Hump Day Mailbag

Can the US manufacture again, the IDF, and Paleo-what? [The Rude Awakening] October 25, 2023 [WEBSITE]( | [UNSUBSCRIBE]( Hump Day Mailbag [Sean Ring] SEAN RING Before I get into the mailbag, I have an IMPORTANT announcement! We’ve just premiered our brand-new Paradigm Press YouTube channel! 🎉 For our premiere video, Rude Awakening editor Sean Ring, yours truly, sat down with Jim Rickards for an exclusive interview. Jim provides his up-to-date take on the Israel vs. Hamas war, how it will affect the upcoming election, and what it means for YOU. You need to see this: [click here to watch]( Then please like, comment, and subscribe… if you’re happy with what we’ve produced. It’s a privilege to write the Rude every day. I’ve already told our fearless leader, Paradigm Press Executive Publisher Matt Insley, that he’ll have to pry the Rude from my cold, dead hand. But to deliver you video interviews will change how you digest what’s going on in the world. And the best part… people like Jim, ace options trader Alan Knuckman, economist and Rude contributor Thorsten Polleit, and former Mises Institute President Jeff Deist do most of the talking. I merely ask the questions. As for today’s mailbag… so many of you were gracious to write in. And clearly, you made an enormous effort, as most of the mail was longer than a Rude edition! So, I plucked a few that I could fit for today and will publish the rest soon. Thanks for your patience. [External Advertisement] [Final stage before digital money]( [Click here to learn more]( The end is near… Our financial system is about to be transformed in a way that would’ve been unthinkable just a few years ago. And almost nobody is prepared for the chaos that follows. According to Bank of America, this overhaul is imminent – And Dr. Nomi Prins says the final stage begins in July, with the rollout of the FedNow system. To show you everything you need to know about the FedNow system – and to help you prepare – Dr. Prins has recorded a free presentation with all the details. It’s controversial, but Nomi’s interview is a must-watch for anyone with more than $2,500 in an American bank or retirement fund. [Click here to find out what you need to do to prepare for this historic transformation.]( [Click Here To Learn More]( The IDF In America Sean, In your most recent article, you posed the question, “Will a Muslim Secretary of State allow IDF soldiers based in America to leave to defend Israel?”. I think the proper question is, what the hell are IDF soldiers doing based in America in the first place? Food for thought. Best, Mike M. Buddy Sean, I don’t know why you are stuck on the thought that IDF reserves are in the USA and have been recalled to Israel or volunteered to Israel to defend the country. I think that they may have simply followed your advice and have dual citizenship, c’mon man! I’ve read that dual citizenship is not recognized in Israel (illegal?). Yet, many Israelis have dual citizenship, and that New York has the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, so what is your surprise/ire about a plane load or many plane loads? And how many of them are working for the USG or their army of paid consultants? Get off of it. While you are swaying me into politics, have you ever pondered why there are so many Irish-descendent politicians in the USA (start with Biden, Trump, McCarthy. McConnell) and then thought about them making their independent pilgrimages back to the “old country” and the level of corruption in politics. Nationalism is strong. Even your wrap-up says, “… and it’s of our own doing.” Jim T. My man Jim T.! I’m with Mike on this one… and Mike, I thought I intimated the very question you asked, but not clearly enough. This is one of those subjects that surprise most Americans when they hear it. Like “You’re not allowed near a voting booth in any other country on earth unless you have a voter ID” or “Only Americans pay worldwide taxes regardless of their residence.” It’s utterly preposterous to me that foreign soldiers are sitting on US land outside of a military base. Sure, have dual citizenship like I do. But I’m not living in Italy and picking up a gun for France. Are you prepared to let all those Chinese Americans fight for China? What about Indian Americans? Sure, the US has a “special relationship” with Israel. But alliances last as long as interests coincide. And not one microsecond longer. As for the “Irish American” presidents, no one makes more fun of them than the Irish! [Barry O’Bama? Come on!]( At least Trump’s mother properly hails from Scotland… Can Manufacturing Come Back in America? Hi Sean. I always find your morning articles good reading and very informative. Reference your October 17 article - Demystifying Industrial Production. You mention bringing back industrial production to the US. I think 3 problems will result from such a move. 1. With the lack of qualified workers in the US, it will be difficult for industry to find good, competent help. 2. Costs for all goods will increase. 