Even if Congress succeeds in averting a shutdown, it’s a good idea for businesses to anticipate supply chain snags anyway.
Category: Business Leadership
China’s people are protesting the country’s severe zero-COVID policies, and public-health experts agree with them
Thousands of demonstrators erupt in rare protests against COVID-19 restrictions across China.
Protests are erupting across China over the country’s restrictive zero-COVID policies.
Public-health experts say the policies are unsustainable, ineffective, and unnecessarily severe.
Without vaccination campaigns targeting older adults, China’s lockdowns may only delay a catastrophic COVID wave.
Protestors are flooding streets across China — the largest protests since 1989’s Tiananmen Square demonstrations — demanding relief from the country’s restrictive zero-COVID lockdowns, and public-health experts agree with them.
“There really are no benefits to this type of irrational policy except to feed the naked power lust of the leaders of China,” Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security, told Insider in an email.
A woman delivers food to a residential compound that is under lockdown in Beijing, China.
Thomas Peter/Reuters
China’s zero-COVID measures are among the strictest in the world and include frequent mass testing, closures of businesses and schools, and quarantining entire factories and stores on-site, according to the BBC. Public anger boiled over on Thursday after a fire in the locked-down city of Urumqi killed 10 people, reports The New York Times.
People leave flowers and candles in protest over COVID-19 restrictions in mainland China, during a commemoration of the victims of a fire in Urumqi, in Hong Kong.
Tyrone Siu/Reuters
There is no easy way forward for China, but constant 2020-style lockdowns are not the solution, according to public-health experts, who called the policies unsustainable, ineffective, and irrational. Eradicating COVID-19 is impossible, they say.
“Zero COVID is about elimination rather than mitigation of this virus. It’s too late to eliminate. The cat is out of the bag. COVID is here to stay,” Maureen Miller, an infectious-disease epidemiologist at Columbia University, told Insider via email.
People talk through gaps in a barrier at a sealed residential area, following a COVID-19 outbreak in Shanghai, China.
Aly Song/Reuters
In reality, lockdowns are “pause buttons,” Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University School of Public Health, told Insider. “They’re supposed to buy time to build up immunity in the population through vaccines,” she said.
China is buying time and then squandering it, experts say, with the potential for a devastating wave of infections looming on the horizon. In the meantime, people across China have grown tired of restrictions.
Protestors and police gather during a protest against China’s strict zero COVID measures in Beijing, China.
China may be primed for a catastrophic wave
The most vulnerable people in China — aged 80 years and older — are not well-vaccinated.
“If you look at the prevalence of vaccinations among the elderly, that it was almost counterproductive, the people you really needed to protect were not getting protected,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Biden’s chief medical adviser, said about China on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday.
In China, 59% of people age 80 and older have received one dose of the vaccine, according to data from the Chinese National Health Commission reported by BBC. Roughly half of that age group received two vaccine doses and 20% have gotten two shots plus a booster.
A person walks past a poster encouraging older people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in Beijing, China.
Tingshu Wang/Reuters
Vaccination rates among 60- to 69-year-olds in China are higher than among the 80 and older set, with 89% having received one dose of the vaccine, and 87% having gotten two doses, according to the National Health Commission data.
In the US, 95% of adults 65 and older have received at least a first vaccine dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 92% are fully vaccinated.
As a result, some experts fear an unchecked wave of Omicron infections could easily rip through China’s cities, overwhelm healthcare systems, and cause mass death.
“Even if it is slightly less lethal than earlier waves of the virus, you can just imagine a virus ripping through a densely populated, largely older population in a short period of time. And while we’ve learned a lot about how to care for COVID, it’s impossible to deliver that care when there’s just too many people needing it all at once,” Nuzzo said.
What’s more, research has shown the CoronaVac and Sinopharm vaccines, which China has been using, are less effective than the mRNA vaccines many Americans received. So it’s possible that even China’s fully vaccinated residents have lower immunity than those in the US.
Epidemic-prevention workers in protective suits stand outside a residential compound that is under lockdown amid outbreaks of COVID-19 in Beijing, China.
Thomas Peter/Reuters
“On the one hand, the [zero-COVID] policy is clearly heavy-handed, and certainly the Chinese people are reacting to that,” Neil Seghal, an assistant professor of health policy at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, told Insider, adding, “But on the other hand, it’s not clear that in the immediacy there is a good alternative.”
Not everyone agrees that lifting lockdowns would be catastrophic.
“I’m still not so sure whether policy relaxations are going to be immediately followed by mass die off in the country,” Yanzhong Huang, a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations, where he specializes in China, told Insider.
He argues the incoming COVID wave could bring fewer hospitalizations than some experts fear — low enough for the healthcare system to handle it.
As a result, Huang thinks the zero-COVID lockdowns are completely unwarranted. “If you really don’t have that many severe cases, why do you need this?” he said.
Lockdowns buy time, but China hasn’t used it to ramp up vaccination
A woman gets tested at a nucleic acid testing site, following a COVID-19 outbreak in Shanghai, China.
Aly Song/Reuters
The key to avoiding a potentially catastrophic surge is increasing vaccinations among the most vulnerable.
China could use the time its lockdowns have bought to conduct fresh vaccine campaigns focused on people aged 80 years and older — but it hasn’t. The government could also approve and distribute a foreign-made mRNA vaccine — but it still hasn’t. Instead of using the Western mRNA vaccines that are already available, China’s government is trying to develop its own, according to The Washington Post.
