.

In contrast to other countries in the region, the surveys may only be only capturing people with disabilities with high support needs.

These people are thus also more likely to experience discrimination or lag behind.  The large gaps in Peru and Bolivia may thus not actually be as large as they seem to be.  Still, the fact that gaps in completion rates vary significantly across countries and appear to be smaller in those that have expanded access to inclusive education bolsters the case for boosting inclusive education regionwide.

Learning from Leaders—Chile and Brazil’s Inclusive Education Models

Chile and Brazil have emerged as leaders in the region in this regard, pioneering innovative approaches to inclusive education.  Chile’s Education Integration Program (PIE) offers additional funding to schools that enroll students with disabilities, promoting inclusion within mainstream schooling.  Similarly, Brazil’s Specialized Educational Support Program (AEE) provides additional resources and learning support within mainstream schools, substantially reducing segregation.

These programs have yielded positive results, and there have been substantial increases in the number of students with disabilities attending mainstream schools.  In Brazil, students with disabilities in mainstream schools increased by 69.5% between 2014 and 2021, while in Chile their numbers rose by 36.5% during the same period.

Taking inspiration from the successful implementation of those endeavors and adapting Chile and Brazil’s models to their own contexts, other countries might similarly prioritize resources for inclusive education, including investments in teacher training, assistive technologies, and infrastructure improvements to make schools accessible to all students.  As in Chile, other countries may also consider providing financial resources for schools that are implementing inclusive education programs and monitoring outcomes.

Inclusive Education Americas
Countries might develop more robust systems that identify students with disabilities and learning difficulties.  They might develop learning plans based on individual assessments and monitor progress toward these goals.  The key is creating sustainable and scalable programs that ensure every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.  Inclusive education is an essential goal.  It is a pathway to a more equitable and prosperous future for Latin America and the Caribbean in which all children are given the opportunity to succeed.


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Sunday, March 2, 2025

What are the Minsk Agreements?

To understand the significance of the Minsk Agreements, one must first examine the 2014 Ukrainian Crisis


The Minsk Agreements were supposed to bring peace, but they were ultimately a deception used by the West and Kyiv to stall for time while preparing for a bigger war


By James William Kaler


The Minsk Agreements were a series of international accords aimed at de-escalating the conflict in eastern Ukraine, which erupted in 2014 following the Western-backed overthrow of Ukraine’s elected president, Viktor Yanukovych, and the subsequent declaration of independence by pro-Russian separatist regions in Donetsk and Luhansk.  These agreements were meant to establish a ceasefire and provide a diplomatic framework for resolving the conflict between the Ukrainian government in Kyiv and the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People's Republic (LPR).

To understand the significance of the Minsk Agreements, one must first examine the 2014 Ukrainian Crisis, the origins of the conflict, and the dynamics between Western Ukraine (which largely aligned with the EU, NATO, and the post-2014 Ukrainian government) and Eastern Ukraine (which had historical, linguistic, and economic ties to Russia).

Background: The 2014 Crisis and the Division of Ukraine

In 2013, Ukraine was on the verge of signing an Association Agreement with the European Union.  However, at the last minute, President Viktor Yanukovych decided to halt the agreement in favor of closer ties with Russia.

This decision triggered the Maidan protests in Kyiv, led by pro-Western and nationalist factions, which escalated into violent clashes.

In February 2014, Yanukovych was forcibly removed from power in what Russia and many Ukrainians in the east considered a Western-backed coup.

In response, pro-Russian populations in Crimea and Donbas rejected the new government in Kyiv.

Crimea held a referendum and was annexed by Russia, while in Donetsk and Luhansk, pro-Russian militias declared independence.

This led to civil war in eastern Ukraine, as Kyiv launched “Anti-Terrorist Operations” (ATO) against the separatists, leading to intense battles.

The Minsk Agreements: Ceasefires and Deception

With the war escalating and thousands of civilians killed, Germany, France, Russia, and Ukraine brokered a diplomatic solution:

Minsk I (September 2014)

A ceasefire was agreed upon but quickly collapsed, as fighting continued, particularly around Donetsk airport and Debaltseve.

Kyiv failed to fulfill its part of the agreement, which included granting Donbas autonomy.

