If you are old enough to remember the 1950s Mickey Mouse Club (on black and white TV): “Today is Tuesday, you know what that means…” Guest Star Day! Let’s meet today’s guest, shall we?
No question in our mind what’s really going on. Gavin Newsom – the California governator with presidential aspirations is going “Elvis Costello” on us. (Confused?)
He’s “Watching the Detectives…” (Which links to the YouTube song that will make no sense if you’re under forty-something.)
But here we are, and there Newsom is: Newsom fumes that DOJ is investigating him and his wife, calls it Trump political retribution. But for those with much longer memories (and investigative tools) Gavin Newsom’s income rises significantly in first year as governor, which was a good while back.
Of course, when we go down the rabbit hole of politics, this could be driven by anything including Epstein-related because his name appears in the official DOJ Epstein-files report released February 14, 2026. But that does not establish an Epstein connection. The DOJ specifically warns that names occur in very different contexts—ranging from direct correspondence to nothing more than an unrelated press clipping contained inside the files.
Still, if he’s going to make a run at the Oval, we don’t have a problem with a serious background check anyway. Because if you might someday maybe be cleared to know “everything” (well, except the trillions of dollars in black budgets for the breakaway civilization), sure, go ahead and find out what kind of fellow he is now. Rather than once in office. Because seems once in office it’s hard to get at the root of anything.
In a sentence, today is a “watch the egg timer” with markets in “Hold up, let’s look around” mode in the premarket.
News Compressor
The main thing that changed overnight is that the market has decided—for now—that the Iran war is ending, pulling oil down and risk assets up, but the political agreement is running ahead of the physical and military reality. Hormuz is only partially functioning, Israel and Iran disagree about Lebanon, and the formal document is not due until Friday. Meanwhile, the Fed begins a consequential meeting, a dangerous Midwest storm setup is developing for Wednesday, and anyone running cPanel/LiteSpeed should treat today’s active-exploit warning as a same-day maintenance item.
News Forecast Center
Today BLS released May import and export price indexes. It was fugly.
“Prices for U.S. imports advanced 1.9 percent in May following increases of 2.0 percent in April and 0.9 percent in March. Prices for U.S. imports rose 6.7 percent from May 2025 to May 2026, the largest over-the-year advance since the index increased 7.7 percent in August 2022.”
This will show how oil, tariffs, currency moves, and overseas prices are entering the U.S. inflation pipeline. Meanwhile Census dropped some Housing Start dope: Way down – very poor.
This one is closely watched in the real estate and construction trades.
Wednesday, 1:00 PM CDT: Fed decision, followed by Warsh’s 1:30 PM press conference. The wording around oil, inflation, AI productivity, and possible future tightening will matter more than an expected hold. Our “sleeper of the week” is tomorrow’s Retail Sales report early. After that, EIA releases the next Weekly Petroleum Status Report. Inventory and product-supply figures will help determine whether falling oil is already moving into gasoline and diesel fundamentals.
Source monitor: https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/supply/weekly/
Wednesday into Thursday: Potential Midwest tornado and damaging-wind outbreak, centered on Illinois and Indiana.
Friday: Planned formal U.S.-Iran signing and claimed full reopening of Hormuz. The unanswered Lebanon language is the most obvious failure point before then.
Emerging health anomaly to monitor: CIDRAP reports that the Central African Ebola outbreak has exceeded 800 cases and has become the third-largest recorded outbreak. It is not presently a broad U.S. public threat, but border closures, travel screening, and geographic spread warrant monitoring. As we constantly remind, we’re always just one jet ride from pandemic.
Four Day Week Reminder: Friday, June 19, is Juneteenth: federal offices, federal courts, post offices and regular USPS delivery, the Federal Reserve, most bank branches, and the NYSE and Nasdaq will be closed; online banking and ATMs will work, but deposits, checks, and transfers may not settle until Monday.
Here in Texas, state agencies operate with a required skeleton crew rather than a universal shutdown, while county offices, city halls, libraries, and trash schedules vary locally. Most supermarkets, restaurants, pharmacies, big-box retailers, gas stations, UPS, and FedEx will be open, usually on normal or slightly reduced hours.
If you can, get some extra rest. Because while we are in Amazon Early Prime Days now, the biggie is next week.
Drill Down: Blink Lab News Details
There’s not just a lot of headlines, but real change vector action planning, so pardon me if I seem overly serious today.
1. War/Geopolitics — Iran Deal Exists, but the Deal Is Not Yet Settled
The United States and Iran have reportedly signed an interim framework electronically, with a formal signing expected Friday in Switzerland. President Trump says Iran agreed not to pursue nuclear weapons and that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen fully. The central uncertainty is Lebanon. Iran says ending the Lebanon war and removing Israeli forces are integral to the arrangement, while Israel says it intends to retain military freedom of action and a presence in southern Lebanon.