“It’s a really vulnerable situation for China to be in,” Nuzzo said, adding, “Unless they really use this time to protect the population through vaccination, I just don’t understand how this is going to end well.”
Read the original article on Business Insider
Why The Everything Collapse Will Be Far Worse Than What Michael Burry Believes
“The Everything Collapse will not be just a collapse in asset prices including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, 401K plans, and real estate.
This will be a collapse of the United States Government as we know it and society in general.”
The Most Well Respected Investor in the Past 20 Years, Dr. Michael J. Burry from “The Big Short” Fame, Underestimates The Everything Collapse.
Dateline: Creve Coeur, MO., USA/Monday, September 5th, 2022/Written by: Jeffrey L. Klump
The 2015 movie “The Big Short” gave Americans a look at what really went on prior to and during the Great Financial Collapse of 2008.
Christian Bale’s character was based upon real-life investor and hedge fund manager, Dr. Michael J. Burry.
Michael Burry found out in 2005 that mortgage fraud was pervasive all throughout the industry including the banking system.
Burry found a way to profit from the fraud and foolishness that not only affected the mortgage industry but also Wall street as well.
Michael Burry was able to short these mortgages that were packaged into bonds with fancy names like CDOs.
Burry made billions on these trades while at the same time, more than 5 million Americans lost their homes.
I was telling people as early as 2003 that we were going to have a housing/real estate collapse of epic proportions.
I was made fun of and a home builder that I spoke with at the time told me that real estate never goes down.
So much for the real estate never goes down narrative.
I am not smart like Dr. Michael Burry, but I did protect our wealth by buying short-term T-Bills and also buying physical gold and silver.
The Great Financial Collapse of 2008 was never fixed. No one went to jail.
The only thing that was done was to bail out Wall Street and have the Fed print trillions in new treasury bonds(debt).
That was it. No structural changes were ever made to the financial system.
We are now deep into the Everything Collapse. That is what I call it.
Even though Michael Burry has been warning Americans for the past 1 1/2 years regarding a hyperinflation-style collapse of our financial system, it will actually be way worse than that.
The Everything Collapse will not be just a collapse in asset prices including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, 401K plans, and real estate.
This will be a collapse of the United States Government as we know it and society in general.
There were three things that were not present in 2008 with the Great Financial Collapse, that we have going on now.
We did not have decades high inflation in 2008 like we do now. This is extremely important for all investors to understand.
We did not have a major war breaking out in Europe back in 2008. There are big-time Geo-Political risks.
Finally, our nation was not nearly as divided in 2008 politically as we are now.
These three things along with massive new treasury bonds being printed out of thin air since 2009, to the tune of trillions, were not present before and during the 2008 collapse.
Europe has just been cut off from all natural gas by the Russian gas company, Gazprom.
The result of this will be the death of millions of Europeans this winter from freezing.
The Hunger Games begins for real in Europe.
This will lead to a collapse of the Euro which is the paper fiat currency of the European Union.
Look to Europe for the beginning of the Everything Collapse.
Revolution will take place in the largest countries of Europe including Germany, France, and Italy.
After revolution breaks out throughout Europe, Russia will unexpectedly invade Europe fulfilling one of the prophecies of the prophet Daniel.
Here at home, our fate won’t be much better.
Investors in stocks bonds, mutual funds, and real estate will get quickly wiped out.
Michael Burry believes that stocks will collapse by 53% from their current levels.
We may not even get to that point.
The U.S. bond market is the key to everything including the stability of the U.S. dollar as a currency.
If the 10-year Treasury Note continues to stay above 3% long enough or higher, this will freeze the credit markets including the Repo markets, which are the plumbing for our banking system.
This is exactly what happened in 2008.
The only way to unfreeze credit markets is for Jerome Powell, the head of the Federal Reserve Bank, to lower interest rates and start printing new treasury bonds(debt).
This would be a nightmare scenario for any central banker.
Powell is scared to death of inflation and this is at a time when asset prices in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and real estate are at historical highs along with the massive amount of personal, corporate, and government debt in the system.
Our economy cannot handle high-interest rates and high inflation rates.
This is a recipe for a hyperinflationary debt collapse of our financial markets and the currency, which is the U.S. dollar.
Investors are damn fools to think that Jerome Powell is coming to rescue them by lowering interest rates and beginning a new round of quantitative easing(printing new treasury bonds).
Again, the only way this will happen is if the credit markets freeze up.
When the credit markets do freeze up, your bank and ATM will be closed.
This actually happened in some parts of the country in 2008.
I would highly recommend that you do the following things immediately to prepare:
- Store 30 days of food and water at your residence
- Have plenty of lead to deal with any problem individuals
- Keep some cash outside the banking system
- Buy physical gold and silver and store them in a safe place other than a bank or a commercial vault
- Talk to your neighbors and get to know them
- Connect with a family farmer and do business directly with them in case the grocery store shelves become empty
This is all being orchestrated quietly behind the scenes to destroy the current system and then push us like cattle into a new monetary system using digital money provided by the beautiful people at the Federal Reserve when they roll out their new FedCoin.
This is when the Hunger Games begins for Americans. Especially for those who reject the Federal Reserve’s new digital currency.
You will be on your own living outside The Matrix.
Dr. Michael J. Burry recently tweeted that the collapse is underway.
