The great reset

Science and Conspiracy talk:
Revealing the High Cost of Post-COVID Inflation

Podcast Show Notes

Conspiracy
Inflation. Everyone's talking about inflation. Everything costs more food, gas, clothes. But has it all been designed this way? Bruce McCarthy. Pull up a chair and open your mind. Today, science versus conspiracy. We'll be discussing inflation and the consequences of government actions from the COVID 19 lockdowns. Move over coffee over coffee.

Conspiracy
So welcome back to the show. I am your co-host. Conspiracy and.

Science
I'm Science.

Conspiracy
Today. Like I said in the intro, we'll be talking about inflation. You know.

Science
It's unbelievable that the price of eggs has gone up something like 56%.

Conspiracy
That is.

Science
Insane. Have you seen that statistic?

Conspiracy
I haven't seen that one specifically, but I do have some notes here about dairy overall has increased to 8%.

Science
6 to 8%. Okay. I just want to make sure you weren't saying 68. No, I was going to say because I think.

Conspiracy
It's going that.

Science
Way. Eggs is like the highest, though. I think so, yeah. That's why I brought that up right away. Right.

Conspiracy
Yeah. So on average, it's between six and 8%. Okay. And that's in 2023, already over 2022. Wow. Overall, I guess the grocery bill has increased by 10% since two 2022 and it's set to go up another 5 to 7%.

Science
Wow.

Conspiracy
Yeah.

Science
Now, I can't be 100% sure that the number I'm talking about is Canadian. I think it actually might be American. Mm hmm. I have seen that there is an actual it's mayhem. People trying to get eggs in the States. Have you seen that?

Conspiracy
No, But the other day, my parents went to one of the grocery stores and there was no eggs. They couldn't get any eggs.

Science
Wow. Yeah. It's mayhem in the States. And people who have chickens are are laughing, but they're also, you know, really hoping that their chickens are going to produce. And I saw I saw one post that was kind of joking, saying, you know, you ladies better produce right now or you're going in the air fryer. But but when we talk about numbers of inflation, I do have some numbers to share that are from the states that we can talk about in a minute.

Conspiracy
Yeah, sure, that'd be great. Yeah, because the numbers that I was just talking about, they were actually from a study from Dalhousie University. Okay. So they were Canadian based.

Science
Okay, cool.

Conspiracy
So it's been three years since the COVID lockdowns began, and it quickly changed our lives forever.

Science
Yeah.

Conspiracy
We suddenly had restrictions placed upon us that the world hasn't seen in over a hundred years. Masks became part of her everyday wardrobe and waiting in line for fresh fruit at the grocery stores. Empty shelves became the norm because supply chain reasons banks cut interest rates to the lowest levels in history, opening the door for the housing market to explode.

Conspiracy
Bidding wars pumped up the housing prices sharply. Houses sold for $500,000 were now selling for over $1,000,000. Governments around the world put a stranglehold on small business while letting larger multinational corporations remain open. And at the same time, the governments handed out money to anyone who applied. Billions were spent rushing in development of apps for smartphones, so the government would have a system in place to track our movements across borders.

Conspiracy
Free to travel was stopped after three years of behavior modification training. We were ready for the Great Reset, which was the theme of the 2021 World Economic Forum in Davos. The idea was sold to us as a way for the countries to rebuild after COVID. In a statement made by Klaus Schwab back in 2016, in his book The Fourth Industrial Revolution, he said, By 2030, we will own nothing and will be happy.

Conspiracy
Even though he said this in 2016, often gets attributed to the US conference and we've seen this owning nothing and we'll be happy for several years now with subscription services and monthly fees for just about everything that's that we do right. Streaming services like Netflix and Disney Plus have changed the way that we consume entertainment. We once bought VHS tapes and DVDs and finally Blu rays.

Conspiracy
We pay for it once and we can watched anytime you want. We didn't have to rely on you on an internet connection or monthly fees to enjoy the movie. We have a vehicle share programs in major in most major cities, which eliminates the need for owning a personal vehicle. And even car manufacturers are now offering subscription services for add on features after purchase.

Science
What do you mean?