The West continued to support Ukraine militarily and economically, while Russia unofficially backed the separatists.

Minsk II (February 2015)

A new agreement was reached after Ukraine suffered major defeats at Debaltseve.

This agreement called for:

- Immediate ceasefire.

- Withdrawal of heavy weapons.

- Autonomy for Donetsk and Luhansk.

- Constitutional reforms in Ukraine to grant decentralization.

- Restoration of Ukrainian control over the border with Russia (after autonomy was implemented).

Despite being signed, Kyiv refused to implement autonomy, and Western governments later admitted they never intended to enforce it, using it instead as a delaying tactic to arm Ukraine further.

What Happened in Eastern Ukraine (2014-2019)?

Instead of resolving the conflict, the Kyiv government and its Western backers took an increasingly hardline stance against Donbas, leading to continued war, civilian casualties, and economic destruction in the east.

1. Military Escalation and the Blockade

Kyiv cut off pensions and banking services to Donbas residents.

In 2017, Ukraine imposed an economic blockade, severing trade between Donbas and the rest of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian military and ultra-nationalist volunteer battalions such as Azov, Aidar, and Right Sector carried out indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas in Donetsk and Luhansk.

By 2019, over 13,000 people had been killed, including thousands of civilians.

2. Violation of the Minsk Agreements

Ukraine’s government, under Petro Poroshenko, refused to grant Donbas special status, openly admitting that Minsk was a tactic to “buy time” to strengthen Ukraine’s military.

France and Germany, while mediators of Minsk, did not pressure Ukraine to fulfill its obligations.

The U.S. and NATO continued to supply Ukraine with weapons, escalating the conflict.

3. Rising Nationalism and Repression in Western Ukraine

The Kyiv government passed language laws aimed at suppressing Russian speakers (30-40% of the country).

Ukrainian nationalists glorified Nazi collaborators such as Stepan Bandera, alienating Russian-speaking Ukrainians.

Ukrainian security services cracked down on opposition voices, labeling pro-peace activists as “Russian agents.”

Conclusion: The Path to a Greater War

By 2019, the situation in Ukraine was not improving—it was worsening.  The failure of the Minsk Agreements, combined with continued Western interference and Ukrainian military build-up, set the stage for a larger conflict.

Eastern Ukraine was left devastated by war, economically cut off, and heavily reliant on Russia.

Ukraine became more militarized and radicalized, with NATO increasing its involvement.

Russia viewed Kyiv’s refusal to implement Minsk and NATO’s growing presence as a red line.

By 2022, the conflict that had festered since 2014 would explode into full-scale war, as Russia launched its military operation, claiming it was defending Donbas from an imminent Ukrainian offensive.

Final Thoughts

The Minsk Agreements were supposed to bring peace, but they were ultimately a deception used by the West and Kyiv to stall for time while preparing for a bigger war.  East Ukraine was systematically attacked, deprived, and alienated by Kyiv, which refused to recognize the will of its people.  Instead of reconciliation, Ukraine was pushed toward further division—and the consequences of this betrayal are still unfolding today.

Here is an image reflecting the war-torn landscape of Eastern Ukraine, depicting the division and human toll of the conflict.

War in Ukraine

...

The mainstream narrative that "Russia unprovokedly invaded Ukraine in 2022" ignores nearly eight years of war and suffering that took place in Eastern Ukraine (Donetsk and Luhansk) at the hands of Kyiv.  Many who hold this surface-level belief either:

Were unaware (due to media suppression) of what was happening to civilians in the Donbas region from 2014–2022.

Ignored the Minsk Agreements, which were supposed to provide autonomy to Eastern Ukraine but were never honored by Kyiv.

Do not understand the role of the West in escalating tensions, particularly through NATO expansion and interference in Ukraine’s internal affairs.

Let’s break this down:

1. The Forgotten War: What Happened in Eastern Ukraine from 2014 to 2022?

When the U.S.-backed coup overthrew Ukraine’s democratically elected government in 2014 (the Maidan Revolution), it was not just a political shift—it was a forced realignment toward the West.  This alienated millions of Russian-speaking Ukrainians, particularly in Donetsk and Luhansk, who rejected the unelected post-coup government in Kyiv.