Impact: The immediate energy and inflation shock has eased, but disagreement over Lebanon could still break the agreement before or after Friday’s signing.
Action angle: Watch the published agreement, Israeli troop movements, Hezbollah activity and actual tanker traffic rather than political declarations. Confidence: high. Source: Associated Press
https://apnews.com/ Alt Source: Times of Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com/
2. Energy/Fuel — The War Premium Is Coming Out Fast
Brent crude fell toward $81 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate traded below $79, extending Monday’s decline. Markets are shifting from pricing sustained Hormuz disruption toward reopening and restored Gulf exports. Lower Chinese crude demand is adding pressure to prices.
Impact: Gasoline and diesel prices should begin easing if the diplomatic framework survives, although retail prices normally lag wholesale oil moves.
Action angle: Households and operators should not assume every recent fuel-price increase is permanent, but prewar pricing is not assured until tanker traffic normalizes. Confidence: medium-high. Source: Reuters — “Oil drops to fresh three-month low as markets weigh U.S.-Iran peace deal”, https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/oil-rebounds-concerns-about-us-iran-peace-deal-restoration-supply-2026-06-16/ Alt. Source: OilPrice.com https://oilprice.com/
3. Supply Chain/Transport — Hormuz Is Reopening on Paper Faster Than at Sea
Some tanker and LNG traffic is reportedly moving through the Strait of Hormuz following the ceasefire announcement. However, major shipping operators remain cautious while assessing mines, insurance coverage, security guarantees and the physical condition of shipping lanes. Mine-clearing operations could take weeks.
Impact: Energy prices can fall before freight, insurance and delivery schedules return to normal.
Action angle: Importers and transport operators should distinguish between “declared open” and “normal commercial throughput restored.” Confidence: high. Source: FreightWaves
https://www.freightwaves.com/
4. Markets/Credit — Warsh’s First Fed Meeting Begins Today
The Federal Open Market Committee meets June 16–17. Its policy statement is due Wednesday at 2:00 PM Eastern, followed by the chairman’s press conference at 2:30 PM Eastern. Markets largely expect the federal-funds target to remain at 3.50%–3.75%, but expectations have shifted away from near-term rate cuts and toward the possibility of a later increase.
Impact: Borrowers may not receive the second-half rate relief that markets previously expected. Cash and short-duration yields may remain attractive longer.
Action angle: The important signal will be the Fed’s inflation language and projected rate path, not simply Wednesday’s expected hold. Confidence: high. Source: Federal Reserve
https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/fomccalendars.htm Alt. Source: Reuters — “Bond investors shift to neutral ahead of Warsh’s Fed debut” https://www.reuters.com/business/bond-investors-shift-neutral-ahead-warshs-fed-debut-2026-06-16/
5. Global Money — Japan Tightens, but the Yen Shrugs
The Bank of Japan raised its benchmark policy rate to 1%, its highest level since 1995, while continuing to reduce government-bond purchases. Despite the increase, the yen remained near 160 to the dollar. Yen carry trade risk.
Impact: Japan’s rate normalization has not yet restored confidence in the currency. A weak yen supports exporters but raises Japan’s cost of imported food, fuel and raw materials.
Action angle: Watch whether Japanese bond yields begin pulling capital away from U.S. assets and whether the yen strengthens after the initial announcement. Confidence: medium. Source: Associated Press — “Japan’s central bank raises its benchmark rate to 1%” https://apnews.com/article/rates-inflation-boj-iran-oil-policy-7646f3c0e0d30ef6c75925b5eecc9014 Alt: “Morning Bid: Japan turns it up to 1”
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/global-markets-view-europe-2026-06-16/
6. Markets/Technology — Relief Rally Plus SpaceX Fever
Global stocks rose as lower oil prices reduced inflation fears. Technology sentiment is also being driven by intense enthusiasm surrounding SpaceX and large technology-sector financing activity. The market has rapidly moved from war and inflation fear back toward concentrated speculative enthusiasm.
Impact: Broad index gains may conceal narrow leadership and extreme valuation sensitivity. A failed Iran agreement or hawkish Fed message could reverse both parts of the rally.
Action angle: Treat the SpaceX move as a liquidity and sentiment indicator—not proof that the wider economy has suddenly improved. We think markets will hit a soft patch when it becomes clear the “free money” trades are ending. A lot will depend on how Warsh plays Wednesday. Confidence: medium-high. Source: Reuters — “Stocks rise as SpaceX fever lifts tech; yen flat after BOJ hikes rates” https://www.reuters.com/world/china/global-markets-wrapup-1pix-2026-06-16/
7. Ukraine/Russia — Energy Infrastructure Is Becoming the Main Battlefield
Ukraine says it struck a major refinery near Moscow, while another drone attack reportedly caused a fire at an oil facility in Russia’s Krasnodar region. Russia continues attacking Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. President Zelensky is using the G7 summit to argue that Russia is under growing battlefield and economic pressure and that stronger Western support could improve Ukraine’s negotiating position.