Conspiracy
I think Volkswagen is one of them. They're piloting this project in Europe that for for their electric cars to extend the range of their vehicle if they want upgraded audio and navigation and it's all part of an add on or indeed driving on road pricing for for distances you pay for so much you can go so far if you want to drive further than you have to pay extra for it.

Science
Okay. Okay. Gotcha.

Conspiracy
And gas prices dropped drastically during the lockdowns. During our area, a liter of gasoline went down to about $0.87. And right now it's back up over $2 in some places. So, David, I talks about a problem reaction solution. So was this all done by design creating the problem of COVID? The reaction is shutting the world's economy down, dropping the prices of everything, allowing personal debt to grow because money was so cheap to borrow.

Conspiracy
And once we were in too deep, then increasing the prices of everything over a short amount of time, which causes more families to be dependent on government support.

Science
So am I hearing you right? There are those who are claiming then that COVID was a creation to reset global finances?

Conspiracy
Yes. And you either it was create COVID. The virus itself was created by government. That's a whole nother topic. Or they jumped on the opportunity. They saw the opportunity with COVID to initiate this this reset, this economic reset, rebuilding the world in there in the.

Science
There is a lot of paranoia in that last paragraph or so that you read. So here's the thing. I mean, I can't say it's not true. I don't have any evidence or support to either side, but I mean, my my understanding is that, you know, I know a fair bit about respiratory diseases. Having been a nurse for so long.

Conspiracy
Mm hmm.

Science
They exist. They. They aren't necessarily created in a lab. There's zoonosis. You know, we get we get diseases from animals. That's how a lot of them come into our world, into our human world. So I don't doubt the origins of COVID. Okay, So we'll just put that out there and then we can move on. Sure. But what I what I might be and you know, that's another topic, right?

Science
If we want to debate that three years later, I don't think there's any resolution. But I think what might be I might be a little less cynical about is that the government saw an opportunity and jumped on it because that's what they do. You know, and it's interesting because I again, my my meme culture comes back into the the podcast, but I saw something funny about in the three years, as you said, since the COVID lockdowns started, the first year it was toilet paper.

Conspiracy
Yep.

Science
And then the second year it was fruits and veg. And then the third year it was gas. And then now we're having an egg shortage.

Conspiracy
Right.

Science
And so how are these things even possible in a world where, you know, Amazon. I know, I know. Supply chain is a thing. Yeah, because reasons. Right. Like you said.

Conspiracy
Mm hmm.

Science
But I still, you know, for I'm jumping around here, but I am flummoxed that here in Canada, you can't just walk into the store and get children's Tylenol. Like, it's absolutely astounding.

Conspiracy
Yeah, that's exactly what I'm saying. Being having been relying on the government for your for these services that should be available. Yeah. Have they.

Science
Really reliant on.

Conspiracy
Them? Yeah. And have they artificially manipulated the markets so that there is these, these shortages and that's why it's. That's why I said supply chain reasons. Yeah. Because really there shouldn't be any reasons like we should be able to manufacture and produce the products in Canada or in the United States and not have other countries being relying on other countries.

Science
Yeah. Like, we're we're actually bringing in children's Tylenol and and whatnot from the States for a little while. Even now, we can only buy one. It's one per household. They keep it behind the counter. You have to go ask the pharmacist for it. And people were stockpiling like they did in the years before with gas, toilet paper and fruits and vegetables.

Conspiracy
Right. Yeah. And no. Oh, thank you, government, for saving us and bringing bringing in the much needed Tylenol.

Science
But so let me ask you like to what end? Why? Especially when, you know, children are our most vulnerable creatures and there are you know, children are our future y to what end would.

Conspiracy
They.

Science
Hold back?

Conspiracy
Mm hmm.

Science
Children's medication, like, that's just evil.

Conspiracy
And that that that's the definition of government evil. They want control, and that's what it is. That's what it's always been.

Science
Something to control, though. Why would they do that to young children?

Conspiracy
The children are just a part of a pawn in this whole game of chess. They really want their their parents. And if they can hold it over their parents, their age, their child safety and health, then they have full control over what they can and can't do with their parents lives. How so? You're asking, how does the government hold power over its citizens?

Science
Well, I mean, that's a very broad question, but what I mean is what what are the trickle down effects? Like, what is the chain that you see? And I know we're jumping in a little bit away from inflation, but we're not because it's all about control, according to conspiracy theorists. But I want to see how does this play out?