He is quite right about that, but he is wrong about how horrific The Everything Collapse will actually be.
RELATED:
‘Big Short’ Legend Michael Burry Hints Stock Market Crash Is Underway (businessinsider.com)
RSS Error: Retrieved unsupported status code "404"
RSS Error: Retrieved unsupported status code "402"
Why The FBI Raid on Trump’s Estate Is a Nothing Burger
“The F.B.I. raid is just the latest to distract Americans from what they should really be paying attention to which is The Everything Collapse and a world war against Russia and China. “
The Entire Trump Phenomenon Since 2015 Has Been Nothing But Divide and Distract.
Dateline: August 21st, 2022, Creve Coeur, MO. USA. Written by: Jeffrey L. Klump
In 2015, I warned people about Donald Trump.
I wrote back then that Trump was the ultimate trojan horse. He is the false-flag attack on America.
No one listened.
Seven years later, we are still hearing, and talking about Trump.
Even though many Trump supporters left him once they found out Trump was on Epstein Island, there are still some delusional supporters that just can’t shake free of the mind control and brainwashing.
The trial of Ghislaine Maxwell in December 2021 revealed that Trump was on Epstein Island via the Lolita Express. Jeffrey Epstein’s pilot confirmed under oath that Trump was one of the passengers.
Despite this revelation, the last of the die-hard Trump supporters remain.
The latest news on Trump is of course the F.B.I. raid on his home in Florida.
There were shouts coming from some Republicans to “de-fund” the F.B.I.
This is comical because these same Republicans were attacking those calling to “de-fund” the police after the George Floyd incident in 2020.
Trump needs the media and attention to stay relevant just like the media needs Trump. They both need each other for fear of becoming totally irrelevant to the majority of the American people, which is happening now.
The reason that the F.B.I. raid on Trump’s home is a nothing burger is that this is once again an attempt to divide Americans and distract Americans.
Trump will go down in American history as the Great Divider.
This is the role Trump is playing.
Trump is an actor playing his role.
The F.B.I. raid is just the latest to distract Americans from what they should really be paying attention to which is The Everything Collapse and a world war against Russia and China.
The Everything Collapse is occurring right now in the West, especially in Europe and the United States.
Unlike 2008, The Everything Collapse will be not just stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and real estate.
The United States government will collapse from its present form into nothing but chaos and mayhem.
This will be preceded by a collapse in the U.S. dollar.
Trump and his handlers want you to believe that the F.B.I. raid is all about him and freedom, and blah, blah, blah.
The Republican fear pornographers were out in full force trying to scare people into thinking the F.B.I will show up at your front door. Yea, because the rest of Americans were in the White House taking out “possible” classified information, like Trump. What a joke.
Trump is the swamp. The swamp is better known as the New World Order.
The New World Order is comprised of satanic International Zionists(a.k.a Zionist-Nazi-Pigs) and Freemasonry.
Trump is a puppet of Zionism. His main financial backer when he began his political run, was a despicable human being by the name of Sheldon Adelson.
Although Adelson was an American citizen, he was all about making the Apartheid state of israel, great again. He had no loyalty toward the United States whatsoever.
Trump is also a supporter of the Apartheid state of israel.
Trump committed several war crimes on behalf of his Zionist masters including the assassination of a general from a country that the United States has no declaration of war against, which is Iran.
Trump’s campaign began to immediately go south after that war crime he committed.
What bothers me the most is how completely mind-controlled the remaining Trump supporters are.
The only thing that I can compare it to is what happened in Germany in the 1930s with ethnic jew and dedicated Zionist, Adolf Hitler.
Trump supporters actually think that he gives a shit about them. This tells me more about Trump supporters than it does about Trump. I have always known about Trump.
No one can tell me what Trump did in 4 years, other than committing more war crimes, rack up billions more in debt, and come out with the Trump-Gates-Fauci experimental death vax.
Did Trump lock up Hilary like he said he would? No. Instead, he invited the Clintons to the White House after the 2016 election.
Did Trump ever fix our roads, bridges, and airports? No.
Did Trump ever bring our troops home? No.
Then why are there still Trump supporters out there?
If the American people cannot use the center part of their brain for critical thinking, which is where your logic and reason lie, America is finished.
I also warned people in 2015 that supporting a diabolical narcissist, megalomaniac, and forever serial philanderer like Trump, would be disastrous.
Look how divided this country is now.
We got “Weekend at Bernie’s” Joe Biden because of Trump. Think about that for a minute.
That is how the game is played.
The New World Order wins as long as America remains divided.
The Democratic party is equally controlled by the New World Order.
Remember what professor George Carlin said, “Politicians are put there to make it look like you have a choice. You have no choice. You have owners”.
Ross Perot proved that a 3rd party candidate can win. The only reason Perot pulled out was because of the credible threats made against him and his family by war criminal George H.W. Bush and the C.I.A.
Americans really need to look at something other than the Republicans and Democrats.
The two parties are just one gigantic, corrupt Zionist-controlled party.
I don’t believe our Republic will be here in its present form in 2024.
The deeper we go into the Apocalypse, the worst things will get.
If I am wrong, perhaps I should make a 3rd party run.
I could sure do a whole lot better than Epstein Island Trump.