3. Quality of produced goods will decrease. Thanks as always. Raymond N. Thanks for the kind words, Raymond. I fear you’re correct. Here’s some proof: [TSMC delays US chip fab opening, says US talent is insufficient [Updated] | Ars Technica](. Wait until they start talking about the Great American Brain Drain! Oops, they already have: [The Brain Drain That Is Killing America's Economy | Time]( Frogging Around Sean, Jorge here…I’ve been meaning to write so many times in the past months but have been busy as hell. Your responses to the pansies that criticized you for being anti-France were priceless. I have so much to say and will get to it at some point but for now, keep up the GREAT writing, analysis, and reporting! This morning’s Rude was spot on! Warm Regards, Jorge dC Jorge!!! Wonderful to hear from you again! Thank you for your kindness. Yes, that article was too much fun to write! What in Sam Hill??? Sean, "Paleo-Libertarian"? love the phrase, but what the heck does that mean? (a really old-old-old time libertarian?) Regards, Walt B Walt, these questions are essential and need to be answered. Funnily enough, you’re most of the way there. Paleolibertarianism is a variety of libertarianism that fuses traditional cultural values and philosophical values with the standard libertarian antipathy of government intervention into private affairs. You know, before the “libertines” highjacked “libertarianism.” I was a lot more liberal before I became a father. It’s amazing how thinking about consequences alters one’s thinking. Wrap Up Thanks to everyone for writing in. But now, I hope you’ll flip over to Paradigm Press’ brand-spanking-new YouTube channel to watch [Jim Rickards explain the Israel-Hamas and its repercussions (all the way to America)](. In the great words of [Senator John Blutarsky]( “It don’t cost nothing.” All the best… [Sean Ring] Sean Ring Editor, Rude Awakening X (formerly Twitter): [@seaniechaos]( In Case You Missed It… Sticking Solar Where the Sun Doesn’t Shine [Sean Ring] SEAN RING Assuming a person who speaks with a British accent is a genius is a peculiarly American flaw. As someone who lived in the UK for nearly a decade, it’s easy to understand why. British literature, history, and architecture are some of the world’s finest. And everyone went to Oxford or Cambridge, right? Don’t they all know The King? But the British failed to heed G.K. Chesterton’s advice: “Don’t be so open-minded your brains fall out.” And fall out, their brains did. Once Pax Americana took over from Pax Britannica, the Brits became “the Greeks in this American Empire,” as [Macmillan once wrote](. [Dean Acheson famously remarked]( in 1962 that Britain had "lost an empire and failed to find a role.” So, what did Britain do? It became “the bridge” between America and Europe. That entailed being a member of the European Union. That’s no longer the case, thanks to my fellow Brexiteers. But the UK stuck to the European obsession with green energy and renewables, as that’s a global problem that should be handled by a country with global credentials. No matter that the UK is responsible for all of 2% of the world’s carbon emissions. No matter that the UK’s industrial base can fit in my living room. But particularly hilarious is the UK’s obsession with solar power. Stop me if you’ve heard this before… but it rains quite a bit on the sceptered isle. And this is where open-mindedness gets a country in trouble. Anyone with a modicum of common sense would question whether solar was the best option for such a soggy place. This isn’t a rant against clean energy. It’s a demonstration of stupidity and lack of common sense. What Makes Solar Work? Gee, silly! The sun. You need the sun! Yes, of course. And you’d think that would be that. But not for those “open-minded” Brits! I’ll get back to the sun in a moment. Let’s use an extremely sunny country to help us out here. Australia, you’re up! High Solar Radiation Australia is one of the sunniest places on Earth, with much of the country receiving high solar radiation levels. This abundant sunshine makes solar energy a highly viable and efficient renewable source. Vast Open Spaces Australia's vast and sparsely populated regions provide ample space for large-scale solar farms without the land-use conflicts that might arise in more densely populated or industrialized areas. Solar for Remote Areas Solar energy can provide a reliable source of electricity in remote or off-grid areas where traditional electricity infrastructure might be lacking or expensive to install. The UK has none of these things. What about the rest of Europe? [Critical Customer Service Notice]( [Click here to learn more]( Hi, this is Dustin Weisbecker, the Director of Customer Service for Jim Rickards. And I’m trying to reach readers about [a massive change we’ve just implemented to Strategic Intelligence.]( As a reader of Jim’s work, this change could have a direct impact on you and your subscription. What’s more, this change will be going into effect immediately – in fact, you may have already noticed it. To bring you up to speed, I just recorded a short video explaining all of the important details about this upgrade. [Click here now.]