Science
So your child needs Tylenol? Yeah. And you have to go ask for it from the pharmacist.

Conspiracy
Mm hmm.

Science
Now, what is that? What does that do? What is the trickle down effect that plays into how they control the parents? And.

Conspiracy
Well, if there's a shortage and then there's the government brings in extra supply, it boosts their popularity, and, oh, the government's the savior. And when it comes election time, they say, Oh, we were able to at a time when children's medication was at a minimum, we were able to bring in supply and save save your children. So then parents will vote for the leader for that party and keep them in power for another four years or whatever.

Science
Is it the government controlling the supply of Tylenol when it's manufacturers that make it and distribute it.

Conspiracy
Just because the government or just because manufacturers says that their supply is limited doesn't necessarily mean that the supply is limited. Take, for example, Apple or Samsung, what their new with their phones. You always hear right after that they right after the launch of of a new product that the supply chain they they may not have enough product to to meet the demand.

Conspiracy
So everybody rushes out and buys the new phone right away making the company more money because then yeah.

Science
I get all that how it is.

Conspiracy
So that's the same way in the government. They, they make it. They say that there's a shortage. The government comes in swooping in.

Science
No, no, no. But you're saying that Tylenol is being controlled by the government. It's not the government who manufacture.

Conspiracy
No, no, no. I understand.

Science
Tylenol. Oh, like, how are they controlling it?

Conspiracy
They're controlling the distribution of.

Science
Health.

Conspiracy
By artificially saying that there's a shortage.

Science
But they're not saying it's that it's the manufacturers who are saying that there's a shortage and the government is responding to that problem.

Conspiracy
Reaction solution.

Science
The government doesn't distribute the meds.

Conspiracy
No, but they can they control the.

Science
Okay. I think we're going to have to agree to disagree on this one. How does this pertain to eggs, then?

Conspiracy
Same thing because like you said, in a large country like Canada with the farmlands that we have, why is there an egg shortage?

Science
Is that avian flu?

Conspiracy
Well, so they say that there's some animal disease that is contributing to the lack of stock. But I would argue that it's impossible for a country of this size not to be able to get healthy eggs or meat from another area without causing shortages.

Science
Right.

Conspiracy
Because it's impossible that all all farms everywhere in Canada have avian flu.

Science
Yeah, we have a lot of farmland, folks.

Conspiracy
Yeah. Yeah. And in the States, too. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Science
But there's. What is. What does it just like NAFTA and everything have to say about eggs coming up like.

Conspiracy
Well, I think they. I don't know the ins and outs about it. Yeah, I'm not a NAFTA expert, but I know there are restrictions. And of dairy products and other meats coming across the border.

Science
Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Because there's even regulations. There have been some stores that have been selling U.S. milk.

Conspiracy
Mm hmm.

Science
And it wasn't labeled as being U.S. milk. And that's an issue because if it's not coming from Canada, it has to say. Okay. So going back to inflation.

Conspiracy
Going back to inflation.

Science
Like, I get how the supply and demand drives up the price.

Conspiracy
Yeah.

Science
But you're saying that the conspiracy theorists are saying that this is all either creation or severely opportunistic jump on by the government? Yes. And driving up the cost of everything, driving up inflation puts us more under their control.

Conspiracy
Correct. And like with the gas prices going from $0.87 during the pandemic to almost $2 a liter or over $2 leader in some areas last night, $0.13 of that is carbon tax. Then there's transportation tax. So if they really wanted to help out the everyday person, yeah, they would be able to lower some of these taxes on higher on top of taxes.

Conspiracy
And I'm not saying the governments are the only ones that are at fault here. Some of the corporations like the oil and gas, they see an opportunity to and it's like when like a cat sneezes in germs theory, that's reason enough to raise the price of gas.

Science
And then, you know, this hurts this hurts the low income strata stratum of the society most and which.

Conspiracy
Makes them more reliant on government.

Science
Yeah.

Conspiracy
Help.

Science
Yeah.

Conspiracy
So then the government's there be if you're relying solely on government help, then the government can tell you when and where and what to do a lot more easily.

Science
So you think this is all like a grand master scheme? But why? Why does the government need to control.