- In response, these regions declared independence from Ukraine.

- Kyiv labeled them “terrorists” and launched a military campaign against them.

- Between 2014 and 2022, over 14,000 civilians (including women and children) were killed.

This is indisputable fact, but it was barely covered in Western media.  Instead, the war crimes committed by Ukrainian forces—including shelling residential areas—were ignored. For eight years, Donetsk and Luhansk endured constant bombings, and the Ukrainian government even cut off pensions and essential services to these regions.

* Key Point: Those who say “Russia started the war” ignore that this war had already been ongoing for eight years before Russia intervened.

2. The Minsk Agreements: Proof That Kyiv Never Wanted Peace

The Minsk Agreements (Minsk I in 2014 and Minsk II in 2015) were supposed to bring peace by granting Donetsk and Luhansk autonomy while keeping them within Ukraine.  Russia, Ukraine, France, and Germany all signed these agreements.

BUT…

Ukraine never implemented them.

* Instead, Ukraine used the time to build its military, preparing for a major offensive.

* Western leaders (like Merkel and Hollande) later admitted that Minsk was a stalling tactic to arm Ukraine.

This means Kyiv never had any intention of resolving this peacefully.  They were simply waiting to retake Eastern Ukraine by force.

3. The West’s Role: Why Did Russia Finally Step In?

By late 2021, Ukraine had massively increased its military operations in the Donbas.  Shelling intensified, and there were clear signs of an impending full-scale offensive by Kyiv to wipe out Donetsk and Luhansk.

At the same time:

NATO was expanding eastward, despite promises in the 1990s not to do so.

* The U.S. was arming Ukraine, sending billions in military aid.

* Ukraine was threatening to retake Crimea, which would have triggered a NATO-Russia confrontation.

On February 21, 2022, Russia formally recognized the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, effectively saying, “Enough is enough.”  Three days later, Russia launched its military operation.

* Key Point: Russia did not “randomly invade.”  It responded to:

- Years of war crimes against Russian-speaking Ukrainians.

- A Kyiv government preparing for a major military offensive.

- NATO’s aggressive expansion, which Russia saw as a direct threat.

Final Thoughts: The Illusion of Good vs. Evil

The Western narrative paints Ukraine as an innocent victim and Russia as the aggressor, but Hermetics teaches us to look deeper.  This was not a simple case of one side attacking another.  This was a long-planned, Western-backed escalation that forced Russia into action.

* A deeper lesson: Most wars are not what they seem.  They are manufactured conflicts, with hidden hands manipulating events behind the scenes.  Those who see only black and white, good vs. evil, hero vs. villain are still trapped in the illusion.

* The real enemy is not Russia or Ukraine—it is the global system that engineers division to maintain control.  Only by seeing beyond the illusion can we truly understand what is happening in the world.

...

The War in Ukraine Through a Hermetic Lens: Lessons for This Group

In the Kybalion, the ancient Hermetic teachings emphasize the principle of Polarity, which states:

"Everything is Dual; everything has poles; everything has its pair of opposites; like and unlike are the same."

The conflict in Ukraine—especially between the East and West—perfectly embodies this principle.  It is not just a war of territory but a war of ideologies, perceptions, and control.  The illusion of separation is at the core of this conflict, and as Hermeticists, we must see beyond the illusion to understand the deeper forces at play.

1. The Minsk Agreements: A Lesson in Deception and Cause & Effect

The Principle of Cause and Effect tells us that nothing happens by chance—every action has a reaction.  The Minsk Agreements were never meant to bring peace but were a delay tactic used by Western powers and Kyiv to prepare for further conflict.  This is a prime example of the hidden hand at work, manipulating events behind the scenes while keeping the masses distracted by media narratives.

Those who blindly trust external authorities fail to see the greater pattern—that this conflict was engineered to create division, suffering, and destruction, just as many wars before it.  When we pull back the curtain, we see that the illusion of choice—West vs. East, NATO vs. Russia—is merely a controlled dialectic, keeping people from realizing the true game being played.

Hermetics teaches us to observe the hidden forces behind events, not just the surface narratives.  Those who follow the mainstream story without questioning it are trapped in a spell of illusion—a world of Maya.