A contrary view came from Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who said neither side can win outright and both face personnel shortages. His position is not neutral, but it departs from simple victory rhetoric. And more important in our modeling: If energy infra is back on targeting boards, how long before the big Russian-held nuke plant (in former Ukraine land) goes in play?
Impact: Repeated refinery attacks could reduce Russian fuel-processing capacity even if crude-oil production continues.
Action angle: Watch refinery outages, Russian domestic fuel restrictions and whether the G7 produces concrete aid or sanctions rather than statements. Confidence: medium. Source: Reuters — “Zelensky seeks to convince Trump at G7 that Russia now on the defensive”. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/europeans-test-trump-iran-deal-risks-urge-ukraine-rethink-g7-2026-06-16/ Alt Source: Kyiv Independent https://kyivindependent.com/
8. Law/Government — Election Day in Five Jurisdictions
Alabama and Georgia are holding primary runoffs. Oklahoma and Washington, D.C., have primaries, while California’s 14th Congressional District is holding a special primary for the seat previously held by Eric Swalwell.
Impact: These are not national general-election results, but turnout and margins will provide endless talking bullshit points about voter enthusiasm, candidate quality and the continuing value of presidential endorsements. You’ll be sick of it and will move on long before the “news industry” runs out of hype and gusto.
Action angle: Treat the results as directional indicators, particularly turnout comparisons—not as a national mandate. Minimize time lost by noticing outcomes tomorrow and move on. Confidence: high. Source: Associated Press — “June 16, 2026 Primary Election Results”. Try https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/june-16-primary-results/
9. Weather/Personal Preparedness — Wednesday Midwest Outbreak
Batten down the lawn furniture: The Storm Prediction Center has placed portions of central Illinois and north-west Indiana under a moderate risk for severe weather Wednesday. The official outlook includes the possibility of intense tornadoes, damaging wind swaths approaching 80 mph and hail as large as 2.5 inches. Portions of Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Ohio and surrounding states also face significant risk.
Impact: Wednesday afternoon through overnight could bring tornadoes, widespread power outages, travel disruption and agricultural damage.
Action angle: Residents and travelers in the risk area should have at least two warning methods and should not depend solely on outdoor sirens. Confidence: high. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center — “Day 2 Convective Outlook”. Start with https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?issuedby=DY2&product=SWO&site=NWS
10. Tropical Weather — Quiet Basins, but Not a Free Pass
Zooming out from the NEXRAD: No active tropical cyclones were reported in the Atlantic, eastern Pacific or central Pacific during the early-morning outlook. A tropical disturbance moving along the Gulf Coast could still produce isolated strong gusts and heavy rain, but it is not currently a named storm. Yes we got rain, but not to “septic roulette” levels.
Impact: There is no immediate hurricane-evacuation or Gulf-shutdown signal this morning.
Action angle: Gulf Coast households and operators should continue routine monitoring rather than reacting to social-media storm speculation. Confidence: high. Source: National Hurricane Center https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
11. Health/Bio — Measles Remains a Domestic Outbreak Problem
Guess we “spotted” this early, huh? CDC reports 2,073 confirmed U.S. measles cases during 2026, with 30 identified outbreaks. Approximately 93% of confirmed cases are associated with outbreaks. Transmission is no longer confined to one region. Additional increases are being reported in states including Virginia.
Impact: Summer travel, camps, major gatherings and international sporting events increase exposure opportunities for susceptible people.
Action angle: Families uncertain about vaccination records should verify them before crowded travel or large public events. Macro action: Don’t have kids, or give up travel and embrace noise. Confidence: high. Source: CDC — “Measles Cases and Outbreaks”. https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html Alt. Source: CIDRAP
https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/
12. AI/Cyber — Active cPanel/LiteSpeed Exploitation
CISA added a LiteSpeed cPanel Plugin privilege-escalation vulnerability to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog after finding evidence of active exploitation. The flaw can allow attackers to obtain root-level privileges. Federal agencies face a June 18 remediation deadline.
Explainer: Cpanel is the desktop for Linux/Apache servers while LiteSpeed is a caching program because saved copies can be served to users faster than what .PHP can generate on the fly with less overhead.
Impact: Shared-hosting environments, WordPress sites and servers using the affected LiteSpeed cPanel plugin face elevated compromise risk.
Action angle: Website operators should verify today that their hosting provider has patched, upgraded, disabled or otherwise mitigated the affected plugin. Confidence: high. Source: CISA — “CISA Adds Two Known Exploited Vulnerabilities to Catalog”. https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/alerts/2026/06/15/cisa-adds-two-known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog. Alt Source: The Hacker News https://thehackernews.com/ (And we have an old 2600 subscription somewhere.., Won’t be going to the HOPE (Hackers On Planet Earth) Conference, though…)
13. Freight/Small Business — Recovery Signals, but the System Is Still Fragile
Cass freight data indicates the possibility of improving shipment volumes during the second half of the year, while truckload linehaul rates rose again in May. At the same time, the freight industry continues to report bankruptcies, layoffs, deteriorating routing-guide performance and deferred fleet maintenance.