Related:
F.B.I. Searches Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Residence in Florida – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Half of Republicans line up behind Trump in fight with FBI: Reuters/Ipsos poll | Reuters
RSS Error: Retrieved unsupported status code "402"
RSS Error: Retrieved unsupported status code "404"
How You Can Improve Your Health by Using a Non-Toxic Disinfectant
“Lysol contains denatured ethanol, which is poisonous to humans. High concentrations of Lysol can also cause lung irritation.”
Since the Pandemic, People Have Stocked Up on Cleaning Solvents and Disinfectants. Does the Public Know What Is In These Products?
Dateline/Creve Coeur, MO. USA/June 11th, 2022/Written by: Jeffrey L. Klump
When the pandemic began in 2020, people were grabbing disinfectant spray, wipes, and other cleaning solvents like it was going out of style.
Some of this had to do with supply chain disruptions, but most of it was because people were freaking out about keeping germs out of their homes.
The problem with this of course is, that few actually read labels on consumer products, especially disinfectants and supplements they buy from Walmart, Costco, or Amazon.
Most of the above mention big-ticket stores mentioned above get their cleaning products and supplements from China.
China is one of the worst countries with consumer protections in place.
That shouldn’t be surprising since most of what China makes is from slave labor.
In today’s world, it pays to be a label reader for consumer products like disinfectants and of course, what you put in your mouth.
A look at one of the most commonly used disinfectants in America is quite revealing.
I am speaking of the product Lysol.
Here are just a few of the chemicals in your average Lysol product:
- MEA-Borate –
MEA-Borate is an ester of Ethanolamine (q.v.) and Boric Acid (q.v.).
Boric acid and its sodium borate salts are pesticides that we can find in nature and many products. Borax is one of the most common products. Boric acid and its sodium salts each combine boron with other elements in a different way. In general, their toxicities depend on the amount of boron they contain.
Boric acid and its sodium salts can be used to control a wide variety of pests. These include insects, spiders, mites, algae, molds, fungi, and weeds. Products that contain boric acid have been registered for use in the United States since 1948.
Warning
Overexposure to borax can cause the following symptoms:
- Headache
- Weakness
- Lightheadedness
- Dizziness
- Tremors
- Passing out
Ethanolamine has several important industrial uses: as a “scrubber” to remove carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and other acidic pollutants from waste gas streams; as a starting material for manufacturing surfactants, chelating agents, and even pharmaceuticals; as an agent for softening leather; and as an additive for controlling pH in industrial water streams.
- Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Saccharinate –
N-Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Saccharinate, trade name Onyxide® 3300, is a quaternary amine biocide that helps disinfect and/or sanitize hard surfaces, particularly in aerosols.
- Ethanol –
Ethanol is an important industrial chemical; it is used as a solvent, in the synthesis of other organic chemicals, and as an additive to automotive gasoline (forming a mixture known as gasohol). Ethanol is also the intoxicating ingredient of many alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine, and distilled spirits.
- MIPA – Borate –
is a reaction product of Isopropanolamine (q.v.) and Boric Acid
What is Isopropanolamine used for?
Isopropanolamines are used in a wide array of applications, including cement and concrete processing aids, gas purification, surfactants (primarily for home and personal care products), cosmetic formulations, corrosion inhibitors, metalworking fluids, and as emulsifiers, dispersants, and wetting agents.
- Ammonium Hydroxide –
It is a solution of ammonia in water. Ammonium hydroxide is used as a cleaning agent and sanitizer in many household and industrial cleaners. Ammonium hydroxide is also used in the manufacture of products such as fertilizer, plastic, rayon, and rubber.
Health Risks for Humans
Direct contact with Lysol can cause eye irritation, therefore, shield your eyes when using Lysol cleaning products. Measures should also be taken to avoid making any contact with skin, food, or clothing. After using Lysol products you should wash your hands immediately with antibacterial soap and warm water to prevent skin irritation. If you get Lysol in your eyes, remove contacts, in applicable situations, and flush your eyes out extensively for at least 15 minutes with water. If the irritation does not subside, seek medical care immediately. If Lysol products are swallowed or consumed internally, call poison control and your doctor immediately. Lysol contains denatured ethanol, which is poisonous to humans. High concentrations of Lysol can also cause lung irritation.
There are several other brands that use non-toxic and environmentally safe ingredients in their cleaning products.
One brand of disinfectant is one that I have been using for more than 3 years, and that is Sol U Guard from a U.S. manufacturer called Melaleuca.
The 2 main ingredients in Solu U Guard are Thymol, also known as essential thyme oil, and Citric Acid.
The EPA has certified Sol U Guard as a disinfectant that will kill Covid and other viruses.
Take a closer look at the 2 main ingredients in Sol U Guard.
Thyme Oil Uses
Thyme is a widely used herb in cooking, because of its minty flavor. However, the thyme essence is not dominating and so doesn’t overpower the other flavors of a dish. Thus, thyme lends the dish a warm and aromatic flavor, without making it overbearing. But there are more to the uses of thyme than simply as a flavoring agent. The thyme oil extracted from the herb has excellent medicinal properties. Before the discovery of antibiotics, this oil was used to disinfect and clean wounds. It is rich in antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antiseptic properties. This makes thyme oil a potent remedy for treating any infections and inflammations, as the main component of thyme oil is the antiseptic thymol. As such, thyme oil is an active ingredient in many creams, mouthwash, and hand sanitizers. Thyme oil also contains a significant amount of calcium, manganese, iron, and vitamin K.