Conspiracy
The.

Science
Bottom 10% say, of people, economically speaking, you know, or the or the middle class?

Conspiracy
Well, they were they've been trying to erode the middle class for 50 years. 50 plus years.

Science
Why?

Conspiracy
Because they want they want basically two classes. They want the upper class, the 1% that funds and pays for their reelections and their campaigns. And then you have everybody else who who they want to rely on their government for supports because if the government is giving handouts and money to underprivileged part of society, then they have power over them.

Conspiracy
They are going to more likely to vote for them because they have they're giving them kind of free accommodations, free food.

Science
But that's not going to happen for the vast majority of the population. Like it's not going to get to the point where you and I and everybody that we know who is like solid middle class, we're not going to be the ones begging for food on the streets, you know, for the grace of God there. But for the grace of God go I whatever.

Conspiracy
No, but that's what they want.

Science
I don't think so. I don't think so. Because you know how expensive it is to run those programs. Did you know it's more expensive, for example, to incarcerate somebody than it is to put them in supportive housing and have them fed by a meal program?

Conspiracy
Right. But if everybody is at that bottom level and they can come to everything, any science fiction movie in a dystopian future, because that's that's that's well.

Science
Of course I have. But science fiction movies and what's actually happening in our society today in the U.S., Canada, wherever. You know, it's not a direct translation.

Conspiracy
I kind of disagree with Oh.

Science
No, no, no, no. Because, you know, the numbers of people who are unhoused.

Conspiracy
Mm hmm.

Science
It's so although it's way too high, it's still relatively small compared to the population. The percentage of the population that's housed.

Conspiracy
No, but like, how many people are on living off of their credit cards?

Science
Oh, yeah.

Conspiracy
And so the credit card companies can put 20% on on their interest rates.

Science
I think I saw something like credit card debt in the States is higher than it's been in decades.

Conspiracy
Yeah, because people during the pandemic, it was there. They were given money and everything was at a discount because they were trying to keep the economy going.

Science
Oh, wait a minute. Okay. Two things here. What do you mean they were given money?

Conspiracy
Well, okay, so in the States and in Canada, the system was set up slightly different. In Canada, we had cerb the whatever, whatever it stands for, like.

Science
Canadian economic recovery benefit or something like that. Yeah, but not everybody got it.

Conspiracy
But just but everybody could apply for it. And what's happening now is that anybody who wasn't eligible, they're being asked to repay it, which puts a strain on them financially. Now, probably putting it on credit card and going into even further debt. And they in the government, I'm suggesting that the government knew this was going to happen and let it happen.

Conspiracy
And they printed money. So when we were able to come out of it that our money was worthless, essentially because what are we like 73, $0.75 us?

Science
Yeah.

Conspiracy
Like before the pandemic we were or a couple of years before the pandemic, we were almost at par now. Yeah, Really? I can't remember the year, but I remember I remember it wasn't that long ago.

Science
Wow.

Conspiracy
That we were almost level.

Science
Wow. And now I can't think that far back.

Conspiracy
Yeah. And now it's the we it hampers trade with our U.S. counterparts. It restricts our travel going across because nobody who wants to spend that much money on exchange when you're buying, going for a vacation.

Science
Yeah, sure.

Conspiracy
So the same thing in Canada. So inadvertently, like they're not restricting our travel like some communist countries would restrict your travel, but they are restricting your travel by other means. And but they still but they're still trying to on the one hand, they're doing all this restricting and tightening down. And then on the other hand, they're saying, oh, but we're not doing it, and here's some extra money and here's some program money for programs and buy this stuff.

Science
Yeah, the extra money in programs, though, I mean, this is kind of something that conspiracy theorists do. Like. You throw out phrases like that when really there's there's very few specific programs.

Conspiracy
Well, have you seen in the last day or two within the Canadian government that Christine, Christine Freeland give or the government Liberal government, federal government has given was like $8.5 billion to a non-existent company?

Science
No. Yeah. Okay. What's that about?

Conspiracy
So I don't know all the facts about it because I've just started seeing it pop up on the news. But apparently they gave $8.5 billion to a non-existing company to combat like climate change or something. I got to look into it more.

Science
Well, okay. So that's going to have to be a conspiracy short for an upcoming audio. But let's get back to inflation.