Impact: The freight recession may end through tightening capacity and higher prices rather than through a clean surge in consumer demand.
Action angle: Businesses should watch actual delivered freight rates and carrier reliability rather than relying solely on falling diesel prices. Confidence: medium. Source: FreightWaves — “Cass sees freight volume recovery in second half of year”. https://www.freightwaves.com/
Around the Ranch: Tool Box Triage
Thanks to the three-day weekend coming up, my focus plan is on tool kit reorganization. As you may have picked up, I am now the proud owner of two wing-sided technician / field engineer tool kits.
By the look of it ShopTalkSunday this week may amount to a small book. Because the real problem with “wing pallet” tool kits is trying to come up with the “strategy for what goes where.”
Growing up, my “tool kit” exposure was a couple of canvas wrench roll-ups; old military style with a thick webbing strap that was tied up.
It wasn’t until 1970 that the first place I saw a proper toolkit was when our newsroom Selectric needed repair work. The office equipment emporium sent out a recently landed British fellow and his tool kit was impeckerble. Everything in just the right spot – two removable pallets and he was done in no time.
Ever since, right? Like the “magic” that accompanies a first watching of a table saw at work.
So here’s the Big Hint on the way to ShopTalk. I’ve been thinking “which tool goes where” while laying out the old Jensen winged tool case: why does one tool belong on the left panel, another in the center, and another on the right? Turns out, a good tool case is not just storage. It is a physical map of how you diagnose, think, reach, cut, adjust, and repair.
What I’ve come to is this: The case should tell the story of a repair. Measuring gear (scope, AWG, Fluke meter, LCR meter) in the center. Adjust with the precision side (alignment tools and such on left). Cut, strip, grip, crimp and repair with the working side which for me is the right.
Theory says this layout will feel natural even before you consciously memorize it. It follows the job rather than merely storing the inventory.
The bottom tray – under that removable pallet, is where heavy, bulky, hot or consumable items—soldering equipment, solder, heat shrink, cleaning supplies, discharge gear and parts boxes go—because weight belongs low and loose materials should not be hanging overhead. I’m trying to find room for a “four-hole Buick” in there, too.
Oh – and one more for Tool Sluts! Got a great soldering gun for under $20. This kind of tool is normally north of $50 on Amazon. Made by Dorman – check it out here. Built for automotive, 100 watts is about the right size for tube-type gear component replacement, though a 60-watt pencil is good, too.
Wait! Am I going off into tool fog? Off to work on tomorrow’s Peoplenomics report…
Write when you get rich,
George@Ure.net
(“If you are old enough to remember the 1950s Mickey Mouse Club (on black and white TV): “Today is Tuesday, you know what that means…” Guest Star Day! Let’s meet today’s guest, shall we?”)
he’ll I didn’t own a color television until 1990.. you forgot the Bullwinkle club to..I use to have both the mickey mouse hat and the Bullwinkle moose ear cap..
Seen a cool table idea.. two inch logs that are set in a form then buried in epoxy.. to make a tabletop..
Finally got the Brown Betty’s done..
this is the note that will be included with the kids version..a cup a candle or a betty..
This little Brown Betty lamp is more than a jar with a wick — it carries the same meaning people have leaned on for centuries. From the simple oil lamps of old to the Brown Bettys used during wartime blackouts, a small flame has always taken the fear out of darkness and reminded people that hope still lives. Jesus taught in the same way every prophet tried to: not with fear, but with light. “Take, eat, and drink in remembrance of me” was never just about food or water — it was about feeding the spirit, sharing knowledge, and giving comfort. As this lamp glows, let it remind you that each of us is called to be a light for others. Just as this tiny flame warms the dark, we can bring warmth, courage, and hope to those around us. Be the lamp. Be the light.
(“Thanks to the three-day weekend coming up, “)
only government workers get that…. In real life there aren’t any holidays except two..and even with those its work as usual….
and I hate the fourth of july..seen way to many old military veterans freak out with PTSD… had one friend that freaked out and was going to kill his wife thinking she was the enemy..she had to kill him to save herself..had veterans baracade themselves in our spare room..or hide in closets and bathtub.. the fireworks brought horrors of real missiles and death and destruction..
Olive drab Green toolbag, made out of heavy duty canvass material.
Zipper closure on top, two handles either side of bag.
Everything I need for particular job is in the bag.
* Does the current top in markets looked “rounded” to youse? Ya know like the perfect curves of a honky-tonk Bedonkadonk..Trace-https://youtu.be/obNCv4HCq8k?