Citric Acid
What are the benefits of citric acid?
Benefits of Citric Acid
- Preserve food. It is used to keep food fresh for longer periods. …
- Preserve personal care products. It may keep cosmetics and other products fresh for longer.
- Have protective effects on the body. Citric acid used in medicine can kill bacteria and lower the acid in urine.
- Remove tough stains.
What is citric acid?
Citric acid was first derived from lemon juice by a Swedish researcher in 1784 (1Trusted Source).
The odorless and colorless compound was produced from lemon juice until the early 1900s when researchers discovered that it could also be made from the black mold Aspergillus niger, which creates citric acid when it feeds on sugar (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source).
Because of its acidic, sour-tasting nature, citric acid is predominantly used as a flavoring and preserving agent, especially in soft drinks and candies.
It’s also used to stabilize or preserve medicines and as a disinfectant.
SUMMARY
Citric acid is a compound originally derived from lemon juice. It’s produced today from a specific type of mold and used in a variety of applications.
Is citric acid an effective disinfectant?
Citric acid kills bacteria, mold, and mildew. It’s great for general disinfecting and cleaning. Note that it shouldn’t be used as a disinfectant against diseases like Covid-19.
Since citric acid kills some types of bacteria and viruses, you’ll find it in insect sprays, products that kill fungus or algae, hand sanitizer, and even some tissues you use to blow your nose. Environmental cleanup products. Citric acid can safely remove toxins from polluted soil and even clean up nuclear waste.
No matter what you use as a disinfectant cleaner, make sure that the one you use is not doing you more harm than good especially if it’s to save a couple of bucks in favor of a toxic disinfectant.
RELATED:
https://www.bhg.com/news/thymol-natural-cleaner-coronavirus/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1438463920305381
Thymol and Thyme Essential Oil—New Insights into Selected Therapeutic Applications – PMC (nih.gov)
RSS Error: Retrieved unsupported status code "404"
RSS Error: Retrieved unsupported status code "402"
Why Made in America Products Are More Important Than Ever Before
“The huge supply chain issue is why products made in America are more important now than ever before. “
Dependence on cheap and low-quality products from China for so long has put America in a vulnerable situation economically.
Dateline: March 9th, 2022/Creve Coeur, MO. USA/Written by: Jeffrey L. Klump
When I was a kid I remember watching T.V. commercials almost always promoting American-made products, and not just automobiles.
As I got older, the mood was changing in this country especially in the ’80s when everything was all about Japan and the fine workmanship of Japanese products.
American manufacturing was in many cases connected with labor unions and even in the ’80s, unions were tied to corruption and organized crime.
At least in the movies and on the news, it was.
As time went on in the 1990s, more Americans than ever were focused on buying products as cheaply as possible regardless of where they were made and what the quality of the products they were.
Cheap, cheap, cheap was in. American-made was either out or I don’t care.
A country like the United States can only run a trade deficit for so long before it catches up with you regarding employment and standard of living.
The two events that sealed the fate of the United States and will forever keep a trade deficit were NAFTA & GATT.
These were actually two treaties that were called something else so it did not need a 3/4 majority of votes to pass in the Senate and House.
The big multinational corporations were behind the passing of these two trade treaties because of cheap labor and increasing the bottom line.
The hell with leaving the United States vulnerable and dependent on countries like China to survive.
It’s always about the money.
The United States is now in a weakened state because of the trade war that Donald Trump started with our largest trading partner and because of Covid.
Supply chains…Supply chains… Supply chains.
The huge supply chain issue is why products made in America are more important now than ever before.
Never before have Americans witnessed supply chain problems and shortages as we have over the past 2 years, and it will only get worse.
The American people need to be focused on what made our country great 50 years ago, and that was a strong manufacturing sector.
It wasn’t just the two faulty and fraudulent trade agreements NAFTA and GATT that put us in a vulnerable situation economically, but also the environmental movement which killed millions of jobs in the timber, coal, and oil & gas business.
The only way to get back to where we were 50 years ago is by buying American.
This is a website that lists many American companies that make products made in the USA. This site lists the name of the company including the type of products, and what industry they are in.
Take a look here 👉 https://www.americanmademan.com/made-in-usa-list/
Many of these companies I never heard of mainly because they do little or no advertising.
Much of it is by word of mouth or on free social media platforms.
You have to remember that American manufacturers are at an extreme disadvantage thanks to NAFTA and GATT, which by the way, were passed overwhelmingly by democrats and republicans.
American manufacturers have to compete with slave labor in China, Vietnam, and many other southeast Asian countries.
In other words, they must keep advertising costs low in order to compete.
One American manufacturer that has been around for more than 30 years that relies principally on word-of-mouth advertising is a company called Melaleuca.
Melaleuca is a shopping club like Sams, Costco, and Walmart, but all of its products are made in the USA.
For just $19.00 a year, you as a member can purchase American-made products at wholesale prices.
Melaleuca has over 400 products ranging from supplements, health & wellness products, all-natural disinfectants, and much more.
They also have a way for their members to earn rewards points and a special program for members to earn monthly residual & passive income, full or part-time.
Melaleuca is just one of many great American manufacturers that can offer our country and its citizens a way to be less and less dependent on countries like China.
Why shop at Costco, Sams, or Walmart when you have companies like Melaleuca?
Most of the inventory from the “big-box” retailers is from China or Vietnam.
