Weather Derivatives and Climate Disasters are a Combo Worth Watching

Here are summaries of the top parapolitical stories from yesterday August 23, 2023:

1. WEATHER DERIVATIVES STRIKE AGAIN
   
   This article delves into the obscure area of weather derivatives trading and options, arguing that weather manipulation technologies paired with these derivatives could give way to a form of insider trading. The author suggests that some natural disasters could be predicted or even created for financial gain, referencing the sudden sell-off of Indonesian bonds before the 2004 tsunami as an example. They urge the need to examine weather futures and trades of areas hit by disasters, and question who benefited from them. The article ends with doubts and suggests that patterns may appear under careful scrutiny.
   

2. My Discussion with Sasha Latypova about the Insanity of the WHO Pandemic Treaty
   
   A summary paper by Meryl Nass reviews the WHO Pandemic Treaty, which critics argue supports the interests of global "mafia" over sovereign nations. It primarily discusses the treaty's encouragement of gain-of-function research and demand for countries to collect and sequence the genomes of their citizens, which Nass and others see as problematic. The paper also highlights the biodefense industry, suggesting it's a way for taxpayers' money to be channeled into private interests. A contingent of US Congresspeople (49, all GOP) are already against the treaty and the paper encourages public engagement on this topic.
   

3. The CEO of Pfizer is now the world's highest paid Pharma boss
   
   Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer, has emerged to be the highest earning executive in the Pharma industry with a compensation package reaching $33 million last year. Since 2019, he's earned nearly $100 million in salary and also made significant wealth from the sale of Pfizer stock. During Bourla's tenure, Pfizer collaborated with Trump and Biden administrations to secure billion-dollar deals for their vaccines, transferring costs onto taxpayers. The profits from these sales have significantly contributed to Pfizer's record returns. Critics, however, argue that Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, despite the high profits, fell short of expectations and demonstrated notable side effects.
   

4. Prigozhin is DEAD?
   
   Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, known for highlighting the corruption in Russia's Ministry of Defense, has allegedly died in a plane crash along with Wagner PMC commander Dmitry Utkin and eight others. The Embraer executive jet crashed in the Tver region while flying from Moscow to St. Petersburg. The jet is reportedly owned by Prigozhin, but his death and Utkin's have not been officially confirmed. Following Prigozhin's assumed 'abortive coup', his free movement around Russia raised questions over hidden motivations and the power dynamics within the Russian hierarchy. Some believe these events indicate an ongoing power struggle amongst the Russian oligarchs.
   

5. Elections Are Bad for Our Democracy, WEF and Bill Gates' Senior Adviser Says
   
   Adam Grant, a senior World Economic Forum (WEF) contributor and adviser to Google and Bill Gates, believes elections may do more harm than good for democracy, according to a New York Times article. Instead, Grant proposes officials be selected from a pool of candidates via sortition, similar to how jurors are selected. Candidates would need to pass a civics test to qualify for the pool. He argues this system would save money otherwise spent on election campaigns and remove party politics from governance. Critics question the fairness of the selection process and potential risk of excluding those seeking to question the status quo.