This is the main tool bag for the out of doors:
https://www.rothco.com/product/rothco-canvas-jumbo-mechanic-tool-bag?color=Black
I have one of the small canvas bags which doesn’t make it outside much anymore.
I use tool rolls for wrenches, screwdrivers and adjustable wrenches. Sockets stay in their original organizers. I have several different types of tool rolls which are better adapted for the particular tool.
The big tractor wrenches stay in a box in a tool trunk, along with other oversized manual tools. I have a couple of the trunks. Typically, you would only grab a couple of big heavy tools for a particular task, so trying to lug around a 100 lbs in a bag doesn’t really make sense.
my grandson just asked me for a tactical bag for his school books and gear from there..they look well made
Rothco stuff is usually durable, if nothing else. No telling the who and where it is manufactured.
Looking again, the bag with the brass zipper looks closer to what I have:
https://www.rothco.com/product/rothco-canvas-jumbo-tool-bag-with-brass-zipper?color=Olive%20Drab
I pick him up from football practice in two hours..I will show him that to see if that’s what he wants to carry his gear..they look awesome and well made..the things he’s been getting simply can’t handle the job and break right away
re: “Watch the egg timer…”
feat: “Goldfinger”, 1964
According to travel magazine “I-M” (Inquisitive Minds), the opening scenes of the “Goldfinger” film took place in the Bull’s Eye Bar of Bürgenstock’s Palace Hotel. Sean Connery is said to have worked on his golf game on the resort’s course prior to facing off against Auric Goldfinger.
It seems that the hoped-for Friday signing of a USA-Iran peace deal will take place on the Swiss side of Lake Lucerne at Bürgenstock. The car-free mountain resort has previously hosted the Bilderburg Group on two occasions. Operating subsidiaries and the resort venue itself now appear to be wholly owned by the sovereign wealth fund of the Emirate of Qatar.
There are links to Qatari gold plated Lamborghinis, but I imagine the ‘Urban crowd would be more interested in the manufacturer’s tractor line.
Well., crap ! Just how much more money does Trillionaire-Boy need !!?
I need help in coding analytical agents. I’ve gotten pretty good., but the analytical agents are a pay-grade up.., I have been using a couple of ‘tools’ from a company called ‘Cursor’. Good stuff for development. According to my notes, their Enterprise edition has all the coding tools I will need, include ‘agent’ development, for quite some time., and it runs about $200 a month.., ok – I can swing that – lots of useful tools [ even one that I have no idea what it does, but sounds pretty cool – I want it ! ] – lets go sign up..,
Holy crap, Batman ! The developers edition I require for analytical agents is now $1,000 a month ! WTH !! What happened !? I backed-out of their web site – I’m not paying that. Are my notes wrong ?? Really ?
This morning, in my news feed I saw that Musk just purchased Cursor for $40Billion to help develop enterprise A.I.’s for the market. That bastard !
.., damn !
The hunt is on..,
* * *
“A.I. systems may soon be capable of self-improvement without human oversight.” Ahh.., and there’s the rub – smarter, better, faster A.I.’s capable of growing and learning all on their own. From college freshman to PhD in a day’s time. In fact., I see some very troubling consequences for going too far, too fast. What happens when a couple dozen PhD’s isn’t enough ?
I am not convinced that, that is a “good thing”.
* * *
“Stay Frosty !”
With a Yoda like look, Ure nods and reminds: “The most dangerous thing at the poker table is not the Derringer. It’s the mind analyzing the cards and the other players…” Boot strap brother — use your ai tool to make ai tools you will need. Bootstrap not boot gun, he nods. And remember “The VRAM is a terrible thing to waste” And since you haver python skills from that old PN account and much more…boot strap – task and dash.
Musk says and has said over and over“money will soon be irrelevant,” I believe he’s Simply talking about what happens when a system built on fiat numbers starts losing meaning. ..
the trillion dollar number is just that..fiat currencies only work as long as people believe the numbers mean something….
But here’s the key:
He never talked about a trillion dollars as “wealth.” instead
he talks about it as fuel — a simple tool to build things that shouldn’t be possible. I believe he sees a numerical valuation as not being a trophy.Instead
It’s a scoreboard showing how much more he can attempt to accomplish.
I have read many articles or comments asking why He Doesn’t “Share” His Wealth the Way People Expect..Most people imagine wealth as a giant pile of cash someone could simply hand out…. in reality people like Musk, Bezos, or Jobs, their “wealth” is not money — instead it’s ownership of companies, factories, satellites, robots, patents, and infrastructure.
If they “shared” it in the way people imagine…Instead their wealth isn’t liquid assets — it’s tied up in the machines that keep the whole operation running…
Musk Is Motivated by the Challenge, Not the Cash..Take Reagan’s trickle down..
Trickle?down never worked because wealth didn’t circulate. Where Musk differs is in the fact that he pours everything into building what is seen as the impossible, not in hoarding money. His motivation isn’t wealth; it’s pushing humanity forward with his achievements..