The longer our trade deficit continues, the more problems with employment and securing our standard of living, we will have to endure.
Remember, if you buy American, most of the supply chain issues will go away.
This is one way of being patriotic regardless of what political affiliation you are from.
Being dependent on another country for your basic necessities is not economic security. It is economic suicide.
Now is the time for the American people to pay attention to where their stuff is being made and produced.
Remember the old saying, “buy cheap, you get cheap”.
Buy American-made!
RELATED:
UPDATE:
Is your Walmart closing? https://graphics.wsj.com/table/walmart_012016
RSS Error: Retrieved unsupported status code "404"
RSS Error: Retrieved unsupported status code "402"
Why Entrepreneurship Isn’t for Everyone but Here’s How You Can Succeed
“Make no mistake: Following a proven business model doesn’t restrict your autonomy. You’ll still have mastery over your time. But you’ll need to follow the system you’re given consistently to set yourself up for success without having to reinvent any wheels.”
Originally Published on Feb 18, 2022
Before the rise of corporations in the Industrial Revolution, most people worked for themselves. Now, we’re circling back as millions of workers have had a taste of freedom.
What’s causing this renewed interest in entrepreneurial ventures? For many, the turning point came during the height of pandemic lockdowns. People experienced autonomy as they worked from home, spent more time with their loved ones, and could arrange their schedules according to their needs. Unwilling to let go of that newfound freedom, many are handing in their resignation letters and setting out to start their own businesses.
Perhaps you’re one of the many looking to follow your dreams. Remember that the road from “I quit” to successful entrepreneurial ventures is anything but straight, predictable, or easy. But it is certainly achievable, especially if you engage with proven business models that provide networks, resources, and support.
The Entrepreneurial Scale
Before we get into what a proven business model is and why it matters, it’s important to understand the scale of entrepreneurship. On the very left side, you have the self-employed 1099 contractor. On the right side, you have someone who creates something out of nothing, a trailblazing visionary who takes 100% of the risk.
The proven business model concept can work well for those in the middle of that continuum. They are directing their daily lives on their own with no one telling them what to do, but they also don’t need to do all the experimentation and risk-taking that comes with creating something from scratch.
Make no mistake: Following a proven business model doesn’t restrict your autonomy. You’ll still have mastery over your time. But you’ll need to follow the system you’re given consistently to set yourself up for success without having to reinvent any wheels.
If you’re looking for more freedom than the corporate world could give you, the first place to look is inward. Take a step back, confirm you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur, and figure out what kind you are. If you’re the type who might benefit from some established structure, the next step is to discover the business model that’s right for you. Start here:
1. Honestly assess whether you have the makings of an entrepreneur.
You know you’re an entrepreneur if you don’t need to be told what to do. You don’t ask for permission; you ask for forgiveness later. You act now, and you just go with your ideas. You’re a risk-taker, but you take responsibility and blame no one for your failures or setbacks. You can think outside the box and see problems and solutions where others don’t. And, most essentially, you have a passion and drive to perform on your own and for yourself.
Once you confirm you’re an entrepreneur, assess where you fall on the continuum. If you’re somewhere in the middle between the self-employed contractor and a from-the-ground-up entrepreneur, you can find success with a proven business model. But be sure to carefully assess where you fall. If you’re a visionary with big, creative ideas, for example, you might be too far to the right to find fulfillment following an existing model.
RSS Error: Retrieved unsupported status code "404"
2. Identify the purpose that will fuel the fire in your belly.
Work without purpose becomes dull very quickly. That’s why so many workers with entrepreneurial leanings become disengaged. Accordingly, you want to name and claim your purpose. For instance, I have had a lifelong passion for helping entrepreneurs. This led me to find a proven system that allowed me to become a business coach.
To make your list, record everything that you’re passionate about. Maybe it’s working with kids or college students. Whatever it is, write it down. Then, flesh out your purpose a little more.
Let’s say you like working with school children: Do you want to teach them? Do you like the activity so much that you want to do it on a day-to-day basis? Once you confirm what will give you the motivation to keep going, you can start looking for a corresponding business that features a proven income model.
“Entrepreneurship is about turning what excites you in life into capital so that you can do more of it and move forward with it.” – Richard Branson
3. Search through existing business models that line up with your purpose.
Plenty of entrepreneurial ventures are out there. Some have high levels of investment; others require relatively low financial outlays. Make sure you have a budget in mind and then seek out business models in your range. For instance, going back to the idea of tutoring young people, you might consider owning a local Kumon Learning Center. Those usually fall into the low-to-middle investment end.
Maybe your budget is higher and your passion is serving food to families. Opening a well-known chain restaurant could be the right choice. You’ll likely need access to a substantial upfront capital, but many chains have known working models that tend to be lucrative when followed closely.
As a caveat, be cautious when hunting for entrepreneurial ventures. If part of the model’s revenue system is based on somebody else making money from you joining, that should raise some red flags. It matters who is bringing you into the model. If it’s an individual who is personally incentivized financially, beyond maybe a nominal referral fee, to get you into the model because they get a significant portion of your revenue, then be wary. You should only be dealing with a model’s business operations group and not individuals looking to fill their downline.
4. Decide who you want to operate the business.
You need to honestly interrogate yourself and confirm what type of entrepreneur you are and want to be, then go through the process of filtering the many opportunities. For example, do you want to be in charge, or do you want to hire others to operate your business?
