Tuesday is Day Zero. Wednesday is Day One. Watch. Wait. See What Develops

All indications point to the last day of September and the first day of October to be significant dates in American history.

Events are converging toward some kind of radical shift or change which only those at the very epitome of the global power structure comprehend because they are the very ones driving the events. The federal government's 2025 fiscal year ends on the 30th of September, today. The 2026 fiscal year begins on October 30, tomorrow.

Speculation has run the gamut on what's to occur from a government shutdown to the launch of World War III. Tuesday's meeting of top U.S. commanders with the rank of brigadier general and the naval equivalent, admiral, or higher, at Quntico, Virginia is also driving fears that President Trump - who is reportedly attending the meeting - and Department of Defense (recently changed by executive order to Department of War) head Pete Hegseth will be informing these high-ranking officers of battle plans military strategies.

While the gathering of top military personnel is not unusual, the timing, haste, and degree of this one has raised eyebrows among military observers and the general public. The White House has commented on the meeting, downplaying its importance. However, if anything has been learned from the first eight months of Trump's presidency, it thrives on secrecy and deception, so, the idea that this high-level meeting is about morale or downsizing or anything remotely ordinary is highly unlikely. Something's going on, and the public isn't allowed ot know what it is, which generally means that it's significant.

With a government shutdown at midnight on Tuesday a virtual lock, the military meeting could signal the beginning of martial law in the United States, which, considering how Trump has called for national guard troops to begin restoring order in big cities - from Chicago, to Portland, to Memphis - may not be so far-fetched.

Of course, it could be nothing more than posturing, to satiate allies in Europe and Asia (Japan, South Korea, Australia), but it doesn't appear to be something to be taken lightly.

In case the government does shut down - and that seems to be where this is headed ater Trump met with the leaders of both parties from the House and Senate on Monday and no progress was reported - here's a salient question that every American should ponder:

If the government, already $37 trillion in debt, does shut down at 00:00:01 Wednesday morning and has no funding for further operations, what authority do they actually wield?

As Day Zero unfolds, it might be useful to keep a sharp eye on the stock and bond markets, especially the latter, since that is where all the truly big money changes hands. If yields begin to ramp higher, it might be a signal that money is fleeing even the non-risk asset of treasury bills, notes and bonds. Declines on the stock market could also be a telling sign on Tuesday, though there is the distinct possibility that little will happen until Wednesday, when and if a government shutdown becomes a reality.

Yields on longer-dated maturities - 10s, 20s, and 30s, were lower on Monday and are trending lower early Tuesday, with the 10-year at 4.12%, down from 4.20% at the close, Friday.

Monday's action in stocks was nothing unusual, with all the major indices posting small gains. Other than the S&P closing with a number bearing the mark of the beast (6,661.21), there was nothing exciting or ominous about the stock market. In the face of what may be cataclysm, everything appeared calm, which, in an of itself, should serve as ample warning.

Heading into Tuesday's open, stock futures are down marginally. Dow: -55; NASDAQ: -18; S&P: -8. Gold and silver are off their recent highs, with gold nearly hitting $3,900 overnight, now leveled off around $3,842.40, and silver, having shot up as high as $47.34, is down around a dollar, at $46.35. WTI crude is well off recent fluffy highs, heading below $62/barrel.

Keep in mind that, even though Trump wanted to be known as a "peace president", he's been anything but. His boasting about ending seven wars (please, name three) in the face of continuing the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, falls on deaf ears.

Stay focused. Wait, watch, see what develops.

At the Close, Monday, September 29, 2025:
Dow: 46,316.07, +68.78 (+0.15%)
NASDAQ: 22,591.15, +107.09 (+0.48%)
S&P 500: 6,661.21, +17.51 (+0.26%)
NYSE Composite: 21,497.55, +20.04 (+0.09%)