The American Dream was built on a simple promise:
If you work hard, you can build a life.
A home, a family, stability, dignity.
But today, the math no longer works.
Not because people stopped working — but because the economy stopped rewarding work.
The core problem I see now is the collapse of the velocity of money and the widening gap in wealth distribution.
Lets face it when most of the nation’s wealth pools at the top, money stops circulating through the hands of the people who actually spend it .. the velocity of cash when workers, and their families, the small mom and pop businesses.. a the cost if brick and mortar rises faster than incoming cash.
Without that velocity of circulation, the economy basically becomes top heavy and brittle.
Prices begin to rise, but wages don’t due to the same reason why prices rise.. Housing climbs like now where a thirty thousand dollar house now casts a half million or low income wage adjusted rental apartments are higher than low income wages, their paychecks stay flat. The cost of living grows, but the ability to live does not…
Remember the realtor in San Fran..San Fran was the canary in the economic coal mine..
For an hourly worker, this means the American Dream has drifted from “hard work equals a home” to “hard work equals barely staying afloat… the paycheck to paycheck working poor.”
A single income used to buy a house…. mom stayed home to keep a mature eye on the kids today…..two incomes can barely rent one… I had to go back to work with all my physical limitations simply b to survive.. tgere isn’t any magic miracle..I seen a woman in her late eighties crying in the senior center where they go to get meals crying.. she had lost her husband and now had to face getting a job simply to survive..
When an economy reaches the point where hourly wages can no longer buy the basics, people don’t stop needing those basics those needs are still there — they just start breaking under the weight of them…
the price of Daily survival has climbed beyond the reach of the working class…This reality is simply not visible in the neighborhoods where those needs don’t exist.
In communities where incomes are high and safety nets are strong, the struggle is invisible. They don’t see the elderly in Greece digging through dumpsters for food…They don’t see young mothers selling their bodies to feed their children….They don’t see that in the U.S., around ten percent of female college students enter “transactional relationships” just to afford books, tuition, or rent. These things exist — but not in their neighborhood. Not in their line of sight. Not in their lived experience…
The working poor today aren’t lazy or irresponsible, or unmotivated. They’re working full time, and often multiple jobs, and still living paycheck to paycheck. Not because they’re doing anything wrong — but because the price of survival has climbed beyond what wages can support…My grand daughter wants a house..we had a picnic last week and I tried to tell her that even though they both have good jobs owning a home is beyond their income range..
they didn’t have anything in their freezer..yesterday I filled it for them..
I believe Musk quit DOGE not because he hates crypto.
He quit because he realized no currency — fiat or digital — can survive if the underlying economy is broken…and after seeing how broken and miss managed our countries congressional fiduciary responsibility was..it was beyond repair..what was it a trillion dollars to an empty building for a program that was discontinued in the sixties..
The only real fix is the one nobody wants to hear…and especially not from my lips..I am the catfish at the bottom of the pile..
Let the broken parts fail so something sustainable can be built…
(““A.I. systems may soon be capable of self-improvement without human oversight.” Ahh.., and there’s the rub – smarter, better, faster A.I.’s capable of growing and learning all on their own. “)
I visited with a guy..he had a doctors visit..the zoom doctors visit and the analysis of his test results..was not a human doctor it was an Ai doctors visit that even prescribed medications for him..
dLynn : “… how much more money does Trillionaire-Boy need !!? …”
is this a trick question?
uhm, all of it?
e ~~~
https://www.ebay.com/itm/395403323228?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/126086854030?
now what does a hundred trillion buy you in Zimbabwe…
100 trillion Zimbabwe dollars could buy only a few basic groceries — maybe a couple loaves of bread…..
Zimbabwe went from 100 trillion for a loaf of bread… and today a $30,000 house is now ‘worth’ $500,000… all while we are burning a billion a day on the iran conflict—how long do we have before our money stops meaning anything too?
In the past..For most of American history, a job = stability… not anymore..
I personally believe its because wages have not kept pace with…housing… ( low income housing with adjustable rent by income is now greater than a low income wage…medical care…now we are touching on one of my pet peeves..the high cost of medical basically destroyed my life before I even started started shaving…Insurance..due to my wife’s past stroke history the cost for catastrophic health policy if it had been put in savings bonds through the years..would have a value close to a million dollars..we had to carry insurance simply to be able to walk into a clinic..without it your sent to the ER at twenty plus times the cost..food.. in seventy five the cost for a months groceries for four people was under seventy five dollars..when we had homeless living with us we were spending more than two grand a month..transportation..gas prices oil prices in the nineties an oil change special was under twenty dollars today its over a hundred…
education..utilities…
When the cost of living rises faster than wages, employment stops being a ladder and becomes a treadmill…of survival..in the eighties in the Reagan recession people switch jobs for the price of a six pack of soda..