If you want to be an absentee owner, look for something hands-free like WaveMax, a coin-operated full-service laundry franchise. You just need to write the check, hire the general manager, and do nothing else after that. It’s recurring passive income, and you can then scale it from there based on your investment returns.
5. Gauge the business model’s support system.
You’ve narrowed down your business model options to one or two possibilities. Now, it’s time to evaluate your top contenders on the support they give.
A proven business model should give you leads, a sales and marketing process, a business development framework, and more. This enables you to skip a lot of the back-end startup responsibilities and start earning faster.
Be diligent about checking references as well. Talk to other users of the business model: Do they feel like the model works and allows them to realize their purpose? Are they profitable or on a path to becoming profitable? The more hard and anecdotal data you have at your fingertips, the easier it will be to pinpoint the right model for you.
The road to entrepreneurship isn’t a straightforward, exacting one. Many entrepreneurs never get liftoff. However, aligning yourself with a business model that’s proven itself time and again can afford you the runway you need to soar.
Mark O’Donnell is the visionary at EOS Worldwide and is passionate about helping entrepreneurs get what they want from their businesses. He helps clients clarify their goals and objectives and take actionable steps to achieve them. Mark is a four-time Inc. 500|5000 entrepreneur with experience in high-growth organizations.
RELATED:
RSS Error: Retrieved unsupported status code "404"
Why Spotify Has a Big Problem and It Isn’t Just About Joe Rogan
“Of course, Joe Rogan is more valuable to Spotify than Neil Young. As popular as Young’s music is, there was really no question that from a business perspective, the company would choose to support Rogan. “
Neil Young’s request to remove his music highlights the gap between what Spotify says it values and what it does.
BY JASON ATEN, TECH COLUMNIST@JASONATEN
Spotify has a problem. Over the past few weeks, it has faced criticism over its most popular podcaster, Joe Rogan, who frequently hosts guests with controversial opinions, especially on topics like Covid-19 vaccines.
It started with an open letter from doctors asking the streaming service to take action against misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines. Then, earlier this week Neil Young asked his label WarnerBros to remove his entire catalog of music from the streaming service. On Wednesday, Spotify confirmed it had removed Young’s music. Late Friday, Joni Mitchell also said she asked to have her music removed.
The reasoning is that neither wants to be associated with a platform that openly hosts misinformation for profit. In a letter on his website, Young explained it this way:
I support free speech. I have never been in favor of censorship. Private companies have the right to choose what they profit from, just as I can choose not to have my music support a platform that disseminates harmful information. I am happy and proud to stand in solidarity with the front-line health care workers who risk their lives every day to help others.
Young’s statement gets to the heart of Spotify’s problem, which isn’t that Rogan is controversial. It’s that he is so profitable for the streaming service. That’s a problem because it makes it hard to sort out the difference between what Spotify says it values and what makes it money.
Article continues after sponsored contentSAFEGUARDSSPONSORED CONTENT
Why You Need a BOP: The Benefits of a Business Owners Policy
Of course, Joe Rogan is more valuable to Spotify than Neil Young. As popular as Young’s music is, there was really no question that from a business perspective, the company would choose to support Rogan. The company spent $100 million in 2020 for The Joe Rogan Experience, which averages 11 million listeners per episode. That’s a huge draw for its platform, and–more importantly–a huge source of advertising revenue.
The problem is that Spotify’s response makes it look like the company cares more about pure profit than it does about principles. Or, for that matter, about profiting off misinformation that very well could cost people their lives.
Spotify has said that it has guidelines that it applies “consistently and objectively,” when it comes to reviewing content. The company said it removed 20,000 podcast episodes that violate its Covid-19 misinformation policy, though it hasn’t really said what that policy is or how it reviews content for violations.
The Verge reviewed an internal document related to those guidelines which seem to be written to only catch the most egregious examples of misinformation. For example, the guidelines prohibit “Suggesting that wearing a mask will cause the wearer imminent, life-threatening physical harm.”
For what it’s worth, that doesn’t seem to be what people are suggesting. I mean, Surgeons have been wearing medical masks most of the day for decades. I’ve never once heard of any that have suffered “life-threatening physical harm” as a result.
On the other hand, there are plenty of people who talk about masks as harmful, or that they don’t work. There’s a wide gap between “you shouldn’t wear a mask because they don’t work and might be harmful to you,” and “it will cause life-threatening physical harm.”
Or, take Spotify’s prohibition of “promoting or suggesting that the vaccines are designed to cause death.” That means that podcasters can say that the vaccines cause death, as long as they don’t say that’s what they’re designed for.
Spotify seems to want to have it both ways. It wants to say it has guidelines in place to prevent the most egregious examples while writing those guidelines in a way that ensures it can keep its most valuable asset in people’s streaming cue. Spotify would likely argue that its guidelines are broad so as to allow the widest range of free speech on its platform.
Which, to be fair, is a good thing–at least in theory. It’s true that we should want to live in a world where people are free to make content that many people would disagree with. That’s how you can be sure you’ll be allowed to respond with your own perspective.
But, when your most high-profile talent is known for spreading misinformation on your platform–you have to make a choice. Spotify goes out of its way to make the point that Rogan isn’t an employee and that the streaming service isn’t responsible for his content.
Except, when you give someone $100 million to make content exclusively for your platform, that’s a distinction without any real difference. Even if you say you aren’t responsible, it’s still your problem because it’s still your choice.
