We know what’s coming and we are prepared.
...
Adding on from a conversation with the Monument PD officer who referenced a bulletin the agency received as well as conversation with El Paso County deputies;
Callahan and El Paso County Sheriff's both doing shift change at 1600, going from a whopping 4 law enforcement officers in Northeast El Paso County to 0 for about a half an hour. Based on my observation Elbert County to shift change around then also.
Northeast Colorado Springs and Monument getting robberies and burglaries daily from both tweakers and Latin gangs impersonating food delivery, FedEx, and Amazon drivers. This particular officer lives in Elizabeth off County Road 13 and he's had Latino suspected gang members knocking on his door and then going around and checking the other doors and looking through the windows according to his security cameras.
All of El Paso County having vehicles broken into daily and the deputy recommended if we have a CCW and we leave our vehicle carry our gun don't leave it in the vehicle.
A cute little crime spree in southern Colorado Springs, Fountain, Security Widefield areas, where some group specifically went after law enforcement and military identified vehicles and estimates are at least 50 sets of plate carriers and helmets were stolen in a one week period.
Southeast El Paso County had incidents where Latino men were on dirt roads blocking them as if there's road hazard, sometimes putting out a cone or two, and then when people stopped they were ambushed from the right and left side and robbed. Advice given was if it does not look like official road crew with large barriers and large reflective signs to either push through people saying "stop there's a hazard" or if you could identify it early to stop turn around and go the other way, don't even take the risk of an ambush.
Overall theory from officer was that the cities have so much competition for crime territory that these people are coming out to the country to explore uncontested targets of opportunity.
Mercuria shipping head says fuel shortages could idle 10% of global fleet
This would trigger immediate and severe breakdowns in global supply chains, as container ships, tankers, and bulk carriers sit idle, halting the movement of food, fertilizer, fuel, and critical imports that modern economies depend on.
"The shipping sector is fast approaching a fuel crisis that could paralyze a tenth of the global fleet, Larry Johnson, global head of freight at commodities trading house Mercuria, said in an interview.
Since the Middle East war erupted, markets have been preoccupied with potential shortfalls in the diesel and jet fuel traditionally exported in large quantities from the Persian Gulf.
However, as refiners strain to capture soaring clean product cracks, residual fuels have suffered. Increasingly, feedstocks have been held back from the marine fuel market to kept for further processing, leaving the shipping sector at risk of crippling shortages, Johnson said.
"My view on marine fuel...
Inflation in Europe is rising rapidly:
Eurozone Manufacturing PMI Input Prices spiked to 80 points in May, the highest since May 2022.
This also marks the largest monthly increase in costs for firms over the last 4 years.
Furthermore, PMI Output Prices surged to 62 points, the highest in 3.5 years.
The rate companies are increasing the prices they charge for goods they produce has surged +12 points, or +24%, since the start of 2026.
This surge has been primarily driven by rising energy and raw material costs.
Meanwhile, supply chain delays are up to the highest level since the pandemic supply squeeze of 2022, adding further pressure on prices.
As a result, factories are forced to pass higher costs on to customers, which will push inflation even higher over the next few months.
Price pressures across Europe are accelerating.
(@TheKobeissiLetter)
US inflation is set to rise further:
ISM Services Prices rose +0.6 points in May, to 71.3, the highest since August 2022.
Since February, the index has risen +8.3 points, the biggest 3-month increase since 2021.
Diesel, gasoline, oil, and related commodities were the most frequently cited as "up in price" in the survey.
In May alone, no commodities were reported as "down in price."
Historically, rapidly rising services prices have led CPI inflation with a ~3-month lag.
The current reading suggests CPI could rise above 5.0% for the first time since early 2023, from the 3.8% seen in April.
Inflation pressures are mounting.
(@TheKobeissiLetter)