Seriously this is exactly the same pattern Zimbabwe saw early on…
Employment numbers look “good” on paper — but really hollow underneath..
Employers reduced full time staff an instead started hiring for jobs that are part time..With no benefits..many pay less than what survival costs..around the wastelands average wage is $11.00 – 14.00 an hour with low quality income housing running $9.00 – 10.00 an hour.. daycare is another issue..
Zimbabwe didn’t collapse because people stopped working…Instead
It collapsed because their work stopped being worth anything… which is where I see us now..
The working class has always lived in the pressure zone — the affluent live above it.. The problems simply doesn’t exist in their environment, your brain treats it as “not real” I seen that first hand a year ago..if someone had said that to me prior to us going to a gated neighborhood I would have thought they were puffing smoke up my ass..
instead what I seen was Wealth creates insulation —and insulation creates blindness…
and here is what I see as the the dangerous part…
When the people who don’t feel the pressure are the same people who
write policy,run companies,shape media,influence the public opinion,
set wages,control capital…then the system drifts further and further away from the people who actually keep it running…When the insulated make the rules, the system destabilizes itself..
we resemble a classic..The Parable of the Two Towers…
There were once two great towers that stood over a vast city.
The Lower Tower was built on the ground, where the workers lived.
Its stones were worn smooth by hands that carried tools, lifted loads, and kept the city alive.
Every day, the people of the Lower Tower rose before dawn, kept the fires burning, fixed the pipes, stocked the shelves, and held the city together with sweat and stubbornness…
The Upper Tower stood high above the clouds.
Its halls were quiet, its floors polished, its windows sealed against the wind.
The people there lived in comfort…..
They wrote the rules, set the prices, and decided how the city should run…..
They looked down at the Lower Tower and said,
See everything seems fine…great jobs easy wealth a stick market going higher.. I dont see any problems the city is stable. The system is working…
they said this because they could not hear the groaning of the beams below…the issues being faced simply don’t exist..
One day, a young apprentice from the Lower Tower climbed up to warn them….He said I believe The foundation is cracking.
The workers are tired over worked…The wages they make no longer match the weight of what they carry.The cost of living is rising faster than what employers can afford to pay..those that are holding the tower up with their backs…
the people of the Upper Tower smiled politely and said..We dont see any crack cracks…things are going great.Our floors are level.Our walls are strong.Surely this has to be totally wrong..what do you know..
the apprentice returned to the Lower Tower, where the people kept working watching how those at that level were coping with what they were seeing..patching leaks and maintaining their quality of life with borrowed money, propping the beams with credit,and holding the whole structure together with hope of the light at the end of the tunnel they were traveling in..
One night, a storm rolled in….The wind howled.The ground they stood on shook.The people of the Lower Tower groaned louder than ever before….
And the people of the Upper Tower finally felt the tremor…
As the years passed, the Upper Tower grew taller… see its all good..
Its people added more floors, more offices, more rules….
They raised the rents, raised the costs, raised the expectations —
never noticing that the Lower Tower was bending under the extreme weight…
Then one night, a storm rolled in.
The wind howled.The ground shook.The Lower Tower groaned louder than ever before…
The people of the Upper Tower finally felt the tremor everyone on the lower tower was saying..
They rushed to the windows and cried,“Why is the tower shaking?
Why is the foundation failing?Why didn’t anyone warn us?”
The workers below only whispered,
“We did warn you.
You just lived too high to hear.”
I know its the short version of the tale of two cities..The Moral of the Tale of two cuties or the two towers is..
When those who make the rules live too far above those who live by them, the system collapses under its own blindness. And in the fall, no tower — high or low — is spared.
when the Lower Tower finally cracked,
then the Upper Tower came down with it —
not because the workers wished it,
but because no structure can stand when the people who depend on it drift too far from the people who support it…
A pyramid us held up by a strong base..its what we teach any child in building a tower with blocks..
For in the end, the collapse of the Upper Tower was not caused by the poor,
but by the distance the powerful created for themselves.
Thank your newly minted Trillionaire, Rural Starlink customers get to pay more for lower internet speeds:
https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/starlink-hikes-prices-for-nearly-3-million-us-customers-just-one-plan-escaped/
‘Starlink can support only 6.66 households per square mile before speeds drop below FCC broadband minimums (100Mbps download and 20Mbps upload).
it’s still a long way from wired connections like cable and fiber. AT&T Fiber, for instance, recorded median speeds of 369/309Mbps in the second half of 2025,’
Johnny Mnemonic… prescient? Big baddie was Pharmacon. Created the shit that was giving everyone the Black Shakes and already had the cure they were hiding. Not nice folks teamed with the Yakuza for ‘security’.
Thirty years early?
Stiks
My old buddy Carl said once that politics was a continuation of war by other means. Looks like he was right. Still wonder, when the numbers are ran regarding the oil that comes inna, and the oil that goes outta there appears to be a point of no more oil. Am I wrong?