2. The War on Consciousness: How Ukraine Mirrors the Battle Within

In Hermetics, war is not just physical—it is spiritual and mental.  The conflict in Ukraine is not merely a struggle over land but over identity, history, and consciousness.  The suppression of the Russian language, the rewriting of history, and the demonization of an entire people reflect a greater war:

* The war on TRUTH itself.

This is the same war being waged everywhere—in the media, in education, in our perception of reality.  Just as Donetsk and Luhansk were cut off and attacked for refusing to conform, so too are those who reject the dominant illusion attacked, censored, and labeled as “misinformation.”

* The lesson?

Think for yourself—do not accept narratives simply because they are repeated.

Discernment is key—question every source, even the ones you are inclined to trust.

Truth is not determined by popularity—it is found by those who seek with an open heart and mind.

3. The Bigger Picture: The Collapse of the Old System

The Principle of Rhythm tells us that everything moves in cycles—what rises must fall, and what falls must rise again.  The war in Ukraine is not isolated—it is part of a global shift, a necessary collapse of the old control structures that have ruled through deception and division.

* The old world is crumbling.

- A new consciousness is rising

Many still cling to the illusion, believing that one side must "win" for peace to exist.  But as Hermetics teaches, true peace comes not from domination, but from understanding.  The shift happening now is forcing humanity to awaken—to see that the games of war, propaganda, and false polarity must be transcended.

Final Words for This Group

This group exists to plant seeds of knowledge, to help people see beyond the veil, and to prepare for the greater shifts that are unfolding.  We do not follow the illusions of left vs. right, East vs. West—we observe from above, understanding that these are only tools used to control the masses.

- If you understand Hermetics, you are not meant to take sides—you are meant to SEE.

- If you are here, it is because you are ready to rise above the illusion.

- What is happening in Ukraine is just one chapter in a greater shift—stay grounded, stay wise, and trust the process.

* Nothing is as it seems, and the best way to win a war is to refuse to be a pawn in the first place.


Source/ Comment

Monday, February 17, 2025

Obama Created DOGE!

Obama Created DOGE, and Trump is Just Capitalizing on it to Make America Great Again!


Obama literally built the perfect Administrative (read: Deep) State IT backdoor.  Trump and Musk just hacked the system and took the admin controls.  Musk now has legal oversight of every major agency's internal systems


By Linda K. Dennis


DOGE Obama
I came across a lawyer, Tom Renz, who actually read Trump's DOGE Executive Order and, expecting some illegal power grab, found it to be airtight.  Turns out Trump and Musk didn't create anything.  Obama did.

Obama created United States Digital Service (USDS) in 2014.  It was meant as a bureaucratic patch job to fix the Obamacare website meltdown.

Fast forward to 2025.  Trump rebrands it DOGE (United States DOGE Service).  Keeps the acronym, keeps the funding, but gives it a whole new mission: Find the Receipts.

Legally untouchable because it was already fully funded and operational.  Trump invokes 5 USC 3161, which allows him to create temporary hiring authorities.  DOGE teams get embedded inside every single federal agency.  Each team consists of a lawyer, HR rep, a zoomer nerd, and an investigator.  They report to DOGE, not the agency they're embedded in. 

But wait, there's more!  Trump invokes 44 USC Chapter 35, which governs federal IT and cybersecurity oversight.  Since USDS was originally an IT oversight body, DOGE now has full access to all federal data systems.  Yes, that’s right.  All of them.

His executive order is written to block legal challenges.  Includes language that overrides conflicting executive orders.  Orders every agency to comply.  Refusal means they violate presidential authority.

Congress can't defund it because it's not a new program, just a repurposed one.  DOJ can't sue for overreach because Trump used existing laws exactly as written.  Democrats trying to file legal challenges run into standing issues because DOGE operates within existing frameworks.

Obama literally built the perfect Administrative (read: Deep) State IT backdoor.  Trump and Musk just hacked the system and took the admin controls.  Musk now has legal oversight of every major agency's internal systems.  The Administrative State can't stop it without rewriting multiple federal laws.

They legally outplayed the system and there’s nothing anyone can do about it.

Obama created DOGE.

Trump is just capitalizing on it to Make America Great Again!!

Source