Conspiracy
Right. So but I'm just saying, with the inflation, yeah, when they're giving away $8.5 billion to non-existing companies, the money's got to come from someplace and it raises our taxes, which we're already strapped for. Yeah, I saw. And this is, I guess maybe when you can throw out some of the statistics. Um, yeah. So over the next year, grocery, the grocery bill will just groceries alone will increase by like over 10%, which is like an extra thousand dollars.

Science
Yeah. I've got the projection to be 11.8.

Conspiracy
Yeah.

Science
Yeah. And, you know, I just, I just want to go one step back and clarify what I meant when you were talking about, like programs. I thought you meant, like, government programs to assist people in the ways that we actually need to be assisted by changing the socio or the social determinants of health. Right? Mm hmm. I wasn't thinking about these these non existent companies.

Conspiracy
And they don't care about our health either.

Science
Yeah. So that's another topic.

Conspiracy
Yes, it.

Science
Is. But so some of the inflation numbers that I have. So eggs, obviously we've talked about that, but that's the number that I have actually is it's 59.9%. Well, it's actually 60% eggs have gone up, butter 31.4% airline fares, which is always a problem. And it's a luxury for most. I mean, you don't have to fly anywhere, but you do have to eat.

Science
But still, 28.5. This one gets me lettuce. Oh, yes. Because we've seen this We've seen this in action. Lettuce is up 25%. And it's bonkers that we go into a grocery store and you have to pay $6 for a head of iceberg lettuce. Yeah.

Conspiracy
Wow.

Science
Yeah. And you know, I where we live, folks, we don't really have the opportunity to do extensive gardening, but, you know, all these people who are turning their front lawns into raised garden beds really have the right idea. Growing your own food is becoming more and more appealing. Raising your own chickens, you know, speaking of, the eggs are great, but chicken itself is up 11%.

Science
Milk 12 and a half potatoes. Were they in the early stages of the pandemic? I don't know if you remember, they couldn't give away potatoes right?

Conspiracy
Yeah. Yeah.

Science
We saw tons and tons, hundreds of tons of potatoes going to waste.

Conspiracy
Yeah. And they're doing, like French fries, too. Like free French fries at restaurants. People just had a surplus.

Science
Yeah. Now potatoes are up 13%. Wow. Breakfast cereal, 13%. Apples, six and a half percent. Rice, 19. I mean, sorry, 14% rice.

Conspiracy
Rice.

Science
Rice is like ubiquitous coffee. I know. Coffee is always at the mercy of inflation. Coffee's up 14%. Bread 16%, 16%. Yeah, but, you know, we can't necessarily grow and make our own coffee at home, and nor do I want to bake my own bread. We've tried that and we failed at it. But, I mean, we can't really grow our own rice here either, but lettuce, lettuce, tomatoes, you know, things like that.

Science
We might want to start thinking about.

Conspiracy
For several.

Science
Reasons. I mean, it's just good to be self-sustaining and not have to rely on the government. Right.

Conspiracy
Exactly. But because of regulations or certain regulations, you're not allowed to have chickens in certain parts of different cities. Yeah. So I'd argue that the that this is all designed by the government to limit the amount of food that we're able to grow, how we're able to grow it, because you can't even fish for certain fish at certain times because of regulations.

Science
You think, Yes. Or are you on the voice of conspiracy? Believe it to be a control mechanism for removing our free will and narrowing our choices. Is that what I'm hearing?

Conspiracy
Narrowing your choices? Because I don't want to use that free will conversation, that language because I have specific I have a specific definition and beliefs about free will that we talked about in other episodes. Right, right, right. But yes, essentially layman's terms. Yes. It restricts our free will and our our choices.

Science
So there's been a bit of a bounce back. I guess the inflation rate has dropped a little tiny bit in the last, I think, one week. How do you explain that from a conspiracy theorist perspective?

Conspiracy
It's one month over a longer period of time. We're still headed for a recession. Interest rates, they were talking just before Christmas that in Canada that they're probably going to raise the interest rates at least one more time early in 2023, February or March. So there's there's there's going to be no relief. Plus that in April across the country, except in Quebec, carbon tax is being increased.

Science
Oh, God.