In the end, Spotify’s decision doesn’t make it look like it’s standing up for free speech or artistic expression. It looks like it’s standing up purely for its own bottom line. What you say means nothing. On the other hand, what you do says everything about what you value. That’s a problem that will stick around long after this controversy has passed.
RELATED:
RSS Error: Retrieved unsupported status code "402"
RSS Error: Retrieved unsupported status code "402"
What Are the Leadership Tips from Two Successful Entrepreneurs?
“A leader must believe the business can win but winning is partly dependent on the other principles of leadership.”
Stephen D’Angelo and Carol Christopher are two successful entrepreneurs who share their great leadership tips.
- Originally Published January 5, 2022
Stephen D’Angelo is a best-selling author and Silicon Valley veteran with more than 30 years of experience in the tech industry. He has led global sales organizations as a CRO and served as CEO and President of both private and publicly traded companies. Stephen has been an integral part of IPO’s and company acquisitions and has helped build global organizations that become leaders in their respective market segments.
His book A Single Day of Peace serves as a guide for self-empowerment and how to climb to success in both business and personal endeavors.
Here are Stephen’s 9 Leadership Tips
#1 Winning
A leader must believe the business can win, but winning is partly dependent on the other principles of leadership.
#2 Accountability
Leaders must be accountable for their actions. Since your team will hold you accountable and you will instill accountability in them, it’s a two-way street. Both groups need to be totally accountable.
#3 Transparency
Things don’t run smoothly in a business all the time. There are many bumps in the road. Acknowledge the bumps and be transparent if you don’t have all the answers. Brainstorming with your team to come up with creative solutions will make for a stronger business.
#4 Continuous Learning
Learning comes in different forms and shapes for all of us. From YouTube to books, courses, and learning from each other. If you are stuck, learning from a coach or mentor can be invaluable. Don’t be afraid to reach out.
#5 Process and Metrics
If your business has effective and efficient processes (think Amazon) then you will delight your customers and you can measure your results. The metrics are powerful for customer retention and improvement.
Equally important are the processes for each of your job functions. If an employee understands what is expected and feels supported, then you will get the maximum output.
#6 Customer and Market Driven
Nothing provides repeat business like customer satisfaction. If you are focused on your customer’s repeat business is almost guaranteed. They will stick with you even in times where you might have supply chain or capacity issues if you are transparent and accountable.
#7 Leverage Diversity
If you only hire people like you, your company will be one-dimensional. Diversity in gender and age is important to the growth of your business. You need diversity of thought and opinion. Are you open to diversity?
#8 Caring and Recognition of People
Does your business leadership create a caring work environment and recognition of their efforts? From the bottom to the top, your business culture must set a standard that cares for its employees right from the first day of hire to retirement.
#9 Having Fun
You and your staff spend at least 8 hours a day with each other, so make it a fun and enjoyable place to work.
For more great leadership advice from Stephen D’Angelo, listen to the full interview on our Fabulous Fempreneurship podcast.
Carol Christopher is CEO of Ellis Day Skincare Science and has a solid background in business
Carol has spent more than 25 years in the biopharma industry, focused on translating new technologies into valuable commercial products and sustainable businesses. As Director of CNS Drug Discovery at ALZA Corporation, Carol built ALZA’s CNS pipeline and is an inventor on several of its patented products, which led to ALZA’s sale to Johnson & Johnson for $13B in 2001. After ALZA, Carol spent 10 years as a founding team member of three consecutive venture capital-backed biopharma companies (AeroGen, Alexza Pharmaceuticals, and NuMedii), where she held executive roles in finance, business development, and product development.
Carol’s advice on Leadership is to think about forming a Collective in your industry. What is a Collective? A Collective is a group of people with similar interests who can help each other grow quickly and sustainably.
Carol is the founder of a Collective in the beauty industry. With over 300 members they help each other with so many phases of their business that each individual business is able to progress at a faster pace because of all the specialized help they receive from other members of the Collective.
The beauty industry has so many competitors that it is amazing that a Collective with this many members was able to launch, given the competitive nature of the business.
Carol said the secret to success was forming relationships with leaders who were like-minded. And to find leaders who felt this way, Carol found her tribe on Clubhouse. After many Clubhouse sessions, a core group formed the Collective for common good. Members are from all across the globe.
From the Clubhouse start, the Collective moved to form a Group on the Slack platform. With the ease of asking questions within the Slack group, so many issues have been solved for these beauty businesses.
From labeling to regulatory issues, sourcing products to patents, many questions have been answered by members of the Collective.
Carol finds the Collective to be so inspiring to help founders become better leaders of their business that she recommends it to any small business group. Click here for the full podcast interview with Carol,
Elaine Slatter is a Small Business Expert, founder of XL Consulting Group and author of the popular book, “Fabulous Fempreneurship”, a complete business guide for women. XL Consulting Group helps entrepreneurs with market planning, strategy, branding, web design and social media. She has over 30 years of executive business and marketing experience and is ready to help you rocket your business to success. Elaine is passionate about mentoring women to become successful women entrepreneurs. To find out more, visit XL Consulting Group or join the Fabulous Fempreneurship mastermind.PrevOlder Stories
RSS Error: Retrieved unsupported status code "404"
RSS Error: Retrieved unsupported status code "402"
Leave a Reply