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.
🇺🇸🇮🇷 The war explained in 10 seconds
Venezuelan oil is extra-heavy (very low API gravity, around 8-10° or less), thick like tar/resin, with a high percentage of sulfur, metals and asphaltenes.
It does not flow easily, is difficult to transport by pipeline or ship without heating, and requires expensive refineries for processing. Without dilution, production and exports are limited.
Iran produces light oil (Iranian Light ~34-36° API) and gas condensate (very light and volatile).
This acts as a diluent: it reduces viscosity, increases API gravity and makes the mixture easier to transport and refine.
Typical ratio: 3:1 (3 barrels Venezuelan heavy + 1 barrel Iranian light/condensate) → produces Merey 16 or a similar blend (around 16° API), which is popular with Asian refineries (especially China).
This is what China used to do by importing both of them. Mixing.
This is what the US is now trying to do, huge profits.
@Megatron_ron
USDA Destroying 420,000 peach trees after Del Monte closes all California canneries for good
Del Monte (139 years old) filed bankruptcy as rising energy prices and steel tariffs exacerbated an already bad balance sheet. They closed their Modesto and Hughson canning plants and canceled long-term contracts worth hundreds of millions.
Farmers now have no buyer for clingstone peaches meant for canning.
The USDA is "helping" farmers, providing $9m to destroy the orchards, calling it 'support for transitioning.'
This is what systemic failure looks like in a centralized food supply: one big player collapses, and the entire chain breaks.
Grow your own food! De-centralize! #GoGrow
🇺🇸 Americans Are About to Pay Even More at the Grocery Store
As Americans confront a surge in prices at the pump, another inflation wave is headed for the grocery store.
A combination of factors including bad weather, tariffs and a dwindling cattle herd are already pushing up grocery prices at an above-average pace. In April, they rose by the most in nearly four years, and economists say the impact of the Iran war and a potential El Niño weather pattern will only add to pressures into 2027.
The hit to US household finances from higher grocery bills is set to intensify just ahead of the November midterm elections, amplifying affordability as a defining issue. And to a greater extent than the surge in gas prices, the slower-moving food shock will be difficult to reverse quickly because the size of autumn harvests is determined by planting decisions made in the spring.
“It’s going to be a challenging year,” said Ricky Volpe, an agribusiness professor at California Polytechnic State ...
