The Year Ahead In The ‘New Normal’

Via Off-Guardian.org,

Our first “This Week” of 2022 doesn’t just look back over our shoulders, but forward too. What were the unfinished plotlines of 2021? What minor stories of last year could be major stories of this year?

This week we review what OffG will be on the lookout for in 2022.

1. PROGRAMMABLE DIGITAL CURRENCY

For the uninitiated, a programmable digital currency is a form of digital currency which can be programmed…I hope that clears up any confusion.

In all seriousness, central banks are researching the possibility of issuing their own digital currencies. These central-bank digital currencies (CBDCs) would be “programmable”, meaning either the bank issuing the currency, or the company paying it out as wages, have direct control over its use.

Banks (or employers) would have the power to set limits on the usage of the money they issue. They could limit how much of it can be spent, where it can be spent and what it can be spent on etc.

We published a long-form article on the possible abuses of such a controlling system of currency last summer. Since that article came out there have been further calls for its introduction, with Estonia and Ukraine both moving towards trialling the system soon, and Japan researching its feasibility.

Definitely a major concern for human freedom, and a major story to keep an eye on 2022.

2. THE PIVOT FROM COVID TO CLIMATE

We reported on this a few times over the course of 2021, but we don’t think it’s going anywhere. If anything, expect this campaign to pick up steam.

Today, Yahoo News lays out their big concerns moving into the new year:

In the new year: Fight against COVID and climate change and strengthen our democracy

On Christmas Eve, the Guardian had yet another article equating Covid to Climate Change, on December 17th the New York Times warned climate was an “emerging threat” to financial stability, whilst the New Statesman, on December 16th, warned that Covid was distracting from the climate “red alerts”, and argued climate catastrophe was the bigger threat.

Writing in the Independent yesterday, and rehashing an old, old, old talking point, Caroline Lucas argues that if we can find money to fix the financial crisis of 2008 (we didn’t) and fight a global pandemic (we didn’t do that either), then why can’t we pour money into fighting climate change? (we already are).

Her examples are well-chosen, even if she doesn’t realise why. Both the crash of ’08 and the “pandemic” are deliberately created crises used as a pretext for funnelling huge amounts of taxpayer money into private hands. Which is likely what any “green new deal” would be too.

Look for more of this as the year progresses.

Amusingly, the press seems to know we know, because they’re already trotting out some pre-emptive damage control, the Independent headlining, “Covid conspiracy groups may switch to climate misinformation in 2022, experts warn” just today.

3. EXPLAINING HEART ATTACKS THAT HAVEN’T HAPPENED YET

There was a lot of this in 2021, especially through the second half of the year.

And not just heart attacks, articles were popping up all over the media explaining strokes, blood clots and heart disease that hadn’t actually happened yet.

The omicron variant was initially said to have cardiac symptoms that were unheard of in previous variants.

Depression and anxiety were reported to be on the verge of increasing heart disease by 5% nationwide in the UK, they’re calling it “post pandemic stress disorder”.

The cold weather is blamed too. Young people smoking weed is blamed for increasing heart problems, as is bad diet.

A vitamin deficiency is causing a spike in strokes, apparently.

A lot of these people suffering the spike in heart attacks are “seemingly fit”.

Why are the media pumping out explanations for an increased risk of blood clots and associated diseases?

Well, when you factor in that the (untested and unnecessary) “vaccines” all have heart problems and blood clots as “very rare” complications, it doesn’t take a genius to put the pieces together.

This is a story we should all be following heading in to the new year.

BONUS: “ARE THEY SERIOUS?” MOMENT OF THE YEAR

We’re only two days in, but we already have a strong entry for most ridiculous story of the year. In Israel they are reporting the first cases of…wait for it…”flurona”:

Yes. The “pandemic” narrative’s desperate need for ever scarier headlines has resulted in a rushed and barely coherent sequel. A real “Frankenstein vs the Wolfman” moment.

Will they try and sell “flurona” to the people? Part of me really hopes so.

*  *  *

All told, it looks like OffG is in for a busy year, and we didn’t even cover the continuing war on free speech, or what the hell they have planned for Russia. Good times ahead. Happy New Year everyone.