( [Click Here To Learn More]( Where Does the Sun Shine? To contrast, let’s see how many hours the sun shines on average per year. Valletta, Malta: 2,957 hours. Faro, Portugal: 3,044 hours. Portimão, Portugal: 3,019 hours. Alicante, Spain: 2,851 hours. Almería, Spain: 2,994 hours. Seville, Spain: 3,279 hours. How about the UK? Edinburgh, Scotland: 1,427 hours. London, England: 1,633 hours. In the UK, the sun shines half the time as in southern Europe - no hyperbole needed. Let’s now see the inherent problem with solar up north. Why is Solar a Problem in the Northern Hemisphere? Here’s something interesting: the angle at which sunlight strikes the earth isn’t constant. In fact, it varies meter by meter. That angle, called the angle of incidence, significantly affects the efficiency of solar panels. Solar panels are most efficient when sunlight strikes them perpendicularly. This is because the amount of energy the solar panel can collect is maximized when sunlight hits the panel’s surface head-on. The optimal angle for a solar panel is typically equal to the latitude of its installed location. However, this angle might be adjusted based on the specifics of the local climate, including cloud cover and the sun's angle throughout the year. And there’s a lot of cloud cover in the UK. Ask anyone who lives there. As for the angle of the sun, this is why houses with south-facing back gardens (backyards in Yankee-speak) are much more expensive in the UK than ones with north-facing gardens. North-facing back gardens don’t get any sun for half the year (most of the autumn and winter). When the angle of incidence is less than optimal, the sunlight has to travel through more atmosphere, which can scatter or absorb some of the sunlight, reducing the amount of energy that reaches the panel. Additionally, when sunlight strikes at an angle, the effective surface area of the panel being hit by sunlight is reduced, reducing the amount of energy the panel can collect. The sun's position in the sky changes with the seasons, which can affect the angle of incidence. Some solar installations have tracking systems that adjust the angle of the solar panels throughout the day and year to maintain an optimal angle of incidence. To be fair, technologies like micro-inverters and power optimizers can help mitigate some of the losses in efficiency. These technologies maximize the output from each solar panel individually, which can be especially beneficial when some panels are shaded or at a less-than-optimal angle. Three other things the UK has against it: Latitude Impact: The further a location is from the equator, the lower the sun will be in the sky, especially during winter. This results in a lower angle of incidence, which can reduce the efficiency of solar panels. The UK is way up on the earth. Seasonal Variations: The sun's angle changes with the seasons. During the summer, the sun is higher in the sky, which can provide a more favorable angle of incidence. Conversely, in the winter, the sun is lower in the sky, which can significantly reduce the efficiency of solar panels. During winter, the sun moves across the sky, barely above the horizon, in the UK. Day Length: Higher latitude locations also experience significant variations in day length throughout the year. The long days of summer can help compensate for the shorter days of winter, although the lower winter sun angle still poses a challenge. On December 22, 2023, the shortest day of the year, in London, the sun will rise at 08:04 and set at 15:53. Barely eight hours of daylight… that’s it. What is the UK Finally Doing? With all that said, the UK is finally coming to its senses. According to Felicity Bradstock of [oilprice.com]( The Conservative government in the U.K. has been accused of backtracking on several of its climate pledges over the last few months and the solar energy industry is the latest to be affected. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is following in his predecessor’s footsteps by imposing restrictions on new solar energy developments in the U.K., which could lead the country to rely on foreign energy imports to meet its growing demand for renewable energy and ensure its energy security. In September, Sunak confirmed the massive rollback of several of the U.K.’s climate policies during a speech. This came after a government plan on updated climate action was leaked. The Conservative government passed a law in 2019 aimed at achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Sunak assures the public that this goal has not changed, but the path to achieving it has. My goodness, Chesterton would be relieved. Wrap Up As capitalism’s profits pay for socialism’s follies, there’s a reckoning to be had when the profits run out. The U.K. is to be admired for trying to be clean about its energy. But it must - and will - find a more suitable way of doing so. Not all solutions work for all places. And solar certainly doesn’t work in a place where over 90% of the population has a Vitamin D deficiency. I’m thrilled Sunak told the Greenies to stick solar where the sun doesn’t shine. Have a great day! All the best… [Sean Ring] Sean Ring Editor, Rude Awakening X (formerly Twitter): [@seaniechaos]( [Paradigm]( ☰ ⊗ [ARCHIVE]( [ABOUT]( [Contact Us]( © 2023 Paradigm Press, LLC. 808 Saint Paul Street, Baltimore MD 21202. By submitting your email address, you consent to Paradigm Press, LLC. delivering daily email issues and advertisements. To end your Rude Awakening e-mail subscription and associated external offers sent from Rude Awakening, feel free to [click here.]( Please note: the mailbox associated with this email address is not monitored, so do not reply to this message. We welcome comments or suggestions at feedback@rudeawakening.info. This address is for feedback only. For questions about your account or to speak with customer service, [contact us here]( or call (844)-731-0984. 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