Ahh… ‘How to pack a toolkit’ ponderings. I started out with the ready-packed Jensen kit. Then I had to imagineer all the things I would need in the field working on a transmitter or microwave unit, and find a way to stuff and pack the bottom of the toolkit. Various size plastic boxes that contained tiny stuff and fit like a puzzle in the bottom of the kit. Once out in the field, I would invariably encounter something I needed and wished I had in the tool kit. So it grew… and got repacked again and again.
So fast forward to today’s retirement to my miniaturized workbench-in-a-closet, and the challenge is to now UNPACK the neutron-star dense toolkit and redistribute the tools and parts to their new logical homes around the workbench. I will sadly admit that after all these years, the tool kit still sits on the floor with a few items in it that I have not found another logical place for. Damn! It’s taking up valuable space. I may need to get ruthless.
Stay in the woods, out of sight, low profile.
“If you want to know what’s wrong with America, just look at New York City DOT installs AI-powered human ‘activity sensors’ across the city to ‘encourage safer behavior’ of citizens, whether moving on foot, bicycle or vehicle.”
https://leohohmann.substack.com/p/if-you-want-to-know-whats-wrong-with?utm_source=app-post-stats-page&r=qrouj&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true
(“Stay in the woods, out of sight, low profile.”)
I get a tickle out of these people that buy the retreat in the event that a catastrophic event happens..even a guy I know lives next door to a DUMB communications center that can house a small. city complete with everything..its so far in the boonies we have joked about how he could get in..Right now..he sent me photos a few months ago..G seen them I shared the photos with ..these are vaults..where important historical antiques and important documents are being relocated to and reproductions are put in their place for secure storage in an event.. I said to him I thought that was brilliant similar to the brilliance of storing seeds in the most inhumane environment above the arctic circle.. how will the get there.. from my personal life experiences.. I can tell you to make it to work twelve mikes away I had to leave home at midnight to get there by seven to seven fifteen in the morning.So realistically.. having a safe place a hundred miles or more would be months of travel in good times not considering catastrophic times..so plan to survive in place in my opinion is the wiser choice..them building these things in remote areas is simply stupid..the historical documents and artifacts in turn become lost libraries and vaults to be discovered hundreds or thiusands of years by archeologists of the future..which is why with what I have I also have with them instructions on how they are used and for what purpose they were meant to be used…hopefully found by someone that can read..every study that our politicians have spent millions to ignore reading says the same thing..estimated survivors will only be about the size of a small city..now with the Ebola and that horrible fly in Texas recently lowers our chances to avoid getting involve..
Disclosure Day now in theaters.
G.A. STEWART: In 1993, I wrote a movie about Extraterrestrials called Fallen Star; I even signed a contract with Warner Brothers, and then ultimately it was rejected. In that script, I wrote that some Extraterrestrial fed on fear. This was long before I read any of Carlos Casteneda’s work and learned about The Flyers.
Skinny Bob appeared outside my bedroom window for a number of years. There were no Disney like illusions protecting my sanity as there are in the movie Disclosure Day. It was all very frightening to a five and six-year old. People in my orbit also had strange experiences that today are text book examples of The UFO/UAP Extraterrestrial Phenomenon.
If Extraterrestrials are trying to send me a message, it would be much simpler to knock on my front door and deliver it personally, otherwise I am no longer interested in solving puzzles. I would say that today, I am ready for a straight forward unmanipulated meeting. As long as there is secrecy on the Extraterrestrial’s part and on the U.S. government’s part, suspicion is what I practice.
https://theageofdesolation.com/nostradamus/2026/06/15/living-disclosure-day/
In another strange coincidence, a former coworker and friend with whom I worked with for 20-years passed away last week. His funeral will be on June 27th. Given this date’s repeating history in my life, and given the current war with Iran, I wonder if there is something else that we might see on this date.
I am going to be 70 in a few months, and I have already had a few close brushes with death myself. I would like to get some real answers before I shuttle off this mortal coil.
You forgot the link to them..fixed that for you
https://archive.org/details/carlos-castaneda-all-books-in-one
“Adam” you aint gonna die anytime soon, they are not done with Ure ass.
So STFU, and get Ure head back down on that grindstone and keep grinding..
I carry a ten trillion Zimbabwe with me just to explain to people how you could get four of them for a USD when they came out. Also have five billion Marks from the Weimar and ten million Turkish Lira. One could stuff a wallet with samples of failed fiat, but why bother. That cash ain’t nothin’ but trash.
An ounce?
Makes more cents.
Stiks
Hey stiks – I think it was you mentioned a good Amish canned roast beef – could you share the brand name with us so I can sample some” thanks – (now when I get salt water in me veins it’s a doctor’s visit, lol)
my grandfather had a Confederate hundred dollar bill from the civil war … not sure if he was in the civil war or if it was his dad..