You’ll remember that in the 1980s, I was senior VP of a regional Caribbean jet airline? We had a saying back then – and worth remembering today – that “Crashes come in Two’s and Three’s.” (Mostly threes.)
That matters because of a tragic accident in the skies over D.C. early today: American air plane collides with helicopter near DC airport. And the outlook for survivors is dim. 18 Bodies Recovered From River Following Aircraft Crash Near Reagan National airport.
Of course, “science” will insist there’s nothing to accidents in 3’s:
“The idea that aircraft accidents “come in 3’s” is largely a psychological phenomenon, not based on actual statistical data; there’s no inherent reason why accidents should cluster in groups of three, and the perception of this pattern likely arises from the heightened media attention surrounding multiple accidents occurring within a short time frame, making them seem more frequent than they truly are. “
Still, after 75-years of watching the world, we have come to the conclusion that “randomness ain’t entirely random” and that – just like in Casinos – you will often get runs of a certain number or card.
We weren’t planning to travel anywhere in a plane this spring. And for now, that seems like a really good idea. Even if there’s nothing but randomness going on…
Bounce: GDP and Jobless Filings
As we expected, the Fed didn’t give the market more free lunch. Choosing (and we think wisely) to hold rates at present levels. There’s a lot coming in the way of financial change. The Fed needs to keep some powder dry.
Today, early futures were calling a bounce. But only back to about where things were ahead of the Fed decision based on early futures pricing.
If you want a worthy math problem to ponder: We were just talking about how 2’s and 3’s seem to show up in airline disasters, but we wonder if this same Misperception of randomness is also behind the Elliott waves of two or three impulsive or corrective legs to a market’s trading? You do the math, I’ll share the Nobel with you (my question, right?). And hopefully, one of us will make some Big Money with it…
GDP is out. This is a big deal because it let’s us consider the Velocity of Money at M2 – something we can dig deeper into Friday. ” It’s calculated by dividing the nominal GDP by the average M2 money stock in a quarter. ”
Here’s what’s new today:
Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 2.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to the advance estimate. In the third quarter, real GDP increased 3.1 percent. The increase in real GDP in the fourth quarter primarily reflected increases in consumer spending and government spending that were partly offset by a decrease in investment. Imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, decreased.
M2 is useful because it’s a fundamental driver of the “value of money.” When the value of the money falls, the number of money-units (dollars needed) goes up. On the Fed’s money supply page (here, please make a note of it) despite all the hype and circumstance, the money supply was up – non adjusted – on a Dec. to Dec basis, 3.86672 percent. Some of that comes because of inflationary pressures (that huge mountain of National Debt, for example). But the economy also grew some as Slow Joe was about to go… so Velocity at M2 over time is a nice way of sorting out whose thumbs are on the scales of finance. (It’s not yours and mine, obviously…)
All this turns into jobs and jobless numbers. And I was really struck during the Chairman’s remarks after the Fed hold: He sees a labor market that is good (if you have a job) but one where finding the next one could be difficult. If you were planning to get yourself laid-off, might be harder getting back on a payroll somewhere.
As for how it felt “in the States”?
The next economic note is that Gold was trading over $2,800 today. Silver hit the $32 handle. Long-time readers will remember our “in price” was $273 for the yeller dog in 2001. And – if you happened to buy then, hang on, and live the “downsizing life” your back-up to Social Security could be sold-off without long-term capital gains tax provided you keep yourself poor on paper, under what, $94,000 a year? Which if you have zero debt. Of course, you’ve worked this all out on your own, right?
If not, BTC is trying to hold $105,000 today. But, like we’ve said from the get-go, government hates competition when comes to making up money. Will crypto be seized like gold and silver in the Depression?
Tariff Weekend?
Much gnashing and whining about: Trump’s on-and-off tariff threats may hurt capital spending goes one view. But on the other hand, Trump’s Successful Tariff Threat to Colombia Sets Stage for Mass Expulsions.
We could wake up in a much different world next week. The U.S. wants to stop fentanyl. Trump commerce nominee says Canada, Mexico can avoid tariffs, vows stronger China tech curbs.
Scrolling and Crawling
Say, he was a democrat, wasn’t he? Former Sen. Bob Menendez Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison.
RFKjr’s nomination may vote today. And he’s calling out the “takers” on the Hill: RFK Jr: Why are members of Congress doing the bidding of this Danish company instead of standing up for American farmers and children. We’ll see how “tell the Truth and leave shortly thereafter…” plays out. And did you read Disgraced Mike Pence, Funded by Big Pharma, Tries to Derail RFK’s Nomination? Gee, surprised?
At another Grill on the Hill -dems are back to their Trump-blocking ways: Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s pick to oversee US spy agencies, will face grilling at confirmation hearing.
Third Grill the charm for the obstructionist party? Sparks expected to fly at Kash Patel’s Senate confirmation hearing to lead FBI. Bring popcorn, IQ tests and look up major media company employment donors in the advanced search tools over at OpenSecrets.org….the reports are not complete, yet, but you’ll see a pattern develop…media and Harris….
Still, the Deep State stooges aren’t giving up: James O’Keefe on X: “We have a top DHS official ON TAPE revealing plans by DHS employees to defy Trump-appointed Kristi Noem’s orders. cc: @DHSgov, @KristiNoem – thoughts?” / X
But, for now, the rule of law is returning as 1000’s of ICE Agents Descend on CA ‘Super’ Sanctuary City to ‘Take’ 100,000 Illegal Aliens [WATCH]. Well, except in Chicago, maybe: Whistleblower: Multiple FBI Agents Called In Sick With ‘Blue Flu’ To Avoid Helping ICE Round-Up Criminal Illegals In Chicago. And you wonder why people leave Illinois?
And did you catch this on Al Jazeera? “Mexico cannot cope with a sudden influx of millions of people.” Um…we don’t seem to remember Mexico or SA/CA countries asking us… ‘We stopped that’: Trump administration revokes deportation protections for Venezuelans…
And a useful tech tip today: How to remove the Windows 11 news and weather widget | Tom’s Guide
At the Ranch: Early Spring, Mower Prep
Two decent-sized projects this weekend here. One of them involves changing out the winter oil and putting a fresh load in the riding mower. Checking the battery, making a few “test passes” and such. Because in the next week, temps are heading back over 75 out here – a bit early for the year – and we need to be ready to mash the lawn back into submission.
Also, with the hydroponics coming up with seedlings, time to do a rebuild of the swamp cooler for the attached greenhouse. I’ll try to remember to snap some pictures for ShopTalk Sunday when it comes up in the repair rotation. When running flat-out, you’re doing well to get a season out of a swamp cooler fan motor. New media pads due to land this weekend. Check Home Depot pricing – we’ve found them a reliable source for things.
One thing we’re planning for the “sunny sides” of the house this year will be putting up some “shade sails” to keep heat off the place. There’s a thing in the South, you don’t see up north much: People put “roof-overs” over mobile homes. Dramatically reduces cooling costs. Since most mobile homes are built “on the cheap side” the biggest bang for the buck is planting tall shade trees and putting in sun shading…
And another Deck Build is coming. My dad’s favorite part of construction was always framing. “Nothing like seeing “enclosed space” appear out of the vacuum…” I totally get that. But I like decks. Not too hard to build, they look good (with a decent railing) and they are great three seasons for sitting outside. Yep, 76th birthday may involve deck-building.
Write when you get rich (or find a new power tool I don’t already have),
George@Ure.net
Re IQ tests, Talib thinks it doesn’t matter much as long as its over 100:
https://medium.com/incerto/iq-is-largely-a-pseudoscientific-swindle-f131c101ba39
https://x.com/nntaleb/status/1567399145048084484
AND, I got one of these put together yesterday and recommend it for getting around the Ranch!
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/coleman-196cc-gas-powered-rear-suspension-mini-bike-b200rsv
On sale for ridiculous price and almost like the above but no rear suspension (bad on the back) is this at Walmart:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Realtree-RT200-Gas-Powered-196cc-Camo-Power-Ride-On-Mini-Bike/349008631?
Hmm.. I Q tests.. are the valuable.. what difference does it make if you can spot a pattern in an abstract puzzle..absolutely not one dam thing..
opportunities pass each of us in life..what’s the difference if your unable to take advantage of them..there’s language and social standards that are alien to someone. does that mean they have a lower ability to understand?
I believe…. EVERYONE ….. is a genius in their own way.. each has struggles and issues that no one is aware of. no matter what your status is in life..
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1330264855/everyone-you-meet-is-fighting-a-battle?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=be+kind+everyone+you+meet+is+fighting+a+battle+you+know+nothing+about+sweatshirt&ref=sr_gallery-1-5&content_source=523150e77db33c636c60e234ff9b6093e4968ef5%253A1330264855&organic_search_click=1
that was the t shirt I gave out for Xmas last year… I have dealt with a lot seen a lot…but having known some in more dire situations I realize I could never survive in their position in life..I don’t have a clue..on the opposite side..I have know people in th B club that have just as many issues coping with what’s going on in their life.. lack of education and experiences decides ones path in life.
most likely trump’s bullying of colombia will drive colombia to align more with china and russia. this is very dangerous as china has expansionism on its mind in south america. china is loaning south american countries moneuy and building giant ports and roads. south america has long been a proxy in the pushing between the US, china and russia. china will occupy any power vacuum left by the US.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg79y3rz1eo
https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/china-influence-latin-america-argentina-brazil-venezuela-security-energy-bri
https://www.csis.org/analysis/responding-chinas-growing-influence-ports-global-south
good on menendez. i don’t see anyone defending him. no one should want a convicted felon serving in office. right?
roundups of people and sending them to camps ain’t a good look. what’s next, loading them onto rail cars?
No worries – they wont be bothered with Delousing anyone this time around – will just send em back Lice, Ticks, Bot Flies and all, no need for Zyklon B or any other Delousing agent.
Wont even be putting them to work like the Nazi’s did with the jews, no, just sending em back from wence they came.
Ure way off course with Ure passive aggressive libatard bullshit – no one going to waste perfectly good rail transport/cars on illegals, think Swing Gibbetsm,Guillotines, .22’s tween the Eyes = Cost Efficiency.
; )
One so rarely hears “whence” anymore; Jack Benny shows us how (and when):
https://youtu.be/jU7M604Vck8?si=wcykvTYw-NtahPOq
they don’t have a problem with railraos cars
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12530151/Migrants-cheering-train-mexico-border-crisis.html
Is TRUMP gonna throw them in the gulag , oh ,that’s right , obiden does that.
This is an odd thing… I am in total agreement with you….
The USA ……WAS ….. once upon a time one of the most influential voice in the crowd… by our legislators allowing foreign entities to buy them and influencing us to march destroy and steal for their gain..
we have hurt the image we once portrayed as the head of the pile.
then we had the last administration and their attack on the taxpayers ..
the affects of their actions was Demonstrable that we are no longer the one on the top. the Bric’s .. for over ten years as we would march in and take..they were coming in behind us an apologising for our inability to accept their cultures and ethics then signing agreements to these counties to stand up for them and their way of life..
can it change..absolutely..we need to become the industrial nation we once was. right now we are a consumption nation..make it to fail and replace rather than quality and value.
(” no one should want a convicted felon serving in office. right?”)
then again no one wants to have thrown in their face that the legislators and their families are above the laws to.
truth,
His Excellency President Pietro of Colombia born on April 19th would likely appreciate your kind words. He’s a descendent of migrants from Campania in southern Italy conquered by Hannibal in 216 bc. As a youth he took up the cause with the M19 (19th of April movement) guerilla faction in Colombia. Apparently the group devoted itself to change via various methods including assassinations. During his guerilla service, “Wikipedia” notes present-day President Pietro carried out his terror business under the handle of “Aureliano”. This was an unlucky guerilla leader in the fictional Latin American magnum opus “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel Garcia Márquez.
Aurelian (“Aureliano”) was a Roman Emperor during the Crisis of the Third Century. He was honored afterwards with the title “Restorer of the World”. His palace was duplicated in Malibu in the form of the Getty Museum which was saved from the recent LA fires. President Biden held a G7 Summit on the Museum’s most spacious portico. Certainly George would have ample acreage at his locale to construct a deck of similar if not greater proportion.
Truth be told….if you are here illegally you’ll probably want to go home and opt out of a vacation at the GITMO Motel. At GITMO there’s plenty of conches, barracuda, and formaldehyde beer for everyone though….LOL.
truth:
I’ll play along. I recall many items of disgrace from the last administration, and others before. ain’t a good look.
Lambasting Orange Man for questionable charges promoted by a political adversary seems shallow. ain’t a good look.
Russia and China attemp relationships to wedge in but, any real alliance draws down power for local “issues”. ain’t a good look.
It’s OK to be surly if your crew didn’t win but, this won’t be the last time. Meanwhile, got anything else? ain’t a good look.
ATL: broke many Edicts of E today. Mrs. has been ill for 3 days. I’ve now exposed capability to do laundry and dishes. Now?
ain’t a good look.
Egor
“ trump’s bullying of colombia will drive colombia to align more with china ”
… as if Biden kissing China’s butt hasn’t already aligned China in position into and against America.
“ roundups of people and sending them to camps ain’t a good look. what’s next, loading them onto rail cars?”
Considering Columbia and other countries released their violent criminals from prisons to come here, I have no problem with using rail cars to get them out.
I’ll go with a convicted felon more so than a traitor yet to be convicted, any day.
That’s my Truth.
Sen. Bernie Sanders – $1.5M from Big Pharma
Witch Elizabeth Warren – $5.2 from Big Pharma
Gotta protect their income in their rants and lies against RFK Jr.
Exactly…
foreign countries cartels and just about anyone that wants something can buy our congress..its become a big business venture.. poor representatives that just get voted in become multi millionaires over night..
take marijuana.. literally thousands of products and pharmaceuticals that can be made.. only 7 out of a million would be addicted to it..
yet cartels alcohol industries and pharmaceutical companies invest in keeping it illegal..why spend that kind of money to our legislators.
industry should .. NOT … have direct contact or influential say in what the legislators vote on. they should NOT be writing the bills..the single nut in office should be the one writing it just like our forefathers did..( a law would maybe be one page not tens of thousands of pages ) and every legislation should be written so that anyone with a high school education ..oh check any with an 8th grade education can understand ..
I saw the Warren grilling RFK clip. Someone must have slipped her some crazy drugs into her am routine, because she was nearly frothing in her rage.
Warren accepted $625, 580 from Pharma (over a 34 yr period), not your hyperbolic $5 mill:
https://www.opensecrets.org/2020-presidential-race/elizabeth-warren/industries?id=N00033492
2024, Warren accepted $49.7k
https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/summary?code=H04&cycle=2024&ind=H04&mem=Y&recipdetail=S&sortorder=U
Sanders did accept $1.2 million, over a 34 yr period, but only $38k for the year of 2024:
https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/summary?cycle=All&ind=H04&recipdetail=M&sortorder=U
RFK Jr took in $200k just in 2024 from Pharma:
https://www.opensecrets.org/2024-presidential-race/robert-f-kennedy-jr/industries?cycle=2024&id=N00052560&src=o&type=f
Gotta protect your screaming falsehoods, pump out more disinformation!
No, you have to include payments to relatives and consulting fees and uncles, neices, nephews…the sauage hides rule c – you oughta know that
Some shade cloth would help too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChyektifqUI
I had an interesting dream last night. In my dream I had two seperate conversations with friends who were unable to get a large amount (I think $200) of $1, $5, and $10 bills at their banks. My Oklahoma friend has a number of rental houses were people pay her in cash and she wanted change, just in case. My Pennsylvania friend wanted to hold a garage sale.
I’m not worried about money at the moment so it was odd but interesting.
Banks are required to keep a certain amount of cash on hand. It is very unlikely the bank did not have $200 0f $1,5,10 on hand. More likely, it was a busy cash day & the teller would have had to go to the vault and get more bills, which can be a hassle. So the easy thing to do is say to the customer…no can do. Next time, ask for the manager & she will get her cash.
It was an odd dream. it never occurred to me that a bank couldn’t make change.
What’s funny is banks don’t really have cash..its all on paper..a digital dollar. in the 80’s I would stop and have coffee at the small credit union branch before heading home..deposit my check and eat breakfast next door.. on one of those days they were setting the tellers drawers..
all they had for money was 1500.00 in bills and change to start the day.. money would come in during the day so someone coming in with a couple grand check.. but starting cash on hand.. I don’t know how much working cash large banks have but my guess is not as much as one would imagine.. I believe that’s why they have the 90 day clause on large withdrawal just in case someone with a lot of numbers came in and asked for cash.
LOB is right about banks not having much cash.
Last year I switched to all online banking like most of you.
Prior, I’d go to the bank and pull 5 or 10k in cash, sometimes more and I’d have to sit there for 30 minutes or longer while the safe or something clicked open for my cash request to be processed. Them writing a bank check took a minute. Another time I was in a rush so took all their 50s and 20s. There’s not much physical money in a bank.
Now that’s I’m on the line w/BoA as the heart sending moola in and out has become instant but digits.
Hey, dude. It was a dream. Or didn’t you read that part?
Most money center and a lot of regional banks have money in their cash machines available for withdrawal by denomination. Generally not ones and fives, but they do have the rest. You can select what you want and if the machine has the money, it will provide it. I think they hold back a bit for their own change needs, but it’s a good place to get perhaps $500 in the denominations of your choice. If that bin is empty, they just won’t allow that amount unless you change the denominations.
Some still have the old default of $20 bills only.
January 2025 has been a rough month for aviation …
https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/statements/accident_incidents
Best analysis of the midair over DC so far:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3gD_lnBNu0
The host was a military transport pilot and walks us through this one. He has the charts and tapes along with any other info he can glean. The best info I’ve seen so far was that the jet was on a controlled approach to DCA runway 1 and the controllers asked for a change to runway 33 while already on the glideslope. This caused a base leg out over the Potomac to line up with runway 33. This put him directly over a helicopter transit path(max altitude 200′). The chopper in question was asked to visually confirm the airliner was in sight and did so, asking for visual separation(on him). The controller accepted this request, but then the chopper broke a maximum altitude of 200 msl and went to at least 300 msl intersecting the approach path of the jet at perhaps 250. A confounding factor – yet uncertain, is whether the crew were wearing NVG gear when essentially flying night VFR. The chopper was on a training or certification flight in an approach path! As far as can be ascertained so far, the jet pilots did nothing wrong. There was also another complication – the jet and chopper could communicate with the controllers but had no means to communicate between themselves. This is a big problem with operations in congested civil and military mixed use situations, since their radios were not all on the same frequency and in many cases, not the same band. Complicating this, TCAS is always disabled below 1000 feet. Status of TCAS on the chopper is unknown.
Football coming up..
1 8 ounce package of cream cheese
1_ stick of butter
1/2 cup of powdered sugar or honey
1 tbsp of vanilla
1/2 cup of sprinkles
mix everything together except the sprinkles…
then fold the sprinkles into it
animal crackers around a bowl in the center.. fun dip..
oh do get creative .. you can add caramel ice cream topping or chocolate chips .. its a fun dip
Dude Loob
– Salty Snacks are the main course for da Foozball games, that includes lip peeling Hot Wiiiiings.
Cheesesteaks, Italian Roast Pork Sandwiches (on “canoed” Hoagie Roll), and Hoagies roundout basic Philly tailgate spread..BASIC/Budget.
Lite is official unofficial Beer of South Philly, where the Stadiums are located.
All others are suspect, and tell a lot about the Peeps drinking em.
SouthPilly is also Home of the Mummers – if youse have not seen the marching String Bands in person..well that is a tragedy. I really dislike tragedy and saddness….soooo, I just cant help myself , its time for some FERKO !
Of Dem Golden Slippers -https://youtu.be/SHewaE_8vsY?si=1EHe_59i47B_hvWn
Ingredients
3/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 tbsp of tones spaghetti seasoning blended to a powder
1cup of water
dredge your chicken or fish in flour then dip in the batter
1 cup of water
Your recipe looks interesting.
I have made this recipe from Smokin & Grilling with A.B.
https://youtu.be/56OSNtKeJ7Y?si=ZKHdGH_If82YezOu
Thanks for that, Loob! We always stock Animal Crackers. We use them as goat treats. Us old goats like them, too!
(“We had a saying back then – and worth remembering today – that “Crashes come in Two’s and Three’s.” (Mostly threes.)”)
its the same in healthcare.. if there’s one death..there will usually be two more to follow..
Mayans – the masters of TIME
insisted on using only Prime numbers…
ever wonder WHY?
(“outlook for survivors is dim. 18 Bodies Recovered From River Following Aircraft Crash Near Reagan National airport.”)
phew..that was scary..I use to live a few blocks from the airport..planes taking off and landing was just just at tree top levels back then..
When I was finishing out my time in the army, I worked in Arlington, and flew home to Connectibut nearly every Friday. From DCA to Westchester County (White Plains) on Mohawk Airlines. They flew BAC111s on that route, and the Friday PM flights served beer & pizza.
Best, Flights. Ever.
(“All this turns into jobs and jobless numbers. And I was really struck during the Chairman’s remarks after the Fed hold: He sees a labor market that is good “)
street view.. sure statistics are nice but how does that relate to the view from ground level..
my view driving down the road is.. parking lots that once was full.. restaurants that use to be packed with waiting lines.. are now almost empty.. walk in and sit..no waiting.. inboxes and mailboxes full of junk mail and sales brochures your pre approved for credit cards …even on eBay .. we will give you a discount offers..
from my prospective.. it shows that the velocity of money is drastically reduced. we were not the only ones to be forced to make draconian budget cuts…
I took the wife to eat the other day during lunch at a place we both love..historically the lunch crowd was usually fifty to a hundred patrons during the dinnertime.the lunch crowd normally in our age bracket.. . ten employees and a manager.. the dinner lunch crowd was just us..when we left an hour later ( I Like to enjoy my food) there was a total of 5 customers including us..
I would love to go and see what the supper crowd is like..that’s usually a hundred plus mostly younger crowd.. but the wife wouldn’t understand my reason for the waste of gasoline in making the trip.
another thing I noticed was while driving three strip malls were empty.. all use to have an aggressive clientele..
none of what I see from street level says we have a good retail market..even at Sams club.. there was a third of the average traffic
we walked in
Yes,Menendez was a Democrat.A Hudson County Democrat.
At Early Voting last November,I told an election official:”There should be a sign on the county’s borders:
WELCOME TO HUDSON COUNTY
WHERE CORRUPTION WAS PERFECTED.
(“We could wake up in a much different world next week. The U.S. wants to stop fentanyl. Trump commerce nominee says Canada, Mexico can avoid tariffs, vows stronger China tech curbs.”)
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8606376/
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2813866
take Philadelphia.. the zombie capital of the usa..
https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/philadelphia/latest/philadelphia_pa/0-0-0-283779
why not legalize it rather than allow recreational opiates …
https://youtu.be/OrTpd6edvrw?si=NvcZIc1oblOQ4ULa
I still have the opiates …just in case if the legislators go back to … pushing opium again.. I have found that one quarter of a gummy does exactly the same thing as oxy..
Aircraft accidents comes in 3’s… I started flying lessons in February of 1977, and I’ve noticed over the decades that accidents happen in 3’s. And it doesn’t usually take long to manifest.
It’s not uncommon for ATC to redirect smaller aircraft such as regional jets, corporate jets and some narrow body passenger jets to land on the shorter runway. I’ve used all 3 runways at Reagan up to a 757 with plenty of safety margin.
The rj was lined up with Rwy01, but was re-cleared to land Rwy33. You break off the electronic glide slope, make a sweeping right turn, then a corresponding left turn to line up for final Rwy33. Very common for the regional jets to expedite traffic movement for takeoffs northbound. So, wing up descending left turn to new runway at 400 feet is a challenging maneuver that probably had both rj pilots focused on the new runway assignment. The swing wide maneuver is the prescribed method at Reagan… so the question is why did the BlackHawk not see the maneuvering jet? There could have been a blocked ATC frequency that played into missed communication as well. Very sad day
Helo pilot most likely had visual of the departing jet not the inbound jet, probably never saw it especially under night vision. Problem here is ATC should of never let them get that close. AtC should of diverted the helo much sooner, his sense of urgency was lacking big time.
I saw on “into thin air” that the doomsday plane left Nebraska and flew to DC right after the crash, maybe just routine. He also mentioned that the helos transponder was off and wasn’t turned on until a few minutes before the crash, he tracked it when it was turned on and it was directly over this one house that coincidentally is blurred out on Google Street view.
Could just be pilot/ATC error, OR
I wondered if someone else would catch this.
What I believe is the chopper was running a training op over 33, because it was “clear” and somebody in the tower had a major f-up. The Blackhawk doesn’t have a crash-avoidance beacon and civvy and MIL aircraft don’t talk on the same frequencies, so unless the pilots had visuals, 3-hours after sunset, neither would know the other was there unless the tower told them. What the tower did was send the jet off 01 and onto 33 (and here I’m guessing) without notifying the Blackhawk.
Apparently, DCA had a near-miss the day before between an rj and a helo, from a nearly identical situation.
Word on the street is the Biden Administration had employment standards lowered because mentally and intellectually challenged applicants couldn’t qualify for ATC openings. If that word is indeed accurate, I can’t even imagine the level of repercussions that’ll occur…
Yesterday, I spent the afternoon making my large Spring rolls. 12 – pan fried & chopped shrimp with small chopped vegetable., and 12 – pan fried onion & mushroom with wild rice. During this time, I was pondering Trump and what is it that he actually trying to do., trying to accomplish.
[ Take the twelve wild rice – mushroom & onion rolls out of the pan and let cool on the awaiting rack..]
I did not know that a Presidential Executive Order could be rescinded., but then – why not? It’s just an order, and like all orders and regulations and laws they can be revised, revamped and rescinded – right? But I can not recall ever hearing about one being rescinded by another President. I am sure it has happened, I just never paid attention to it before. Trump rescinded 78 of Biden’s Executive Orders. Fascinating maneuver.
Maneuver. [ While slowly stirring my home made, very thick, teriyaki dipping sauce.] That seems to be what Trump is doing. Near exclusively. Maneuvering. ., and bitch-slapping. Not much going on in the way of debt reduction., over spending., economic boost., just stirring-up the past and making things right – in his mind. Revenge by pen. To be expected., he did hint at this course of action a couple of times. [ Not a word from the First Lady – is she laying low for a reason?]
[ Carefully place the 12 shrimp and vegetable rolls into the over-sized cast iron camp-skillet…, lots of sizzle..,]
Right now, it appears that it’s “everyone for themselves”., as he seems fixated on his own personal agenda. ., and has managed to piss-off a lot people – even those who voted for him.
[ Turn all twelve rolls – set the timer again.., nice golden brown.]
When this introduction to Trump 2.0 phase starts to wind down.., what will he direct his attention too ? There’s a lot on the menu that needs to be tackled. And soon. Does he actually have a specific, economic agenda? Have to look that up.
[ House smells great – back to stirring the teriyaki sauce..,]
.
Like everyone else.., it’s a ‘wait-n-see’. I have a feeling that it’s going to be really ugly.
[ Note to self: Order two more bags of wild rice.]
I see that gold has finally broken through the $2,800 roof – have to check my stash of Krugerrand value.
.
“Stay Frosty !”
(“Not much going on in the way of debt reduction., over spending., economic boost.,”)
that’s the tough nut to crack right there.. cut back and keep the noodle moving.. before trump got in the first time we were in dire situation.
now after numb nuts administration’s lack of any ethics and business savvy we are screwed.. its all about the number.. the usa has to dump the deficit.. doing so a d dumping the federal reserve would take time..just like the euro and bitcoin.. it has taken a great deal of time to become an acceptable currency.. we don’t have time and doing what needs to be done would have cataclysmic results for everyone globally..
of course that’s just my opinion..
keep the noodle moving and reestablish the USA as an industrial nation..
tough job.. I’m glad I am not in his position..
And don’t forget, he’s been in office all of 10 days. He’s not a miracle worker. Or – maybe he is.
match the deficit with presidential administrations and come to your own conclusions.
https://www.commonfund.org/blog/chart-of-the-month-us-budget-deficit-hits-record-highs
https://econofact.org/addressing-rising-us-debt
Cataclysmic results for the 99%, not the 1 percenters, Trump added substantially to the deficit with his tax cuts skewed to the rich:
https://www.propublica.org/article/national-debt-trump
‘There were multiple culprits. Trump’s tax cuts, especially the sharp reduction in the corporate tax rate to 21% from 35%, took a big bite out of federal revenue. The CBO estimated in 2018 that the tax cut would increase deficits by about $1.9 trillion over 11 years.’
https://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-tax/the-2017-trump-tax-law-was-skewed-to-the-rich-expensive-and-failed-to-deliver
‘Was skewed to the rich. Households with incomes in the top 1 percent will receive an average tax cut of more than $60,000 in 2025, compared to an average tax cut of less than $500 for households in the bottom 60 percent, according to the Tax Policy Center (TPC).[1] As a share of after-tax income, tax cuts at the top — for both households in the top 1 percent and the top 5 percent — are more than triple the total value of the tax cuts received for people with incomes in the bottom 60 percent.[2]’
silver is up also
Melania’s offical White House photo, I think she means business
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/28/american-power-what-does-official-portrait-reveal-melania-trump
Hey, Boss!
You usta run a goldbug at the bottom of the page.
Kitco, I think it was.
I like the Princeton Dot, but I miss the gold bug. I bought one back in 2002 st a lucky price, and have dutifully checked it and smiled periodically ever since.
Someday I must snap it into several pieces, and maybe sell one — just to take my investment off the table, and play house money from then on.
Their charts become slow and they were not reliable as changes came to our content mgt program….
I will put some new efffort into a chart source – but iframes in WordPress are back for rankings and website speed (which seems to rule in the adhd world we live in…
Kitco was never the same after the “incident”.
Gold Retailer Kitco Metals’ Website Disrupted in Cybersecurity Incident…
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-19/gold-retailer-kitco-website-disrupted-in-cybersecuity-incident
Here’s a good alternative.
https://goldprice.org/
if it’s a bother, skip it. No biggie.
only if it’s easy.
The gold chart is still available on the links page:
https://urbansurvival.com/links.htm
but there’s no silver chart. Just FYI.
dLynn,
I would suggest to you that the changes you speak of have actually materialized and are reverbrating loudly in foreign lands. President Zelensky remarked in his public bulletins yesterday and Tuesday about funding shortfalls. Unidentified US-funded Ukrainian NGO’s had their money taps reduced or turned off. It sounded too like direct US funding in support of Ukrainian education, social services, and retirement benefits had been trimmed back if not ended. President Z. noted that he had tasked two subordinates with redistributing existing funds and finding new (European) donors, while Pres. Z. “awaits formulation of a new American policy”.
Yesterday President Trump delivered a 30 minute address at the White House on the occasion of new legislation, the Laken Riley Act. He invited Mrs. Laken to the dais and to say a few words in memory of her child murdered by an illegal immigrant gang member. President Trump also offered remarks surrounding remigration flights.
Separately one may recall that the prior administration had reduced the detained population at the Guantanamo facility to one or two dozen. President Trump advises of there being 30,000 beds made available to accommodate (involuntary?) USA departures. Here is a link to a transcript of the 30 minute presentation. The media scrum afterwards tried entrapment by question and were shut down on their second attempt.
https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-remarks-laken-riley-bill-signing-january-29-2025
“I did not know that a Presidential Executive Order could be rescinded., but then – why not? It’s just an order, and like all orders and regulations and laws they can be revised, revamped and rescinded – right? But I can not recall ever hearing about one being rescinded by another President.”
Yeppers…
That was the huge rub when Biden came in. He reversed or revoked 80% of Trump’s EOs, his first day in office.
The Executive is not supposed to wield that kind of power. EOs are supposed to be used when the legislative process can’t move fast enough to accomplish or fix something (like disaster recovery after a hurricane or earthquake, or a military response to an attack.)
It is the fact that we are “under an emergency” that the Prez possesses and can use EOs to claim near-imperial power. (Once da Prez claimed this power, many many years ago, every President since has used an EO to reaffirm the “state of emergency” which maintains this power. I wrote an historical background on this some months ago and published it here. If’fn you’re really curious, you can find it.)
FTMP the President’s Emergency Powers were sparingly used. He would always acquiesce to the power of Congress and “get things done” by influencing Congress (hence the famous “battles” between Nixon and Carl Albert {and Sen. Mike Mansfield}, and Reagan and Tip O’Neal.)
And then Obama came along.
Mr. Obama abused the hell out of the “Executive Order” and created the precedent of a President being able to rule like an emperor, and with impunity. Trump followed suit, not abusing the power nearly as much, but abusing it nonetheless. Biden was like Obama + Trump on steroids, which brings us to Trump redux. The media did the sackcloth and wailing at Trump’s “200 Executive Orders” but the vast majority of them were made to undo Biden’s undoing of Trump’s earlier orders, and undo the Biden EOs which did really bad things to the United States.
However, you can see from whence this came and to where it will lead.
The “Emergency Powers” EO which makes all this possible periodically sunsets and must be renewed by the President stating that “we are still under an emergency and therefore, I must renew these emergency powers.” IIRC this EO will expire in July or August of 2025, unless it is renewed.
Trump will renew it.
He daren’t not do so. As great as his potential to be one of the greatest leaders in the known history of the world, it is this fact which will forever keep him less well regarded than Geo. Washington. Should Vance follow him, JD will also renew it, but if the repugs can acquire a supermajority in 2030, Vance would finally, after over 100 years, be able to end the President’s emergency powers and restore Congress’ full power.
Wild Rice? Damn, you’re making me hungry. I would wait for the annual native american pow-wow to come to the islands to find my friends from the northern Wisconsin swamps and buy them out of wild rice. Otherwise it’s impossible to find here in the islands.
including the F35 crash in Alaska, is this two of two or two of three?
Pfew, that F35 crush was ugly (zero lift coming out of a flat spin / stall?). This new crash is just sad. It’s surprising one or both Pilots (or second seaters) couldn’t evade … was there weather? The BlackHawk have night vision capability but when used cuts down peripheral awareness. Just sad.
“We had a saying back then – and worth remembering today – that “Crashes come in Two’s and Three’s.” (Mostly threes.)”
This ^ was in regards aviation, right?
Egor
Blackhawk was over 100′ higher than allowed in that area. Why?
21:10 mark, Astrologer Lisa Salvatore warns about air travel jan 28 – feb 3:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBRXQ-ZRFpk
“The crash”
Again I was listening to reruns on religious radio. In their time period Obama is coming online. The callers call for a crash. Sudden destruction and Obama is the devil. Yet, here we are. CERN?
Shrugging shoulders. I don’t think it’s going to happen. Even if there is a major correction the system is self-bailing.
Gold and it looks like BTC, eggs on the other hand show this.
Out of work Steve,
According to a Shadow on “X” quoting a Lt. Col. on “Fox”, the helicopter had no black box. Here is a link to the tweet:
https://x.com/ShadowofEzra/status/1885016019174887809
MIL planes frequently used for “executive transport” have both voice and flight data recorders. They will be slow to admit this, hoping to NOT have to admit this at all.
Some even have very nicely appointed INteriors, even if they’re standard plug-ugly on the outside.
Perhaps, but it still had the ATC tape.
Question ‘G’.
Will the Urban Survival Business News Link Center
– Link: https://urbansurvival.com/links.htm
Still be available once Urban is shut down? I use this page quite often when digging for info.
You are one hell of a salesman. While I keep trying to “turn it off” – I am merely scaling back my time to allow me to do more items this spring. Looks like shorter morning columnns, but it all should survive – by the way if you have good links to add to that page send ’em along or put em in comments!
Just right click on the links page save to desktop. All the links are now on your desktop in the saved webpage
G –
Yo might consider growing a wall of Malabar climbing spinach. You need lots of leaves for shade and to get a respectable helping of spinach. We did a wall of it on my daughters house – worked great, and you just let the freezes kill it back and replant… just a thought, because trellises are very economical compared to a roof or wall….
That and some old sports or bird netting between some 2×3’s leaned up to the house – GREAT ideas (as usual!) – thanks and dtop by one of these days…
“We weren’t planning to travel anywhere in a plane this spring. And for now, that seems like a really good idea. Even if there’s nothing but randomness going on…”.
In the flash of a single moment – ANY moment of any day – our physical body can be snuffed out. Quickly and permanently.
For many years, here. A day like any other. Anticipating a yet good long life… or at least, life for another season.
And in the blink of an eye – gone. No notice. No warning. Just, gone.
That’s how fast it can happen. And it does happen this way to a given number of us every single day.
But are you really, gone? Your body may be, but you reawaken to what you always are and always have been – pure spirit, pure energy. The spirit and energy that conjures and forms the slower energy into a physical form and sustains that form until something happens to it – or it slowly passes away just from the passage of days.
You cannot usually prepare much for the exact moment when your transition away from physical form is going to happen. Or can you? Can you fully embrace that you are not your body right now? That you are the spirit energy and not the face in the mirror? That everything you thought you were in this Life is just a story that you took as true? And that all stories are just that, stories? That you are the writer behind all those stories… and you not any of those characters?
This is why living with compassion is so important. You never know when your time – or that of those around you – is going to be up. And they are just as confused and maybe uneasy and fearful as you are. You need compassion for them – and for yourself. We are all temporary visitors to the Planet and this realm of pretending things are real instead of living as and within all those things about us that ARE real.
Prayers for the victims. All victims, everywhere. And prayers for the families, everywhere. And with the knowing that those who have now left us come face to face with what they are now and have always been.
We’re all going to get there, some how and some way and some day. It’s not how we get there, but THAT we all get there. And what we will find and learn there.
Our Earthly lives are a schoolhouse. And one day, we will all live on and reach that upper level of Graduate School Realms that awaits all our spirits and souls.
That’s how our own personal Divinity begins to find the joy and ecstasy of rediscovering itself again, and anew.
Things may hurt for now. But our pain does not last. What we really and truly are – does.
My favorite unanswerable questions on this subject are
“Are you a brain? Or do you have a brain? And, if the latter, what is it that does the having?”
…always liked that one—
(Works for the word “soul,” too.
I believe this, or a similar variant. I’m curious though: What is the place that I’d call “The Place of Pastels” that at least one of us encounters occasionally in altered states? A place of beautiful colors(pastels) with a black background, and shades including tan, pink, blue, green, etc? No dark colors at all except for the black background. Recognizable structurelike forms, yet no obvious entities present, but you can pick up on knowings. Awesome, yet somewhat scary.
NM Mike: “What is the place that I’d call “The Place of Pastels” that at least one of us encounters occasionally in altered states? A place of beautiful colors(pastels) with a black background, and shades including tan, pink, blue, green, etc?… Recognizable structurelike forms, yet no obvious entities present, but you can pick up on knowings.”
What you are describing is how we can perceive actual Life/Universe’s energies BEFORE our brain (mind) takes that raw pulsating energy and then constructs (and creates filters) a conventional-perception layer on top of that which we see and common-share as the so-called Normal World. That is, since everything is fully made of energy (only) – this energy (as Light) is itself a constantly fizzing of colors and shapes which we can perceive before the filters we conjure up can almost instantaneously make a story out of.
These colors and light/energy pulses are in fact what we are and what all ‘things’ are made of. When we shut down our conventional ways of perception we then see directly in the Energy World that is the true essence of our Universe.
As for your having ‘Knowings’ in this state – this is to be expected since your perception at that point is now attuned to the Consciousness level without all the noise and distracting waking-state nonsense and low-energies that drag us down and which takes our minds into a cruder, baser way of perceiving which we normally do.
“RFK Jr: Why are members of Congress doing the bidding of this Danish company?”
…Which went from a nothing pharmco to the largest corporation in the EU in five years.
Did I mention the two CDC-approved COVID mRNA vaccines created one billionaire PER DAY for the first 135 DAYS IN A ROW that the vaccine existed? Bernie and his ilk want Ozempic approved for use as a weight-loss drug for everyone in the U.S. who’s 5yo or older. 40-some percent of Americans are obese, but over 83% of us are overweight. That would be greater coverage than the jab, at $1500/shot and 4 shots per month — and TWO of the “side effects” of Ozempic are “death…”
______
“And did you read Disgraced Mike Pence, Funded by Big Pharma, Tries to Derail RFK’s Nomination?”
Yes, and posted it several weeks ago. I didn’t know he was being funded by pharmcos, but Lilly is in his old Congressional district so, not surprising…
“Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s pick to oversee US spy agencies, will face grilling at confirmation hearing.
Third Grill the charm for the obstructionist party? Sparks expected to fly at Kash Patel’s Senate confirmation hearing to lead FBI.”
Tulsi, ex Congressman and former Presidential candidate, current Pacific Army Intelligence #2, and likely already possessing a higher security clearance than anyone she’ll face in this hearing… That Tulsi?
The dirty Congresscritters REALLY don’t want Patel running any LE Agency. He is honest, and an absolute bulldog…
The hostile questioners are not exactly covering themselves in glory.
I think a bigger thing is happening here. The current Mad-Hatter Democrat party is self immolating in favor of a return to the common sense they once had.
They’re WAY out-of-the center-channel right now.
The smart ones know this.
“We have a top DHS official ON TAPE revealing plans by DHS employees to defy Trump-appointed Kristi Noem’s orders.”
Multiple FBI Agents Called In Sick With ‘Blue Flu’ To Avoid Helping ICE Round-Up Criminal Illegals In Chicago.”
They are too stupid to realize this stuff makes it really easy to identify and dispose of dead weight and anti-American government employees. Apparently none of them realize why DOGE was created, nor that its prime function will be to remove dead weight from government.
I am reminded of a TV station where I once worked. The union photographers had developed a militant clique and thought they ran the station, in the face of weak management. Station got sold. New General manager was hired from another station across town. The union hated him. He was a tough negotiator, and a ‘bottom line’ manager. So his first day at the new job he called an all-staff meeting to introduce himself and outline his goals for managing the TV station. Closing remarks, he asked if the employees had any questions. One very vocal photographer stood up and told him “We’re not going to do what you say. We know how this place runs, and we are going to keep doing it our way!”
Silence for a moment from the hushed crowd. New GM then proclaimed, “That’s insubordination! Your Union doesn’t protect you from that. You’re Fired! Report to HR for your immediate termination paperwork.” “Any other questions?” Silence from the employees. No-nonsense lesson learned.