Conspiracy
For fuel, things are keep going up and up and up and up. And like this, 10% or 12%, 11.5 or whatever percent inflation overall for groceries. That's that's an early predicting prediction.

Science
Yeah.

Conspiracy
What's going to be actually in December.

Science
Well there and but that's why I'm asking you like you know it's gone it's actually gone back down a bit.

Conspiracy
But I'm saying like everything is still increasing in pricing, like gas is kind of held just below $2 a liter for a couple of weeks now, which is great. Yeah, but soon as something triggers like we get a nasty storm or halts production someplace down in the refineries down in the United States, things are going to go back up.

Science
So we hit a high of two, 39i think last year didn't we. To 33 nine. Yeah something.

Conspiracy
Like that.

Science
And what was the low we paid recently. Wasn't it like 145 or something.

Conspiracy
Yes.

Science
Yeah. Not, not recently I should say, you know, but within the last couple of months I guess That's right. Yeah. So do you think gas is going to go back up to that 230 again?

Conspiracy
Oh, absolutely. Because with this climate agenda, this greedy agenda that the governments of the world are really, really pushing for, that they're trying to to phase out oil and gas, which which is even going to raise the price even more because there's millions of cars on the road, there's millions of homes on the road or on the road with millions, millions of homes that are heated by natural gas.

Science
And electricity is going up and electricity 18%.

Conspiracy
Yeah, and that's only going to go up even more. Plus, I'm scared to see if we're going to be having like these rolling blackouts because of everything's being electrified with the with the cars. Yeah. So somebody's going to pay for the infrastructure of the electrical grid to accommodate these electric cars if everybody.

Science
But that's a long term.

Conspiracy
No, that's 20, 30.

Science
Yeah.

Conspiracy
2030.

Science
That's a lot sooner than you think I guess.

Conspiracy
Yeah. Yeah. And like 2025 is one of the milestones that something like 60% of cars must be sold, must be electric. Wow. And then by 2030, like these unrealistic goals and it's only going to increase. And I saw that and I saw this article the other day, and I haven't had a chance to read it yet. But in the U.S., the Biden administration is considering banning gas just like gas ranges in Watts.

Conspiracy
Yeah.

Science
And then they had to redo all the ovens across the world, you know, across the United States.

Conspiracy
Yeah, because it's it's gas and it's it's bad for the for the climate and for the environment.

Science
But no, that'll never fly. Restaurants, everything. Yeah. No.

Conspiracy
But then that forces the subsidy programs that the governments are going to put out and you'll have to pay a third of what it would actually cost. But somebody's got to pay for that money somewhere and it's going to be the consumer. And like the tax paying citizen, they're going to be paying more for everything else to pay for these government programs, which goes back to the inflation and goes back to the control that the government has on us.

Science
Well, that's depressing. Oh, what a what a high note. Let's end on a on that high note there. You know what? I think we should do? Actually, it'd be interesting. Make a note in our program planning so that December of this year we revisit we, you and I sit down and listen to this podcast and we look at the numbers and see where we're at.

Science
In December of 2023.

Conspiracy
Yeah, that's that's a great idea to do that.

Science
Yeah. So stick with us, folks. We'll we'll see what actually happens to inflation in Canada and the U.S. You know, by means make sure you comment. If you live elsewhere in the world, let us know what your your financial situations like with respect to inflation.

Conspiracy
And yeah, let us know. We're always interested in hearing other people's perspectives.

Science
Yeah.

Conspiracy
Yeah. All right. So we'll leave it there. If you like the show, please subscribe. We'll leave links in the show.

Science
Notes and please check out our Patreon. We're going to be adding so much more content there. So we'd love to have members on our Patreon getting more in-depth analysis, photos, bloopers all kinds of freebies, discounts. When we do merch, there's all kinds of stuff that you're going to get as a benefit.

Conspiracy
Yep, go check that out.

Science
So for today, for today I'm saying saying stay curious but rely on the facts.

Conspiracy
And I'm conspiracy. And remember, being paranoid is smart. We'll see you next time.

Science
Hope you enjoyed your coffee.

Conspiracy
This week's episode of Science versus Conspiracy Over Coffee was produced by Logic, Logica Research and writing was done by Bob Homer and Jennifer Timer at.

 

 

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments